Month: January 2015

Always Wanted To Be A DigiDestined? These Replica Tags And Crests Can Help With That!

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s obvious that you remember the original “Digimon Adventure” Anime series. If you didn’t know what it was I don’t think you would have even clicked through to the article but I know for a fact that anyone who did will not be disappointed! Bandai have just announced that they are planning to release a special new item as part of their “Digimon” 15th Anniversary celebrations that will go very well with the remakes of the original “Digivices”. I bet, if you’re anything like me, you were one of the kids that looked at the glowing necklaces of the “DigiDestined” and said; “Dang! I wish I had one of them!”, well now in 2015 you’ll be able to get yourself an official Bandai-made replica. Yes, the new item that has already been put of for pre-order is indeed a replica of the original Tags and Crests from the first “Digimon Adventure” series. Courage, Friendship, Love, Sincerity, Knowledge, Reliability, Hope, Light, and Kindness are all featured, with every purchase also landing the buyer a 70cm necklace so …

Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax Is Coming To The West!

Published by Frank Inglese

Have you heard of this game, reader?! Surely you have! It’s this amazing crossover fighting game that brings together characters from a whole bunch of different Light Novels, some of which have been adapted into Anime series and others of which have never been released outside of Japan. That doesn’t seem to matter though because Sega has announced that it will definitely be coming to the West sometime this year for both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita! You’ll be able to throw  down with characters like Kuroyukihime (Accel World), Kirito (Sword Art Online) and Rentaro (Black Bullet), but I’ll say without a shadow of a doubt that the character I’ll be playing as the most will absolutely be Shizuo from the very popular series “Durarara!!” which has just begun its second season. Though i have no idea who a great deal of these characters are, it doesn’t really matter! “Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax” is both a fighting game and a crossover title so, as long-time readers will know, that’s all I need to be …

Three Idiots Play: Pokemon Blue

Published by Frank Inglese

Over fifty Video Games. Six generations. Seven consoles. Eighteen Anime seasons. Seventeen movies. Countless Figurines. Trading Cards. Clothing Items. Stickers. Backpacks. Lunchboxes. “Pokemon” is the juggernaut franchise that will live on for the rest of eternity. It is one of the most legendary video game series’ of all time, but all legends come from humble beginnings and there’s none more humble than the original “Pokemon Red” and “Pokemon Blue”. Despite the huge selection of modern “Pokemon” titles, the boys from SnapThirty have decided that it is the oldest of the games they’d like to, once again, try to complete. Unlike the way they would have played as kids, the boys decided to play through “Pokemon Blue” under the rules of their very own Nuzlocke Challenge. It’s much too bad they suck at playing video games together because at a short hour in their adventure must come to a close, BUT it’s not about the destination…it’s about the journey, and this journey is one that will be told through the ages as the worst Nuzlocke Challenge …

Red Data Girl Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

The Red Data Book is a document that details those species of animal that are considered to be at the highest risk of extinction, even amongst those already considered endangered. As such, their protection is of the highest priority. In this vein, and for the purpose of the series, a Red Data Girl is one whose rarity makes them an anomaly within the world. They are to be guarded with vigilance, lest those who would abuse and misuse her ever managed to take her. At least, that’s what the series title card taught me. Nestled far away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, we find a pleasant town surrounded by nature. In this town lives a girl, one whose shy personality has left her somewhat isolated from the world around her. However, as is most often the case with anime protagonists, this girl holds a secret that even she does not know, an innate ability that puts her in tune with a realm beyond. Luckily for her, and story progression, she does …

Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection of F Set for Japanese IMAX 3D Release

Published by Kane Bugeja

If you thought DBZ couldn’t get any bigger, you thought wrong…if you’re in Japan. Already garnering attention for being both a DBZ movie and seeing the return of the annoyingly resilient Frieza. Though the previous film Battle of Gods was the first Japanese film to screen in digital IMAX, it did not receive the 3D treatment. Thus, Resurrection of F will mark the first Japanese film to screen in IMAX 3D, across 18 theatres when it releases on April 18th. As for the rest of the world, there is no concrete details regarding the release, or the formats of said release. Of course, it’s still early days so that’s not too much of a surprise. Still, it’d be pretty awesome to see DBZ on the even bigger screen. Maybe if we’re nice to IMAX we can all get a release like this. -30-

Check Out This Majora’s Mask 3DS/N64 Graphics Comparison

Published by Kane Bugeja

With the the long awaited re-release of Majora’s Mask drawing closer, long time fans may be wondering how it compares to the original N64 release. As such, GameSpot has put together a little trailer that puts old and new right next to each other to simplify this process. Does the original version meet the expectations of memory? No, not really. Is the new version a notable improvement? Yes. Is the moon still a fear inducing nightmare that literraly looms over you throughout the entirety of your adventure? Absolutely. You may also be happy to know that Skull Kid is still a freaky oddity who’s laugh will haunt you. Isn’t Zelda fun? -30-

Problem Children Are Coming From Another World, Aren’t They? – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

A little Anime titled “The Eccentric Family” taught audiences that what is fun is good but sometimes life just has a way of getting you down. Routine can be boring and boredom can lead to an odd but very real sadness. Doing the same things day in and day out eventually develops into a sort of perpetual monotony that can only be broken and reformed by a massive change of pace. Some people quit their jobs and get new ones, others do their best to change their overall mentality, some rearrange furniture and others go to lengths even greater than what I’ve just detailed. How is it that we get into these “ruts”? I believe it’s because being comfortable is more of a trap than anything else. Once you get comfortable you begin not to venture out of that zone and eventually become stuck. For the main trio of “Problem Children Are Coming From Another World, Aren’t They?” it takes the literal changing of worlds for them to reach a place in their life where they can actually …

Snap Play: “Advance Wars” Episode 01

Published by Frank Inglese

We here at SnapThirty pride ourselves on never forgetting the things that lead us to be the fine young writers we are today. Our passion for Japanese Pop Culture was given birth many years ago during the times of our childhood and each day we try our very best to thank the video games, the Anime, the Manga and everything else from our pasts for simply being able to experience them. “Advance Wars” was one of the very first tactical role-playing games I ever laid eyes on and within but one mission I was hooked. I’d be in constant possession of my Game Boy Advanced whether I was at school, out with my parents, at a friends house and everywhere in between. The chance to play another round of “Advance Wars” would never pass me by simply because I was always prepared. Even though my young brain couldn’t fully understand each and every single gameplay mechanic, I still had the time of my life and now at the ripe old age of twenty I’ve decided to …

Onimonogatari – Review (DVD/Blu-Ray Combo)

Published by Frank Inglese

The “Monogatari” series and I have an odd and ever-changing relationship. If you’ve read my reviews of previous “Monogatari” releases you’d know this very well because I usually always clarify that this Anime is one of my favorites but also one of my most hated and it only ever works to tear me up inside. Fortunately for me the inner conflict hurts so good that I continue to come back for more. The in-depth supernatural elements are what keep me hooked to the series but it’s protagonist Koyomi Araragi’s dry sense of humour and inflated “Lolita Complex” that force me to walk away from the screen in shame. While my views on the main character or constantly shifting, there’s one member of the main character cast I always delight in seeing and she just so happens to be the main focus of “Onimonogatari”…or so we think. Thanks, once again, goes to Hanabee Entertainment for providing this review copy and for fuelling an addiction that has only ever worked to well up a chiaroscuro mix of emotions. …

Pluto Volume 3 Review

Published by Luke Halliday

Pluto has been on my mind for weeks. After reading the heart-stopping third volume, I was left awestruck. What could I possibly hope to say that could do this justice? How could I possibly convey the thoughts racing through my head? How could I ever critically assess this masterpiece? It is a task that has rolled around in my mind as I dragged my feet on putting this piece together. As I sat pondering Urasawa’s genius manga, a familiar song began to sound from my radio. Suddenly it hit me, this is what Pluto is really all about. “Love and hate, get it wrong, She cut me right back down to size, Sleep the day, let it fade, Who was there to take your place? No one knows, never will, Mostly me and mostly you. What do you say? What do you do, when it all comes down?” – Gavin Rossdale (Comedown by Bush) So what does it all mean? To cut a long story short, Pluto is an epic exploration of existentialism and the things …

Graphic Designer Gives Pokemon a Corporate Edge

Published by Kane Bugeja

Are you one of the countless Pokemon fans who have been around since the early days? The ones who are now older, but still hold fond memories of the franchise? Or are you like me, who stubbornly refuses to grow up and is still amped whenever a new game comes out? Either way, I have some images that may appeal to you. When asked about his company’s involvement in the new age of the Pocket Monster, Pictogram founder Sebastiaan de With has this to say: “Since the Pokémon Corporate Personhood Act of 2015, as spearheaded by Professor OAK, Pokémon became free to start their own companies, mandating the design of Pokémon brand identities. We were on the forefront of this radical development and designed several visual identities for Pokémon.” For more information regarding the specifics of these companies, visit Pictogram -30-

Final Fantasy XV and Type-0 HD Net Some New Screenshots

Published by Kane Bugeja

Though it’s been quite the wait for the not-so-Final franchise to receive its next addition, we’ve still got a ways to go until both XV and Type-0 HD hit the shelves and, subsequently, our consoles. In the meantime, Square Enix has released a few more screenshots to remind you that these titles look cool. This time around, we get to see Noctis jump into the thick of things and take on some generic soldier types, who I assume serve as the cannon fodder in this adventure. Seriously, henchmen need a union or something. Especially when they’re fighting against a Final Fantasy protagonist, and one who can teleport no less…or do a mid battle handstand. Shifting perspective a little, you might also wanna take a look at what Type-0 has to offer, namely images of students Eight, King and Sice (aka the coolest looking member of Class Zero). FF fans may also recognise some franchise regulars who may or may not be Ifrit, Shiva and Bahamut…they are…there’s nametags and everything. FFXV FF Type-0 HD via Gematsu -30-

Mighty No. 9 – Inafune Says “Happy New Year” And Details Game Progress

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s well-known that the relationship between Keiji Inafune and the heads over at Capcom wasn’t that of a stable one by the end of his run at the game developer. While we never truly know what went on behind closed doors what we do know is that Capcom are definitely kicking themselves now that Inafune is on the verge of releasing what is looking to be one of the better games of 2015. Well the head of the newly established Comcept has, over the weekend, released a video online where he takes the chance to say “Happy New Year” to all of his fans as well as update us all on the progress of “Mighty No. 9”. For the most part,  Inafune says, the game is basically done! The only thing the small crew at Comcept have to work on now is actually porting the game to all the different consoles, as well as general promotional stuff. Don’t just take my word for it though. Check out the video just below to see exactly what Inafune …

Pokken Tournament Live Stream Video Released

Published by Frank Inglese

When was the last time anyone heard anything new about the upcoming “Pokemon” fighting title “Pokken Tournament”? It’s been ages since any new information on the new game has been released but that’s all changed today thanks to the release of a live stream video that not only shows the game in action but also gives the world a glimpse at some of the other characters that will be playable upon release. Pikachu, Suicune and Gardevoir all make an appearance as playable “Pokemon” in the game which just confirms that it wont only be fighting-type “Pokemon” that will be participating in this tournament. Emolga, Fenniken, Snivy and Lapras also appear in the game but not as playable “Pokemon”, instead they will be support “Pokemon” who, like in many other fighting games, can be summoned to the arena for a quick strike or to boost the stats of the user. Though not much more than that was revealed through the live stream it’s still very much worth a watch and, thanks to the Youtube user MaxEzzy who uploaded …

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 – Luffy, Law, Doflamingo, Fujitora Gameplay Videos Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Yo! By now you surely know that there’s another “One Piece” video game on the way right? Of course! The third in the series of “Pirate Warriors” brawlers is set for a release in both Japan and the West this year, and the Publishers of the upcoming title Bandai Namco Games have just released another set of gameplay trailers that each focus on a different character. This isn’t strange for Bandai Namco Games who are constantly giving the pop culture world pieces of pre-release media like screenshots and videos. “Pirate Warriors 3” will feature the same gameplay mechanics fans of the series have come to know and love but, for the sake of those who HAVE played all the games in the series, it will also feature some updated features so that the game doesn’t come across as boring. With a whole new character roster and some awesome-looking graphics, it’s a little hard to pass up what will hopefully be the best “One Piece” video game to date. There is no specific Western release date …

Blood Lad Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

Vampires. Immortal foes of fiction that have cemented themselves in the minds of people the world over. Blood sucking beasts who rely on both charm and brutality to ensnare their human prey. At least…that’s what they’re usually like. Blood Lad, on the other hand, has some different ideas. In the mismatched realm that is the Demon World, characters of all shapes and sizes adhere to and defy the predefined rules of fiction at will. Staz Charlie Blood is not your typical demon. Born of noble vampiric blood, he cast it all aside and lives as the undisputed leader of East Demon World. Although that serves as more of a nuisance in his life than a benefit, what with it interfering with his manga reading. In case you didn’t glean his true character from this statement, Staz is far from serious, despite his station. Were it up to him, he would resign and spend the days and nights catching up on everything Japanese pop culture since the dawn of time…or whenever pop culture started. But that …

Dragon Ball Xenoverse Adds SS4 Gogeta and Omega Shenron to the Roster

Published by Kane Bugeja

Who didn’t love Dragon Ball GT? Well, quite a lot of people actually. Nevertheless, the series gave us a brand new Super Saiyan form that has been present in most DBZ fighting games since its inception. Though some may still debate the canon status of said form, you can’t deny that it is a powerful one, especially when Goku and Vegeta initiate SS4 fusion. Not to be outdone quite so fast, the villainous roster is also bringing Omega Shenron into the mix, SS4 Gogeta’s only opponent within the anime. So pit ’em against each other and recreate the final battle of GT, or just use Big Bang Kamehameha against someone far weaker and vent your frustrations. How about Raditz? In more Xenoverse centric news, Bandai also previewed some of the plot alterations that will occur within the game. After being turned even eviler by Towa, antagonists from the series will have their history altered. For example, after some mind medling, Vegeta has become a member of the Ginyu Force whilst Nappa is set to reveal his …

Take On Titans In The New “MapleStory” Collaboration Event

Published by Frank Inglese

You know, back when I was a little younger I used to love Nexon’s “MapleStory”. I’d get up early before school, log on to my parent’s computer and quietly play as much as I could of what is apparently one of the most addictive games around. Even though I no longer play “MapleStory” I still love seeing new updates to the game and the latest is something I think Anime fans in general are really going to dig. “MapleStory” isn’t any stranger to Anime collaborations: The art style is clearly inspired by the pop culture juggernaut and, in the past, they’ve even come together with series’ like “Sword Art Online”. Well the latest Anime to infiltrate the world of “Maple Story” is none other than “Attack On Titan”; possibly one of the Anime worlds most favoured contemporary Animes. In this new event players are given the opportunity to show just how good or bad they’d work in the world of “Attack On Titan” as they team up with the characters from the much-loved series. Take …

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

In this day and age, you’d be hard pressed to find an anime fan who has ‘t heard the name Hayao Miyazaki. Seriously, that person would be an anomaly, and one who has missed out on a pillar of the industry. However, whether you are an anomaly or one who does know the works of Studio Ghibli, you may be interested in seeing what goes on behin the scenes, in the years leading up to a film release. That’s right, i said years. Now that’s commitment right there folks. Set in the distant past of a few years ago, this documentary chronicles the tale of Studio Ghibli’s production of The Wind Rises…though it’s not framed as dramatically as that. I didn’t really know what would be covered coming into this documentary, but I’m honestly glad it was a more contemporary time period. I just found it more interesting to show Ghibli now, with snippets of the past, as opposed to an in depth view into the rise of the studio. If anything, the documentary carries …

Resident Evil Revelations 2 Reveals the Mutant Grasp

Published by Kane Bugeja

Ah Resident Evil, a gaming classic that never ceases to visualise all manner of horrible monstrosities to haunt your nightmares. Unless your not the type to get easily frightened, in which case it’s just an excuse to dole out some old school justice on some monstrous foes. Regardless, Capcom have decided to add yet another beast to this menagerie of terror known simply as the Grasp. As if fighting against a rising tide of mutant foes wasn’t already tough enough, this new flying mutant has the nasty skill of turning invisible. Luckily for you your NPC companion has the ability to see through this ruse, though that amounts to her pointing in the general direction of the threat. Should you fail to bring down the Grasp it, in line with many troublesome creatures from Resident Evils throughout the ages, will initiate a one hit kill attack. It’s…it’s not a good way to go.   -30-

Persona 3 The Movie #2 Nets English Subtitled Trailer

Published by Kane Bugeja

With a release date set for the not too distant future of March 11th, Aniplex of America has released an English subtitled trailer for Persona 3 The Moive #2: Midsummer Knight’s Dream. The film will be sold in Blu-Ray and via two versions, both standard and collector, with each providing different additional bonuses. Though I’m sure by now you know what a collector’s edition is, everything seems to have one these days. In addition to the trailers, commercials and audio commentary of the standard version, the collector’s edition in question will add a soundtrack CD, art box featuring an illustration by Keisuke Watanabe (character designer/animation director), new cover art, 10 stickers, 3 illustration cards and a 48 page booklet. Whew. IF all the extras weren’t enough of an incentive to buy, or the actual movie itself lest we forget that, Aniplex is also selling both editions at a discount. The collector’s edition will set you back US$79.98 (down from US$99.98) whilst the standard will be available for US$59.98 (down from US$74.98). All that considered, why …

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven – Robert E.O. Speedwagon Announced as Playable Character

Published by Frank Inglese

Oh boy! Oh no! Oh…Oh shit! I can’t contain my excitement! The latest edition of Shueisha’s Young Jump magazine has today revealed three more playable characters set to appear in the upcoming “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” tag-team fighting title “Eyes Of Heaven” and while two already featured in this games predecessor, the other didn’t and he’s the most exciting addition of all! Joining the updated roster for the new game will be the Joestar that started it all, Jonathan, alongside his mentor and trainer Will A. Zeppeli…but those guys are boring because anyone that’s read the “Phantom Blood” Manga or watched that arc in the Anime adaptation should know that the true star of the series is one Robert E.O. Speedwagon who has also been announced as another playable character. This. Is. AWESOME! The assumption is that Zeppeli and Jonathan will fight much the same way as they did in the previous game so let’s not focus on them. Instead let’s talk about just how our friend and my personal hero Mr. Speedwagon is going to …

Bandai Namco Announces “Tokyo Ghoul” Game For The PlayStation Vita

Published by Frank Inglese

I’ll be entirely honest: I never though, out of all the Anime series’ in circulation right now, that “Tokyo Ghoul” would be getting a game but I suppose I was very much wrong. The latest issue of Young Jump magazine has been released over in Japan and through it Bandai Namco Games have announced that, in the near future, they will be releasing the first ever “Tokyo Ghoul” video game. The new game titled “Tokyo Ghoul: Masquerader” will NOT be a visual novel-style game like I would have thought it’d be, no, instead it is going to be an adventure RPG that will take you through the story of the series. No visuals or detailed information have been released as of yet but you can expect to hear more about this game in the coming weeks. Bandai Namco don’t usually keep their fans in suspense for too long which is always nice. Hopefully this game makes its way to the West once it gets a release in Japan. -30-

VAGABOND (VIZBIG EDITION): VOLUME FOUR – REVIEW

Published by Frank Inglese

With every new volume of “Vagabond” comes another lesson about combat and about life, as well as a very happy Frank Inglese because recently “Vagabond” has quickly become one of my favorite Manga titles of all time. Based on the true-to-life story of Miyamoto Musashi, “Vagabond” follows the young warrior on his way to worldwide supremacy as history’s greatest master of the sword. From the battle of Sekigahara all the way up until his death, famed Mangaka Takehiko Inoue takes us on a visual journey through the blood-filled times of an ancient Japan and thanks to Madman Entertainment I’ve, once again, been given the chance to review the latest volume. It’s quite funny: People constantly complain about the monotony of repetition. It’s usually a huge issue with video games but you come across this time and time again when it comes to things like Anime and Manga too. Every volume of “Vagabond” is, at its most basic, about Miyamoto Musashi going to fight another school. It’s seemingly very simple but what’s amazing is that it is …

SnapThirty Presents: SnapCast Episode 15 – Jinglin’ Money

Published by Kane Bugeja

In this episode, Kane, Frank and Luke discuss the previously doubted Winter 2015 anime season. Frank also sets aside a little time to go on a brief tirade about The Last: Naruto the Movie (Review here). From 1:50-21:08 to be specific, for all those who wish to avoid spoilers…so actually not that brief. Regardless, stick around and enjoy all of the other non-Naruto talk that absolutely does not spiral into any devious plotting. I promise, or my name isn’t Mysterious Third Party Who Writes The Podcast Descriptions. Want to download the Mp3 for yourself? Right click the link and choose ‘Save Link As…’ – SnapCast Episode 15 – Jinglin’ Money You can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes: Click Here -30-

The Last: Naruto The Movie – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s quite tragic but nothing I can put down in writing could ever properly detail my confusing relationship with “Naruto”. As a young man I used to love “Naruto” more than anything in the world. There was once I time when I would live, breath and eat the series. “Naruto” I actually hold in reverence, whether or not it is believed that I do thanks to the way I see it now is up to the person reading the review but I can assure you that I’ve never lived a day where I havn’t thought about the rambunctious Ninja and his pals. It was the first ever Anime I knowingly watched. A friend from school put me onto it and within a single episode I was captured by the charm of the “punky” main character. Watching the Anime than lead me to begin reading the Manga, reading the Manga than lead me onto playing the video games, and experiencing the franchise as a whole lead me onto the path of a career to do with Japanese Pop …

Anime Flashback – ‘Crush Gear Turbo’

Published by Luke Halliday

In the early 2000s the high octane action of Beyblades and the epic clashes of Zoids were all the rage. It was only natural that the immense popularity of these series spawned countless copycat anime. Most of these copycats were merely a cheap imitation, barely watchable. However there was one little known series that sought to be something more, something greater. That anime series was Crush Gear Turbo. From Sunrise studios, Crush Gear Turbo had quite the pedigree, with ties to the legendary Gundam series and the immortal Cowboy Bebop. While it was easy to write it off as another Beyblade clone, Crush Gear Turbo proved to be one of the most unique anime of that era. With a dark tone underscored by a sense of hopefulness, Crush Gear Turbo was a mature take on what is ultimately a children’s genre. Furthermore the series marks one of the earliest successful instances of the anime industry’s experimentation with CGI, resulting in unforgettable visuals that remain timeless to this day. It follows a young boy by the name …

Hanabee licenses Akame Ga Kill, streaming now

Published by Luke Halliday

Do you like Akame Ga Kill? I thought so. Well the good news for you is that Hanabee Entertainment have acquired the license for the series. With a future home video release in the works, Hanabee have given us a special treat with the entire series now streaming on their website. Akame Ga Kill is a dark fantasy series based upon the manga of the same name. It follows Tatsumi, a young swordsman who joins an assassination group by the name of Night Raid after the gruesome murder of his two childhood friends sets him on a violent path to vengeance. Be sure to stay tuned for more details on Hanabee’s eventual home video release of the wildly popular Akame Ga Kill as it comes to light. -30-

This New Batch of Screenshots Have Proven That One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 Is Going To Rock!

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Games, like usually, have today done us all a pretty awesome solid. Like any good video game publisher they’ve gone ahead and released and amazingly huge batch of fresh screenshots from their upcoming PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita action/adventure game “One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3”. This series has only gotten better and better thanks to Bandai Namco’s ability to listen to the fans of the games and these new screenshots SHOULD prove to you that the new title is going to be one of the most memorable “One Piece” games of all time. Not only does it have an outstanding playable character roster, it also happens to feature most (if not all) of the “One Piece” story for you to play through as well as some of the best graphics we’ve seen in a “One Piece” game to date. Alongside some high resolution screenshots, Bandai Namco Games also released a few key character visuals to burn into your retinas. “Pirate Warriors 3” is set for a release in Japan this March on …

Digimon Adventure Tri – Taichi And Agumon Full Character Designs Revealed

Published by Frank Inglese

Let’s start from the top: So far, what we’ve been shown regarding the latest “Digimon” Anime instalment “Digimon Adventure Tri” isn’t actually that much. We’ve seen a silhouette of the main cast, we’ve seen a confusing promotional image that pretty much hid most of their full designs by interlocking each of the characters, and we’ve seen a lot of teasers that make you think you’re going to see something awesome but instead your just left with the teaser. Hence the title “teaser”. It’s all starting to change though thanks to the latest issue of Shueisha’s V-Jump Magazine which has finally revealed, in full view, the designs of both Taichi Kamiya and Agumon. Now the first big thing you’ll pick up on is that, surprise, they both look very different from the first season. Yep, that’s because Taichi is a few years older and has been designed by an entirely different person. Ever heard of the hit sci-fi movie “Cencoroll” which was basically developed by one sole person? Well that one sole person, Atsuya Uki, is …

Disgaea 5 – Seraphina Introduction Video Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Every hero needs friends. Simple as that! Without a team of trustworthy fighters covering you from all sides, there’s not a good chance you’re going to make it through whatever battle you may be fighting. You need allies! You need people who can help you out! “Disgaea 5” knows what I’m talking about because helping the main character Killia as he tries to set the Netherworld free of the choker hold Void Dark seems to have on it are a bunch of rambunctious ruffians willing to do all they can for the sake of all that is good! The latest in the “Disgaea” series, in case you’re unaware, has a bunch of Demon Lords going up against one terribly evil Demon Lord who only wants to crush the Netherworld and put it under his rule. Well no other Demon Lord wants that so the strongest have decided to team up with the game’s antagonist Killia to take down this ultimate evil. Over time, in the lead up to the release of the game, Nippon Ichi …

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 – Older Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and Hinata Revealed As Playable Characters

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s no over exaggeration to say that “Naruto” is quite possibly the most popular contemporary Shonen title right now. Thanks to the ending of the series’ Manga, its popularity has skyrocketed far higher than anyone could have anticipated and even though 2015 is meant to mean the end of the series, I think it’s quite the opposite. In fact, I know it’s the opposite. The movie, “The Last: Naruto The Movie”, was released in theatres throughout Japan a few weeks ago and met one hell of a positive reception. Now that the run is over, our assumption is that work has begun in regards to getting the movie a home video release. Bandai Namco games announced a few weeks ago that they’ve had a new “Naruto” video game in production for quite some time and that they intend to release it worldwide this year. The new game titled “Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4”  will feature everything you’ve come to know and love from a “Naruto” game plus a whole bunch of extra stuff including …

First “Bleach” Video Game For Smartphones Announced

Published by Frank Inglese

Here’s something I’m sure you didn’t think you’d be reading about today. The latest edition of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump features an interesting little announcement regarding a brand-new “Bleach” video game developed specifically for use with Smartphones. The game is called “Bleach: Brave Souls”, of course, and will feature graphics as well as gameplay style similar to that of the “Soul Carnival” series of games. This basically means it will be a hack and slash adventure game sporting cute “chibi” versions of the main character cast. From the screenshots shown in the announcement, it seems as though the game will tackle the story of “Bleach” before it became too convoluted and generally unenjoyable, also known as the time before Aizen was finally taken down. This means you’ll get the chance to, once again, storm the Soul Society, take on old enemies, and help Ichigo grow into the overpowered killing machine he is today. Not revealed through the announcement is an actual release date nor a developer for the game, just that it is up for …

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven – First Big Batch Of Screenshots Released

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s a Friday (in Australia). The week has been long. You’ve been run through the gauntlet. You’re ready to give in…Dont, because Bandai Namco Games are here to pump you back up for what I’ll assume is an awesome weekend to come by releasing the first true batch of screenshots from the upcoming tag team battle brawler “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven” and, let me just say…they’re looking damn fine, baby! Obviously you’ve heard of this new game right? You havn’t?! Well, let me catch you up: Remember that game “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle”? It came out last year and although it lacked much in terms of story mode content and stages it did feature some of the more popular characters from the series and went off, more or less, with a bang. “Eyes Of Heaven” is basically a sequel. What’s changed? Well you can new choose to make your own fighting duo who can come together to perform tag techniques, so that’s pretty exciting! Something else set to feature in the new …

Fire Emblem Characters Enter Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. Through the Power of Amiibo

Published by Kane Bugeja

Ok, so you’ve got a fictionalised, steampunk version of dear old London, wherein a turn based strategy game will flourish. You’ve got a cast of characters all taken from American literature, or history, who have been adapted into said world. Cool, sounds pretty finished to me. What’s that? You want more characters to choose from? You know, that’s fair. Well, there’s only one crew that I can think of to throw into this steam powered rendition of American novels: Fire Emblem. Ok, so it might not be the first group I thought of, but it seems like it’s what Nintendo did. Via the sheer sorcery that is the Amiibo system, you can now (or will be able to upon release) tap your figure onto the new 3DS and add to your game. So take a break from Tom Sawyer and give Ike a chance to fight some evil, people like Ike after all. Or bust out someone a little more recent and throw Lucina into the fray, heck even Robin is there. Though no real …

The Legendary Pokemon Hoopa Finally Gets An Official Western Reveal

Published by Frank Inglese

Now we all know that my fellow writer Luke Halliday absolutely hates Hoopa. What I want you all to know is that I, Frank Inglese, am on the total opposite side of the spectrum: I love Hoopa, and I’m so glad it’s finally getting the official time of day it deserves. For so long now the world has been well-aware of Hoopa thanks to some sneaky citizens of the Earth we call game hackers. Back when Pokemon X and Pokemon Y were released people had already found out who Hoopa was. The legendary has recently been officially revealed over in Japan and now it is time for the West to officially meet Hoopa. The thing is…we know who Hoopa is. We know this Pokemon very well. Heck, we even know it’s “Unbound” form! I’m not going to repeat what everybody already knows. Instead, I’m going to direct you to the official video that the Pokemon Company has just released. Why not get to know Hoopa even more, despite the fact that you already know it pretty …

Nintendo Announces A Rough Release Date For “Splatoon”

Published by Frank Inglese

Despite the fact that I do not own a Wii U, it is the game “Splatoon” that has me considering investing some money in the much-loved console. At the 2014 Eb Games Expo in Australia, Luke Halliday and I got to play the demo of this game and it swept me away. You can read my write-up here. The colours, the characters, the overall concept. I was very much “taken” by this game and so it prides me to be able to write about it whenever I can. Nintendo announced last night through their Nintendo Direct video presentation that the original IP “Splatoon” will be getting a worldwide release sometime this May. Nintendo have gotten very good at simultaneous releases in different countries as of late and it seems as though they’ll be employing the same strategy here with “Splatoon”. Also revealed was a new in-game feature for “Splatoon” called the “Central Hub”. This is, basically, the place you’ll head to before you head anywhere else…like any “Hub”. From here you’ll be able to see …

It’s Time To Meet The Full Character Cast Of “Kenka Bancho 6: Soul and Blood”

Published by Frank Inglese

Here’s something I bet you didn’t already know: “Kenka Bancho 6: Soul and Blood” has today been released over in Japan. Yep, it sure has. Why am I upset? Maybe because I’m not Japanese, I don’t live in Japan and right now I don’t have the latest video game from possibly my favorite series of all time. Fans of SnapThirty will know that I have a certain “soft spot” for the sub-sub-sub-sub-genre that movies like “Crows Zero” and games like “Kenka Bancho” slot into so for me to not have this game in my hands right now is just heart-breaking. Luckily for me, and everyone else like me out there who love this series, Spike Chunsoft have released a launch trailer which basically takes audiences through the game’s character cast from the main character to the main antagonist. Even though it’s all in Japanese, I think true fans will be able to get the just of what is going on. There’s a lot of punching, a whole bunch of kicking, some radical hairstyles and some …

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate – New 3DS Bundle Announced

Published by Frank Inglese

Special edition bundles make my heart go “Doki Doki” and there’s no other out there that will make it beat faster than a “Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate” New 3DS which has just been announced! Yes, Capcom and Nintendo came together and announced last night through the first Nintendo Direct video presentation of the year that, come the 13th of February, G-Grade hunters will be able to get themselves both a styling New 3DS with the latest of the “Monster Hunter” franchise “MH 4 Ultimate” which, unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’d know is looking to be one hell of an exciting video game release. Gamestop in North America has the sole rights for the distribution of this bundle but, as far as we know, Europe has no singular seller so, Euro Gamers, you’ll just have to check out your local retailers to see just who’s going to be releasing the bundle. As far as pricing goes, nothing has been specified. Even if Nintendo and Capcom did slap a price on the bundle, it …

Hyrule Warriors – Tingle And Young Link Announced As New Character Additions

Published by Frank Inglese

Why? Just…why? Ugh. So Nintendo, through their video presentation last night, have announced a whole bunch of new things for 2015 but none more disappointing than…Tingle appearing in the “Dynasty Warriors”-style action video game “Hyrule Warriors”. All of the news that came out of Nintendo Direct’s presentation last night has excited me beyond all belief but having to write about Tingle, the worlds most hated “Legend of Zelda” character, has really started to bum me out…Luckily I get the chance to also talk about the addition of Young Link who will also be making his way to “Hyrule Warriors” alongside a new Adventure Map thanks to a “Majora’s Mask”-themed DLC pack that is set for a release on the 5th of February! The new pack will be selling for $7.99 in North America so expect inflation or deflation depending on where in the world you are. This pack looks pretty cool as long as you totally disregard the forty year old fairy-wannabe and his uncomfortably “snug” leotard. Instead, give all the attention to Young Link; the …

The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask – Release Date Announced Alongside Special Edition 3DS

Published by Frank Inglese

Here we go! What we’ve all been waiting for! A release date for the upcoming “The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” Nintendo 3DS remake is finally here and what’s so surprising is that it’s going to be made available very soon! Clearly, this is one of the most anticipated Nintendo 3DS titles to be released in 2015 but now, after last night’s Nintendo Direct Presentation, fans of the series wanting to grab themselves a copy of the game wont be waiting too long for it because on the 13th of February this year the game is getting a release alongside a special edition New Nintendo 3DS. Isn’t that amazing!? We’re lead to believe that the date above is for both North America and Europe seeing as Nintendo never specified a difference in release dates so, far now, assume a simultaneous release. If there’s an update, you can expect to find it here. For now, check out the latest trailer for the game and start preparing to play the game that gave so many kids such …

Our Hearts Are Burning! A New “Fire Emblem” Has Just Been Announced

Published by Frank Inglese

Nintendo, with their presentations, always bring about good news. Never bad news. The latest good news is that there is a new “Fire Emblem” 3DS title on the way and, judging by the trailer that came with the announcement, it’s looking like another fantastic addition to the already brilliant series of video games. This new game that has yet to be named has been in development for quite some time now and features the exact same team that worked on the previous title “Fire Emblem: Awakening”. That’s no surprise though, seeing how will the last game sold, let alone just how damn good it was to play. Yusuke Kozaki is back, once again, to design each of the characters and Shin Kibayashi, a successful Japanese comic book writer, will lend his talents to the story telling side of video game production. It’s obvious that this new gamer is going to rock our socks off but for the sake of first-hand experience I think you should watch the trailer that Nintendo showed last night and that …

Nintendo Announces The Next Wave Of Amiibo Intractable Figures

Published by Frank Inglese

Last night the first Nintendo Direct presentation of the year aired and with it came some fantastic news that has indicated to as all that 2015 may truly be another ripper of a year for Nintendo. Not that anyone truly thought differently. The Amiibo craze has picked up heavily around the world with most, if not all, players of the new “Super Smash Bro.” literally sprinting out of their houses to grab themselves a figure of their favorite character. Too bad Nintendo has chosen to spot production on certain characters which has now made them extremely hard to find. Heading down to the local store the only characters purchasable now are Mario and Luigi so as soon as you read the news I’m about to type, I suggest you begin making preparations for how you’re going to grab yourself the figures from this new batch. You’re not going to want to miss out. Hitting shelves on April the 24th in Europe and Japan on April the 29th is the next wave of Amiibo figures which …

Ghost In The Shell – Live-Action Movie Release Date Announced

Published by Frank Inglese

This is something I don’t think anyone imagined would be announced this early on the process but here it is: Earlier this week it was revealed that the talented actress and all around beauty Scarlett Johansson had signed on to play the role of Motoko Kusanagi in the upcoming live-action adaptation of “Ghost In The Shell”. Disney, who owns Touchstone Pictures, announced today that the film has been set for a release on the 14th of April, 2017. At two years away, it seems very odd to have such a specific release date but it is what it is and hopefully Disney, alongside all who will be making the film, stick to their guns and head for a smooth release without delays. Clearly Johansson’s attachment to the film has made the green-lighting process a great deal swifter which will hopefully lead to a quick and fruitful few years of shooting and overall development. This is really exciting for Anime fans who’ve been waiting for something like this to happen for quite some time and with the …

Mighty No. 9 – 2015 Progress Update Shows Highway Stage

Published by Frank Inglese

Every once in a while, Comcept and Inti Creates give the world an update on the progress of the upcoming side-scrolling adventure title “Mighty No.9” which you’d know, unless you’ve been living under a rock, is a new game that will surely be seen as the “Megaman” of the new generation. At least, that’s the way it has been coming across. Like any project backed by a Kickstarter campaign, when an update on the development process comes around you always hope what’s shown is some actual progress. With “Mighty No.9”, though updates are scattered, everytime we see one there’s always something exciting and new for the world to sink its teeth into, and that really is the sign of a great development company. Though with Keiji Inafune at the head…it’s no real surprise that the game is coming along nicely. The latest update is pretty simple: It’s a few screenshots of a single stage that somewhat reminds me of the beginning of “Megaman X”. Those of you who played it will know what it is …

20th Century Boys Volume 3 Review

Published by Luke Halliday

In its third volume 20th Century Boys has gone all in. The stage was set in volumes 1 and 2 and now the show has truly begun. After all the build up and moving pieces into place, this explosive volume brings us more closer than ever to the cult of Friends and their enigmatic figurehead. As Kenji dives deeper into this mystery he finds himself more and more deeply entangled within it. So much so that a childhood story created by the boys winds up being a prophecy of sorts, leaving Kenji racking his brain to remember what comes next. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, Naoki Urasawa is a special kind of genius. The way he adds layer upon layer to this tale all the while peeling layers back is a work of art. In only three volumes this is undoubtedly one of the most complex intellectual manga series I have ever read. The detail and incredible story-telling structure of the series is bar none an is a testament to why …

First Thoughts: ‘Maria the Virgin Witch’ – How To Train Your Virgin Dragon

Published by Luke Halliday

So that was pretty much what I had expected it to be, but at least there was a dragon right? Maria the Virgin Witch is a series which you can probably tell if you will enjoy it or not based solely on your reaction to its title. The show follows a virgin witch named Maria who exists in the middle ages during a time of war between the French and English but you know who cares about that because can you believe this chick is a virgin?! Like wow who would have thought that a girl in her teens could possibly not have had sex? How bizarre and definitely a point worth repeatedly addressing throughout the span of 23 minutes of television. All that aside I actually enjoyed Maria the Virgin Witch to some degree. The setting of the Hundred Year War is a fresh one at that and definitely makes for some interesting narrative possibilities. The only problem is that the series is so obsessed with the idea of virginity that is struggles to …

First Thoughts: “Death Parade” – Taking Bar Sports To The Extreme

Published by Frank Inglese

On the 11th of January, 2015. Melbourne, Australia. Three people were injured at a darts tournament when the crowd became rowdy and began throwing the chairs they once sat on into a pile. Some began hurling themselves at the pile while others cheered on from the sidelines. While there were no casualties and only three people suffered minor injury, the riot squad was called to quell the storm that these darts fans had conjured up. Soccer (Football) games have always been known for the hooliganism of fans but I think it’s time for soccer to sit this one out because it seems as though darts produce a lot rowdier of a crowd than we thought. As I’m reading this news I’m thinking to myself; “Surely this is the oddest darts-related thing I’ll come across today”…but then I watched the very first episode of “Death Parade”. Having watched “Death Billiards” some time ago, I have been anticipating “Death Parade” for a fairly long time. Watching through the short film that would eventually lead to the creation of …

Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth – Side:P3 and Side:P4 Manga Series’ Announced

Published by Frank Inglese

Just incase you thought the world doesn’t have enough “Persona” media floating around. At the end of last year the crossover RPG title “Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth” was released and the “Persona” fandom went absolutely ballistic. Finally the two most popular instalments of the series have been brought together for one hardcore romp through the fields of fan service. Featuring a whole bunch of awesome characters alongside some interestingly old-school gameplay mechanics, “Persona Q” was a hit! Not that anyone thought it wasn’t going to be. It’s pretty much guaranteed, at this point in time, that if a “Persona” game gets released people are going to like it. Now, much like the rest of the video game series, “Persona Q” will be getting it’s very own Manga series. No, actually, it will be getting TWO new Manga series: One for Persona 3 and one for Persona 4. The assumption is that, although separated, the Mangas will still follow the story of “Q” rather than the individual stories of “Persona 3” and “Persona 4” that …

Computer Developed Just For Use By Light Novelists

Published by Frank Inglese

For every profession in the world there are a certain set of skills needed to be able to complete specific goals quickly and at a high quality standard, but skills can only get you so far. Sometime to do the best work you need the best tools. That’s why Architects have digital design programs and Illustrators have graphics tablets. A long time ago, Writers would use typewriters get get their pieces done but it’s now 2015 and we have absolutely no need for such dated pieces of equipment. Most Writers nowadays use stand computers running pretty standard word document programs but now things are about to change. Three different computer technology websites have come together to developed a brand-new computer to be used especially for writing Light Novels. Now I’m not sure whether or not the computer will stop an individual from writing a full-sized novel so let’s just assume it’s for all different types of Writer despite it only being listed as a model for “Light Novelists”. This computer is small, light, and doesn’t take …

Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker – More Information On The “Durarara!!” Crossover Released

Published by Frank Inglese

About a week ago, through the Japanese video game magazine “Famitsu”, a screenshot from the upcoming ATLUS RPG remake “Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker” was shown alongside some information that detailed a crossover between this game and the Anime/Light Novel series “Durarara!!” that has three of the more popular and powerful characters appearing as demons. Not much was said in the short description of the crossover, all that had been said was that the characters would appear in the game but what you could do with them still remained somewhat a mystery. ATLUS has, over the weekend, released two new trailers for “Record Breaker”: One goes over the StreetPass functionality of the remake while the other happens to tell audiences a little more about what we can expect from the crossover. Celty, Izaya and Shizuo will appear in “Record Breaker” as powerful demons that you can obtain through the Nintendo 3DS’ SpotPass functionality much like what has been implemented in the last few “Pokemon” video games. Each of the characters will come with their own …

Dragon Ball Xenoverse – Release Date Pushed Back Only Slightly

Published by Frank Inglese

“Dragon Ball Xenoverse” seems as though it’s going to be the “DBZ” video game to end all “DBZ” video games. Not only is it the first of the series to be released on next/current generation consoles but it’s also the first that allows you, the player, to actively affect the flow of time in the “Dragon Ball” universe. People are pretty damn excited but now, thanks to the latest news from Bandai Namco Games, people are a tiny bit less excited. The juggernaut video game publisher/developer, over the weekend, released some information regarding the release date of the new title and, well…it’s been pushed back a whole entire week. A whole entire week! It was originally going to be released in North America on the 17th of February but it will now be on the 27th, the same day as it will be getting a release on Steam. For Europe, instead of the 13th it will now be released on the 27th, the same day as North America. Really…it doesn’t matter too much because it’s …

New Pokemon Movie to Star Legendary Pokemon ‘Hoopa’, The Term ‘Legendary’ Officially Loses All Meaning

Published by Luke Halliday

What is that? I mean seriously is that some kind of genie or is it just a Haunter in drag? Whatever ‘Hoopa’ is, it is the latest legendary Pokemon to star in its own movie, with the questionably legendary Pokemon set to be featured in the newly announced Pokemon the Movie: The Ring Genie Hoopa. The film will likely follow Ash and his companions as they wander into some forest and stumble upon Hoopa, a Pokemon who initially appears to be an enemy attacking the good guys only to be revealed as a good Pokemon the whole time. This is of course an entirely fresh story to be told in the world of Pokemon, highlighting the fact that the Pokemon anime has totally not run out of steam after 15+ years of telling the exact same story for 856 episodes. Interestingly this is the first official reveal of Hoopa, a reveal which lacks all surprise considering Hoopa was leaked by hackers back in 2013 with Pokemon X and Y. So yeah, Hoopa is a thing. -30-

First Thoughts: “The Rolling Girls” – Girls And Bikes And Lots Of Fun

Published by Frank Inglese

There are bikes, there are girls and there are a whole bunch of fight scenes. What more could you want from a contemporary Anime? It’s the start of 2015 and, for us here at SnapThirty, it’s been a damn good one. Making a sweet beginning of the year even sweeter is the arrival of the latest Anime season; Winter. With the Winter Anime season comes a few series’ that havn’t quite been on my radar but that I’m glad to have taken the time to watch. One of those Anime’s is “The Rolling Girls” which has just begun streaming through the official FUNimation site and is set to start airing through AnimeLab, Madman Entertainment’s official streaming service, now! I’ve been sitting at my desk for quite some time now, pondering, wondering, typing and deleting, finding it very difficult to start this article. “Why?”, I ask myself. Most of my other impression articles come through seamlessly but for some reason my thoughts on “The Rolling Girls” is jammed up somewhere in my head. “Maybe a good slap …

Otaku Decide Most Inspiring Sports Anime, Answer is D) All of the Above

Published by Luke Halliday

Sports anime exists on another plane of existence, a higher level of being that spreads positivity and the power of passion into the spirits of those who view them. So it is only fitting that the otaku masses lay down the gauntlet once and for and decide which sports anime is the most sports anime-ish (most inspirational). Just about every major sports anime made Charapedia’s list but which one is the sports anime legend to end all super deluxe legends? Batter up, give ando take, it is time to see who is the craziest, boys! The top 20 list is as follows: 20) Aim for the Ace! (Tennis) 19) Giant Killing (Football) 18) Kenkou Zenrakei Suieibu Umishou (Swimming) 17) Baby Steps (Tennis) 16) Hajime no Ippo (Boxing) 15) Touch (Baseball) 14) H2 (Baseball) 13) Ro-Kyu-Bu! (Basketball) 12) Big Windup! (Baseball) 11) Eyeshield 21 (American Football) 10) Inazuma Eleven (Soccer) 9) Ace of the Diamond (Baseball) 8) Yowamushi Pedal (Cycling) 7) Captain Tsubasa (Soccer) 6) Free! (Swimming) 5) Major (Baseball) 4) The Prince of Tennis (Tennis) …

The Wind Rises Review

Published by Jahanzeb Khan

I had the pleasure of watching The Wind Rises from Studio Ghibli during its original theatrical screening back in 2013, and it was a marvellous cinematic experience that really left a lasting impression. Watching it all over again in this Blu-ray release proved to be just as absorbing and magical as the first time. This is a two hour film with a slow burn pace, and yet every inch and moment of it will draw you in. The fact that it can do so on a second viewing is a real indication of how great this animated epic is. The Wind Rises comes from the mind and genius of Hayao Miyazaki, and this film is another glowing accomplishment in his already legendary and unparalleled resume of animated classics… if not his very best one. In this film Miyazaki challenges himself by stepping away from his comfort zone to create something that is a jarring departure from anything else he has ever done. The Wind Rises is a historical animated biopic, chronicling the life Jiro Horikoshi, …

First Thoughts: “Tokyo Ghoul √A” – Do You Feel The Winds Of Change?

Published by Frank Inglese

 Well done, “Tokyo Ghoul”, Well done. It took you exactly thirteen episodes but you’ve finally earned my adoration. Let me be honest: I’m not one to judge things like this so heavily. I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt but the first season of “Tokyo Ghoul” was, for me, one of the worst things about the Anime lineup of 2014 and here’s why: It had a really solid first episode that lead me to believe it was going in a direction that it never did…until the final episode of the first season. I stuck to it because I had some sort of hope that it would win me back and now, after an entire season, it has proven to me that this is exactly the Anime I thought I was signing up for. Well done, “Tokyo Ghoul”. “Tokyo Ghoul” season two, or simply “√A”, picks up exactly where season one left off which is, in my books, the absolute greatest thing the series could have done. The end of season end arrived with …

The “Arland Atelier Trilogy” Set To Be Released In Europe This March

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s video game releases like this that I truly love. Have you ever gone to buy the latest in a game series and thought maybe you’re too late to the party to be able to endulge? I know I have! it took me quite a while to pump myself up to buy “Persona 4” even though I’ve not played “Persona 1” through “Persona 3”, but I did it. Though I always wanted to experience the entire series. NIS America have some very exciting news for those of you who’ve always wanted to get into the “Arland Atelier” RPG series: Come the 6th of March this year, European gamers will be able to play through each of the three “Arland Atelier” games thanks to the release of “Th Arland Atelier Trilogy”. This three game collection features “Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist Of Arland”, “Atelier Totori: The Adventurer Of Arland, and “Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice Of Arland” all on one glorious PlayStation 3 disc! What a time to be alive! There’s no better way to experience the wonderful lineage …

Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro Review

Published by Jahanzeb Khan

When you think about the most instantly recognizable names in anime/manga that have become global pop culture icons, then a few names like Goku, Doraemon, Astro Boy, Himura Kenshin, and I guess now even Naruto, immediately come to mind. Performance criminal and thief, Lupin is right up there as one of the true Japanese pop culture icons. Even those who don’t actively watch anime today will recall Lupin the Third with the same fondness as Dragon Ball Z. This charismatic anti-hero may be a thief for the most part, but he has all the charisma and secret agent mannerisms of Agent 007 from the Bond franchise. He breaks hearts, he sneaks around, and he somehow manages to save the world, all with a ton of class and sass. Now the original source material of Lupin the Third was strikingly dark and gritty despite its sly sense of humour. It was also sexually charged and provoking, and in fact no animated adaptation of the series captured this essence quite like The Woman Called Mine Fujiko, which is perhaps among …

Patema Inverted Review

Published by Luke Halliday

If you look at life from a different perspective, it might just turn your world upside down. That is the message Patema Inverted embodies and it does a damn good job capturing the beauty of that sentiment in the most literal of ways. You see, Patema Inverted is set in a post apocalyptic future where the world’s sense of gravity broke leaving half of the world flying off into the sky and the other half planted both feet on the ground, for reasons unknown. What results is one of the most mystifying experiences in recent anime history both in its sense of beauty and intrigue. Patema Inverted employs some rather intriguing ideas across its 90 minute run time. The topsy turvy gravity makes for some very distinct visuals with perspective changes captured by the inversion of the camera. I found it especially impressive that with a concept such as this, that the director Yoshiura didn’t seem to make any goofs with the gravity situation throughout the movie, keeping well within the foundations he has laid …

First Look At The New ‘Ghost in the Shell’ Movie, It Looks Good

Published by Luke Halliday

Ghost in the Shell is more than just a global multi-million dollar anime, manga, film and video-game franchise. Ghost in the Shell is a revolution that started turning 25 years ago. A fire that still burns today. Now here we stand 25 years later with a brand new Ghost in the Shell film on its way. The revolution still rages on as the very definition of anime is once again redefined. The impact of Ghost in the Shell has made a lasting impact on the anime medium with countless series drawing inspiration from the classic. Production I.G. have released a trailer showcasing the first look at the upcoming 2015 anime film. To put it lightly, it looks good, to put it extremely, I think I just wet myself. See for yourself in the trailer below. Do be sure to stay tuned for further updates on the film as we head towards its imminent release into the world. -30-

AnimeLab adds 6 new Winter 2015 anime titles for simulcasting, yahoo!

Published by Luke Halliday

Madman is the kind of friend that surprises you with gifts, for no reason at all. I like that friend and I like Madman. I also like AnimeLab, Madman’s anime streaming service that is giving us 6 brand new Winter 2015 anime series for our simulcasting pleasure. The new AnimeLab line-up features some rather highly anticipated titles. The list is as follows: Death Parade Absolute Duo Assassination Classroom Rolling Girls Yuri Kuma Arashi Maria the Virgin Witch No date has been locked in for these titles just yet but they are sure to debut sometime close to the Japanese broadcast time. So stay tuned for more information on the premiere dates for these upcoming anime series and be sure to bow down to our almighty leaders Madman Entertainment. Praise be the man who is mad about anime. -30-

NJPW’s ‘New Beginning’ Events To Be Headlined By Tanahashi vs Styles Championship Rematch and Possible Air Guitar Solo

Published by Luke Halliday

Following the epic Wrestle Kingdom event at the Tokyo Dome on January 4th, New Japan Pro Wrestling’s next major line-up of events comes in the way of the ‘New Beginning’ events taking place in Osaka and Sendai across two days on February 11th and 14th respectively. The events are set to stream on the New Japan World online streaming service live. The events are shaping up quite nicely with a total of 8 championship matches spread out across both days including the long anticipated return match between former champion and sinister leader of the Bullet Club, AJ Styles and current champion, national hero and professional air guitarist, Hiroshi Tanahashi. The match ups for the events are as follows: NEW BEGINNING IN OSAKA (2/11) IWGP Heavyweight Championship Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. AJ Styles IWGP Tag Team Championship Goto & Shibata (c) vs. Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship Kenny Omega (c) vs. Ryusuki Taguchi IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championship reDRagon (c) vs. The Time Splitters vs. The Young Bucks NEW BEGINNING IN SENDAI …

“Kingdom Hearts III” To Possibly Get a Release This Year

Published by Frank Inglese

The amazing social networking power of Twitter allows many of the world’s people to connect with each other in ways that were unforeseen before our generation. This is great for people like me who want to be up to date with their favorite celebrities. It’s even better for people who may actually get a chance to interact with their favorite celebrities! This is something, as children, we couldn’t even imagine. We at SnapThirty have interacted, on many occasions, with Joseph Motiki who was the voice of Metabee in the “Medabots” English dub all those years ago; one of our favorite television series’ growing up. As kids we would have never imagined doing so, so to live in an age where we can is something special. A fan of the “Kingdom Hearts” series of video games reached out to one of the voice actors simply asking him about his voice work and the possible release schedule of the game. Bill Farmer (@GoofyBill), the voice of Disney’s Goofy and Pluto, responded to the young fan saying; “We have been recording …

“Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker” To Feature “Durarara!!” Character Cameos

Published by Frank Inglese

“Why?”, you ask? Because it’s freaking awesome, that’s why! No, no, there’s a pretty legitimate reason as to why “Durarara!!” characters would appear in “Record Breaker”, we’ll get to that very soon. So there’s a new “Devil Survivor” game on the way and it goes by the name “Record Breaker”. This “new” game is basically an updated version of the original “Devil Survivor 2” but for the Nintendo 3DS which in and of itself is pretty damn exciting but today the internet has been set ablaze with news that the popular characters Celty Sturluson, Izaya Orihara and my personal favorite Shizuo Heiwajima from the series “Durarara!!” are set to make an appearance in the upcoming game alongside hundreds of demons from the “Shin Megami Tensei” series of which “Record Breaker” is a part of. Why mention the demons, Frank? Well the picture we’re shown of Celty in-game happens to feature all of her stats which can mean a couple of things: Either these characters are going to be obtainable as demons or fightable as enemies …

Yokai Watch Movie Makes Billions Of Yen, Nobody is Surprised

Published by Luke Halliday

So Yokai Watch is pretty huge. In fact its about a billion yen huge. Not only is the anime series the most popular anime in Japan right now, the video-game series is also the best selling in Japan right now and on top of that the Yokai Watch movie is the best selling Japanese anime movie right now. Damn Yokai Watch, give the rest of the anime a chance! That’s right, Level-5’s blockbuster smash hit franchise Yokai Watch has once again topped the charts, this time topping 5 Billion yen at the Japanese box-office with its first film ‘Yokai Watch: The Secret of Birth, Nyan!’. While it was still a bit behind the Japanese premiere of Big Hero 6 this is a major win for Level-5 and their colossal hit Yokai Watch. Now we wait until it takes of the Western World and we all become slaves to the almighty Whisper. -30-

First Thoughts: “Cute High Earth Defence Club LOVE” – Don’t Need No Credit Card To Ride THIS Train

Published by Frank Inglese

Every Anime fan is prone to enjoying a “Magical Girl” Anime every once in a while. Some of us are long-time fans of “Sailor Moon”, others like something a little darker and go for “Puella Magi Madoka Magica”. No matter what your poison is, it’s there and it’s undeniable. What is is about a “Magical Girl” series that captivates audiences, though? Is it the pretty costumes? The themes of love and friendship? The outlandish, sparkling clothes? I don’t know. Maybe nobody knows. What we all do know is that they’re sometimes fun to watch and I’ve found none more enjoyable, as of yet, than “Cute High Earth Defence Club LOVE” which strays a little from the “Magical Girl” sub-sub-sub-genre because, well, they’re “Magical Boys” instead. One of the first new series’ to be release for the Winter 2015 Anime season, “Cute High Earth Defence Club LOVE” follows the story of five young men who, one day, come across a strange creature which can and should only be described as a pink wombat. This talking marsupial, …

Wrestle Kingdom 9 Was Wrestling Royalty

Published by Jahanzeb Khan

Click here to read our preview of the event.  Nothing could have prepared us for the incredible show that was Wrestle Kingdom 9 by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). The first real localization of this Japanese pop culture phenomenon courtesy of Jeff Jarret and Global Force Wrestling. On ringside you had Jim Ross and Matt Striker calling the action for English speaking audiences, doing their very best to tell the stories and break down the language barrier. On 4 January 2015, NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 9 kick started the year with what is already the best show of 2015. Although that obviously doesn’t mean much at this point, which is why it pleases me to say that Wrestle Kindgom 9 is among the finest wrestling shows in recent memory, if not in the history of this global industry itself. Wrestle Kingdom 9 had the glitz, glamour, and production values of a star-studded Wrestlemania, and that’s no light analogy. But this was no Wrestlemania look-alike, because Wrestle Kingdom 9 embodies the sheer uniqueness and richness of Japanese wrestling, …

Scarlett Johansson To Play Motoko Kusanagi In Live-Action “Ghost In The Shell” Film

Published by Frank Inglese

The gorgeous Scarlett Johansson is no stranger to playing kick-arse femme fatales and she’s definitely no stranger to performing in some of modern history’s most exciting science-fiction films so it only makes sense that she’d sign on to play Miss Motoko Kusanagi for the live-action film adaptation of the much-loved franchise “Ghost In The Shell”. Set in a distant future ruled by the omnipotence of bleeding edge technologies, “Ghost In The Shell” follows the stories of the law-enforcing cyborg Motoko Kusanagi as she comes into contact with good robots gone bad and everything else you could imagine existing in a world overpopulated by future technologies. Mrs. Johansson apparently wasn’t sure whether or not she wanted to take the role which is understandable seeing as Hollywood hasn’t exactly done much with Japanese Pop Culture adaptations but I’m sure it was somewhat the success of “Edge Of Tomorrow” that gave her a little more confidence in the role. Hopefully her connection to the project means it will go through a swift green-lighting process which will eventually mean we’ll be …

Persona 3 The Movie: No. 3, Falling Down Release Date Announced

Published by Kane Bugeja

With Persona 4 receiving so much attention these days, fans know the city of Inaba about as well as their own home town. But fans of the Persona, and those with a rudimentary knowledge of mathematics, may recall that there was a Persona 3 that came before said fourth instalment. If you find yourself in this category of fan, then you may wish to know that the third film in the Persona 3 film franchise has received a definitive release date of April 4th. Of course, this release dat eapplies to Japanese cinema goers, but hey, at least we know it’s coming out soon. The film carries the subtitle “Falling Down” and will feature the theme song “Light in Starless Sky” as performed by Yumi Kawamura and Lotus Juice, who have worked on the music side of P3 in the past. So there’s also that, which is pretty awesome. Now we just have to wait for an English licensed version…curse my monolingualism. -30-

SnapThirty Presents: Two Idiots Play “Digimon World”

Published by Frank Inglese

Hey, everybody! Remember all those video games you would go to your friends places to play back when you were a little younger? Yeah, all those games that you didn’t have but you knew someone else did so you’d go and hang out with them just to get the chance to have a go? Well, seeing as I didn’t have a PlayStation One as a kid, the game that kept me going over to my next door neighbours house was none other than the original “Digimon World”. I was never as lucky as my fellow writer Kane Bugeja, he had a PlayStation One AND “Digimon World” but back then the only way he could have gotten through it is by using cheats. Many years after the game was first released, Kane and I decided we’d do a little something special in celebration of the upcoming “Digimon Adventure Tri” Anime series which is set to air this year; we took a trip back in time to play “Digimon World” as adults and, without giving too much away…it …

“Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection Of F” To Feature Punk Song “F” By Maximum The Hormone

Published by Frank Inglese

The title of this article alone has gotten me more excited for the upcoming “Dragon Ball Z” movie than any piece of pre-release media ever could. Have you heard of the Japanese heavy punk band Maximum The Hormone? Maybe you have; one of their songs titled “What’s Up People” featured as the second “Death Note” Anime opening. Yeah! You know that odd but catchy metal-type song of which you have no idea what the singer is actually singing? THAT’S Maximum The Hormone and, like any other band in existence, they have more than just the single song. Of their extensive catalogue of toxic punk-style tunes, one of them is set to feature in the upcoming “Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection Of F” movie during what I assume will be one hell of an awesome fight scene. The song is called “F” and, in fact, was made with the “DBZ” enemy Frieza in mind. This makes the song quite fitting for the movie seeing as it focuses on Frieza’s return. In fact, Akira Toriyama, the man himself, made …

SnapThirty Presents: SnapCast Episode 14 – Kanpai!

Published by Kane Bugeja

In this episode, Kane, Frank and Luke ring in the new year both before and after the clock strikes midnight. And where would a new year podcast be without copious amounts of Digimon discussion you may ask? The guys don’t know either, so look forward to that. Along with Frank’s attempts to get the guys drunk on cheer and Sake. Oh, and keep an ear out for a special guest in this episode who was present totally of his own free will. Want to download the Mp3 for yourself? Right click the link and choose ‘Save Link As…’ – SnapCast Episode 14 – Kanpai! You can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes: Click Here -30-

SnapThirty Presents: A Call To Arms – Help Us Build A Better Future For The Site

Published by Frank Inglese

Hi there, everybody! We at SnapThirty have just begun a new fundraising campaign where you can sign up to automatically donate a small amount of money (as little as $1) each month to help us fund the site. As of right now we’re only making a small bit of money off of advertisements but it isn’t quite enough to keep us afloat. The aim of this campaign is to raise enough money to purchase things like new equipment and to pay off site-hosting fees. If each of you can at least donate one dollar a month, that will set us up on a slow but eventually fruitful path to bringing you all the very best podcasts, videos, news articles, reviews and everything else that we do here on the site. What we have is a truck load of passion but unfortunately passion is not enough on its own to keep us going so if you can please donate even the smallest amount. Anything you give WILL go to developing our the site and everything it …

Chihayafuru Season 2 Review

Published by Luke Halliday

Poetry in motion, that is Chihayafuru. One of the most original anime series in recent memory, Chihayafuru is all about the poetry that exists between each moment, the little actions that speak loudest and the heart behind the words that we choose to live by. It is hard to believe that an anime about karuta can be so good, but Chihayafuru is living proof that sometimes the most beautiful things in life and the things you’d least expect. With the second season of Chihayafuru, we pick up right where we left off in season one. Chihaya is back to recruiting members to the karuta team and is determined as ever to be the queen of the game. This season introduces us to some interesting new characters who create a new chemistry dynamic between the cast. Chihaya is still good old Chihaya but we come to see changes in some of the main cast that are both poetic and truly moving. Shinobu proves once again to be the perfect rival for Chihaya, being the current karuta …

Tekken 7 – Recently Revealed Character “Shaheen” Is Breathtakingly Handsome

Published by Frank Inglese

The most exciting thing about the prospect of a new fighting game is not simply that there will be a new fighting game but that there is going to be a whole new team of different characters that will have you trying to master their skills and be just as good with them as you are with franchise staples. I’ve not used Ryu from “Street Fighter” for many years because he just doesn’t seem as exciting as, let’s say, the newly re-introduced Charlie who’s coming to “Street Fighter 5” and it’s much the same with Tekken. Are people still using Jin? Actually, yes, probably, but that’s only because he’s a good-looking fellow and beautiful people get all the attention. That may not be the case for very long though because, just recently, Bandai Namco Producer Katsuhiro Harada made a Twitter post announcing a new character for the upcoming game; a man named Shaheen. So why are people going to pay more attention to him? Well, he’s a new character, first of all, but he’s also …