Month: December 2015

Sailor Moon (Season One) Part One – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Okay, I think this is better to get out of the way early: I, Frank Anthony Inglese, have never seen the hit Magical Girl Anime series Sailor Moon…until now. Yes, I know, it’s incredibly irregular that an Anime fan such as myself has not seen the series that breathed new life into the sub-genre that it is now known for almost single-handedly defining. What makes this piece of information all the more peculiar is that I co-run a website dedicated to the love of all things Japanese pop culture, of which Sailor Moon is undoubtedly at the forefront even after all these years. As the team sat down to discuss which of Madman Entertainment’s products we would be interested in reviewing, this thought came to me, and I felt as though it is my duty to experience this much-loved series once and for all. It doesn’t help that my partner happens to be a die-hard fan of the series who, on an almost daily basis up until that point, had been pressuring me into experiencing …

‘ERASED: Boku Dake Ga Inai Machi’ gets anime trailer that you’ll want to ‘rerun’

Published by Luke Halliday

To say that I am excited for the anime adaptation of Boku Dake Ga Inai Machi, (also known as The Town Where Only I Am Missing or by its official english title ERASED) would be an understatement. I am over the moon that this manga is getting an anime adaptation and seeing the newly released trailer in action I was quick to hit the rerun on it. For those who are out of the know, ERASED: Boku Dake Ga Inai Machi is about a 28 year old struggling mangaka who has the uncontrollable ability (or responsibility?) to relive events in a groundhog day style loop until he changes the course of fate and saves lives in the process. He has little idea of how he gained this ability which he refers to as ‘reruns’ nor as to why he must continue to save lives, it is almost as if he is making up for something? The original manga which serves as the basis for the anime series has received critical acclaim for its complex plotting …

Koei Tecmo Releases Three Gameplay Trailers For Upcoming Attack On Titan Game

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s the game all, if not most, Anime fans have been waiting on for quite some time. Up until this point in time we’ve gotten a few teaser trailers, batches of screenshots, countless pieces of information, but no good gameplay trailers like the ones that have been released today. Well, these aren’t so much “gameplay trailers” as they are informative videos detailing the deep gameplay mechanics of the upcoming PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita action title. It looks as though Omega Force, the developers behind the new title, have gone above and beyond to make this game as realistic as humanly possible, that is…in accordance to the series. The omni-directional manoeuvre gear physics seem tight and somewhat easy to use, and the titanic take-downs can almost be felt without even having played the game. Chances are, this new Attack On Titan game is going to be one that will be remembered for quite some time to come, just like the series! Three videos were released by Koei Tecmo: The first gives audiences a look …

La La La at Rock Bottom – Review

Published by Luke Halliday

Pain hits us all in different ways. Sometimes it aches slowly over time accumulating as the days go by. Sometimes it hits us with all the force of a baseball bat to the head. Sometimes it hits you without you ever noticing, eating you alive from the inside. When you’re at rock bottom, pain is always a companion. What you do with that pain is what defines you. La La La at Rock Bottom has been on my mind for weeks now since I initially saw it. I just couldn’t put my feelings on this film into words because it all felt so very real. These characters, the lives they lead and the journeys that they take are all a genuine and sincere representation of a side of Japan that is all too often forgotten about it Japanese cinema – the underclass heroes who toil away and suffer under the weight of the world all the while never losing grasp of the glimmer of hope that guides them on in life. Pooch as portrayed by …

My Hero Academia Volume Two – Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

Heroes are cool. Swooping in whenever and wherever they are needed most, vanquishing evil and keeping the innocent safe. What the populace is not privy to however is the behind the scenes effort that goes into forging these stalwart beacons of hope. I  speak of training, the necessary evil in producing champions of the highest caliber. Sure running sprinting drills isn’t the most awe inspiring task in a world filled with an immeasurable number of super powers, but it just might be that hundredth dash that gave that hero the extra fraction of a second they needed to arrive in the nick of time. It may be cliche, but though everyone is not born equal, their actions may make them greater than the sum of their parts. As with every hero story ever put to paper, we began with the origin story, the answering of the call to action that sets up any great protagonist big or small, empowered or not. That being said, My Hero Academia is, in its own conception, an origin story, so …

Team Gurren Rolls Again? Tengen Toppa Website Promises New Project

Published by Kane Bugeja

Not even sure what to say about this one really, it slid in pretty hard from far left field. What I want to say personally is something along the lines of, ” Can you believe it? Can you believe it? I have no idea what this is about, but I’m excited anyway.” However, the semi-professional in me deigns a more appropriate approach, so here we go. The official Twitter account of the well known Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann anime recently posted this sneaky little link: https://t.co/vjpEvr3FRO — 天元突破グレンラガン公式 (@Gurren_Project) December 21, 2015 When followed, said link leads to a familiar, yet all too mysterious website showing the skull and glasses insignia of Team Gurren, the boisterous heroes of the anime in question. With little more than “Coming Soon…” written beneath, many are abuzz pondering just what this announcement could be about. The leading theories revolve around the “ps” located in the website’s address, and what it could possibly stand for. Some believe it is a sign for an upcoming PlayStation game, others think the letters …

Tokyo Ghoul Volume Three – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

When this world was created, by any deity you choose to believe was the cause, do you think all living things were made as equals? Chances are, if you answered “yes” you may be the type of person who doesn’t necessarily eat meat of any kind. Slaughtering and devouring an animal is akin to believing you have the right, as a superior being, to take another creatures life for the sake of prolonging your own…some believe. Others, like myself, tend to consider this act a simple part of the natural food chain. Much like a lion hunts a gazelle, we feed on cattle, and though there are ways to survive without taking the life of another beast, there are also clear differences, both intelligence and otherwise, between us and the animals we choose to call “food”. Now what if our food was as intelligent, if not moreso, than ourselves? Does that make it wrong to hunt, kill, and feed on said creatures for sustenance? Granted, when referring to the Ghouls of Tokyo Ghoul, some more …

Bandai Namco Releases Five Minute Trailer For One Piece: Burning Blood

Published by Frank Inglese

We know, we know, you’re all pretty freaking jazzed about the upcoming One Piece fighting game Burning Blood. How do we know? Well, hell…because we’re damn excited to! Often when a One Piece game is developed, it’s usually handled by Omega Force who love to make Warriors-style titles that pit one against many. That’s why we have three One Piece: Pirate Warriors currently available for purchase across almost all home consoles. Japan are fine, they seem to get handheld One Piece fighting game titles, so to them Burning Blood is just another one to add to the long list, but for us here in the West, well…this is on par with being a miracle. Burning Blood, unlike other mainstream One Piece video game titles, does not have players facing off against countless enemies, attacking horde after horde until one area is liberated, then moving onto another. Oh no no, One Piece: Burning Blood is a full-on fighting title that pits Logia Users against Haki Masters in ways we’ve yet to see until now. Bandai Namco …

Going Digital Once More – Digimon World: Next Order Releases New Trailer

Published by Kane Bugeja

Since the Digital Monsters first graced our collective childhoods, there has been a desire to witness the world in which they live, a desire met by the handily titled Digimon World. Spun into a franchise across the years, these games have provided stories to whet the appetites of those who wish to take their favourite Digimon friends and hit evil really, really hard, often in the face or faces  (depending on their respective constitutions). Of course, the more recent of these do good adventures have been limited to Japanese audiences, what with localisation and all, though hopefully the soon to release in the west Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth will bring a resurgence of the franchise outside its country of origin. Owing to its place within a pre-established franchise, Next Order promises gameplay elements similar to those that have graced Worlds prior. Providing the player with a protagonist male or female protagonist avatar and two digital companions, the game also promises a story of combat, villainy and mystery, or so it is gathered from the trailer. …

Shine On! JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part Four Promo Released

Published by Kane Bugeja

Oh JoJo, that series that reminds us that not all families are conventional and that sometimes it takes the help of friends to see your goals through to the end. Of course it helps if said friends and family possesses tremendous abilities that skirt the border of reality, time, space, fiction and good sense, but the message of companionship is still underlying…I think. I’ll admit, things got a little hazy for me when the Stardust Crusaders had to fight the Sun, but that’s a story for another time. Much to the joy of Diamond Is Unbreakable fans, David Production has continued their JJBA streak by revealing their plans for the first ever anime adaptation of said fourth part of the ever expanding epic of the Joestar bloodline. Jumping ahead a little from the previous part, Diamond Is Unbreakable takes place in 1999, continuing the trend of progressive eras in the JoJo franchise (keeping in mind that Part One took place in the 1880s). With new JoJo Josuke Higashikata at the helm, the series will follow …

Suit Up! My Hero Academia Promo Teases Main Cast

Published by Kane Bugeja

It’s no secret that the writers of this fair site, myself very much included, are fans of the My Hero Academia manga that resides within Shonen Jump. As such, it’s pretty neat to know that an anime project based on said manga is set to launch in March of 2016, placing it within the Spring season. With tidbits released here and there, attentive news goers have probably seen character art depicting five of the main characters and, more recently, a listing of their respective seiyuu. Well, as is so often the case with upcoming series, more information has come to light…okay, not so much new information, but more coherent. That is to say that a new promo has streamed that showcases the character’s voices in action, along with a nice glimpse of their hero costumes. Not a whole lot more to be said about that that can’t be gleamed from actually watching the promo so, instead of wasting your time with inane banter, I’m just going to relinquish typing and put the video below. Also …

Four New Character Trailers Released For JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment are super excited for their upcoming JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure title Eyes Of Heaven, and to celebrate it’s almost-release they plan on posting character-specific videos that span the game’s entire roster which, last time I checked, is at least fifty strong. So far the list of names is fairly thick, but it’s only going to get thicker! Before jumping in and catching a glimpse of the latest spotlight characters, why not check out those who came before it by Clicking Here. It’s fine, it’s fine, four is fine, at least it’s not eight! Bandai Namco Entertainment have, as you can already tell, dropped another batch of character-specific trailers for their upcoming title JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven, and this time around they’ve decided to introduce us to the most flamboyant of the character cast…wait, no they didn’t…they’ve all been incredibly flamboyant, it’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure after all! Narciso Anasui (Part VI: Stone Ocean), Vanilla Ice (Part III: Stardust Crusaders), Giorno Giovanna (Part V: Vento Aureo), and Enrico Pucci (Part VI: Stone Ocean) are the …

Schwing! – This Strange Hisoka Figure From Hunter X Hunter Has Exciting Potential

Published by Frank Inglese

Have we all seen the hit Anime series Hunter X Hunter? If you haven’t…make sure you don’t tell fellow site writer Luke Halliday. He is ravenous when it comes to all things Hunter X Hunter. Chances are, even if you haven’t had the opportunity to experience this hard-hitting Shonen series for yourself, you probably know quite a bit about it. It’s only one of THE most popular series’ of all time, you’re bound to know a little bit about it. There’s a character named Hisoka who, I suppose, you could fit into the category of ‘Bad Guy’, but not for long enough to cement him in as a detrimental part of protagonist Gon’s overall journey to find his father. In fact, often at times, Hisoka actually helps. Regardless, good or bad in action, Hisoka is a terrible human being at heart. Everything he does, he does strictly for his own pleasure and benefit. If that just so happens to help one party, than I suppose it’s their lucky day. Simply as that. Hisoka has this strange …

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven – N’Doul, Koichi Hirose, and Akira Otoishi Character Battle Trailers Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment are super excited for their upcoming JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure title Eyes Of Heaven, and to celebrate it’s almost-release they plan on posting character-specific videos that span the game’s entire roster which, last time I checked, is at least fifty strong. So far the list of names is fairly thick, but it’s only going to get thicker! Before jumping in and catching a glimpse of the latest spotlight characters, why not check out those who came before it:  Jonathan Joestar, Robert E.O. Speedwagon, Jotaro Kujo,Okuyasu Nijimura, Bruno Buccellati, Joseph Joestar, Dio Brando, Gyro Zeppeli, Josuke Higashikata, Enrico Pucci, Rudol Von Stroheim, Trish Una, Esidisi, Rohan Kishibe, Jotaro Kujo (Part IV), Mariah, Narancia Ghirga, Funny Valentine, Weather Report, Shigekiyo Yango, Wamuu, Lisa Lisa, Pannacotta Fugo, Petshop, Johnny Joestar, Yoshikage Kira, Noriaki Kakyoin, Diavolo, Diego Brando, Will A. Zeppeli, Kars, Jolyne Cujoh, Ermes Costello, Yukako Yamagishi, Iggy, Jean Pierre Polnareff, Muhammad Avdol, Joshu Higashikata, Guido Mista, Diego Brando (From Another Universe), Old Man Joseph Joestar, Josuke Higashikata (Part VIII), Kosaku Kawajiri, and Hol Horse. It looks as though Bandai Namco Entertainment have slowed their roll this morning with the …

Five New Character Trailers Released For JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment are super excited for their upcoming JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure title Eyes Of Heaven, and to celebrate it’s almost-release they plan on posting character-specific videos that span the game’s entire roster which, last time I checked, is at least fifty strong. So far the list of names is fairly thick, but it’s only going to get thicker! Before jumping in and catching a glimpse of the latest spotlight characters, why not check out those who came before it:  Jonathan Joestar, Robert E.O. Speedwagon, Jotaro Kujo,Okuyasu Nijimura, Bruno Buccellati, Joseph Joestar, Dio Brando, Gyro Zeppeli, Josuke Higashikata, Enrico Pucci, Rudol Von Stroheim, Trish Una, Esidisi, Rohan Kishibe, Jotaro Kujo (Part IV), Mariah, Narancia Ghirga, Funny Valentine, Weather Report, Shigekiyo Yango, Wamuu, Lisa Lisa, Pannacotta Fugo, Petshop, Johnny Joestar, Yoshikage Kira, Noriaki Kakyoin, Diavolo, Diego Brando, Will A. Zeppeli, Kars, Jolyne Cujoh, Ermes Costello, Yukako Yamagishi, Iggy, Jean Pierre Polnareff, Muhammad Avdol, Joshu Higashikata, and Guido Mista. One day, two articles, twelve different character-specific trailers for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven. It is beginning to get to be too much at this point in time, but I’m …

Smash Bros Gain a Few New Siblings, Round Out Family

Published by Kane Bugeja

Smash Bros, those two words which drove an entire generation of gamers to discover just what would happen if Mario and Link ever met in combat. Also Donkey Kong was there, and Pikachu…Peach, Ness, Kirby, the roster has accrued more and more faces throughout its lifetime. The advent of DLC was therefore a blessing for Smash as it has been for fighting games the world over, I’m looking at you Street Fighter. Well my friends, the Wii U and 3DS character sheets have reached their end, with the final three fighters lunging into the spotlight in a special Nintendo presentation. First off, the Buster Sword wielding amnesiac himself, Cloud Strife was announced previously with the promise of more news to come. Well the mysterious news in question has now been made less mysterious, two new fighters will be joining the fray. Allow me to elucidate. In this corner, weighing in at I have no idea from parts brand new, bolstering the Fire Emblem crew; the knight with a hidden might, the barefoot brawler who should’ve …

Eight New Character Trailers Released For JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment are super excited for their upcoming JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure title Eyes Of Heaven, and to celebrate it’s almost-release they plan on posting character-specific videos that span the game’s entire roster which, last time I checked, is at least fifty strong. So far the list of names is fairly thick, but it’s only going to get thicker! Before jumping in and catching a glimpse of the latest spotlight characters, why not check out those who came before it:  Jonathan Joestar, Robert E.O. Speedwagon, Jotaro Kujo,Okuyasu Nijimura, Bruno Buccellati, Joseph Joestar, Dio Brando, Gyro Zeppeli, Josuke Higashikata, Enrico Pucci, Rudol Von Stroheim, Trish Una, Esidisi, Rohan Kishibe, Jotaro Kujo (Part IV), Mariah, Narancia Ghirga, Funny Valentine, Weather Report, Shigekiyo Yango, Wamuu, Lisa Lisa, Pannacotta Fugo, Petshop, Johnny Joestar, Yoshikage Kira, Noriaki Kakyoin, Diavolo, Diego Brando, Will A. Zeppeli, Kars, and Jolyne Cujoh. It is almost overwhelming, the sheer high volume of these JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven trailers that are coming out on a daily basis. You miss one day and BOOM; you’re eight trailers behind, but luckily they’re all fairly short so it wont …

Much Like The Might Phoenix, Kojima Productions Rises From The Ashes

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s been a bit of a slog but finally Hideo Kojima, creator of the video game series Metal Gear, has finally been released from his contract with the now infamous video game publisher/developer juggernaut Konami. So what happens now that Kojima has finally made his departure from Konami and his former studio, Kojima Productions, has been disbanded? Well, the answer to that is quite simple; he starts fresh…with the creation of the new Kojima Productions. While Konami has kept the rights to Kojima’s critically acclaimed Metal Gear series, his own name stays with him, and that is why he has titled his new studio after his old, proving that certain special things in life cannot truly be killed. Kojima, as expected from many of those rooted deep in the video game industry, has taken with him a whole team of former Kojima Productions workers who will now accompany him as he, once again, makes a name for himself, this time separate to that of Konami. With the help of Sony Computer Entertainment, who have recently revealed that …

Six New Character Trailers Released For JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment are super excited for their upcoming JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure title Eyes Of Heaven, and to celebrate it’s almost-release they plan on posting character-specific videos that span the game’s entire roster which, last time I checked, is at least fifty strong. So far the list of names is fairly thick, but it’s only going to get thicker! Before jumping in and catching a glimpse of the latest spotlight characters, why not check out those who came before it:  Jonathan Joestar, Robert E.O. Speedwagon, Jotaro Kujo,Okuyasu Nijimura, Bruno Buccellati, Joseph Joestar, Dio Brando, Gyro Zeppeli, Josuke Higashikata, Enrico Pucci, Rudol Von Stroheim, Trish Una, Esidisi, Rohan Kishibe, Jotaro Kujo (Part IV), Mariah, Narancia Ghirga, Funny Valentine, Weather Report, Shigekiyo Yango, Wamuu, Lisa Lisa, Pannacotta Fugo, Petshop, Johnny Joestar, and Yoshikage Kira. I know, reader, you woke up this morning thinking to yourself; “Jeez, I could really go for a torrent JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure video game content right about now“, which is absolutely amazing because that’s exactly what you’re getting! Bandai Namco Entertainment have upped the output of this character-centric trailers, which is great for those of …

Assassination Classroom Promotes Second Season, Students and Fans Pleased as Punch

Published by Kane Bugeja

As readers of the site can attest, Assassination Classroom is a pretty popular series. Taking a rather unique premise and combining it with a literal class of characters, the series has gather quite the fanbase through its manga and initial anime season. Announced long ago that it would be back for a second season, the series in question has received a new key visual that showcases the happy gaggle of assassins just kind of hanging around. Just your typical hype shot that reminds the anime watching world what is coming around the seasonal corner. Along with this image also came the news that season two will run for twenty five episodes, putting it three above the run of season one. More story to get through I suppose. Though the non-symmetry of it does give a perhaps baseless sense of hope that twenty five episodes is what the season needed to run through its content, or maybe season one was an anomaly in its episode count. I’m not entirely knowledgeable on that one, just enthusiastic. On …

SnapCast Episode 44 – Best Worst Awards Show

Published by Kane Bugeja

It’s that time of year folks, that joyous period when friends and family sit down together and discuss the greatest, and not so, anime and games of the year that was. Who won you may ask? Well, if you truly wish to know, and don’t mind spending an inordinate amount of time listening to three guys with questionable knowledge and authority on the matter say words, then listen on to what is technically an awards show. -30-

Street Fighter’s Akuma To Be A Playable Character In Tekken 7: Fated Retribution

Published by Frank Inglese

Characters crossing over between Tekken and Street Fighter is something that has actually happened a fair few times in the past. Hell, there was even a game that brought both fighting titles together, so it’s not crazy to think that a Street Fighter character would be featured in the recently announced arcade followup title Tekken 7: Fated Retribution. The very first trailer for the new edition of Tekken 7 has just been posted online courtesy of Bandai Namco Entertainment and it just so happens to feature Street Fighter’s Akuma who must, apparently, defeat Heihachi Mishima before he destroys the world…seeing as nobody else can. It’s far to say that, out of any character, Akuma being the one to take down Heihachi is quite fitting, I mean…he’s the embodiment of all evil, and also the “Supreme Master Of The Fist”. As of right now, nothing has been said regarding the specific date of this arcade title’s release, nor whether or not it will be hitting home consoles anytime soon, but it is unlike Bandai Namco Entertainment …

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven – Pet Shop, Johnny Joestar, And Yoshikage Kira Character Battle Trailers Released

Published by Frank Inglese

  Bandai Namco Entertainment are super excited for their upcoming JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure title Eyes Of Heaven, and to celebrate it’s almost-release they plan on posting character-specific videos that span the game’s entire roster which, last time I checked, is at least fifty strong. So far the list of names is fairly thick, but it’s only going to get thicker! Before jumping in and catching a glimpse of the latest spotlight characters, why not check out those who came before it:  Jonathan Joestar, Robert E.O. Speedwagon, Jotaro Kujo,Okuyasu Nijimura, Bruno Buccellati, Joseph Joestar, Dio Brando, Gyro Zeppeli, Josuke Higashikata, Enrico Pucci, Rudol Von Stroheim, Trish Una, Esidisi, Rohan Kishibe, Jotaro Kujo (Part IV), Mariah, Narancia Ghirga, Funny Valentine, Weather Report, Shigekiyo Yango, Wamuu, Lisa Lisa, and Pannacotta Fugo. Bandai Namco Entertainment have, once again, upped their game! In the beginning, they were releasing one character trailer for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven every couple of days, then they started releasing them in pairs a lot more frequently, now we’ve been given a triplet of gameplay trailers, much like the others, each focussing on a …

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven – Lisa Lisa and Pannacotta Fugo Character Battle Trailers Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment are super excited for their upcoming JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure title Eyes Of Heaven, and to celebrate it’s almost-release they plan on posting character-specific videos that span the game’s entire roster which, last time I checked, is at least fifty strong. So far the list of names is fairly thick, but it’s only going to get thicker! Before jumping in and catching a glimpse of the latest spotlight characters, why not check out those who came before it:  Jonathan Joestar, Robert E.O. Speedwagon, Jotaro Kujo,Okuyasu Nijimura, Bruno Buccellati, Joseph Joestar, Dio Brando, Gyro Zeppeli, Josuke Higashikata, Enrico Pucci, Rudol Von Stroheim, Trish Una, Esidisi, Rohan Kishibe, Jotaro Kujo (Part IV), Mariah, Narancia Ghirga, Funny Valentine, Weather Report, Shigekiyo Yango, and Wamuu. Boom! We’re back on track! Bandai Namco Entertainment have, once again, released another pair of character-specific trailers for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven and this time they focus on one lovely lady, and a man who’s Stand is apparently considered the single most powerful of the entire series…who would have thought? Lisa Lisa from Part II’s Battle Tendency takes the lead …

Play As Gear Fourth Luffy In Bandai Namco’s One Piece: Burning Blood

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment announced, through this week’s issue of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump, that Luffy’s Gear Fourth form can be used as a playable character in their upcoming fighting title One Piece: Burning Blood. Revealed as the protagonist’s latest and greatest form at the very end of the Dressrosa Arc, this evolved combat style mixes the brute force of Luffy’s Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) with his incredible speed in a way that makes him almost unbeatable…except for the fact that his stamina is easily drained while in this mode, forcing him to return to normal after a short amount of time. Burning Blood is really busting down barriers with the way that it is being presented to audiences. It is a game that focuses on the fighting variants of Devil Fruit users in realistic (in accordance to the series) ways, but not only that; it is also introducing characters to the world of One Piece video games that have, before this, never been seen. X Drake, General Franky, and now Gear Fourth Luffy will all …

Four New Character Trailers Released For JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven

Published by Frank Inglese

See, this is what happens when you miss a single day of news, it all begins to pile up on you! Bandai Namco Entertainment are super excited for their upcoming JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure title Eyes Of Heaven, and to celebrate it’s almost-release they plan on posting character-specific videos that span the game’s entire roster which, last time I checked, is at least fifty strong. So far the list of names is fairly thick, but it’s only going to get thicker! Before jumping in and catching a glimpse of the latest spotlight characters, why not check out those who came before it:  Jonathan Joestar, Robert E.O. Speedwagon, Jotaro Kujo,Okuyasu Nijimura, Bruno Buccellati, Joseph Joestar, Dio Brando, Gyro Zeppeli, Josuke Higashikata, Enrico Pucci, Rudol Von Stroheim, Trish Una, Esidisi, Rohan Kishibe, Jotaro Kujo (Part IV), Mariah, and Narancia Ghirga. It’s getting very close to the release date of the upcoming game, and Bandai Namco Entertainment aren’t even close to being done with the slow release of their fifty plus character-specific game trailers, so they’ve had to speed up the process and release two at once every day. Even …

Final Fantasy VII Remake is Unreal…and Episodic?

Published by Kane Bugeja

A few days ago, Square Enix struck the gaming world right in its nostalgia zone by releasing the first true look at the upcoming, and long awaited, remake of Final Fantasy VII. There was dancing in the streets and a resounding cracking of knuckles as the lovers and the haters prepared to voice there opinions, as internet goes tend to do. However, the Playstation experience was not the end of FFVII Remake news, with a few juicy tidbits sliding relatively under the radar in the days proceeding. Starting off with the elephant in the room, the long desired remake of the adventures of Cloud and crew will apparently be “told across a multi-part series”. Of course, this information will drive a very large wedge between a very large group of people, namely those who approve and those who, put in the nicest way possible, don’t. To finish on a higher note, let’s begin with the negative aspects of this release schedule. First an foremost, players will not be able to see their game through start to finish …

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven – Mariah and Narancia Ghirga Character Battle Trailers Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment are super excited for their upcoming JoJo’s Bizarre AdventuretitleEyes Of Heaven, and to celebrate it’s almost-release they plan on posting character-specific videos that span the game’s entire roster which, last time I checked, is at least fifty strong. So far the list of names is fairly thick, but it’s only going to get thicker! Before jumping in and catching a glimpse of the latest spotlight characters, why not check out those who came before it:  Jonathan Joestar, Robert E.O. Speedwagon, Jotaro Kujo,Okuyasu Nijimura, Bruno Buccellati, Joseph Joestar, Dio Brando, Gyro Zeppeli, Josuke Higashikata, Enrico Pucci, Rudol Von Stroheim, Trish Una, Esidisi, Rohan Kishibe, and Jotaro Kujo (Part IV). It seems as though Bandai Namco Entertainment have decided that one character trailer each day simply isn’t enough, and considering the fact that the game isn’t too long from getting at release, it’s obvious that there won’t be enough time to cover each of the fifty plus characters that are set to feature in this game. Today set of trailers focus on another two odd but powerful Stand users: Mariah from Part …

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven – Rohan Kishibe And Jotaro (Part IV) Character Battle Trailers Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment are super excited for their upcoming JoJo’s Bizarre AdventuretitleEyes Of Heaven, and to celebrate it’s almost-release they plan on posting character-specific videos that span the game’s entire roster which, last time I checked, is at least fifty strong. So far the list of names is fairly thick, but it’s only going to get thicker! Before jumping in and catching a glimpse of the latest spotlight characters, why not check out those who came before it:  Jonathan Joestar, Robert E.O. Speedwagon, Jotaro Kujo,Okuyasu Nijimura, Bruno Buccellati, Joseph Joestar, Dio Brando, Gyro Zeppeli, Josuke Higashikata, Enrico Pucci, Rudol Von Stroheim, Trish Una, and Esidisi. Up until this point in time, these particular trailers have been coming out singularly, but it seems as though Bandai Namco Entertainment have decided to give us all a little treat and release two at once. Yosh! Not only are there two videos to sink our teeth into, they both happen to focus on a couple of awesome characters; one being author insert Rohan Kishibe, and the other being an older, wiser, yet younger-looking Jotaro Kujo …

Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom Announced for PS4, Dreams Do Come True

Published by Luke Halliday

What do you get when Level-5 meets Studio Ghibli? The answer: pure magic by the name of Ni No Kuni. Way back when, the two powerhouses teamed up for a little known Nintendo DS title, Ni No Kuni. Soon after the game was upgraded and ported to the PlayStation 3 as Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. It remains one of the finest games to ever grace the system and many JRPG fans consider it an all time great of the genre. Fans of the game have reason to be excited because over the weekend Level-5 have announced that a sequel to the cult classic is on the way for the PlayStation 4 and it will be titled Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom. While the first game saw you play as a child who finds himself transported to the magical world of Ni No Kuni, you now play as the prince of the kingdom in Ni No Kuni who meets a man from the real world who helps him on his quest …

SnapThirty Crowns Best Dog In Japanese Pop Culture

Published by Frank Inglese

For years, pop culture fanatics have been at war with each other. Countless relationships have been ruined over talks of who is best this and who is best that. For example: While some of us tend to think Persona 4’s Chie is Best Girl, others may believe it is Sword Art Online’s Asuna. The problem with this ongoing debate is that it is one fought entirely on a biased foundation, meaning that there can never be a proper resolution. This conflict is one that seems as though it is never going to end, but us here at SnapThirty want you all to know that we will be the ones to bring peace back into the pop culture world…one character at a time. On episode 43 of the SnapThirty podcast, the boys decided that they were going to run a series of tournament brackets to decide once and for all who from Japanese pop culture truly are the best of the best. While Best Girl is indeed the most sought after title in all of history, …

Nobunaga The Fool: Part Two – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s often hard reviewing two part Anime series’. Why? Well, the perfect example is this here review: Nobunaga The Fool: Part One was, let’s say, lacklustre at best. It’s now been months since I reviewed it, and my overall view of the series is that it has the potential to grow and change between releases, but the reality of the situation is that, well…it really doesn’t. Some Anime will take you by surprise with a second season, but with releases like this that split one season into two parts; chances are, if there was something wrong with the first than there’ll be something wrong with the second. That’s simply the way it goes. Bar some amazing story development, Anime like this don’t usually get much better, but in saying that, for the sake of this review, I’ve tried to keep my mind open to the possibility of this series’ second half blowing me away. Thanks to Madman Entertainment who’ve released both parts one and two down here in the great land of Australia, I’ve been …

Square Enix Releases The Very First Full Trailer For Final Fantasy VII Remake

Published by Frank Inglese

The newly announced remake of Final Fantasy VII is probably one of the most anticipated RPG releases of contemporary times. While many of us have been holding out for Final Fantasy XV for what seems like years, I feel as though it’s VII that we’ve all secretly hoped would make it’s return first. While that may not actually be the case, the closest thing to a full release is the release of a trailer which gives us a glimpse at the Nirvana we long to reach. Square Enix dropped a bomb at the PlayStation Experience keynote over this past weekend; they released the very first full trailer for the Final Fantasy VII remake that not only shows off just how damn good this game is going to look but also how it is going to play, which may actually prove to be quite a divisive addition to this rerelease. You’ll notice, after watching through the new trailer, that Final Fantasy VII will no longer be played like a turn-based RPG. Square Enix have gone the …

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven – Esidisi Character Battle Trailer Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment are super excited for their upcoming JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure titleEyes Of Heaven, and to celebrate it’s almost-release they plan on posting character-specific videos that span the game’s entire roster which, last time I checked, is at least fifty strong. So far the list of names is fairly thick, but it’s only going to get thicker! Before jumping in and catching a glimpse of the latest spotlight characters, why not check out those who came before it:  Jonathan Joestar, Robert E.O. Speedwagon, Jotaro Kujo,Okuyasu Nijimura, Bruno Buccellati, Joseph Joestar, Dio Brando, Gyro Zeppeli, Josuke Higashikata, Enrico Pucci, Rudol Von Stroheim, and Trish Una. I’m the type of person who always thinks about why an antagonist is just so…evil. What made them this way? When I think about the Pillar Men from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part II: Battle Tendency, I don’t necessarily ask myself why they’re so darn evil. I feel like if I were stuck in stone pillars for thousands of years, I’d be pretty damn pissed too! Out of the four main antagonists of Battle Tendency, Esidisi was by …

Konami Forbids Hideo Kojima From Attending 2015 Video Game Awards

Published by Frank Inglese

I’m almost too embarrassed to write this article, but it seems as though I have to for the sake of, well…jeez, if this isn’t news than I don’t know what is. Last night, Los Angeles played host to the 2015 Video Game Awards; a gala affair wherein which the best of the best in the industry gather to celebrate the high-quality video game releases of the year. It’s your standard award ceremony, just with video games. Fairly self-explanatory. Now if you follow the industry at all, chances are you were expecting a certain few titles to be nominated for several different awards throughout the night. One of those games would have undoubtedly been Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. If you had guessed that it would have won at least one award, you would be right…but unfortunately the man behind the series could not make it there to accept any accolades awarded to the game for it’s excellence. Well,it’s not that he simply couldn’t make it to the ceremony…it’s that he wasn’t allowed. …

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven – Trish Una Character Battle Trailer Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment are super excited for their upcoming JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure title Eyes Of Heaven, and to celebrate it’s almost-release they plan on posting character-specific videos that span the game’s entire roster which, last time I checked, is at least fifty strong. So far the list of names is fairly thick, but it’s only going to get thicker! Before jumping in and catching a glimpse of the latest spotlight characters, why not check out those who came before it:  Jonathan Joestar, Robert E.O. Speedwagon, Jotaro Kujo,Okuyasu Nijimura, Bruno Buccellati, Joseph Joestar, Dio Brando, Gyro Zeppeli, Josuke Higashikata, Enrico Pucci, and Rudol Von Stroheim. Today’s character-specific Eyes Of Heaven trailer focuses on one of the many memorable gang members from the series’ Part V storyline Vento Aureo with a strange ability that can work well in almost every single situation…maybe apart from one. This young “Mafiosa“, a girl named Trish Una, is part of Bruno Buccelati’s gang, and the daughter of the original boss of the mafia family; the Passione. Her stand, Spice Girl, can manipulate matter in a very …

Yo-kai Watch’s Jibanyan was inspired by tragic death of real life cat

Published by Luke Halliday

Anyone who has watched the Yo-kai Watch anime or played the game of the same name know of cat spirit Jibanyan’s tragic backstory. It is one that is all too familiar to many pet owners out there and series creator Akihiro Hino has just confirmed that the character was inspired by a real life tragedy that he had himself witnessed. Jibanyan is the spirit of a cat that had been hit by a truck when crossing an intersection with his owner Amy. Having passed on, Jibanyan remained at the intersection haunting the spot and fighting trucks as they would pass by relentlessly hoping to one day be strong enough to stop the truck. Hino has confirmed in a recent interview that he once saw a stray cat on the side of an intersection, he played with it, became enamoured by its cuteness and wanted to take it home. Unfortunately didn’t believe he would be allowed to keep the cat so he left it behind. He would later return to that very spot to tragically discover …

Yo-kai Watch has sold over 10 million units globally, Yo-kai is Why

Published by Luke Halliday

Everybody knows how popular Yo-kai Watch is in Japan and with the series slowly being rolled out to the rest of the world Yo-kai mania has hit a fever pitch with the series now hitting the milestone of 10 million units sold worldwide since launch. Since the first Yo-kai Watch game hit stores across America in early November after just one month the game has topped 1.7 million units sold in America alone. That is indeed an impressive feat considering it is effectively a new IP for Nintendo and Level-5 and it has simply proven to be a colossal success with more units expected to sell as we move into the Holiday season. The game is slated to hit shelves across Australia on December 5th and Europe in early 2016. With Yo-kai Watch breaking sales records across the globe many are left in awe at its success, but the answer to its success is as simple as Nintendo’s slogan puts it: Yo-kai is why. -30-

V3 Promoted and 3 Announced, Danganronpa is a Busy Franchise

Published by Kane Bugeja

Danganronpa, that oddball little series that relishes in the term dark comedy and throws subtlety out of the highest window it can find. Ah, but what fun that makes. Well, luckily for those Trigger Happy Havocers out there, the third numbered title (fifth actual, or fourth if you discount the Japan only iOS game) New Danganronpa V3: Everyone’s New Semester of Killing, has received a brief promotional trailer. Though the visuals don’t show a tremendous amount, they’re enough to know that the game will continue with the style of the main series games. The accompanying information however says that gameplay will be an “evolution” of the previous system, leaving plenty of room for everyone to speculate just how Monokuma will screw us over this time. That bear jerk. The video itself also posses the question as to whether or not you can use lies, as they change the world, leading at least myself to believe that there may be more than one way to reach the desired judgement during a trial, but that’s merely supposition on my …

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven – Rudol Von Stroheim Character Battle Trailer Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment are super excited for their upcoming JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure title Eyes Of Heaven, and to celebrate it’s almost-release they plan on posting character-specific videos that span the game’s entire roster which, last time I checked, is at least fifty strong. So far the list of names is fairly thick, but it’s only going to get thicker! Before jumping in and catching a glimpse of the latest spotlight characters, why not check out those who came before it:  Jonathan Joestar, Robert E.O. Speedwagon, Jotaro Kujo,Okuyasu Nijimura, Bruno Buccellati, Joseph Joestar, Dio Brando, Gyro Zeppeli, Josuke Higashikata, and Enrico Pucci. There’s nothing more advanced than Nazi technology…apparently. When the world is threatened by three naked Egyptian men born from stone pillars for a purpose which is still unbeknownst to me, who can you call to defend it? Obviously…the Nazis, and there’s one regime-lover who stands above all others thanks to the millions of dollars pumped into developing technology that could be used to replace his lost organs with countless deadly weapons. His name is Rudol Von Stroheim, and according …

One-Punch Man Creator to Add Another Notch to Anime Adaptation Belt

Published by Kane Bugeja

First things first, if you haven’t heard of One-Punch Man, then I welcome you to the first words you’ve ever read on the internet.  For the rest of you, the creator of said apathetic hero is going to have another of his creation brought to the realm of animation, via well trodden studio Bones. The series itself, named Mob Psycho 100, revolves around a character dubbed Mob. In addition to being titular, the name is in reference to his lack of impact and propensity to blend in with a crowd. However, there lies a secret behind his bland features, a terrible psychic force that will cause him to explode if his emotions reach 100%. How one quantifies emotions is a fact that escapes me at this current time, but if this series carries with it any of the charm, humour and unique energy contained within One-Punch Man, this may just be another anime season stand out. At the very least there is already an in-built fanbase, as Mob Psycho 100 was a winner of a …

Bandai Namco Europe Launches Online Store, Brings Back the Pac (Among Other Favourites)

Published by Kane Bugeja

Lovers of games and merchandise rejoice, especially if that love is specifically for content that falls under the banner of Bandai Namco, such as Tales of, Tekken or the tried and true classic Galaga. In the ever spreading trend of digitising the world, shoppers will be able to enjoy an online marketplace through which to purchase posters, canvases, coffee mugs, hoodies, t-shirts and phone cases. You know, the essentials. More specifically, the 35th Anniversary of Pac-Man is being celebrated by a series of unique designs created by 35 artists. Now why they chose that number is beyond em, but I’m sure there’s something to it. In regards to the new online storefront, Hervé Hoerdt (VP of Marketing and Digital at Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe) said: “We are all super excited about this long awaited store dedicated to our biggest fans! Our goal is to provide high quality, exclusive and unique items that have been carefully selected to communicate and represent our passion and love around iconic IPs. This is just the beginning as we are planning to work …

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven – Enrico Pucci Character Battle Trailer Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment are super excited for their upcoming JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure title Eyes Of Heaven, and to celebrate it’s almost-release they plan on posting character-specific videos that span the game’s entire roster which, last time I checked, is at least fifty strong. So far the list of names is fairly thick, but it’s only going to get thicker! Before jumping in and catching a glimpse of the latest spotlight characters, why not check out those who came before it:  Jonathan Joestar, Robert E.O. Speedwagon, Jotaro Kujo,Okuyasu Nijimura, Bruno Buccellati, Joseph Joestar, Dio Brando, Gyro Zeppeli, and Josuke Higashikata. Today’s video highlights a character that, long after DIO’s death, still wishes to see his divine plan through to the very end. First appearing in Part VI: Stone Ocean, Enrico Pucci is a priest at the Green Dolphin Street Prison of which main character Jolyne Cujoh is a prisoner. Being a devout follower of DIO, Enrico Pucci has a mental state that is, let’s say, less-than-stable. This man will do anything to live life according to the word of DIO, …

The Newest Trailer For Mighty No. 9 Says “Bring It!”

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s nearly the end of the year, and Keiji Inafune’s long-awaited MegaMan spiritual successor Mighty No. 9 is set to be released on the 9th of February 2016. This means people are, once again, starting to get hyped for a video game that will hopefully be very much worth the wait. The pop culture world actually hasn’t heard from Inafune, Comcept, or Mighty No. 9 as a whole for quite some time, then all of the sudden a trailer is released that shows, we assume, the final product. I have to say…I’m pretty damn excited, despite the fact that we’ve had to wait quite a long time for it’s release. Usually, with articles like this, I try to add as much attitude in as possible. You know, just to give the news a little bit more personality. After watching the new trailer…it doesn’t look like that’s necessary at all, considering the narrator does a better job at giving the audience a bit of likable attitude than I ever could. My hope is that it disarms …

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven – Josuke Higashikata Character Battle Trailer Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment are super excited for their upcoming JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure title Eyes Of Heaven, and to celebrate it’s almost-release they plan on posting character-specific videos that span the game’s entire roster which, last time I checked, is at least fifty strong. So far the list of names is fairly thick, but it’s only going to get thicker! Before jumping in and catching a glimpse of the latest spotlight characters, why not check out those who came before it:  Jonathan Joestar, Robert E.O. Speedwagon, Jotaro Kujo,Okuyasu Nijimura, Bruno Buccellati, Joseph Joestar, Dio Brando, and Gyro Zeppeli. Today’s featured character is another member of the Joestar family that has a Stand who’s abilities I’m honestly not sure I entirely understand. Josuke Higashikata is the main protagonist of Part IV: Diamond Is Unbreakable, which is a story that follows the lives of three young boys as they hunt down a cereal killer who’s taking countless innocent lives in their small town. His stand, called Crazy Diamond, is much like Star Platinum in the way that it is both fast and …