Month: February 2016

The Boy and The Beast – Review

Published by Luke Halliday

For decades, when it came to discussing anime film, there was no bigger name than Hayao Miyazaki. That was until a visionary by the name of Mamoru Hosoda stepped onto the scene and changed the landscape of feature length anime forever. Whether it be The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Wolf Children, Summer Wars or Our War Game, Mamoru Hosoda has brought heart and soul to anime cinema in this modern day in a way that is unique and poignant. With that all in consideration I approached his latest work The Boy and The Beast with eager eyes keen to see what was next for the famed director. Now here I am having just finished viewing the film and I am pleased to say that The Boy and The Beast is another hit from Hosoda and arguably his finest work to date. Telling the tale of a young boy named Ren who runs away from home following the death of his mother and living day to day homeless on the streets of Shibuya, The Boy and The Beast …

Project X Zone 2 – Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

Since the dawn of fiction, there has been fan fiction. That ever expanding collection of stories written by the fanliest of fans who seek to insert themselves within the worlds imagined by  others. Be they quirky romps through unexplored realms, tales of woe relived through another’s eyes or discernibly more sordid tales, there is something for all within this bounty of narrative. However, there exists yet a another form of story, a culmination of the official and the not, an unholy fusion of canon and desire; the crossover. Licenced out the wazoo and born from dreams of cross promotional paychecks, these melting pots of fandom answer as many questions as they raise, as characters team up, beat down and chill out all across the collective dreamscape. Though sometimes, as it would coincidentally turn out, the universes at large may just need a team of inter-dimensional champions to best a series of equally inter-dimensional foes. Project X Zone; yet another foray into the series hopping exploits of Capcom, a company that just L-O-V-E loves mixing and matching properties. You’ve got …

The Pokemon Center Japan’s 20th Anniversary Merchandise Is Rocking An Old-School Vibe

Published by Frank Inglese

Twenty years, huh? Twenty long years filled with nothing but critical success, franchise-expanding opportunities, and financial gain the likes of which you’ve simply never seen before. Pokemon is arguably history’s most breathtaking success story, and twenty years later we’re remembering it as the breakout star of the nineties will reminding ourselves that it’s reign over the pop culture world has not yet come to pass. Pokemon is a juggernaut in the industry, and it will continue that way for many years to come, but it is times like this that allow us the perfect opportunity to reminisce about the “good ol’ days” of the original Pokemon generation: One that featured, in my personal opinion, some of the most likable Pocket Monsters, and paved the way not only for future series games to come, but games of similar type to spread their creative wings and fly. Like any good anniversary celebration, what comes as part of the festivities is new merchandise. Well…more like old merchandise. The Pokemon Center stores across Japan have, starting just a few days …

Pokemon Sun and Moon to do away with EV and IV training?

Published by Luke Halliday

Good news for the casual trainers and bad news for the hardcore trainers, Pokemon Sun and Moon looks to be heading back to basics and that could very well spell the end of EV and IV training in the series. During an interview with Japanese magazine ‘We Love Pokemon’, Game Freak’s Ken Sugimori spoke about Generation 7 and commented that they plan to revert back to the simpler ways of Pokemon Red, Blue, Green and Yellow, where EV and IV training was but a twinkle in Game Freak’s eye. He commented that the game had become unbalanced with the inclusion of EV and IV training and that there would also be a bit of trimming being done to the number of moves, abilities and items in the game. Furthermore he mentions that while it is at this point impossible to decrease the number of Pokemon, Game Freak’s focus with Sun and Moon is all about going back to basics and making games that can be enjoyed by all. EV and IV training is hard work. …

CONFIRMED: Pokemon Sun And Moon – Could They Be The Names Of The Next Generation?

Published by Frank Inglese

  2016 marks the year of Pokemon’s 20th anniversary, and like any landmark event…it’s to be celebrated in some big ways! Many fans around the web understandably speculate that, to celebrate this momentous occasion, Game Freak will be releasing their most ambitious Pokemon video game to date, and for all intents and purposes…the upcoming pair of celebratory games could be titled Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon. It appears as though Nintendo have filed two trademarks through the European Union’s Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) for the names Pokemon Sun, and Pokemon Moon, both of which happen to feature two very distinct logos that look, to say the very least…overtly Pokemon. Now, considering tomorrow’s Nintendo direct is focused entirely on that of Pokemon, chances are Game Freak and Nintendo are preparing to unleash something amazing on the world. If that were to be the case, something like this is pretty standard; they’re just preparing to rock the world, in a safe way. Some other publications have reported that these two names are confirmed as …

Street Fighter World Champion Daigo Utterly Defeated By Rapper Lupe Fiasco

Published by Luke Halliday

Anime fans may be familiar with the rapper by the name of Lupe Fiasco for his various Japanese pop culture references in his lyrics such as the now infamous line “Lupe steal like Lupin the Third”. That said it may have come as no surprise to some that Lupe Fiasco was recently engaged in a game of Street Fighter V with the world champion Daigo Umehara. What began as a friendly match between world champion and rapper quickly turned into a heated competition which ended in epic fashion as Lupe Fiasco defeated the world champion Daigo Umehara at the very game that he has been touted as the world’s best player of. It is chilling to think that it does say in the bible that Lupe Fiasco defeating the world champion of Street Fighter is one of the signs of the impending apocalypse. That said, I for one welcome the end of days with a laugh because this shit actually happened. To reiterate, yes you read that right, a rapper defeated the world champion of Street Fighter. …

Legend of Legacy – Review

Published by Luke Halliday

The JRPG genre has undergone countless evolution across the years but still to this day whenever the term JRPG is used many immediately think of a certain type of game; a turn-based battle system, a world of magic and an epic quest to journey on. Over the years that iconic image of what a true JRPG is has been largely lost as the genre ventured into a plethora of different styles both successful and unsuccessful ventures alike. Every once and a while a game comes along that brings things back to basics, appreciating the simplicity of the foundations that the entire genre is built upon. Legend of Legacy is one of those games, a throwback to old school JRPG’s such as the original Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy games. Among the overly complex and mind-numbingly deep character leveling systems of the modern JRPG and ridiculously confusing storylines, Legend of Legacy stands out as a refreshingly basic title that focuses more on its core elements rather than extraneous features and revels in simple fun and a …

Sword Art Online 2: Part Three – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

And thus…it continues. Sword Art Online is THE series that will simply never end. It’s so incredibly popular, A-1 Pictures and those in charge of promotion would be silly to turn to the producers of the series and say; “Yeah, that may be enough”. It’s a guaranteed money maker, and it seems as though those behind the writing of the series can, more or less, throw Kirigaya Kazuto and the gang into any given situation, and make what people perceive to be a worth-while addition to the already extensive series. Often Anime and Manga hit a point of critical mass wherein which they attain platinum status. Sword Art Online is one of them. It has countless fans, it makes buckets of money, and there’s simply no end to it in sight. Now, while there is a seemingly limitless number of fans for this series…there are just as many people out there who absolutely detest it, yet despite that, Sword Art Online currently remains one of the most beloved Anime series’ of all time. Go figure. …

Live Your Virtual Reality Dreams With IBM’s Sword Art Online: The Beginning VR Project

Published by Frank Inglese

While some people would see this as a dream come true, as I suggested in the title, for me this would be a nightmare come to life. It’s no joke that virtual reality software and hardware is currently at the top of most new technologies developers’ “to master” list. We already have systems like the Oculus Rift that allow for us living in the real world to somewhat experience what a virtual life could be like, but it seems as though the Japanese branch of IBM are looking to take the virtual reality experience to an entirely new level with their project Sword Art Online: The Beginning. A most simple explanation: Sword Art Online: The Beginning is a video game being developed by IBM alongside what is described as cutting-edge VR software; the “Cognitive System“. This new program allows for human thought to be transferred into the video game so that players can make decisions not by using a standard controller but…your brain. This, paired up with the software “SoftLayer” which is said to be …

Slightly Better Than Silence – Lost in Mistranslation Episode 52

Published by Kane Bugeja

For Sale: Dynasty Warriors: Mobile Suit Gundam 3 Price: Free Absolutely no catch here folks, just a brand new game (still shrink wrapped) that totally does not come imbued with the malevolent spirit of a trapped demon. Send any and all expressions of interest to Luke and think about all the joy this game could bring you. [Joy Not Guaranteed] -30-

So I Can’t Play H! – Review

Published by Bailey Runholm

I’m normally a big fan of the harem genre, with quite a few over the past few years really standing out in our massive bag of anime goodness and setting the path for other franchises of their kind to follow. I’m talking about the shows like Grisaia and Nisekoi, Henneko and OniAi, and of course DxD and Monster Musume, with them either having great comedy, interesting backstories and/or just enough fan service to satisfy our otherworldly desires. With the good comes the bad however, big examples being IS, Testament of Sister New Devil and the infamous School Days, where you ponder big questions like “Why am I even watching this?” and/or “What was the creator of this even thinking!?” because the story is going nowhere, the characters are bland and boring and the shows, especially in the last two shows listed, are borderline hentai. In which case, you’ll probably have more fun watching hentai seriously then watching shows that are just continuous teasers just to try and rake in a quick buck. So out of …

It’s Time To Fight Back! – Capcom Reveals Hyper-Interactive Attack On Titan Arcade Game

Published by Frank Inglese

Time Crisis, House Of The Dead, Gunslinger Stratos. What do all these games have in common? Well, they’re all arcade games played with replica firearms as the controllers. They’re also incredibly popular around the world, barring Gunslinger Stratos which is a Japan-only game that is so beloved I had no choice but to mention it at least once. Over in the great land of Nippon, across the weekend, there is an event being held titled the Japan Amusement Expo which, in case you havn’t already figured out; is a convention-like event wherein which companies can showcase some of their brand-new/upcoming products, all of which stand for one purpose; to entertain people. Capcom, being the weird and wonderful publishers that they are, revealed something a little out of “left field” with their new arcade machine titled Attack On Titan: Team Battle. Now, what’s so weird about this? Well, Tecmo Koei are in the midst of releasing their very own Attack On Titan home console game, so you’d imagine that they would also be handling all other video …

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – PlayStation 4 Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re totally into Digimon, which is, like, the cutest because, FYI…Digimon is, like, totally into you too. It’s been many years since a proper Digimon video game was released in the West so, as you can imagine, us wannabe-DigiDestined are pretty excited to have this title in the palm of our hands. Finally. Now the reason I say “proper” Digimon video game is because the last Digimon title us Westerners got wasAll-Star Rumble and – I’m sorry about this, Bandai Namco Entertainment – but that game was a breathtaking flop. Thankfully, that has been entirely made up for with the release of Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth; a Digimon game about crime, mystery, theDigital World, and a sexy lady in what looks to be just a button up business shirt. How could you possibly turn your attention away from that? The answer to that question: You can’t! Once again, I would like to thank Bandai Namco Entertainment not only for providing us with a copy of the new game for review, …

Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign Volume Seven – Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

Everybody starts from somewhere. Despite how one may seem, they were not born with the inherent ability to succeed. Cliche as it may be, success takes consistent effort, a desire to strive onwards, the will to be better than yourself. Of course, this is more often easier said that done, which leaves many would be go-getters winding up in the proverbial wayside to which many before them have fallen. Yet, for those who refuse to surrender, whether through pure determination or indomitable stubbornness, there awaits a summit, a pinacle on which to stand. However, despite the awe inspiring nature of such a view, one much never lust for it at the expense of witnessing each and every step up their metaphorical mountain, lest they find their victory Pyrrhic in every sense of the word. Road trip! Just three guys, two girls and a jeep speeding down the highway, heading straight for sun, adventure and one of the largest military missions ever undertaken by the remnants of humanity who now call the ruined landscape of Japan …

Gum Gum Costume Change – One Piece: Burning Blood Pre-Order Bonuses Announced

Published by Kane Bugeja

One Piece; that treasure that all those pirates are looking for in that one show…One Piece I think. Yet, despite their best efforts, said treasure remains a mystery still buried amidst the islands of the world…if it even is buried. In the meantime however, these pirates pass the days by beating each other up for various piratey reasons, which segues nicely into the actual point of this article. As the latest entry into the catalogue of One Piece games, Burning Blood promises the chance to pit some of your favourite characters against each other for fun. But I’m sure you already knew that. What you may not have known however was that those who pre-order this particular game will receive a whole three extra Luffys with which to fight. Drawing back to a time gone by, Champion Luffy from the Davy Back Fight arc will grace the battlefield once more, along with compatriots Kung Fu Luffy (based on a sketch by Eiichiro Oda from Chapter 710 of the manga) and Luffy Gear 4th (though this …

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel – Review (Vita)

Published by Jahanzeb Khan

The Legend of Heroes franchise (known in its earlier years as simply Dragon Slayer) has been around for a long time but not widely known in the Western world. It wasn’t until the localisation of The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky on the PSP that the series generated a real English-speaking fanbase. The latest in the franchise is The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel on the PS3 and Vita, which has  cross-save support in case you were planning on playing both versions. Honestly, given the tremendous size of the adventure it’s probably not a bad idea to have one copy on the telly and one copy on the go. Trails of Cold Steel is a dense RPG adventure epic that is jam packed with a ton of content. Hours simply burn when you play Cold Steel, it takes place in a rich setting, has a ton of characters, and there’s no shortage of activities outside of the combat. Modern RPGs tend to be all flash and all substance, and while Trails …

Megadimension Neptunia VII – Review

Published by Bailey Runholm

The word ‘love’ is often a strong word used to show how much affection someone has for someone else or something else, and that is definitely me with the Neptunia franchise. I can still remember the first time I played mk2 back in mid-2013 and just how fresh and fun the game was for me mainly because I hadn’t really properly played a JRPG before. Between the story, gameplay and overall quirks, and just the endless amounts re-playability the game had. After that, it was straight onto Victory, which I ended up buying on the day of release alongside a majority of the DLC, and my feelings only grew for the series, hell, I spent New Years Eve of 2013 just playing the game. Ever since then I’ve tried my best to get the games on the day of release, pre-ordering the physical copy of PP the day of it’s announcement, and in the case of the Re:Birth games trying to get my hands on the limited editions. However, the release schedule of the games have …

Blue Exorcist: Complete Series – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s no lie that Aniplex likes to stretch out their Anime releases for as long as possible. That’s why, unlike many other publishers, series’ like Blue Exorcist, despite having only 25 episode, are released across six different discs. With release situations like that, it’s sometimes hard to follow on with your favorite series, but every once in a while a collection of aforementioned discs comes around that compiles the entire series into one neat package. Madman Entertainment have gone ahead and done that with A-1 Pictures’ 2011 Anime Blue Exorcist and, as a fan of the Manga, I couldn’t help but put my hand up to tackle the review. Exciting! Blue Exorcist follows the story of one Rin Okumura and his brother Yukio; twins living almost entirely different lives. Though both exorcists teaching/learning at the True Cross Academy, one of them (Rin) happens to play host to demon powers passed on by their demonic father…Satan. While Rin is the one bestowed with the burden of his father’s legacy, Yukio is training to, one-day, be rid …

Toei Animation Releases Second Preview For Digimon Adventure Tri: Determination

Published by Frank Inglese

While most, if not all, Digimon fans living around the world are focused on the recently-released Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth courtesy of Bandai Namco Games, Toei Animation thought it would be a good idea to sneakily release another preview for the upcoming Digimon Adventure Tri film Determination. The second in a series of six films, Determination focuses heavily on that of Jo Kido and Mimi Tachikawa alongside their digital pals Gomamon and Palmon. Mostly shrouded in mystery, it looks as though this second film will feature the Digimon Emperor as it’s main antagonist, despite the fact that, years earlier, his reign on the Digital World was thwarted and he joined the second generation of DigiDestined as Ken Ichijouji, who you may all know is the partner of Wormmon. Seemingly controlled by the Digimon Emperor is that of Imperialdramon who, although scary enough as he already is, looks fearsome under the dark control of this mysterious but deja vu-inducing hero. Determination will mark the very first time both Gomamon and Palmon’s Mega evolutions will be shown …

Sunday Without God Complete Series – Review

Published by Jahanzeb Khan

It’s admirable when an anime tries to go above and beyond with its setting and storytelling. It’s nice to see creators dare to create something really special, and go into the depths of certain tried and tested themes in order to get something really unique out of them. However, sometimes such ambitions tend to go a little overboard, leaving you with something that doesn’t quite feel defined or complete. There’s many cases of anime trying to overachieve, and perhaps the most beloved example of this is Neon Genesis Evangelion, and as acclaimed as it is, you can’t help accept that the original series blew up in its face. In fact, they had to rewrite the canon several times to repair the damage. Sunday Without God is unique for sure, but almost too unique for its own good. If anything, Sunday Without God tries so hard to set itself apart from everything that it ends up not really figuring out just what it wants to accomplish. A haunting and theologically grandeur world serves as the setting, populated …

Food Wars! (Shokugeki No Soma) Volume Nine – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Month after month, release after release, volume after volume, Food Wars! (Shokugeki No Soma) still finds ways to surprise and delight me, and it has quickly become of my more favoured alternative Shonen Jump productions of recent times. We’re now up to Volume Nine of the series’ run and, for the longest time, there has been an ongoing arc which, in my personal opinion, will go down in history as just another one of those outstanding Shonen Jump arcs that you will continue to remember long after you’ve finished reading. The Rescue Rukia arc from Bleach, the Chunnin Exams arc from Naruto, the Paramount War arc from One Piece, and now the Fall Classic arc from Food Wars!. What makes these story arcs so riveting? What makes them so memorable? What makes them stand out above every other arc featured in their significant stories? This writer feels as though it has a lot to do with heart. The thing about the arcs I mentioned just before is that they don’t actually share many similarities. Yes, of …

Mythical Machinations – Pokemon #722 Revealed

Published by Kane Bugeja

What, you thought they were done? I laugh sarcastically at thee. Pokemon is a powerhouse, one that has not slowed down for twenty years and one that surely has a bevy of surprises in store for the particular double decade anniversary it is currently enjoying. Following that train of thought, it isn’t that surprising to see that a new face shall join the roster of all our favourite Pokemon friends. This time around, we find ourselves faced with yet another man-made Pocket Monster, a mechanical creature known as Magiana. Already classified as a Mythical Pokemon (or so it will be in the upcoming edition of CoroCoro), this creature will focus heavily in the nineteenth  Pokemon film, now titled; Volcanion and the Ingenious Magiana. The newbie in question is said to have been kidnapped by the villains of the film and Volcanion is on a rescue mission. That’s about it really when it comes to facts, as there is still a fair deal of mystery surrounding this new Pokemon. Based on looks alone, I personally posit that …

SnapThirty Crowns Toughest Lady 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 …

Form Reboot – Voltron: Legendary Defender Teaser Image Revealed

Published by Kane Bugeja

Okay, I’ll be the first to admit that there’s not going to be too much meat to this article, but the bones are still pretty interesting on their own. I mean, skeletons are made of bones and people like them in fantasy stories and stuff…but I swiftly digress. In the world of mecha, there is one particularly feline inspired figure who has not seen much screentime in recent years. I speak of course of Voltron, which you all already know because I put it in the title, a side effect of the medium I assure you, also because I wasn’t trying to hide it. Digression Number 2. Set to be a part of the Netflix and Dreamworks program deal, the series will be released exclusively on Netflix, which is absolutely no surprise. That being said, apart from that knowledge, the tease taking pride of place just above this text and the promise that the series will be “a mix of action, comedy and an epic storyline spearheaded by yet-to-be-announced veteran animation talent and longtime Voltron fans,” …

The Flavour Sensation Sweeping the Nation – Dagashi Kashi Eng Dub Cast Announced

Published by Kane Bugeja

Okay, so I’m not entirely 100% certain that Dagashi Kashi is sweeping the nation, but I would certainly like to believe it. This is entirely based on my own personal bias and enjoyment of the candy centric series in question, so take all opinions exposed from here on with a grain of sugar. As they are known to do, due in no small part to their entire business model, FUNimation has revealed yet another English dub cast for their ever expanding roster of anime. As I have already outwardly stated, the series in discussion this time around is Dagashi Kashi. Focusing on the aspiring manga artist Kokonotsu “Coconuts” Shikada, who is burdened by an eccentric and extremely energetic father who desires nothing more than to have his son take over the family dagashi shop (aka candy store aka lolly shop aka whatever makes sense to your particular world dialect). Though his attempts fail regularly, the arrival of an even more eccentric, and even more energetic, character known as Hotaru. Of course, this being an anime, …

Hamatora: The Animation (Season One) – Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

Super powers, the great fictitious unequaliser. Wherever there is one possessive of skills beyond the norm, society combines into that overwhelming force that screams opinions ’til the cows come home. But we know this. We’ve known this since authors bestowed inhuman abilities on their creations decades ago. Thus we find ourselves in an interesting time for those imagined, long gone are the days when powers equaled superhero status, yet the era of heroes remains. Enjoy, if you will, the stories of those who make a choice regarding the person they wish to be, empowered or otherwise. Some rise to protect, whilst others turn to harm. Still classic in its form, just with a little more introspection and societal woe thrown in. Yet the main creation of this moral grey zone are those that exist within the middle, those whose abilities have no effect on their concepts of championing. The above average average, the impartial gifted…the ones without capes. Then there are the bad guys… Hamatora, where do I begin with this one? Joining a bevy …

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 – Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

There are stories, and then there are shonen stories. For the most part, they’re longer, follow a sharper upward spiral when it comes to the evolution of power and when the end finally rolls around the fanbase is pretty well divided on, well, pretty much everything. But therein lies their confusing charm. After years upon decades upon childhoods, these tale weave their way into the minds of youth until they are a defining factor. Convoluted in their straightforwardness, they present the quearies of life in an easy to identify, easy to punch form that delves into the meaning of meaning and the reason for reasons. Of course, you could simply ignore that and enjoy the ever present combat, but let’s not. Let us explore one of these well trodden tales a little bit more, let us once again witness the story of Naruto Uzumaki, the ninja who never quit…and also for some reason decided that bright orange would be the perfect jumpsuit colour for a life long career in the ninja arts. Okay, so I’m not …

Winter 2016 Anime Season Watch Guide

Published by Luke Halliday

Alright folks, Halliday-senpai is back once again to knowledge you up on what to watch this anime season. As always I won’t be commenting on an anime series if it’s not on my personal radar, but if you feel I’ve overlooked something pretty fantastic let me know the error of my ways in the comments section. That said, I will be listing what I think is worth a look in for Winter 2016. So without further adieu, here is SnapThirty’s handy Winter 2016 anime season watch guide. ERASED (A-1 Pictures) Boku Dake ga Inai Machi known in English as ERASED is the latest series to air in the noitaminA anime block. It comes with a lot of expectations for a number of reasons, whether it be that it is an adaptation of a fantastic manga series or that it is airing in such a prestigious timeslot which was shared by many modern anime classics. Fortunately for ERASED it lives up to expectations and blows every other series this season out of the water. With a killer premise and …

Beauty Who? – The Boy and the Beast Hits AU & NZ Cinemas this March

Published by Bailey Runholm

If you’ve been paying attention to anime films as of late, you would know that over the past decade a director by the name of Mamoru Hosoda has been an absolute powerhouse, pumping out great film after great film. If you don’t know him by name, you probably know him by movie. Firstly there was The Girl Who Leapt through Time, his first major film outside of an established franchise, followed a few years later by Summer Wars, a personal favourite of mine, and then most recently there was Wolf Children. If I didn’t know any better, Hosoda is well on his way to becoming the next Miyazaki, hell people have even pointed out the clear influences of Miyazaki in Wolf Children. That’s right, I said it No I’m serious, Hosoda’s work easily rivals the great Miyazaki. If you don’t believe me, look at how big Hosoda’s main three movies have been around the world, it’s getting to the stage of how “The Great One’s” original three were. Honestly, it gets me excited to see what Hosoda …

Uzumaki Naruto: Illustrations (Art Book) – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Masashi Kishimoto: The man behind the adored Shonen Jump series Naruto. The world knows who he is. In fact; it’s harder not to know who he is than that of the inverse. Between the Manga’s first (published in 1999) and final (published in 2014) chapter, a lot has changed for this talented Mangaka. Not only did his writing style change over the many years of the series’ run, but so did his illustration skill, eventually coming to master the practice of sequential art in much the same way the legends before him had done. For the first time in SnapThirty history, and for the first time in my personal career as a pop culture-centric writer, I’ve been given the opportunity to review the, somewhat, collected works of Masashi Kishimoto in the form of the recently released Uzumaki Naruto: Illustrations art book which, as you may already know, is wonderous release dedicated to the illustrative work of Naruto’s Shippuden Era which spans from the titular character’s return to the village to his eventual role as the Hokage of …

First Thoughts: Dagashi Kashi Makes Snack Time Fun Again

Published by

Snack time just isn’t what it used to be, with the world so obsessed with calorie count, artificial sugary goods and and high sodium savoury treats have been demonised as being worse than cigarettes. Even kids these days have become too health concious for their own good. Still, many of us still love to partake in cheap delicacies that intend to give you fun flavour and next to no nutrition. Snack culture may be fading away in the West just like arcade gaming is, but Japan still loves to go crazy with progressive snack ideas. Enter any Asian supermarket or Japanese speciality store and you’ll find the most delicious, but at the same time very strange, assortment of confectioneries. No flavour is too unorthodox in the Japanese food market. Simulcasting on AnimeLab, Dagashi Kashi is based on a manga that focuses on the wonderful and bizarre world of Nippon munchies. It’s a uniquely fun and charming anime, qualities that are hard to achieve in the very saturated anime market, but Dagashi Kashi steps out from …

Final Fantasy XV Recieves Some In-Depth Gameplay Information (Jury Still Out on Release Date)

Published by Kane Bugeja

Final Fantasy XV, FFXV, FF15, FF Versus XIII, whatever you want to call it, this game has been somewhere in the minds of gamers ever since its announcement…which was a while ago. But let’s curb the release date heresay for a while shall we? We’ve got details to discuss, well, I’ve got details to explain and a trailer to show, which is kind of similar to discussion. Anywho, Game Director Hajime Tabata and Marketing Manager Akio Ofuji took to the web of world wideness during a stream entitled Active Time Report in order to reveal som new tidbits about the latest in a long line of fantasies that may or may not be final in nature. Venturing in-game, villainy will take the form of the Niflheim Empire, a mechanically centered civilisation that has claimed control of the entire world, barring the nation of Lucis. Said force is headed by Emperor Iedolas Aldercapt, though his semi-retired status leaves Ardyn Izunia as the true ruler. Other revealed characters, such as General Glauca and Verstael, hold power within the …

Light Up the Fight – Chandelure Showcases It’s Pokken Tournament Credentials

Published by Kane Bugeja

Pokken Tournament is an interesting concept, an interesting, divisive concept that has certainly left a mark on the Pokemon fandom. Of course, it isn’t actually fully released at this point, so take that with a grain of Shoal Salt and prepare to make your own judgements. Shifting focus to the game itself, why don’t we discuss the latest Pocket Monster to grace the tournament floor? That’s right friends, with the platform for Pokemon to fight in those one on one, knock down, drag out brawls we’ve all pictured in our heads since 1996 now lowered, it is time to witness the powerhouses of the franchise bring the pain. With that vivid imagery in mind, who could be a better roster choice than…Chandelure? Okay, sure, why not? Representing Gen V, weighing in at 34.3kg, this sentient, ambient lighting choice brings the ghostly forces to a grand total of two. Though I assume added as a way of escaping a game dominated by pure fighting types, or those with the more traditional combat builds, I am not entirely …