Month: April 2016

Texas Smash! – Funimation Announces My Hero Academia Main English Dub Cast

Published by Kane Bugeja

Oh how I have been waiting for this. Since Funimation first streamed their trailer for My Hero Academia, my mind has been racing as to who would be cast in the eventual English dub. Luke and I even bantered back and forth on one of the podcasts episodes about casting choices…we weren’t entirely correct, but I still beat Luke and that makes me happy. almost as happy as the official declaration of the English dub cast (flawless segue). With a few names you’ll recognise and a few you maybe won’t recall until you hear them speak and then remember that you’ve heard them  speak in shows and be all like, “Oh yeah, I’ve heard those guys before,” the main cast is looking pretty sweet. Now, I’ll place some pretty hefty emphasis on “main” because as of now only four voice actors have been announced. However, with an air date of May 4th, it shan’t be too long until we all hear our heroes-to-be with their shiny new English voices. Not that the original isn’t great or …

Japanese Public Weighs In On Hollywood White-Washing of Ghost in the Shell

Published by Luke Halliday

Many anime fans and also many who are not that have taken to the web to complain and feign surprise that Hollywood have cast a white actress in a role of a Japanese character. Said actress is Scarlett Johansson and said role is Motoko Kusanagi the lead in iconic anime film Ghost in the Shell. Personally I think that the people complaining about white-washing simply don’t know how Hollywood works or that quite obviously this isn’t a literal adaptation in the sense they clearly presume it is. Scarlett Johansson will not be a character named Motoko Kusanagi, lets just get that straight to begin with, nor will it likely be set in Japan. If that is a deal breaker for you in an American film then you probably don’t watch many Hollywood movies. That said, the general opinion of these detractors is that this is a case of racism in Hollywood which has a history of white-washing and yellow face. I won’t deny Hollywood’s dark past but if you watch the video below a Japanese …

Celebrate Twenty Years Of Cardcaptor Sakura With A Brand-New Manga Series

Published by Frank Inglese

There are three specific Anime series from most of our childhoods that you would have experienced thanks to early morning television without even realising that they were indeed cartoons developed in the great land of Nippon, at least…that’s how it was for us living in Australia. Thank you, Cheese TV! Chances are you were a child lucky enough to catch many episodes of Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, and Cardcaptor Sakura; three series’ still as popular today as they were during their initial release period. The word “timeless” springs to mind, and these three particular shows are synonymous with it. While Dragon Ball Z now has Dragon Ball Super (alongside a set of amazing new films), and Sailor Moon now has Sailor Moon Crystal, we tend to wonder what Cardcaptor Sakura is up to nowadays. Well, I can tell you that the series has not seen a steep decline in popularity, so despite the fact that we havn’t seen anything new from the CLAMP classic in quite some time, it remains in the hearts and …

Sword Art Online 2: Part Four – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

If you’ve followed this site since the beginning, and as a result of that my reviews of Sword Art Online, you’d know that I’m not the biggest fan of this series. As much as I try to make these reviews more about the product than simply my not-so-hidden agenda, it has proven difficult to go through with a write-up and not mention my deepest, darkest hatred for most of what this series has to offer. People often ask me, as they would, why I dislike the series so much, and my answer is usually something to the tune of “It’s just terrible“, which isn’t the greatest response to a question of that kind, I’ll be the first one to admit it. Recently we at SnapThirty have received a review copy, from Madman Entertainment, of the latest Sword Art Online Blu-Ray release; Sword Art Online 2: Part Four, which contains within it the final episodes of the “Mother’s Rosario” arc. Unlike most of my Sword Art Online reviews that begin with nothing but negativity, I feel …

GIVEAWAY: NIS America’s Grand Kingdom – 20 Closed Beta Codes

Published by Frank Inglese

I know why you’re here. Yeah, yeah, I do, I do: It’s because you want some free stuff, right? Heck yeah! That’s cool with us here at SnapThirty, do you know why? Well, it’s because we love you all for sticking with us for so long and, every once in a while, we like to give something back to you all for being so darn great! Thanks to Bandai Namco Entertainment, NIS America, and Spike Chunsoft, we have been given the chance to hold this giveaway competition for the upcoming Tactical RPG title Grand Kingdom. In the Spike Chunsoft-developed title you play as a squad of mercenaries who have recently joined a powerful guild of masterful warriors. Times are changing, and wars are no longer fought with armies owned by opposing sides, instead land leaders are forced into hiring mercenaries to do their bidding; from silent assassinations to brutal mob warfare, nothing is too gruesome for those who belong to a mercenary guild, and as their newest members, you and your fellow fighters will have …

Gundam Reconguista in G (Part Two) – Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

Resolution. A simple term laid out at the end of a long and winding path. For everything that moves forward, this is both a goal and a destination, a way in which the journey itself may come to make sense. For what is a beginning without an end? A book with no final page? A greeting without a farewell? The lack of either lessens the impact of the other and thus one must know both to understand something completely. But what of that which lacks resolution? Which wanders aimlessly forward with no clear intention? No method? And seemingly no true purpose? Well my friends, it is therein we find ourselves currently, within a realm of uncertainty, a realm of disappointment and, most of all, a realm of unequivocal confusion. Well, here we are again, back in the clumsy arms of Reconguista in G, the series that scored my lowest review score ever. Now I don’t usually like getting this meta within my reviews, but I feel as if you should know from the start where I stand …

A New Hero For A New Generation: Introducing “Ultraman Orb”

Published by Frank Inglese

The year is 2016, and it marks the 50th anniversary of the long-running Tokusatsu television series Ultraman. Considering there’s a new iteration of Ultraman every few years (give or take), it only makes sense that the powers at be would be gearing up for a huge reveal specifically for that of the series’ half-century anniversary. Coming from the same director as last year’s Ultraman X is the latest reincarnation of the shining Tokusatsu hero, this time called “Ultraman Orb“. The story behind this series revolves around a human being called Gai Kurenai, played by Hideo Ishiguro, who is in possession of a mysterious object that allows him to tap into the power of past Ultraman iterations, borrowing their powers and using them to thwart the forces of evil. Somewhat like in Ultraman X, wherein which Ultraman had the ability to use the abilities of defeated Kaiju, this Ultraman will be able to harness the raw force of his descendants; fusing abilities together to create an even more powerful Ultraman being.   Reminiscent of Jayden Yuki’s Hero …

Armoured and Dangerous – Ushio and Tora Episode 30 – Season’s Writings

Published by Kane Bugeja

People really need to vett their sources before they authorise a complete tactical bombardment of a stone pillar. Okay fine, it isn’t easy to perform a background check on a spirit that has lived for aeons, but still, an attempt should be made. In this particular case, we find Hakumen no Mono pulling a fast one on the JASDF by convincing them that attacking is the only course of action to save the future. Obviously this is wrong. Even ignoring the Hakumen part, these guys aren’t even close to being main characters, there’s no way they’re going to end this fight. Geez, anime life would be so much easier if people just realised that only the primary cast has any true impact on events, especially if their names are in the title. In addition to the aforementioned trickery, this episode crams a whole lot of moving gears into the Ushio and Tora machine. Starting with the simplest first, Asako has finally regained conciousness despite what were once horrific burns covering her body. Thanks to a little kappa …

Re-Release Of Savage Garden Singles Collection To Feature Diamond Is Unbreakable Cover

Published by Frank Inglese

The latest season of the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Anime adaptation, Diamond Is Unbreakable, is only a few episodes in at this point in time, but it has already become one of the most loved series’ of not only this season but of the year so far. With stunning visuals and an incredible storyline, it’s hard not to love Diamond Is Unbreakable, but out of everything it was the series’ theme song that shocked audiences the most. Set to a series of slow-paced visuals that have now proven to be the natural successor to the once-royal “Guile’s Theme Goes With Everything” meme, thanks to countless edits that replace the ending theme with any number of wacky and wonderful songs from the era, the ending track for the series is a song by Australia’s own Savage Garden who, at the time, were just as popular in Japan, if not moreso! Many people’s love for the 1996 track “I Want You“, as well as their love for Savage Garden as a whole, has recently been rekindled thanks to that …

Spring 2016 Anime Season Watch Guide

Published by Luke Halliday

Alright folks, Halliday-senpai and his cohorts are back once again to knowledge you up on what to watch this anime season. This time around we will be tackling the watch guide in a different format. We have sat down or a video version of the watch guide which will feature all of us roundtable discussing the season as we go through series by series and giving our thoughts and impressions. So without further adieu, here is SnapThirty’s handy video Spring 2016 anime season watch guide. Did we miss an anime you are looking forward to for Spring 2016? If so let us know what you are looking forward to watching in the comments section below. Do you agree with our watch guide? Let us know! -30-

Madman Loses Viz Media Manga Distribution Rights to Simon & Schuster

Published by Luke Halliday

In some rather surprising news for manga readers down under, Viz Media have announced that they will no longer be distributing manga in Australia and by extension New Zealand through Madman Entertainment, the top anime and manga distributor in Australia for more than a decade now. This news comes hot off the heel of Madman announcing a 60% off manga clearance sale through their online store which looks to be spelling the end of manga from Madman, for now. Viz Media made the shock announcement via. press release stating that Simon & Schuster Australia will be handling manga distribution in Australia and New Zealand moving forward. Simon & Schuster has been the exclusive distribution partner of Viz Media for the United States and Canadian markets since 2004, the United Kingdom since 2007, and India starting in 2014. The new agreement will see the Australian arm of the business provide a full range of retail and wholesale distribution services for Viz Media’s substantial library of manga titles. Simon & Schuster Australia will also manage the distribution of …

Online Street Fighter V Players Will Finally Begin Being Penalised For “Rage Quitting”

Published by Frank Inglese

When you buy a game, be it for the single player campaign reasons or otherwise, chances are you’re going to go ahead and try it’s online mode. With fighting games like the Street Fighter and Tekken series, only the best of the best dare step foot into the arena of the World Wide Web. Me? I choose never to try and contest those who have the guts to jump into online matchmaking and hold their own against the countless powerful opponents that sit at the other end of their Wi-Fi connection. It’s a daunting place that casual gamers like myself should never dare venture, but for you seasoned fighters…it’s just another feature of the game to be dominated. With things like online multiplayer also comes the aggressive art of “Rage Quitting“; an act mostly executed by “gamer” types that allows the user to escape from a situation by simply exclaiming that they are indeed upset, and leaving whatever game it is that they’re currently playing. It is a technique easy to learn, but almost impossible …

Yu-Gi-Oh! Movie Promotion Gives Shinjuku Public Transporters A Grand Look At The Series’ History

Published by Frank Inglese

When Yu-Gi-Oh! was first shown back in 1996 within the pages of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump no one expected it to become what it now is today, but I suppose the same could be said about many of the successful series’ that once called Shonen Jump their home. What began as a story simply about a masterful game-playing spirit quickly became the card game-centric story we know it to be today. The Manga series then spawned an Anime series, which then spawned countless games, and story offshoots that, while no longer written by the original creator Kazuki Takahashi, still retain the “over the top” essence of the original. On the 23rd of April, only about a week away, the new movie Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side Of Dimensions will open up in Japanese theatres across the great country. While we don’t know the more intricate details of the film’s story, what we do know is that it will take place some time after the original series, and feature both an older Yugi Mutou and Seto Kaiba, …

Trillion: God of Destruction – Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

We’ve all had that boss. You know the one I mean, the one who thinks they’re inherently better than you, who thinks they can do whatever they what with no consequence, who seeks to devour the entirety of the universe’s three ancient realms in order to sate their unfathomable hunger for chaos and destruction…okay, that last one was a touch specific, but you get what I mean. Luckily for all, despite the existence of these so called bosses, there are those willing to stand up for what is right and say no to evil. Those who lay their lives on the line to fight for a better tomorrow, to refuse to back down and…oh, those guys died? Screw it then, bring out the demons. Welcome to the Underworld, a location best known for its balmy summer nights, abundance of small businesses and prevalence of Fallen Ones who rebelled against God and were cast down from the heights of Heaven for their hubris. A real vacationer’s dream. Or perhaps it would be, were it not for …

Stand and Deliver – Lost in Mistranslation Episode 60

Published by Kane Bugeja

It could be said that this is a special podcast. A live, video podcast. Of course that would be pointless to mention because this is still an audio recording. There’s still words spoken though, so that’s the same…especially if you like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, or Pokemon, or discussing the differences between Hollywood and the Japanese film market…it’s a broad episode. -30-

Tora, Tora Everywhere – Ushio and Tora Episode 29 – Season’s Writings

Published by Kane Bugeja

It was bound to happen eventually. Since the get go of this series, one mystery has remained ever present; Who the heck is Tora anyway? We’ve met yokai who know him, the various names he has taken on throughout history and what he has done to earn his reputation. Yet we still know nothing about the guy himself. Okay, so maybe this episode didn’t give us all the answers, but it certainly gave us some pieces of the puzzle…the violent, tiger striped, tsundere puzzle. In addition to his most hated nom de guerre, Nagatobimaru, Tora has been referred to by another in the past; Azafuse. Though originally assumed to be as inconsequential as his, somewhat forced, change to Tora, we know now better. Rather than a name, Azafuse is a term, one that refers to a very unique bunch of yokai. As we remember from Ushio’s brief foray into the animalistic, the Beast Spear possesses the danger of being able to swallow the soul of its wielder, which is kinda really bad. Ushio, of course, …

Yo-kai Watch 3’s Second Promotional Video Shows Off It’s New Mechanics

Published by Frank Inglese

Nothing warms my heart more than seeing something new from the world of Yo-kai Watch. Here in the West we’ve only received the first game in a series of, soon-to-be, three money-making Yo-kai Watch titles that have taken Japan, and the world, by storm. While us non-Japanese residents are sitting here waiting for Yo-kai Watch 2 to get it’s very own localised release, those lucky many living in the great land of Nippon are gearing up for the third game in the series that will take protagonist Keita (Nate) out of his hometown and send him all the way to the fictitious town of St. Peanutsburg in the United States of America. Fact is…we know all this stuff already. It was revealed a while ago that the third game will feature some drastic changes to the story, but it’s only now that it has been revealed that the game’s mechanics will also feature a nice change, but from what I can tell…it looks like it’s for the better! Level-5 have just recently updated the game’s official …

Legendary, Sony, And Warner Bros. In Bidding War Over Pokemon Live-Action Film Rights

Published by Frank Inglese

You’re a fan of Pokemon, right? Of course! We all are, this much is true. Because of this, we’re not necessarily going to jump at the prospect of there being a live-action adaptations of the 90s video game of the same name. We’re not silly, we’ve seen previous attempts at this kind of the thing, the writing is on the wall, chances are if it were to happen…it wouldn’t be good. Well, according to source Hollywood Reporter, juggernaut studios Legendary Entertainment, Sony, and Warner Bros. have been fighting a secret bidding war for the rights to a live-action Pokemon film adaptation. It has been proven that no company should attempt to develop live-action film adaptations of much-beloved television series’ from our childhoods. Have we not learned from the past? Despite the fact that Pokemon would make an absolutely atrocious live-action film thanks many, many obvious factors, those vying for the rights to it will do absolutely everything in their power to make it because, well…it’s Pokemon! It’s going to make money regardless of the film’s quality, …

Riddle Story of Devil – Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

What is your greatest wish? A simple enough question in theory, but we all know that theory is often the plaything of a little concept known as reality. Still, it’s nice to wonder. Were there no restrictions tying you down, no repercussions from external sources, what is it you would ask for? Would it be wealth? Power? Fame? Or none of these? Are your heart’s desire simpler? Perhaps more complex? Selfish? Selfless? Impossible? Impractical? Questions, questions, questions, nothing but questions and we’re still in the realm of the hypothetical. but what if we weren’t? What if you were given the chance to answer your heart’s unhindered call? Would your answer change? Would it stay the same? However, despite all of these nagging issues that tap tap tap upon your soul, one question yet remains; What would you do to have your wish fulfilled? Have you ever had that one classmate? You know the one. The one who just kinda rubs you the wrong way, who you would be quite happy to not see again. It doesn’t have …

Level-5 Reveals Yo-kai Watch 3: Sushi And Tempura Versions Alongside Official Release Date

Published by Frank Inglese

It seems as though Level-5 have remained somewhat silent for quite a while now. With the release of the first Yo-kai Watch video game in the West way behind us at this point in time, everything went dark, even on the Japanese front. After a few months of nothing but radio silence, Level-5 have revealed through the pages of the latest CoroCor0 magazine issue that the upcoming addition to the series, Yo-kai Watch 3, will come in two different versions; Sushi and Tempura. Despite the fact that the latest game will take place in a fictional American town populated by overtly American Yo-kai, the third in the series of Yo-kai Watch games will still remain inherently Japanese. Alongside the announcement of the two different versions, the magazine also revealed that the game will be released across Japan for the Nintendo 3DS on the 16th of July this year; only a few months away. The most exciting thing about this, in my humble opinion, are the images of some of the new Yo-kai that have accompanied …

Vagabond (VIZBIG Edition): Volume Eleven – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Often, people are quick to tell you that it’s never a good idea to meet your idols. When you admire someone, be they an actor, musician, public figure, etc. there’s always a great chance that they simply aren’t the people you believed them to be. A celebrity’s image is only one of two, sometimes, strikingly different personas that those in the public eye tend to play host to, so that particular warning is not one that goes unwarranted. During Japan’s Sengoku Period, one’s level of celebrity was not spread through television appearances, or with the release of their latest album. It was through sheer word of mouth, and often those who look up to these legendary few go to their graves never even knowing what they look like, let alone fulfilling their dream of meeting them. For a young Takezo (Miyamoto Musashi), it was Ito Ittosai, the “Sword Demon”, that inspired him to become the renowned swordsman he is today, but when the two finally come face-to-face, it is a meeting unlike every fantasy that swelled …

A Look Into The Strange World Of Japanese Beetle Fighting

Published by Frank Inglese

Japan is a country known, above all else, for it’s incredible eccentricity. Most people you talk to about Japan will instinctively refer to it as being quite a bizarre place, focused on the abnormal, with a tendency to do what other cultures would consider unsavoury. This is, fortunately, the view only of those uneducated in the rich culture of this fine land, be it pop or otherwise. In many cases, yes, Japan does indeed fit into the stereotype that many people intuitively designate, but there is much more to the country’s culture than that of cute, illustrated girls. Much, much more! For every Pokemon, Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, and Astro Boy that makes it outside of the great country, only to impact the rest of the world in immeasurable ways, there are countless facets of Japanese (pop) culture that remain only in the country of birth. The worst thing about that is…these are some of their most interesting and charming cultural features, and we don’t often get the chance to experience them, living in Western countries. …

What Is Love? – Ushio and Tora Episode 28 – Season’s Writings

Published by Kane Bugeja

Well, that didn’t go as expected. With the onslaught of drama and melancholy that last week brought us, I was expecting a little of that ol’ shonen charm to bust in and save us all from contemplating the complexities of a problem you can’t just hit with a mystical, magical weapon. Okay, I suppose we kind of got a little of that, but damn Ushio and Tora, way to bring the mood down…not that I don’t love you for it. Kicking off right where we left last week, we open on the crowkai (patent pending) guard informing Mayuko that she is to be burned alive for the sake of making a pointy stick that will be used to kill a big fox-bird that has been asleep under the sea for thousands of years…okay, maybe they don’t quite phrase it like that, but that’s pretty much the gist of what’s happening. Asako of course denies this reality and lunges at the birdman, who deftly dodges (real show of skill), leaving Asako flying helplessly past him…directly into …

Don’t You Forget About Me – Ushio and Tora Episode 27 – Season’s Writings

Published by Kane Bugeja

Ushio and Tora, that takes me back. Not to the original manga run mind you, but Season One, the part where I jumped into the fray and decided to see just how a kid with a spear and a not-tiger spirit could tear up some truly demonic forces. And boy did they. In their original run, the vitriolic pair of best buds saw to the destruction of their fair share of yokai attackers, which was pretty sweet. However, the most important aspect of the series, at the stalwart behest of Ushio, has been the yokai that they did not kill, but instead befriended. More often than not, this attitude has seen the redemption of foes and the forging of unlikely friendships. But, as the morose saying goes; All good things must come to an end. Season Two, we’re enjoying ourselves, we’re ready to get back into the swing of Ushio’s adventures and everything seems situation normal. Actually, things seem better than normal. Right out of the gate, the episode provides us with yet another aggressively coy interaction …

Terra Formars Volume Eight and Nine – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

No longer is the war on Mars being fought by two different planetary races. At one point in time this mission to the red planet was for the sake of not only combatting the forces of the Cockroaches, but to capture live specimens for experimental use back on Earth. You may have forgotten this, but there’s a virus spreading across Earth that is a direct cause of the evolution process that developed thanks to the terraforming of Mars. Part of the reason why the Annex I were sent there in the first place was to bring back samples of which Earth scientists could create a cure from, but like anything else that has evolutionary traits, the Cockroach samples can not only be used in the medical field…it can also be used for warfare. In the previous volume it was revealed that the Chinese soldiers on Mars, who were once a part of the Annex I mission, turned heel against the rest of the crew under orders from their superiors back on Earth. While there is a …

Terror In Resonance: The Complete Series – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s somewhat hard to write a review about a series based on the concept of nation-wide terrorism, simply because this is not a thing of fiction. In contemporary times terrorism is a harsh reality, and it’s effects are more horrific than they ever have been before. I suppose this is what makes a series like Shinichiro Watanabe’s Terror In Resonance so relatable, because we as human beings living in this time do not have to suspend disbelief for the sake of the story. That, in and of itself, is such a frightening truth. What makes a series, for me, so enjoyable is that it takes me away from this particularly harsh reality, to a realm I will never experience, but can appreciate through certain mediums. Though, as people, there are times when we need to explore a fictional world that is somewhat close to our own. This, I believe, is a way for us to be grounded, so as to not escape into an unobtainable reality forever. These stories also help us come to terms with …

First Thoughts: My Hero Academia – You Can Be A Hero

Published by Luke Halliday

Having followed the My Hero Academia manga since it first began in Weekly Shonen Jump, I have spent months waiting with bated breath for this anime adaptation to finally air. So it goes without saying that my expectations for BONES’ adaptation were high. Fortunately for me and everyone else, the My Hero Academia anime series looks to be in good hands after this fantastic first outing into Kohei Horikoshi’s wonderful world of heroes and villains. For those who have been living under a rock, My Hero Academia is the hottest new manga in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, with many famed mangaka giving it the seal of approval and fans touting it as the next big thing in shonen manga. Even Masashi Kishimoto of Naruto fame, has been vocal in his support of the series. It has all the right tools to be the next shonen mega hit in the same vein as Naruto, One Piece, Yu Yu Hakusho or Dragon Ball Z and with this anime series that destiny is sure to be fulfilled. The …

First Thoughts: “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable” – Shine On, You Crazy Diamond!

Published by Frank Inglese

Here we go, the part we’ve all been waiting for! DIO is dead, the Tarrot Cards have been ripped to shreds, Old Man Joseph is off having affairs, and Jotaro Kujo is now a Marine Biologist. Everything you thought was insane about the previous installments of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure can be tossed out the proverbial window, because what’s coming up is crazier than anything we’ve ever seen before. Things are changing, baby! No longer will Stands be named after Tarrot Cards, so if you thought Tower Of Grey was too odd of a name, then you better prepare yourself for the incredibly original Red Hot Chilli Pepper; a name only one letter away from a copyright lawsuit. We’re no longer following the Juvenile Delinquent Jotaro Kujo, instead this part will focus on a character the likes of which we’ve never seen before; a Juvenile Delinquent…with a heart of gold. This new Anime will not feature a mangey mutt, nor a senile old man, but instead it will play host to some of the more interesting characters you’ve ever …

Dark Souls III – Review (Xbox One)

Published by Jahanzeb Khan

No game stirred up a more colourful word-of-mouth reputation than Dark Souls when it first landed in 2011. Dark Souls had an aura about it that masked the true nature of the game itself. This reputation created such a strong priori that the actual experience became a self-fulfilled prophecy. I am of course referring to the game’s difficulty that has become a modern day legend of sorts. Ask any one who has played these games and they will give you exaggerated views on how difficult they are, or you may meet several elitists  who will brag about how they breezed through the many boss battles. Not to mention, people have accomplished speed runs that have lasted just a couple of hours. So honestly is Dark Souls for real or is it all just hype? Well, it’s both but at the same time it’s really neither. It’s an action RPG where you traverse a fairly open but structured game world. You explore a dark and bleak world that is filled with secrets and treasures, where slowly but surely you get …

Evangelion: 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Some of us tend to go about life thinking that on our shoulders lies the weight of the world. Confusion, doubt, anxiety; these are key factors to the mental downfall of every single human being, and those of us that believe the path of existence can be altered as a cause of our menial daily decisions tend to succumb to their influences in a drastically accelerated way. Now it’s obvious that I’m speaking metaphorically, but the power of the mind is immense and practically uncontrollable, so it isn’t too odd to imagine that some folks truly do feel as though they bare the weight of the world. There is an Anime character synonymous with that of which I’ve just detailed, but this character is also infamous for being quite the “brat“. The exaggerated difference between him and those of us that feel the effects of depression, anti-socialism, and everything that comes along with soul-crushing anxiety is that, well…the foundation of existence itself is shaped by the ill-informed decisions of this mentally-inept fourteen year old, and …

Everybody Loves Raven – Lost in Mistranslation Episode 58

Published by Kane Bugeja

Can you hear it? That cacophonous sound? It foretells of that most sacred of events, that which will bring both joy and sorrow upon all with a decent internet connection. I speak of course of the new anime season, so sit back, buckle up and get ready to listen to a bunch of people talk about trailers that you can’t see. Well, you can see them, but you’ll have to seek them out yourself. You can make a game out of it…a simple game, but still. -30-

Golden Time – Review

Published by Luke Halliday

Toradora is considered by many anime fans to be one of the greatest romantic comedy anime series of all time. It is a sweet and funny series filled with memorable characters and scenarios that like its leading lady had a truly warm heart beneath its surface. Toradora is cherished, loved by fans across the globe, so it was only expected that fans would tune in to see what series’ creator Yuyuko Takemiya had in store next with a series by the name of Golden Time. What is so remarkably startling about Golden Time is how unlike Toradora it is. Grounded in its high school setting and dealing with home life issues that many viewers could find themselves relating to, Golden Time focuses on bizarre supernatural concepts such as spectral personality separation and see its cast accidentally joining a cult in a particularly absurd story arc. If Toradora is the benchmark for romantic comedy anime, Golden Time doesn’t even try to measure up, instead opting to venture into one insane story direction after the next in …