All posts tagged: Shonen Jump

RADWIMPS release music video for their song ‘Weekly Shonen Jump’ featuring Jump Heroes

Published by Luke Halliday

Fans of Japanese rock band RADWIMPS would likely be familiar with their ode to Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, aptly titled ‘Weekly Shonen Jump’ which featured on their critically acclaimed 2016 album Human Bloom. The song sees RADWIMPS lead Yojiro Noda opining of his desire to be a man just like a hero out of Shonen Jump, to be there for the girl he has feelings for whenever she is in a bit of a pinch, looking out for his chance to be her hero. It is a beautiful song through and through. A music video has now been released for the song and it happens to feature countless Shonen Jump heroes throughout the video like Izuku Midoriya of My Hero Academia or Yuma from World Trigger to name a few. You can check out the video below to get a nice listen of RADWIMPS latest single paired up with some heroes of Jump. RADWIMPS’ Human Bloom album is currently available in full on their Spotify channel, for those who are inclined to be using Spotify. …

A Touch Of Anti-Magic – Black Clover Special Anime Episode PV Released Online

Published by Frank Inglese

There are a set of modern Manga gracing the pages of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump that make up what I’d like to call the publication’s “Comback“. In the early 90s began the “Golden Age” of Shonen Jump comics, and this spanned almost two decades until very recently wherein which those that were left over came to an end. With One Piece being the only series from the time left to continue indefinitely, Shueisha have made efforts at revitalising Shonen Jump. Gone are the days of Slam Dunk, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Rurouni Kenshin, but these new artists are paving a new way into the future. With Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia, Daisuke Ashihara’s World Trigger, and Yūto Tsukuda/Shun Saeki/Yuki Morisaki’s Food Wars! at the forefront of the serialisation’s battalion it’s hard to deny that we’ve reached another great generation of Manga production. One not mentioned, but one just as popular as those listed is Yuki Tabata’s Black Clover. A Fantasy Manga reminiscent of many others, Black Clover quickly gained quite the fanbase across the world. It’s heavy-handed but well-written combination …

First Promotional Video Revealed For Boruto: Naruto Next Generation Anime

Published by Frank Inglese

With every popular Manga comes a popular Anime series, and considering how popular Naruto still is even after it’s finale it’s only natural to assume that it’s Manga spin-off/continuation, Boruto: Naruto Next Generation, would too get it’s very own Anime adaptation. After Boruto: Naruto The Movie it was revealed that a Manga series based on the events of the film would be produced by Mikio Ikemoto and Ukyo Kodachi. The Manga, which has been running for a little while at this point in time, recounts the events of the latest film and continues onwards, telling a very familiar tale featuring some very familiar faces. TV Tokyo, who will be airing this new series, opened up a website yesterday dedicated to this upcoming Anime series. Alongside revealing the key art for the Anime, a promotional video was also posted, but it showed nothing more than scenes from both the original Anime and the aforementioned movie which disappointed some but still worked to build hype swell around a “franchise” with more than enough as it is. During this …

Yu-Gi-Oh!’s Sixth Series Revealed Courtesy Of Official Twitter

Published by Frank Inglese

Yu-Gi-Oh!, unlike many Trading Card Games of late, has withstood the test of time. Originally appearing within the pages of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump back in the later months of 1996, Yu-Gi-Oh! has continued long into the new age, albeit with every new iteration spearheaded by someone other than it’s original creator Kazuki Takahashi, who moved on from it quite some time ago. As time continued to move ever forward, more and more Yu-Gi-Oh! Anime and Manga were produced alongside that of the actual Trading Card Game, the cards of which can be found almost everywhere around the world. Yu-Gi-Oh!, like Dragon Ball Z or Pokemon, is a worldwide phenomenon that simply will never end, and yesterday that was confirmed thanks to the series’ official Twitter account which revealed that, in 2017, Yu-Gi-Oh! will return in a brand-new Anime series. So far unnamed, the sixth Yu-Gi-Oh! series will follow the life and times of a young Duelist named Yusaku Fujiki; a somewhat shy boy who wishes to be as far removed from the spotlight as …

Upcoming Bleach Novel Centres Around Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai

Published by Frank Inglese

The final chapter of Tite Kubo’s Bleach left as quickly as it came and left it’s audience with a plethora of questions which all thought would go very much unanswered. This is simply what happens when a Manga goes on for so long but is not given the proper amount of time to conclude. Luckily, for those of you out there that still want more Bleach, it has just been revealed that two novels are planned for a release across 2016, what’s left of it, and 2017. The first of the two to be released is a novel written by Makoto Matsubara, who is known for previous Bleach novels, and will focus on a special story that revolves solely around Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai, who we now know are a couple with a child. This story, though specifics still havn’t been released, could indeed focus on the development of their intimate relationship leading up to the birth of their child…or it could be literally anything else, though I know what people will be hoping …

Nobuhiro Watsuki Creates Short Rurouni Kenshin Spin-Off Manga “The Criminal Ashitaro”

Published by Frank Inglese

Many people would consider Nobuhiro Watsuki’s “prime” to be his time behind the pencil while creating Rurouni Kenshin, but little do many know that Watsuki-sensei has continued to get better and better during his years outside of the spotlight. With other Shonen Jump-published Manga like Buso Renkin and Gun Blaze West under his belt, Watsuki is a Mangaka that is so much more than a one-trick pony, but it is always good to return to the classics and that’s why his contemporary Rurouni Kenshin spin-off manga “Rurouni Kenshin Variant Story: The Criminal Ashitaro” is such an exciting, albeit stout, venture. This two-chapter short story, with the first having already been featured in the December issue of Shueisha’s Jump Square magazine, centres around a character called Ashitaro Hasegawa; a prisoner who is released from a high-security Tokyo prison. On his travels as a free man he comes across another young boy named Aran Inoue, and a lovely lady who has awaited his release ever since he was put away behind bars. Watsuki, as you may imagine, is entirely in charge …

Humble Beginnings – A Look Back At Naruto: Ninja Council

Published by Frank Inglese

There is something to be said about the evolution of Naruto video games overtime. They sure have come a very long way, developing into the unrivalled spectacle they now are today, with every iteration playing host to crisper graphics and the ability to experience some of the more outrageous events of Naruto’s fictional history. There is something that modern Naruto video games lack though; arguably, they have lost what was once most important to the series these games were based on…heart. While flashy graphics and cinematic battles work wonders to immerse players in the world of Naruto and it’s follow-up series Naruto Shippuuden, it seems as though these games have had to sacrifice their charming nature to do so. That’s not to say the newer Naruto titles aren’t worth the money you pay or the time put into developing them, this is simply what time and exponential curve in popularity does to a series, and it is during periods such as this that I like to reminisce upon the past, thinking back on the days wherein which a …

Bakuman Manga Exhibition at SMASH! 2016

Published by Luke Halliday

Bakuman fans were in for a treat at SMASH! con this year. The Japan Foundation hosted a fantastic Bakuman Manga Exhibition at their booth which brought the manga of Bakuman to life. Bakuman is of course Takeshi Obata and Tsugumi Ohba’s legendary manga about making manga which has gone on to spawn an anime adaptation alongside a live action film. At the booth, fans were able to have a look at Weekly Shonen Jump issues as depicted in the iconic series as well as story boards based upon the actual story boards within the manga. Furthermore there was even a editor comment board for each manga showcasing how the actual Weekly Shonen Jump editorial team respond to chapters and provide feedback to mangaka. It was all fascinating stuff and you can check it out in the gallery below. Big thanks to Japan Foundation and SMASH! for putting together a fantastic exhibition. -30-

Tite Kubo’s “Bleach” To Receive Live-Action Film Adaptation

Published by Frank Inglese

Dragon Ball, Death Note, Rurouni Kenshin, Attack On Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist, Naruto, and now…Bleach. Tite Kubo’s long-running Shonen Jump Manga is on the verge of ending, with one chapter until it’s finale, but like any popular Manga…Bleach has tenure, and isn’t truly going away anytime soon. Last week, within the pages of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump, there featured a pre-announcement announcement that told readers about some “special news” regarding Bleach being revealed alongside the series’ final chapter. Well, as these things usually go, an early copy of the issue has been seen by a mysterious citizen of the internet with the capacity to “spill the beans” and thus said beans have indeed bee spilled: Bleach will be getting it’s own live-action movie adaptation. Details like story, casting, director, and interesting factors of that kind have yet to be announced, the only thing we know about this film is that it will see a 2018 release. I’m sure that, once the news is made official, we will be hearing much more about the film’s intricacies, but …

Level-5 Reveal New Cross-Media Project: Megaton Musashi

Published by Frank Inglese

Overnight, Level-5 held a press conference titled “Vision 2016 -New Heroes-” wherein which they revealed to the world a couple of new projects that the company is currently developing, as well as brand-new strands of information regarding already-established franchises like Yo-Kai Watch. Level-5 attempted to break out into the mech market with their previous video game series Little Battlers Experience, and whilst it did quite well in Japan (yet not so much in the West) it was not the most well-received of their cross-media developments. The great thing about Level-5 is that they’re constantly changing, evolving, and developing, creating video games that blow audiences of all different ages away with just how engaging and enjoyable they are, so it only makes sense that they would, once again, try to take over a landscape such as science-fiction robot fighting. Revealed through their “Vision 2016 -New Heroes-” livestream is another cross-media endeavor titles “Megaton Musashi“. Revealed through a  thirteen minute pilot episode at their live event, Megaton Musashi that revolves around three young men piloting a robot …

Volume Seventy-Four Marks The End For Tite Kubo’s “Bleach” Manga

Published by Frank Inglese

If it’s me you’re asking; Bleach ended many years ago. Ichigo Kurosaki had defeated Aizen, his Shinigami powers had been stripped, he no longer could communicate with the deceased, and he was placed neatly back into his regular life as an angst-filled teen. That was…until the story continued indefinitely. As we all know; Shueisha’s Shonen Jump produces some of the world’s greatest Manga, but with such greatness comes heavy editing, and constant monitoring of individual series’ by the publication’s team of critical editors. Goku’s continued life was not the fault of Akira Toriyama’s bad writing but at the behest of the series’ editor that explained the series would not be as popular if it’s protagonist were to change. Looking at Bleach’s elongated tale; I feel as though Tite Kubo is going through something quite similar with Bleach. Regardless, the series still has fans across the world. If it did not, then Shonen Jump would not bother with it’s continuation, so there’s something to be said about what this Manga provides to audiences even this long into it’s run, …

One Piece: Burning Blood – PlayStation 4 Review

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s amusing to imagine that, in modern times, One Piece has become synonymous with the video game developer Omega Force thanks to their small but impactful series of Warriors-style games of which introduced the West to One Piece video game adaptations. Three strikingly similar games later, and a few offshoots similar enough to the original, it is now an odd sight to behold when a video game based on the Shonen Jump legend One Piece is more than just a one-vs-thousands Dynasty Warriors clone. The release of One Piece: Romance Dawn in 2013 was like a breath of fresh for Western fans of the series simply due to the fact that it was NOT part of the One Piece: Pirate Warriors series. Despite the fact that it was reviewed heavily as a sub-par Role-Playing Game, it still differentiated itself from the norm, and thus made somewhat of an impact. It’s now 2016, and the long-awaited One Piece: Burning Blood has been released worldwide, exciting and delighting One Piece fans thanks to it’s lack of similarities to …

Twin Star Exorcists Volume Four – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Something you come to learn quickly as an adult is that your childhood is one that should have been cherished. Out parents used to tell us that, when we become adults, we will come to miss being children, but unfortunately as adolescents we often take things for granted, only fully understanding once that time has passed us by. For some, days of old were ones spent in anguish, building them to be the men and women they are today. Many will say that hardship build character, but seemingly at the cost of a lot more. Rokuro Enmado had a childhood unlike any other. Training to be an Exorcist, he had no choice but to take up arms against fellow trainees who had succumb to the devilish influence of the Kegare, forced upon them by once-friend Yuto Ijika. This once seemingly innocent boy was the catalyst behind the Hinatsuki Tragedy, and he’s back to finish what he started. Given a choice, Rokuro must now decide whether or not to join Yuto in his plan to become the …

Yo Ho Ho? There’s Now Going To Be A One Piece Live-Action Film?!

Published by Frank Inglese

I have to say, reader; I’ve begun feeling like a broken record as of late. It seems as though I’ve written quite a few news pieces regarding live-action film adaptations as of late, and they only seem to keep coming. Just yesterday it was revealed that Tokyo Ghoul will be getting it’s very own live-action film, and today, thanks to an announcement by Shanghai Minghuan Investment, it seems as though the Shonen Jump classic series One Piece will be the next to receive the same adaptation treatment. At least…that’s the plan. Announced through Business Wire about twelve hours ago, Shanghai Minghuan has purchased the copyright for One Piece from Eiichiro Oda and Shonen Jump for 1.6 Billion Yen (US$15 Million), and plans to use said copyright to produce a live-action film based, roughly, on the long-running series. From what we’re lead to believe, plans to develop a One Piece film of this kind have been in place for quite some time, with the only thing holding the company back being that of the copyright restraints, but …

Black Clover Volume One – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

It was in the early months of 2015 when Black Clover was first introduced to Western audiences thanks to Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump “Jump Start” initiative that showcases three full chapters from a brand-new Manga as a way to gauge audience reaction and determine whether or not to continue featuring it within the pages of the weekly issue release. Yuki Tabata, who was more well known for his short-lived series Hungry Joker at the time, began developing Black Clover after his previous Manga was cancelled abruptly. At the time of Black Clover’s pilot chapter release, I was nowhere near as open-minded as I am today, writing it off as a distinct duplicate of Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto in disguise as Hiro Mashima’s Fairy Tail. From what I am lead to believe; many people felt the same way as me at the time. The strange thing about this series is that it is still going strong today despite the heavy judgment from Shonen Jump readers early on in the piece. It isa case wherein which the loud …

World Trigger Volume Ten – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

In life, every action has a reaction. There will never be a time in your life wherein which a choice you make will lead to naught, there will always be a consequence to everything you do, good or bad. Often this is something that is ignored in Shonen Manga of all kinds. With Shonen Jump’s demographic being young adults, one would imagine that realistic lessons would be the first to teach, but more often than not this isn’t the case. Shonen Jump’s modo is “Friendship, Effort, and Victory“, but never cause and effect, so to see something as realistic as a government-run press conference to address the severity of a war just passed as demanded by the general public situated within said war zone both startled and interested me greatly. With only seven seconds left until the crossroads, time is running out. Black Triggers face off as Miwa activates Fujin to bring the invasion to an end. But can everyone really escape the worst possible future? – VIZ Media Daisuke Ashihara’s mature style of writing is shown …

Friendship, Effort and Victory: The Spirit of Shonen Jump

Published by Luke Halliday

Snap Discussion is the weekly round table discussion on a topic relating to Japanese pop culture as selected by the almighty Snapodile. Each week the SnapThirty team will weigh in with their thoughts on that week’s topic all with the hopes of providing some interesting and perhaps even conflicting view points on the matter at hand. This week’s topic is Friendship, Effort and Victory: The Spirit of Shonen Jump. For this topic we each looked at the legendary manga magazine Weekly Shonen Jump and the iconic series that made themselves home in the pages of the magazine. Viz Media has called Shonen Jump manga ‘The World’s Most Popular Manga’ and it is hard to debate them on that. Here are some of our own personal experiences. Luke Halliday: For those who have followed our site, you’d likely have come to discover that it is no secret that I am a superfan of Yoshihiro Togashi and his manga. So I’d be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to once again talk about how good Togashi …

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

Published by Frank Inglese

Few characteristics make a Shonen Manga likeable. It is these same characteristics that also set the sub-genre apart from all others. For the most part, a Shonen story must feature a character cast of eccentric but relatable personalities, each one incomparable to the last. As a part of this “roster”, the protagonist will be left with the burden of having to carry the rest through the bulk of the series’ story. This is a Shonen staple, and a weight-baring facet that will never change. This isn’t always for the worst though, in fact, a story relying entirely on the metaphorical strength of it’s hero can often work out for the better, that is…if the Manga has a protagonist like Soma Yukihira. It’s the last quarterfinal match of the Fall Classic. Takumi Aldini, looking for another chance to challenge Soma, faces off against the smug-looking Subaru Mimasaka. What’s making him so confident? The truth—and the dish he prepares—sends the entire auditorium into an uproar! Let the shokugeki begin! – VIZ Media Food Wars! isn’t unlike it’s …

World Trigger Volume Nine – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Shonen Jump is a publication I feel as though I’ll follow until the very day I die. Despite the fact that Shueisha’s weekly issues are directed at young adults with a proclivity for action and friendship, I believe that the themes of Friendship, Effort, and Victory are three that can be appreciated by the young and old alike. Thanks to new Manga series’ like My Hero Academia, and Twin Star Exorcists – two contemporary Manga I feel as though stand above the rest – Shonen Jump is heading into a new era that, while nowhere near as ground-breaking as the Golden Age, will breath new life into the publication. One of the new Manga I feel as though stands with the likes of those I mentioned above is the one currently being reviewed; World Trigger. It is a series that started off it’s run in quite a weak position, with very few readers finding it as enjoyable as some of the others that begun alongside it, but regardless of that it has stuck to the …

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, …

Viz Media Reveals Partial English Dub Cast For Hunter X Hunter Anime

Published by Frank Inglese

The year 1999 was a wonderful one at that; Bill Gates was officially announced as the world’s wealthiest individual, hit HBO series The Soprano’s made it’s television debut, the Sega Dreamcast was released across America alongside Sonic Adventure, and Nippon Animation tried their hand at making a Hunter X Hunter Anime series. Many, many years later, in 2011, Studio Madhouse did something that Nippon Animation simply could not; produce a Hunter X Hunter Anime that will blow audiences away like none have done before it. Standing as one of the greatest Shonen Jump Anime adaptations, the more recent Hunter X Hunter Anime series follows the story of Gon Freecss; a Hunters searching for his estranged father. Sticking as close to it’s source material as possible, the Anime rocked audiences week to week from October of 2011 to September of 2014. Ever since the series began streaming through Western Anime distribution service Crunchyroll, English-speaking fans have been waiting for a dub of the series that will, hopefully, do it justice. Not too long ago it was announced …

The Stars Align As The Hunter X Hunter Manga Returns From Hiatus Once Again

Published by Frank Inglese

Just before we move on; does anyone know if a new Dragon Quest game is about to be released? I only ask because it’s a known fact that Hunter X Hunter Mangaka Yoshihiro Togashi happens to adore those games and, in the past, their release has lead to many a hiatus for this long-running series. No, it doesn’t look like it, and seeing as though Dragon Quest Builders has already been released over in Japan, I think we’re in the clear! All jokes aside, the reason why Hunter X Hunter has been on hiatus since 2014 is not because of Togashi-sensei’s addiction to the award-winning JRPG series, it is in fact due to lower back pain that he has been unable to continue with the series. Originally, back in 2014, this hiatus was not meant to be such, but instead a two week break while he recovers. Unfortunately it seems as though the issue only got worse as time went on, leading to the two year break fans of the series have had to endure. …

Twin Star Exorcists Volume Three – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Who the hell do you think you are, huh? Going around saying things like; “A Shonen Manga can’t have shocking revelations so early on in it’s run“. It makes me sick to my stomach knowing that there are people like you making such-oh, wait…you didn’t say anything like that? Seriously? Geez, well, I’m so sorry, I kind of flew off the handle there for no reason. It just scares me to think that maybe somewhere out in the big, bad world people might be saying things of this kind, especially because of how much I’m liking Shonen Jump’s latest Manga hit Twin Star Exorcists, which just so happens to feature it’s fair share of shocking twists. Volume two of the Manga left off with one heck of a cliffhanger: It was revealed that Rokuro was at the very center of the Hinatsuki tragedy, and as a cause of it was cursed with his Kegare-like right arm. Volume three of Twin Star Exorcists decides that one twist was not nearly enough. In fact, it was just the …

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 …

Dragon Ball: Project Fusion’s List Of Fusible Characters Is…Endless?!

Published by Frank Inglese

About a week or so ago, I wrote an article regarding an upcoming Dragon Ball Nintendo 3DS title from the lovely people over at Bandai Namco Entertainment that boasted a gameplay experience unlike any other Dragon Ball title we’ve ever seen. The game is called Dragon Ball: Project Fusion and is aparantly an RPG title that allows you to fuse a whole bunch of alternative Dragon Ball characters, instead of the standard Goten/Trunks, Goku/Vegeta combinations. Now the latest issue of V-Jump magazine has been released over in Japan, and with it comes more information regarding the upcoming game. From what we’re lead to believe by the double-page spread featured in the popular magazine; the fusion possibilities for the upcoming game are…infinite. It goes without saying, but Dragon Ball: Project Fusion will not feature an infinite amount of fusion characters, there simply aren’t enough characters in the series, nor is there the storage capabilities to properly host all of them on a Nintendo 3DS game cartridge, as well as countless other things that only work against …

SnapThirty Crowns Best Shonen Jump Signature Move

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 …

One Piece’s Sanji Has A Last Name, And It Has Just Been Revealead

Published by Frank Inglese

One Piece’s Sanji hasn’t been in the limelight as of late, seeing as his level of appearance in the Manga has been at all-time low, but he is still one of the fan favorites, and still one of the more powerful members of the Straw Hat crew, so there’s no way we could forget about him for even a second. Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, has this strange but amazing talent to be able to write characters in ways that make them seem, regardless of how much “screen time” they’re given, like they have gone through some sort of growth or evolution. This also works in the inverse; Oda is able to write a character with a large amount of backstory without ever needing to specifically detail it. The latest chapter of One Piece, which has just been released over in Japan as a part of the latest Weekly Shonen Jump issue, reveals to the audience something we never thought would ever come about. In fact, I personally never thought about this until…now. …

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 …

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

Published by Frank Inglese

  The final pages of Food Wars! Volume seven left readers in a state of anticipation thanks to the cliffhanger ending that saw protagonist Soma finally about to go head-to-head with his Fall Classic arc nemesis Akira Hayama; the self-proclaimed master of curry. Volume seven served as an introductory volume that set up a great deal of the story that leads directly into the confrontation between these two culinary juggernauts. That then transitions almost seamlessly into the next, and possibly final, segment of this tournament-arc. Thanks to Madman Entertainment, once again, for allowing us the opportunity to review the latest release in this much-loved Manga series.   The battle of the Fall Classic preliminaries comes to a thundering close! Can Soma conjure up a curry masterpiece brilliant enough to surpass a dish from the master of fragrance, Akira Hayama? This volume also includes a bonus story about the adventures of a certain someone during her lazy summer vacation! – Madman Entertainment Volume eight took an entirely different approach to story development than volume seven which, …

Twin Star Exorcists Volume Two – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Like it or not; we all have things from our past that we simply cannot escape. Bad memories, bad experiences, things that tested us both physically and mentally; often we wish that they could simply be erased, so we run from them. The problem is…we cannot run forever. Eventually the things we fear so gravely will catch up to us, this is an inevitability. For the Twin Star Exorcists Rokuro and Benio, their pasts are filled with nothing but tragedy; memories they wish they could escape, but never will. Volume two of Twin Star Exorcists has just been released down here in Australia thanks to Madman Entertainment, and with it comes the bombshell of a lifetime that has truly kicked this Shonen Jump Manga into second gear, readying it for the first big arc of the series; something a seasoned Shonen reader knows can make or break a Manga. Hopefully it’s not the latter. Twin Star Exorcists volume two stays in much the same realm as the first volume with it’s Shonen story elements mixed …

Bakuman (Live-Action Film) – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

The Manga industry is one of Japan’s largest, and one of the few publications that stands almost at the very top of the popularity ladder is none other than Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump. This weekly collection of new Manga chapters has introduced the world to some of the most popular series’ of all times: Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, they have all once called the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump their home. Every Shonen Jump Manga shares common themes, those of which have existed from the very beginning, and those of which continues to burn bright well into the new age of Manga-making. Friendship, Effort, and Victory; these are the key components of any good Shonen Manga, but the positive battle attitude these themes represent aren’t just for the characters, nor are they just for the readers, they also give those behind the scenes the courage and perseverance to continue making the series’ we, more than often, take for granted. Takeshi Obata and Tsugumi Ohba are two names any fan of Shonen Jump should know. Not only …

New Single Cover Gives People Just Another Reason To Dislike Chris Brown

Published by Frank Inglese

I personally have never been a fan of Chris Brown’s music. Being Australian, the only Chris Brown I care about is Oz’s very own star veterinarian who unfortunately shares his name with the infamous recording artist. Usually I would ignore news like this because, not only am I not a fan of his work, but SnapThirty is a website that prides itself on being strictly about Japanese pop culture…not the American music scene. This piece of news caught my eye though, because it seems as though the cover of one of Chris Brown’s upcoming single Zero looks remarkably like a particular illustration by Tsukasa Hojo from his old-school Shonen Jump Manga City Hunter. This comparison was first brought to light by Twitter user @Goldengreg who, as you can see in the link to the Tweet, posted both pictures in question, mentioning that it seems as though the artist of the single cover took great inspiration from that particular City Hunter image. A lot of other people who’ve been commenting around the web are saying that it …

An Accidental Tweet Confirms My Hero Academia Anime Adaptation

Published by Frank Inglese

Just under a week ago, fellow writer Luke Halliday posted an article regarding the possible Anime adaptation of Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia after the production company TOHO registered the domain name www.HeroAca.com. Judging by what has happened many times in the past, this registration has lead many to believe that there is indeed a My Hero Academia Anime series currently in production, but now we don’t have to judge our theories based solely off that, not after the series’ official Twitter account accidentally revealed that the series has been green-lit through a Tweet that was clearly posted a little too early. The Tweet, which has now been deleted for obvious reasons, basically stated that an Anime adaptation for the series has been officially green-lit. This Tweet, mixed with the statement released by Weekly Shonen Jump a few days ago that suggests there will be a huge announcement regarding the series on the 2nd of November, has lead many people around the internet to believe that this is not hoax, this is no trick, this is no misdirection, …

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part Four: Diamond Is Unbreakable Anime Green-Lit

Published by Frank Inglese

We all knew this was coming, because it was teased at the very end of the Stardust Crusaders Anime season, but it still gives a nice warm feeling just knowing that Part Four of the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Manga series, Diamond Is Unbreakable, is confirmed for an Anime adaptation sometime in the near future. Over in Japan, Tokyo to be specific, on the Saturday that has just passed, an event was held titled “The Last Crusaders” which, as you may think, had nothing to do with the Indiana Jones movie of similar name. No, it was a JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure event that basically celebrated all things Stardust Crusaders. While many exciting things happened over the span of the event’s full day, the most exciting is absolutely that of the Diamond Is Unbreakable Anime adaptation confirmation which was delivered to the audience, and now us living everywhere BUT Japan, with a teaser trailer that shows absolutely nothing of the upcoming Anime but has worked to excited people from all walks of life living all across the world. …

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

Published by Frank Inglese

Every story, no matter how boiling hot, gets to a point wherein which it starts to cool, it starts to slow down, it comes to…a simmer. After six jaw-dropping volumes of Food Wars! (Shokugeki No Soma) I feel as though the time has come for the series to take a natural step back in preparation for big things to come, and it was the pacing of this latest volume that put such a thought into my head. Every good Manga series has that one volume that doesn’t quite hit the mark, possibly because, much like this particular one, what goes on between it’s pages is mostly set-up for the duel between the story’s main character and the current rival. Almost every single Shonen Manga has this and, seeing as Food Wars! (Shokugeki No Soma) is indeed a Shonen Manga…it makes a great deal of sense that, it too, would fall victim to such a common pacing issue. Thanks to Madman Entertainment, as always, we’ve been given to chance to review the latest volume of the …

Boruto: Naruto The Movie – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

When it comes to a long-running series like Naruto, most reviews would begin with a brief history lesson; detailing it’s expansive lineage starting from 1999, but seeing as this movie marks the end of the series that started me on my personal journey to becoming what I am today and, hopefully, what I will be in the near future…I feel as though it deserves more than just a basic history lesson. Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto is the series that singlehandedly inspired me to want to both write comics and write about Japanese culture as a whole. It was the very first Manga I ever read, it was the first Anime I ever watched (knowing that it was indeed Anime), and it was the first piece of fiction to make me understand that we each live different lives that lead us in different directions, all of which are guided by our own choices. In the series, this was referred to as a “Ninja Way“, and I think that, without it, I would have never been able to …

First Thoughts: One-Punch Man – Saving Anime, One Punch At A Time

Published by Frank Inglese

I’m literally lost for words. A terrifying way to start an opinion piece, but a reality that I simply cannot avoid for any longer. I’ve sat at my work desk and I’ve pondered the first episode of One-Punch Man for longer than I care to admit, yet here I am still stuck, unable to express the intense emotion that this Anime has built up inside of me with just one episode. I feel as though I may burst if I do not express to the world just how much I truly love this Anime, and just how necessary it is to the evolution of the industry. I feel like I have to start from the very beginning by asking; what makes an Anime good? What’s funny is that the answer to that question is essentially…One-Punch Man, simply because it has all the traits of an Anime you can enjoy on almost every single level. One-Punch Man, for some background knowledge, is a brand-new Anime series based upon a Manga series that was, let’s say, “inspired” …

Feelin’ Hot Hot Hot – One Piece: Burning Blood Hits The West In 2016

Published by Frank Inglese

This is news regarding an upcoming One Piece video game so, chances are, you’ve already heard everything you possibly could’ve about it. That’s just the way promotion works for new titles based on this highly-popular Shonen Jump series. Only recently, Bandai Namco Entertainment revealed the Spike Chunsoft-developed One Piece: Burning Blood, announcing that it will not only be getting a release across Japan but also throughout the West. What we, the pop culture-loving people, were not told was WHEN we would be seeing this title hit local shelves, and today…that’s exactly what Bandai Namco have announced. Lacking specifics, One Piece: Burning Blood is confirmed to be released in the West sometime in 2016 for not only the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita, but also for the Xbox One, making it the first One Piece video game title to cross the console border, previously only being released on Sony systems. Burning Blood will be unlike all the other One Piece video game titles that have come before it, rather than playing as a single character against …

First Thoughts: Samon The Summoner – Devil In Disguise

Published by Frank Inglese

Every so often, Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump decide that it may be time to kick off, or “Jump Start“, a brand-new Manga series. One that will delight audiences, one that may be the “next big thing“, and maybe even one that will surpass those who’ve come before it. It’s a great idea, especially considering the amount of people across the globe who’re trying to make it as creators of the medium. The latest Jump Start, the series that premiered in the September 21st issues of the English Weekly Shonen Jump is one by the name Samon The Summoner which, like many Jump Starts that came before it, has been lucky enough to be the main focus of the front cover…but is that focused deserved? The story is simple, very simple: A young girl by the name of Sakura Teshigawara runs into a strange young man named Shosuke Samon who happens to have quite an interesting hobby; he summons demons. A devil of a man, once learning that Sakura is one of the nicest human beings he’s ever …

Seraph Of The End: The Origin Of Fate To Hit Japan This December

Published by Frank Inglese

A Manga series, an Anime adaptation, and now a video game. Seraph Of The End truly has it all, thanks to it’s droves of fans making it one of the more popular Shonen Jump titles of the new generation. Despite my aversion to the Anime adaptation that aired only last season, I couldn’t help but imagine that it wouldn’t be too long until the world will be seeing a video game based on the events of the series, and here we are. Revealed a while ago but only now confirmed for an official release date, the upcoming PlayStation Vita title Seraph Of The End: The Origin Of Fate puts players in the shoes of the series’ main character cast as they battle through the story in what we’re being told will be a “dramatical tactical battle” title. Unfortunately not much regarding the game has actually been seen, bar a few screenshots that give nothing away, but from the description given by Bandai Namco Entertainment it’s supposed to be a well-made tactical role-playing game with a …

You Thought Two Were Bad, Try Six – New Live-Action Death Note Film Announced For 2016

Published by Frank Inglese

Almost ten years ago, back in 2006, two live-action films were released that recounted the tragic but invigorating story of Takeshi Obata and Tsugumi Ohba’s highly-popular Manga series; Death Note. Surprisingly, these two films are known for being faithful adaptations of the original Manga, doing the series justice from the first minute all the way up until the last. Both films also happen to feature the Red Hot Chilli Peppers song “Dani California” for an unknown reason, but it’s presence only works to make the films more enjoyable. Recently, a live-action television series has been airing in Japan that, once again, recreates the events of the Death Note Manga series almost as well as the two movies. The end of said series has just come about and with it the announcement of a brand-new live-action Death Note movie that will tell a continuation of the story never seen before. The upcoming film, simply titled Death Note 2016, will follow best friends Light Yagami and L who, after the events of the first two films, have …

World Trigger Volume Six – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

World Trigger volume six is the latest volume of the Manga to be released in Australia thanks to Madman Entertainment. Unfortunately, due to mysterious circumstances, our review copy was delivered about a month late…but that’s not a bad thing, not when the cause of which opens your eyes to something quite striking: I’m in love with this Manga. For the last four weeks I have been on the back of fellow writer Luke Halliday regarding the shipment of World Trigger, not through frustration but through excitement. Turns out, despite the series of Bs and B+s I’ve given it in the past, World Trigger is one of my most anticipated contemporary Manga releases, and volume six has finally made me exactly aware of just why it is I’ve fallen for this humble Manga. Story-wise, not a great deal develops in volume six of World Trigger, in fact, by the end of the volume more questions were raised than answered, but that’s to be expected with a set of chapters as combat heavy as the ones in …

Third One-Punch Man Anime Preview Introduces Extended Character Cast

Published by Frank Inglese

Certain contemporary series’ in more recent times mostly go without having to be described. For the most part, everyone knows about the more popular titles, that’s just the way popularity goes, and with Manga series’ like One-Punch man, chances are, if you’ve read any of the countless good Shonen Jump Manga productions…you’re also very much aware of this one. Shonen Jump are great at promoting their up and coming titles, that’s why I’m sure you’ve known about One and Yusuke Murata’s One-Punch Man for quite some time. It’s also the reason you’re here reading this article! Now that the Manga series has been in production for a little while, and the popularity train has picked up some speed, there’s an Anime adaptation of this goofy hero-centric Manga on the way courtesy of animation studio Madhouse. As with any upcoming Anime series, it’s always a good idea for the powers at be to promote the living hell out of it. Usually this is done with trailers introducing audiences to the story of the series, the setting of …

Simmer Down! Episode 2 – Cooking Alice Nakiri’s Milkshake from Food Wars: Shokugeki No Soma

Published by Frank Inglese

On episode one of Simmer Down!, good chef and bad chef Frank Inglese and Luke Halliday did something many people thought impossible; they made a dish from the hugely popular Food Wars!, also known as Shokugeki No Soma. It wasn’t that the dish was hard to make, this much has been proven by countless other YouTube videos, it was actually the coming together of two idiotic forces that had people in an almost unshakable state of disbelief. How can these two men ever work in synchronicity? Only under the guidance of Chef Ramsay is such a thing possible! Frank and Luke take to the kitchen for another episode of the SnapThirty cooking show Simmer Down!. This time around they’ve decide to prepare another dish from Food Wars! (Shokugeki No Soma) that actually doesn’t involve any cooking, instead only intricate preparation. Alice Nakiri, a talented but arrogant and annoying chef from the series, created this egg-based milkshake to wow judges chosen to critique new and exciting buffet dishes. Frank and Luke also want to wow audiences …

Food Wars! (Shokugeki No Soma) Volume Five and Six – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Madman Entertainment continue to roll out fantastic releases each and every month, but none more exciting than that of Food Wars! (Shokugeki No Soma). Why though? Not only is it a fantastic Shonen Anime that somehow relates the culinary world with that of a treacherous battlefield…but Madman are releasing two volumes at a time! Don’t you get what this means? It means we’re getting double the usual amount of Food Wars! media which means I’m spending double the time being engulfed by this fantastic series. Calling it a “fantastic series” shouldn’t be too much of a review-spoiler by now seeing as I’ve already critiqued each and every volume up until this point in time and have loved it all the way. We’re now up to volumes five and six; a pair of volumes that, together, perfectly set up the coming arc which I’m lead to believe wont come and go as all the others have done in the past. This is the calm before the proverbial storm…and it isn’t even that peaceful. I guess that’s …

Twin Star Exorcists Volume One – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Everyone’s good at something, this much I’m sure of. Even if you think you’re not good at anything, chances are you’re pretty good at something. Rokuro, well, he’s really good at slaying demons. He’s been that way ever since he can remember, but a certain tragedy stopped him from doing what it is that he once did best. Imagine you’re really good at soccer: You’re the star player on your team, everybody thinks you’re great, and your opponents are actually pretty scared of you, even though they come across as being fearless. What if one day one of the opposing teams slaughtered each and every single member of your crew…bar you. Chances are, you’re not going to want to play soccer again, right? Now replace soccer with demons, and teammates with the closest thing you’ve got to a family…now you’re on your way to understanding the life of our young hero. One of Madman Entertainment’s latest Manga publications, Twin Star Exorcists, has just hit shelves around Australia and New Zealand, and we at SnapThirty have …

Hands-On With One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 At SMASH! 2015

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment has a fairly sizeable presence at most, if not all, good pop culture conventions, and that includes Sydney’s very own SMASH! (Sydney Manga and Anime Show). The convention plays host to an abundance of great upcoming additions to Japanese pop culture and there’s nothing more loved in Japanese pop culture than that of Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece; a series that has been running since 1997 and still continues to run in the modern age of Anime and Manga. Bandai Namco Entertainment, this year, had somewhat of a smaller booth, but it was constantly filled to the brim with people wanting to get even the slightest glimpse of a couple of the publisher’s upcoming games, one of them being One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3, which I was lucky enough to get a chance to experience first-hand. What’s there to say about One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 that hasn’t already been said about the first two games? Honestly…nothing, but I think I’ve come to realise that it’s not really a bad thing. The way I …

Uzumaki Heads To Hollywood – Lionsgate To Make A Live-Action Naruto Film

Published by Frank Inglese

Let’s be honest, reader…who the hell DIDN’T see this one coming? Of course there’s a live-action Naruto film in the works and of course it’s being made by a non-Japanese crew, thus is the fate of any popular Shonen series. Lionsgate Films, the well known studio, has recently announced that they’re currently in the process of making a live-action Naruto film. As of right now, production is very early on in the process, so early on that really only a director and producer have been attached to the project, alongside a few unimportant others. Yes, Masashi Kishimoto’s highly popular Shinobi-centric Manga series will, in due time, be hitting the streets of Hollywood with it’s very own live-action film set to be directed by Michael Gracey; a man I’m certain you don’t know or, at least, don’t know enough to be excited about. Gracey is being backed by producer Avi Arad who’s name you’ve surely heard thanks to his Marvel film-filled resume but, looking at the specific movies he produced…I can’t say it makes me any more …

Food Wars! (Shokugeki No Soma) Volume Three and Four – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

How did we get so lucky? Over the past two months, Madman Entertainment have been releasing the Food Wars! Manga in pairs, I assume so that they can catch up to Viz Media’s North American release schedule which is already up to volume eight! Despite the reason why, I just hope the Manga keeps coming at this pace because I’ll be damned if I have to go a month without reading at least a single volume of this Shonen Jump Advanced food fest! Yeah, that’s how much I’m liking it so far. There may be some of you out there who aren’t exactly up to date with Food Wars!, and I suggest that you do not read this review seeing as you’ll be way out of the loop. Instead, why don’t you go and read my review of the first two volumes which can be found here. I assure you, as the person who wrote the review, it’ll be very much worth your while. Who knows? You may even end up grabbing yourself a new …

Boruto: Naruto The Movie – Time To Meet The Next Generation Of Shinobi

Published by Frank Inglese

Not half an hour before writing this article had I written another article regarding Boruto: Naruto The Movie and the official reveal of it’s antagonists. As any other fan of the series and of the upcoming movie, I believed this would be the most exciting piece of news to be revealed today…damn was I wrong. The very same issue of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump that only just revealed the identities of the film’s two antagonists also featured some very interesting and immeasurably thrilling images of the new generation of Ninja alongside their affiliations with one another. These new scans give readers a very nice look at some of the new kids, not just of Konohagakure but of the other, now-friendly villages from around the world of Naruto. Alongside Boruto, Sarada, and Mitsuki who’re the new Team 7 lead by none other than Naruto’s former small-time rival Konohamaru, come the rest of the kids set to feature as pretty heavy characters in the upcoming movie. From Kankuro’s son to the inappropriately-named Metal Lee, these news kids are looking even …

Boruto: Naruto The Movie’s Antagonists Finally Revealed

Published by Frank Inglese

Basically, up until this point we’ve been given all the information about the upcoming Boruto movie that we need, apart from who the bad guys are…well today that’s exactly what has been revealed. I dont like to know too much about a film before going into it because, well…I want to actually enjoy the twists, turns, and shocks, I don’t want all that to be ruined by some pre-release promotional garbage. Thankfully, most things about Boruto: Naruto The Movie have been kept secret. Though I’m hoping we’re not given much more info than this: Momoshiki and Kinoshiki from the Otsutsuki Clan who will attack Konohagakura to attempt to extract Kurama (the Nine-Tails) out of Naruto and use him for their own evil deeds, much like countless Naruto enemies who came before them. This news, shown in Shueisha’s latest issue of Weekly Shonen Jump, also revealed who will voicing the two evil Shinobi: Hiroki Yasumoto will lend his gruff talents to Momoshiki and Daisuke Namikawa will lend his to Kinoshiki. Yasumoto you’d know from his work …

J-Stars Victory Vs+ – PlayStation 4 Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Have you ever thought about the ramifications of Goku’s Kamehameha going up against Yusuke Urameshi’s Spirit Gun? When two unstoppable forces collide, the destruction caused by it is immense. Now think, what if a powerhouse like Naruto Uzumaki went head-to-head with a speed demon like Ichigo Kurosaki. Which would win; Uzumaki’s Rasengan of Kurosaki’s Getsuga Tensho? Disregarding the millions of dollars worth of collateral damage, who would come out on top? Questions like this are constantly thrown across tables of like-minded pop culture fans all discussing their favorite characters from their favorite pieces of media, each with their own theories regarding who would best who in combat. Usually those questions can never be answer, but it is with the release of crossover fighting titles like J-Stars Victory Vs+ that it all becomes just a little bit clearer. Not since the Japan-only Nintendo DS title Jump Ultimate Stars have we seen this many Shonen Jump heroes and villains come together to throw down in the combined arena. Ever since it was announced for a Japanese release, Western …

Eighteen Years In The Making – Dragon Ball Super’s First Teaser Trailer Finally Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Surely by now you know that the immeasurably popular Shonen series Dragon Ball Z is returning with a brand-new Anime season that follows on from where the original left off, right? That’s something I feel every good Anime fan should know, at least at this point in time. Well during Fuji TV’s broadcast of the latest Dragon Ball Kai episode over in Japan a quick teaser trailer for the upcoming Anime series was shown. That short video was recorded by some very smart citizens of the world and shared online for the rest of us to see. As mentioned; the new Anime will follow the original crew of Dragon Ball Z and their equally as powerful offspring as they do whatever it is that they do. Really we don’t know much about the storyline of this new Anime season but the trailer does indeed feature Beerus and his friendly assistant Whis so the assumption is that they will feature throughout the story. Honestly barely anything has been divulged in regards to the more detailed specifics …

All Six Paths Lead To Demise – Madara Confirmed As Playable Character For Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 4

Published by Frank Inglese

There’s nothing better than a good video game, and every good video game always comes with an exciting and brutally powerful bad guy thrown into the mix to put the hero to the test. Originally it was Orochimaru who posses the biggest threat to our outrageous Shinobi hero Naruto…but that was some time ago. Massage Kishimoto, the creator of the series, kicked the snake man to the curb a long time ago and since then the spot of all-powerful antagonist has been filled by countless men and women all of which have fallen victim to the might of the ninja world’s greatest warrior. One of the final villains of the series, a man called Madara Uchiha, really made Naruto work for his heroic title and, if you ask me…he almost succeeded in his plan of utter world domination. Too bad the power of a Shonen hero is far too much for any bad guy to handle. Well Mr. Madara Uchiha being such a good bad guy, it’s only natural that he would appear in the …

Food Wars! (Shokugeki No Soma) Volume One and Two – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

I WOULD say that cooking programs are my “guilty pleasure“, but I honestly don’t feel much guilt after catching an episode of Jamie’s fifteen Minute Meals. The way I see it; humans eat a minimum of three times a day. You’ve got breakfast, lunch, AND dinner, though if you ask Childish Gambino…they’re just for beginners. Us humans eat SO much, we might as well eat good! That’s why, although my skills are closer to “none” than “great“, I still insist on being the cook in my household at least once a week, though I’ve never wanted to be an actual chef. Something I understand about the life of a proper chef, from knowing a number of former chefs, is that it is an incredibly difficult one. I was once told that a chef never quite leaves the kitchen, even long after their hard day is over. A lot resort to drinking to wind down, and most don’t last too long in the industry without cracking and hanging up their apron for good. I suppose what Anthony …

Check Out The New Team 7 In This Boruto: Naruto The Movie Magazine Scan

Published by Frank Inglese

Yosh! The latest issue of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump has just hit shelves over in Japan and, with every weekly release, comes some awesome news about out favorite Shonen titles. This week, the pop culture world gets another great look at the upcoming film Boruto: Naruto The Movie. Now that our heroes (Naruto and his pals) have grown up, gotten married, and had kids, it’s up to the next generation of Shinobi to get strong enough to defend the village. It seems as though most of the characters from the original Naruto series all got together and started having children at the exact same time because most of their kids are now in the same class. In Boruto: Naruto The Movie, we will follow the new Team 7 which is now made up of Boruto who is Naruto and Hinata’s son, Sarada who is Sasuke and possibly Sakura’s daughter (read the Manga), and Mitsuki who looks oddly a great deal like the antagonist of The Last: Naruto The Movie. Whether or not there’s a connection …

J-Stars Victory Vs+ – Toriko, And Reborn! Vs Rurouni Kenshin English Trailers Released

Published by Frank Inglese

There’s nothing that can revitalise a love for something more than a well put-together video game trailer. Bandai Namco Games has today released two more English trailers for their upcoming crossover fighting title J-Stars Victroy Vs+, both of which make me want to sit down and engulf myself in what both modern day and past Shonen Jump has to offer. The first trailer features Toriko’s titular character facing up against his eternal rival Zebra in what is described as not only a quest for the perfect food but for the perfect battle. The second trailer spans across two series’; Reborn! and Rurouni Kenshin, both of which feature young protagonists who fight only for the sake of peace, but will battle each other because, well…J-Stars Victory Vs+ really has no rules! Fight to your heart’s content! These trailers look so great, they’ve made me want to go back and re-watch Reborn!, they’ve made me want to start reading Toriko, they’ve made me want to experience Rurouni Kenshin like many people before me already have. THAT’S the power …

Assassination Classroom Volume Three – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

As an Australian who got his education at an Australian school, taught by Australian teachers, surrounded by Australian friends and Australian environments…it has always been hard relating to the average Anime or Manga student seeing as, well…they’re Japanese, and the two cultures don’t have much crossover. I’ve never had a fellow student take roll call, I’ve never eaten lunch on the school roof, I’ve never had to change into sports gear midway through the day, and I’ve never been introduced to a transfer student. In comparison to the Japanese school lifestyle…my education days were terribly boring. Volume Three of Yusei Matsui’s Assassination Classroom finishes off the small arc that started midway through Volume Two, which saw Class-E head off on a trip to Kyoto only to promptly run into trouble…typical of students from the Assassination Classroom. Unlike what I experienced in Volumes One and Two, what I was reading in Volume Three simply didn’t hit me in the same way. Especially the first half of the volume. The great jokes that once made me chuckle out loud, …

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 – First Look At Obito Uchiha 

Published by Frank Inglese

Be honest; how well do you know Obito Uchiha? My guess is…not that well, which is fine because nobody knows him all that well. It’s kind of part of his charm as a bad guy. The problem with mystery is that, for the quizzical types like you and I, not knowing something about a character can be like a living hell! A week or so ago when Bandai Namco Games revealed that a gruesome Obito Uchiha fused with the plant man Zetsu would appear as a playable character in the upcoming fighting game Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4. I found myself somewhat excited but also somewhat confused: What the hell will this guy be like to use? Will he fight like an Uchiha? Will he fight like a plant…man? I have no idea! Bandai Namco Games have today released a handful of screenshots alongside a nice character model of the new fighter that dont necessarily divulge any real information but they do show us what he’s going to be like in the game, which …

World Trigger Volume Five – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s so strange to me; Daisuka Ashihara’s World Trigger isn’t nearly as popular as I imagined it was months ago. I saw this Manga turned Anime and thought to myself; “surely this is what’s leading the popularity polls in Japan”. I can’t honestly say I know why I thought that, it just had a look about it that I couldn’t help but shake. It was a huge surprise to me when fellow writer and friend Luke Halliday explained that it is a Manga that has constantly been on the verge of being axed, which is sad but also wonderfully uplifting. Think about this: World Trigger calls the chopping block it’s home. It’s always on the very edge of continued publication yet somehow always remains in the pages of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump and author Daisuke Ashihara is still employed to keep up with production. This means that, although World Trigger is almost always one foot in the grave, it fights on to live another day. This hasn’t just happened once…this has happened many times, and …

Ikebukuro, Pokemon Center, J-World Tokyo and Shibuya Travelogue

Published by Luke Halliday

SnapThirty’s Luke Halliday recorded his journey over a span of two weeks time as he traveled from East to West of Japan. His trip begins in current capital city Tokyo and his final destination is the former capital of Kyoto. This is his Journey to the West… of Japan. Welcome one and all to my Journey to the West (Of Japan), a video series which will cover my travels across Japan from East to West. Having watched the anime series Durarara!! it was a given that I’d want to see how the real world Ikebukuro stacks up to its anime counterpart. To our pleasant surprise Ikebukuro is also home to Pokemon Center Mega Tokyo and a Shonen Jump theme park by the name of J-WORLD TOKYO. We wrapped up the day with a visit to Shibuya to check out the Hachiko statue and the scramble crossing. You can check out the four episodes below covering my trip to Ikebukuro and Shibuya: #9 Ikebukuro, Sunshine City and Idol Hand-Shaking Event #10 Pokemon Center Mega Tokyo #11 J-WORLD TOKYO, Shonen …

‘Cyborg Roggy’ and ‘Gakkyu Hotei’ Manga Axed From Shonen Jump

Published by Luke Halliday

Remember a little article a little someone wrote about Cyborg Roggy not too long ago and how that someone predicted it would get the axe sooner rather than later? Well I hate to say I told you so but I told you so. Needless to say Cyborg Roggy has been unceremoniously axed from Shonen Jump after failing to capture an audience in the magazine and consistently ranking dead last in the reader rankings. It will end next week and be compiled into two volumes for release in June and July this year. On the other side of the coin a rather surprising turn of events has befallen Gakkyu Hotei, the Takeshia Obata series about the Elementary School Justice System. A strange premise that unfortunately seems to have been the undoing of the series in spite of its legendary mangaka behind it. Luckily for Gakkyu Hotei it is getting a more respectable send off with the series being moved to Shonen Jump+ the digital magazine in Japan to conclude its run properly. The axeman swingeth hard …

Obito Uchiha Revealed As Playable Character For Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4

Published by Frank Inglese

With any new fighting video game release comes some brand-new combatants to choose and throw down with. It’s exponentially more exciting when the fighting game series in question has been going on for many years and is based off of a series that has more unique characters than I’ve had hot meals. I bought my very first console with my own money thanks to the original Naruto Ultimate Ninja which had me captivated at first glance and despite my dislike for what Naruto has become I still find myself getting excited for every new release of the series so, as you can imagine, talk of Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 still gets me just as excited as it always has. Bandai Namco Games have been slowly but surely unveiling some of the upcoming game’s new characters and combat systems, and thanks to the latest issue of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump it has been revealed that Obito Uchiha will indeed feature as a playable character. We’ve seen him in the past as Tobi and even further in …

First Trailer Released For World Trigger: Borderless Mission

Published by Frank Inglese

A while back, Bandai Namco Games revealed to the pop culture world that a PlayStation Vita game based on the semi-popular Shonen Jump Manga World Trigger was currently in production. Now, months later, with no more information than that revealed up until this point, Bandai Namco Games have released the very first trailer for the upcoming semi-open world action game which, seeing as how little information was previously revealed, can be also seen as something of a reveal trailer. The PlayStation Vita title will closely follow the story of the series, both Anime and Manga, and will have you controlling some of it’s more predominant characters. Judging only by the trailer, it seems as though a few different character types will be usable; from Snipers to Swordsmen. Though looking a little unpolished, I have to say I’m very much excited for the release of this game despite there being no word on whether it’s set for a Western localisation. Actually, at this point in time we don’t even know when it’s hitting Japan. Well…we know it’s …

New Manga To Get a ‘Jump Start’ in Next Week’s Shonen Jump

Published by Luke Halliday

Viz Media have just revealed in their latest issue of their Shonen Jump digital magazine that they will be ‘jump starting’ several new manga series in the next few issues of the magazine. The series are slated to begin their run in the Japanese edition of Shonen Jump next week as well making for a simultaneously release with the English version with a new series beginning in each of the next 3 weeks. The first manga is Welcome to Shika High’s Competitive Dance Club, a dance manga that is said to take the art form of dance and give it a Shonen Jump makeover complete with dance battles and all. The second manga is Devily Man and the third manga is Lady Justice, little is known about both manga at the current time but they seem both self explanatory but also rather vague. Stay tuned for more details as they emerge. -30-

Tokyo Station Travelogue featuring Shonen Jump Shop

Published by Luke Halliday

SnapThirty’s Luke Halliday recorded his journey over a span of two weeks time as he traveled from East to West of Japan. His trip begins in current capital city Tokyo and his final destination is the former capital of Kyoto. This is his Journey to the West… of Japan. Welcome one and all to my Journey to the West (Of Japan), a video series which will cover my travels across Japan from East to West. If you read this website on a regular basis it would come as no surprise that I am a Shonen Jump fan, so it was only natural that I’d want to seek out the Shonen Jump Shop while in Japan and that desire took my to Tokyo Station’s famed Character Street and what awaited me was more than I could ever have imagined. You can check out the four episodes below covering my trip to Tokyo Station: #5 Japanese Vending Machines, Catching a Train and Tokyo Station #6 Tokyo Station Character Street, Tower Mini and Yokai Watch Store #7 Shonen Jump Shop at …

Kakashi’s Face Finally Revealed And It’s Just As Handsome As We Thought!

Published by Frank Inglese

The day has finally come. It has finally come! Surely this means the apocalypse is on the horizon because I never imagined we’d ever see this. Ever! If the title of the article didn’t already give it away, allow me to catch you up to speed: Naruto is a very popular Shonen Anime and Manga that has only recently finished. Wait, no, the Anime is still going…it’s the Manga that’s finished! Wait, no, another Manga series just started, it’s the long line of Naruto movies that have finally finished! Wait, no, there’s actually still one more movie to be released. Has Naruto not ended? Because it just kind of sounds like Naruto still hasn’t ended! Anyway, that’s besides the point right now. Kakashi Hatake is a character who’s been in the series ever since the first few chapters. He was the man that trained the titular character alongside two of his close friends/enemies and basically made him what he is today: The saviour of the known world. Yes, there were a few mentor-types in between that …

J-Stars Victory Vs+ – One Piece and Saint Seiya Trailers Released

Published by Frank Inglese

J-Stars Victroy Vs+ is only two months away from getting released down here in the West! Can you believe that? I only ask because, to be honest…I don’t think even I can! When I first heard about this game I was sure it wasn’t going to hit local shores. I was so, so sure of myself! I said to fellow writers Kane Bugeja and Luke Halliday; “there’s no way we’ll see a Western release of this game” and I’ve never felt so good about being so wrong! Are you a fan of One Piece? How about Saint Seiya? Both, you say? Well that’s absolutely fantastic because today bandai Namco Games have released two new trailers for the upcoming game that show off two of Shonen Jump’s most popular series’. As the days roll by and the game gets closer, Bandai Namco games will continue to release more and more trailers which will hopefully prove to everyone watching that this game will be the absolute one to beat. Enough talk out of me! You just want …

Will The Naruto Exhibition Guestbook Finally Reveal Kakashi’s Face?

Published by Frank Inglese

Naruto fans have always wondered just what was beyond the mask of Team 7 sensei and Leaf Jonin Kakashi. He hardly ever takes the damn thing off and whenever he actually does there’s something between us and what I assume is his lovely lower face. Many fans of over the years have tried their hand at interpreting just what it is that’s under the mask using the contours of his face and a little of their imagination but nothing comes close to the man himself Masashi Kishimoto drawing it with his own two hands. It’s just not the same! This may all change very soon though seeing as the new Naruto Exhibition that’s set to open up in just a few days may actually show Kakashi’s face in a short Manga drawn by series creator Masashi Kishimoto that is given to all exhibition-goers. The internet has already gotten a little peak at what this guestbook has to offer and what people have taken from it is that Kakashi’s face will indeed be shown. Now whether or …

Assassination Classroom Volume Two – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Yeah, I’ll admit it; I sometimes miss my high school days. I do, I do. I hate saying so though, especially because my Mother would always lecture me on the importance of enjoying my experience there while I could. It’s funny, she never spoke to me about anything regarding academic excellence. She always pushed me further into the things that I loved but never forced me to do anything I didn’t have even a shred of enjoyment doing. Maybe that’s why I decided early on that I was going to be a comedian, or that I was going to be a writer, or that I was going to be a graphic novelist. I was never given the spiel about being a doctor or a lawyer because, to her, what is important isn’t money or status but happiness. Amazingly, there were only a few teachers in my time that ever preached the same way of thinking; that doing something you love is ultimately more rewarding than being at the top of your class or on the very last …

World Trigger Volume Four – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

World Trigger, incase you’ve all been living under a huge rock for the past year or so, is a young Shonen Jump Manga that is currently being released around the world to the delight of…most. No, World Trigger isn’t the much-loved Shonen manga you’re all probably imagining it is. While it does have a pretty dedicated audience, unfortunately it’s one that’s pretty small in comparison to a lot of the other contemporary Shonen titles like My Hero Academia and Assassination Classroom but, in my humble opinion, I think it can stand up against the best of them. If I didn’t think that way I wouldn’t keep requesting review copies of new volumes from Madman Entertainment who distribute it down here in the wonderful land of Australia. Incase you’ve not been keeping up with the series; make sure you go back and read my reviews of Volume One, Two and Three. While they don’t tell you everything you need to know about the series, they’ll tell you enough to understand what I’m writing here. Now allow …

First Thoughts: “Food Wars! (Shokugeki No Soma)” – First We Cook, Then We Do Everything Else!

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s no secret that I, Frank Anthony Inglese, am a huge fan of the culinary world. While I don’t know nearly enough about food or about the art of cooking, I’m always looking to throw myself into whatever I can in the hopes that I come out with some sort of new-found knowledge. When my fellow writer and friend Luke Halliday introduced me to the “Food Wars! (Shingeki No Soma)” Manga series, I have to say, I was instantly hooked. Why? Well, it has everything to do with food, and also…it’s incredibly over the top and full of fan service which is so damn funny to me. It’s for the same reason that I liked “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” that I enjoyed the “Food Wars!” Manga. The Spring season of Anime has only just started and one of the first new series’ to kick it off is, funnily enough, “Food Wars!”. As you’d imagine…it was the first thing I did when I woke up of the morning of it’s release. “Food Wars!” follows a pretty simple …

Simmer Down! – Cooking A Dish From “Food Wars!” (Shokugeki No Soma)

Published by Frank Inglese

The debut episode of SnapThirty’s cooking show; “Simmer Down”! In our very first episode the spirit of Gordon Ramsay guides Luke (@LAHalliday) and Frank (@FrankInglese) as they cook a dish from the anime/manga Food Wars (Shokugeki no Soma). This new Anime series pits chef against chef as they each try to beat each other and become the top Japanese culinary masters. The very first dish shown in both the Anime and the Manga is a meat dish with an odd, starchy twist. When Soma is tasked with making a pork roast without having any actual meat to use, he makes a bet with the woman who’s trying to shut down his restaurant. Throwing together a set of mysterious ingredients, Soma shocks both the malevolent woman and the audience by creating something amazing. Us at SnapThirty have tried to recreate this dish in the hopes that it comes out just as well as it did in the first episode/chapter…or, at least, we hope it tastes as good. You can watch “Food Wars!” (Shokugeki No Soma) over …

New “Naruto” Manga To Begin April 27th In Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump

Published by Frank Inglese

I know, for a fact, that this is what all you “Naruto” fans out there have been waiting for ever since the ending of the Manga. We all know that “Naruto” will never die. That’s a fact, and anyone that can’t deal with it just needs to make a bigger effort to do so. No matter what your views are of the series, you can’t deny that there is indeed a justification behind its incredibly high popularity level. I’m sure it was all apart of our childhoods and most people that watched or read it when it first started have continued to do so up until this day. The Anime is currently running a filler arc which SHOULD return to the main story in the near future, “The Last: Naruto The Movie” was released a little bit ago and people absolutely loved it for some odd reason, and, as mentioned, the Manga has only recently just ended BUT there’s more in store for the “Naruto” franchise. Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of the series, has already …

Rock Out To The First Preview Trailer For The Upcoming Anime Adaptation Of “One-Punch Man”

Published by Frank Inglese

While the Anime adaptation of ONE and Yuusuke Murata’s “One-Punch Man” is still a little while away, the official website was updated today to now include that of the very first preview video for what is looking to be a standout series for whatever season it eventually becomes a part of. Backing up some incredible but quick action sequences is one hell of a rock track sure to get you fired up for the lunacy to come but, let’s be honest; if you’re not already into the “One-Punch Man” Manga chances are you aren’t going to be into this Anime. It’s a good place to start though! The preview trailer also announces a whole bunch of the staff member who’re set to work on this new project and the list is full of that sweet star power: You’ve got MADHOUSE animating the whole thing, you’ve got Shingo Natsume of “Space Dandy” fame directing it, on character design is Chikashi Kubota who you may know worked on series like “From The New World” and “Robotics;Notes”. This …

Blue Eyes White Dragon and Dark Magician Are Back For The 2016 Yu-Gi-Oh! Feature Film

Published by Frank Inglese

Did you know hat there’s a brand-new “Yu-Gi-Oh!” film currently in development? You’re smart, I bet you did already know that. Did you know that it’s set for a release in 2016? Once again, I’m sure you’re already aware. Did you know that the movie will star both Yugi Muto and Seto Kaiba from the original series? What am I saying? Of course you know that! Well, OK, how about this: Have you seen the new designs for the legendary monster cards “Blue Eyes White Dragon” and “Dark Magician”? Now I’m sure you remember the way they used to look back in the original Anime and Manga series but times have changed and so have they! The latest issue of Shueisha’s V-Jump magazine happens to feature a new promotional image from the upcoming movie that shows the new designs for aforementioned monsters and their both looking damn fierce! While “Blue Eyes White Dragon” hasn’t changed too much, “Dark Magician” has had a slight colour change and has put on about fifty kilos of muscle…like I …

Naruto Shippuden’s New Chunin Exam Arc – A Justified Filler Or Just Another Stall Tactic?

Published by Frank Inglese

It all started in chapter thirty four of the original “Naruto” Manga series. Before “Shippuden” was even close to being a reality, fans of the series followed the young Shinobi, Naruto, and his journey to becoming something more than a simple “nincompoop” with a bad attitude and an air of utter restlessness. It was during this stage of the little Ninja’s life that audiences were graced with an arc that, I believe, truly defines exactly what early chapters of “Naruto” were truly about. It showed each of the Konohagakure Ninjas – alongside some others from Sunagakure and the smaller Otogakure – in situations that tested them both physically and mentally while at the same time expressing to those reading their true personalities. Most fans of the series from this time, I’m sure, would have developed their loves for certain characters during this time whether or not they actually participated in the exams. It was during this arc that we were introduced to us the idea of brains over braun, it was where we got to see …

J-Stars Victory Vs + – Official English Website Now Live

Published by Frank Inglese

We’re all very excited for the Western release of “J-Stars Victory Vs +”; it’s the game Anime fans the world over have been waiting for since the last Shonen crossover title “Jump Ultimate Stars” and even THAT never made it to local shores so you can probably imagine the high level of excitement long-time fans of “Naruto”, “Bleach”, “Dragon ball Z” and so many other series’ are. Well today Bandai namco games officially opened up the English website for the upcoming game and even though it going live didn’t come with some sort of specific release date for the game it did come with a trifecta of gameplay videos that, once again, show off some of your favorite heroes in action. Of the three videos released; one shows the legendary battle between Frieza and Goku from “Dragon Ball Z”, another shows an odd but aggressively awesome bout between Oga from “Beelzebub” and Taro Yamada from “Chinyuki”, and the final shows a smaller scale battle between Arale Norimake from “Dr. Slump” and Lucky Man from the …

First Thoughts: ‘Cyborg Roggy’ Manga – Why Roggy Why?

Published by Luke Halliday

‘Cyborg Roggy’. I’ll let you soak in that name for a moment. Does that sound like a good manga to you? Does it sound like a manga on the level of all time greats such as One Piece, Naruto or Dragon Ball? I don’t know what it is but something about the name Cyborg Roggy makes me think it is destined for cancellation. Maybe because it is a terrible name that looks bad, sounds bad and is just plain silly to say out loud. Poor Roggy, we hardly knew thee. Set in a world where everyone started to transform themselves into cyborgs one day, Cyborg Roggy is a new Shonen Jump manga from newcomer Yu Miki. Now while I opened this article with some rather damning statements against Cyborg Roggy and its potential future as an ongoing serialized manga, I must give credit where it is due. Cyborg Roggy is unlike any other manga I have ever read in Shonen Jump, heck it is unique in the manga genre as a whole. It feels distinct …

Fists Up In The Air, People: The “One-Punch Man” Anime Adaptation has Officially Been Greenlit!

Published by Frank Inglese

Here I thought this day would never come. People, surely you’ve heard of the comtemporary Manga series “One-Punch Man” right? You havn’t?! That’s insane! Well, “One-Punch Man” is a simple Shonen story that revolves around a B-Grade superhero that has the inhuman ability to destroy anyONE or anyTHING with a single punch. Despite having such an ability, he hasn’t quite made it into the Hollywood-like world of professional superheroism…but he’s on his way! Originally a web comic by amateur artist and writer “ONE”, “One-Punch Man” was picked up and adapted into a proper Manga in 2012 by well-known Shonen Jump royalty Yusuke Murata who you may know illustrated the series “Eyeshield 21”. It’s now 2015 and an Anime adaptation of the odd Manga has finally been greenlit for production. As of right now, there hasn’t been much of an information release. The only thing that has been announced is that there is going to be an adaptation, who will be spearheading this new series is so far unknown but word is that, come Anime Japan …

First Thoughts: ‘Black Clover’ Manga – What’s Luck Got To Do With It?

Published by Luke Halliday

Hungry Joker may not be a name familiar to many, probably because it was a short lived Shonen Jump manga. A large part of why that series failed was that while it had potential it simply lacked direction or a grander vision. So what does a series that fell short of greatness have to do with the recently launched Black Clover manga? Well for one they share the same author, Yuki Tabata, but more over the thing that makes them such interesting companion reads is just how far Tabata has come as a mangaka because Black Clover succeeds in every way Hungry Joker didn’t. Right from the first page, Black Clover feels like a fully formed world with a deeply rooted history behind this fantasy setting. It was hard to not be reminded of manga such as One Piece and Naruto with their richly detailed in-world history. Furthermore the first chapter wastes little time setting up a narrative direction and momentum thrust. I am of the firm belief that great shonen manga all have three …

Naruto The Movie: Road To Ninja – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Ever since my early high school days I’ve been a huge fan of Masashi Kishimoto’s “Naruto”. I followed both the Manga and Anime all the way up until the beginning of the second series “Shippuden” where I hit a steep decline in love for what was once one of the most important things in my life. Even as a fan of the early Anime, I never truly enjoyed the movies that came from it. “Ninja Clash In The Land Of Snow”, “Guardians Of The Crescent Moon Kingdom”, they just didn’t do the series I loved justice. “Shippuden” came around and alongside it a whole bunch of movies I too didn’t necessarily enjoy, but one DID pique my interest and it just so happens to be the newly released “Road To Ninja”. Something about an alternate universe story excites me but, as of recent times, “Naruto” has only come to disappoint. I’m hoping that, in this new universe, “Naruto” stayed as good as it once was all those years ago. – (Written prior to watching film) …

My Hero Academia – The Dawn Of A New Era For Shonen Jump

Published by Frank Inglese

Throughout our childhood we’re told time and time again to enjoy it while we can. As teenagers, as school students, as growing human beings we’re once again told to enjoy every single moment. All the while it’s drilled into our heads that, once we become adults, we’ll only be left with a longing for the type of life we lead as young men and women. That’s possibly why nostalgia is such a power feeling. For many of you reading this article and definitely for us writing this article, the early days of our adolescence were spent enthralled by things like Anime or Manga. A possible memory burned into the minds of those people is that of waiting for a new issue of Weekly Shonen jump or the latest volume of your favorite Manga to be released. Back then it seemed as though all that mattered was what happened to Naruto next or how Ichigo Kurosaki (“Bleach”) was going to defeat the next Hollow. It turns out that what our parents said was entirely true; that, as adults, …

World Trigger Volume Three – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

The world is in constant danger of a “Neighbour” attack. The last time the “Neighbours” got a full chance to wreak havoc in the realm of the humans, many people perished. That’s why a little government-run organisation called “Border” was established: To develop an army of capable soldiers, each trained to take on and despatch the other-worldly forces before they get a chance to, once again, claim the lives of the innocent. There’s a problem, though. I huge one. One that will soon come to prove detrimental to the well-being of our dimension, and one that happens to be the the fault of those who’re supposed to be defending us. What first entered my life as a terrible Anime series has quickly become one of my favorite contemporary Manga titles and without the support of Madman Entertainment who has provided us with review copies I would have never gotten the chance to experience “World Trigger”, so to them I say “thank you”, and to you out there I say “let’s get on with this review”! …

Assassination Classroom Volume One – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Yeah, I’ll admit it; I sometimes miss my high school days. I do, I do. I hate saying so though, especially because my Mother would always lecture me on the importance of enjoying my experience there while I could. It’s funny, she never spoke to me about anything regarding academic excellence. She always pushed me further into the things that I loved but never forced me to do anything I didn’t have even a shred of enjoyment doing. Maybe that’s why I decided early on that I was going to be a comedian, or that I was going to be a writer, or that I was going to be a graphic novelist. I was never given the spiel about being a doctor or a lawyer because, to her, what is important isn’t money or status but happiness. Amazingly, there were only a few teachers in my time that ever preached the same way of thinking; that doing something you love is ultimately more rewarding than being at the top of your class or on the very last …

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

Published by Frank Inglese

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

First “Bleach” Video Game For Smartphones Announced

Published by Frank Inglese

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

World Trigger Volume One – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s been a very long time since I last read a Manga by famed publisher Shonen Jump. I used to be a huge fan back in my teen years which, coincidentally, is the target demographic for Shonen Manga’s like “Bleach” and “Naruto” but as I continued to grow, my love for these series’ began to dwindle. This is why I found myself in a very odd place when Madman Entertainment reached out to us an offered a copy of “World Trigger” volume one. For some reason I figuratively lunged at the chance to review a contemporary Shonen Manga despite my dislike for the recently-aired Anime adaptation and for the Shonen genre as a whole. Something deep within forced me onto “World Trigger” and, for the life of me, I cannot figure out just what it was. I just hope doing so doesn’t lead me down a path of review copies I can’t even stand to pick up…but Madman hasn’t let me down before so I’m hoping they won’t start now with “World Trigger”. (Written before …

New Filler Arc Announced For The “Naruto” Anime Tells The Story of The Chunin Exams

Published by Frank Inglese

I’m sure you’re more than aware but there was indeed a time in the “Naruto” universe where our hero simply wasn’t around. It was an angsty time for young Naruto and Sasuke who both left the village after a mighty battle wherein which the boys taught each other a true lesson about power and emotion. Sasuke left to do his own thing, joining Orochimaru who promised him a level of power that no one else could provide, with the goal that he would one day return to the Hidden Leaf Village and burn it to the ground. Naruto, on the other hand, left with one of the other legendary Sannin Jiraiya who spent two years training our hero to be the man he is today. Two similar paths that are also worlds apart: A fantastic metaphor for the relationship that these two young boys shared together. Just because the two characters left the village they grew up in, doesn’t mean that nothing happened while they were gone. Actually, according to this announcement, a great deal happened …

One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X – More Amiibo Costumes Revealed

Published by Frank Inglese

A few days ago, fellow SnapThirty writer Kane Bugeja reported on a piece of news that detailed the newly released “One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X” fighting game’s ability to use the recently released line of Amiibo intractable figurines to change the costumes of certain characters to resemble the character model connected to the game. Luffy can be dressed up as Mario and Luigi, Zolo can be dressed as Link and Sanji can be dressed as Fox McCloud. Well, Nintendo and Bandai Namco Games have gone ahead and revealed the rest of the Straw Hat crew and their Amiibo costumes and they’re looking just as good, if not better, than the ones revealed three days ago. In the image you can see Nami as the Wii Fit Trainer, Franky as Donkey Kong, Brooks as Marth, Chopper as Kirby and Robin as Samus Aran. As of right now, this game has only been announced for Japan and has already been made available in the great country. We don’t know whether or not the game is going to get …

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Is Coming To The West

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Games have just revealed that they already have big plans for the Western release of the recently-announced next addition to the “Naruto” video game franchise “Ultimate Ninja Storm 4”  and it comes in the form of a true next generation console release. When announced through Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen jump just the other day, “Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4” had only been noted down as a PlayStation 4 release. Well, Bandai Namco Games are going to change that with their localization of the game, announcing that it will be coming to both the Xbox One and the PC (through Steam) as well as for Sony’s latest console. Labelled the “final massive strike”, audiences are lead to believe this is the final “Naruto” game ever, but I stand a little more sceptical. Not shown in the announcement from Shonen Jump but provided by Bandai Namco Games is the official box art for the upcoming fighting game which, unfortunately, has already been met with a level of dislike from fans the world over due to how …

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja 4 Announced For The PlayStation 4

Published by Frank Inglese

“Naruto” is done. Yes, that’s it. It is over forever and you’ll never see any more “Naruto” content. That’s just something you’ll have to deal with. Forever. No “Naruto” stuff. “Naruto” is dead and gone. No…it’s not. The franchise is still going strong and even though the Manga has now officially ended there’s still so much more of “Naruto” to come, making it a series that will truly never die. Not that people want it to. “The Last: Naruto The Movie” started showing in Japanese theatres last weekend and has met quite an awe-inspiring critical and financial reception. There’s still a Manga series to come regarding the next generation of Ninja from the series and, only announced today, there’s a brand-new game on the way but this time it’ll be getting a release on a “next gen” console…the PlayStation 4. So, as you can see, there’s no real lack of “Naruto” in the world right now. In fact, I think there’s probably so much more circulating now thanks to the Manga ending than there ever …

Next Naruto Project To Begin In The August Of 2015

Published by Frank Inglese

Let’s be honest, Japanese citizen or not you are very much aware that “The Last: Naruto The Movie” began its theatrical run in Japan over the weekend and, whether or not you’ve found a way to watch it, you’re immeasurably existed that somewhere in the world someone has. This is the calibre of the “Naruto” fandom; a mass of crazy fanatics with enough power to bring down OTHER fandoms. Thanks to Marvel films, the world has now been conditioned to stay until the very end of the credits to nab a sneak peak of the next project to come which makes me hate going to see movies with fellow SnapThirty writer Kane Bugeja because we could be seeing a re-release of the movie “Love Actually” and he’d make us wait all the way until the end to see if something happens…not that we’d be going to see it or anything. Well those who went to go see “The Last: Naruto The Movie” this weekend were delivered a little message after the film that stated the …

“The Last: Naruto The Movie” – Madman Entertainment Releases English-Subtitled Trailer

Published by Frank Inglese

Madman Entertainment, Australia’s leading Anime and Manga distributors, have just announced that they will be showing the upcoming Shonen Jump film “The Last: Naruto The Movie” in select cinemas across the great country in January of 2015 but they’re not quite done exciting “Naruto” fans. As a little bonus to what is already an exciting piece of news, Madman Entertainment have released their very own trailer for the new “Naruto” movie that not only gives us a nice glimpse of what we’re to expect of the film but also comes accompanied by English subtitles so we know exactly what it is that is being said. For more information on the exclusive screenings of “The Last: Naruto The Movie” check out this article which features everything detailed by Madman so far. Before jumping over to the other article though, first make sure you check out the trailer which we’ve provided for you just below. The moon is approaching dangerously close to Earth! Unless something is done, the moon will disintegrate, showering the earth with gigantic meteorites. …

One Piece: Grand Battle! X – Ten Minute Gameplay Video Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Oi! You there! Scurvy sea dog! Did I just hear you say you want to see MORE gameplay of the upcoming Bandai Namco Games 3DS title “One Piece: Grand Battle! X”?! Well that’s good because it turns out Bandai Namco are willing to oblige. It’s a great Thursday because the video game developer/publisher juggernaut has just released a brand-new trailer for the upcoming Shonen Jump video game that goes for a whopping ten minutes. Yep, that means you’ll be seeing ten whole minutes of all new footage from the game and most of it will be gameplay. There’s absolutely nothing better, except for maybe a Western release date which we’re still yet to get. That’s OK though because at least it will be getting a release somewhere and that somewhere just so happens to be Japan…as usual. With a heart full of jealousy I say this; the game is set for a release on the 13th of November which, for those of you following the calendar…is today. This means the video is more for us …

Kishimoto’s Fellow Shonen Jump Mangaka Farewell “Naruto”

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s not just us, the readers and watchers, who’re saying our farewells to the long-running Shonen series “Naruto”. We’ve read it, we’ve watched it, we’ve experienced all of it but we’re not the only ones. “Naruto” being part of the “Shonen Jump” lineup for many years, you can imagine that the man behind the series Masashi Kishimoto would have gotten very comfortable with his brothers and sisters in arms at Shonen Jump. It is them too that will now mourn the end of a series that has been, according to most readers, at the top of its game for a very long time. We’ve said our part, we’ve critiqued the end, we’ve seen what we’ve needed to see and now it is time for those behind the pages to comment on the end of what was one of the most inspiring contemporary Mangas. The latest issue of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump features a small but powerful list of comments made by other Shonen Jump Mangakas regarding the end of “Naruto”. They say their goodbyes, they …

Latest Chapter Of “One Piece” Pays Tribute To Fellow Shonen Jump Series “Naruto”

Published by Frank Inglese

The long-running Shonen Jump series “Naruto” has finally…come to an end. “Goodbye, old friend!” says fans the world over as the final chapter gets released over in Japan but just because it’s yet to be released in the West doesn’t mean fanatics don’t have their ways of finding themselves a readable copy. Legal or…otherwise. Released in the same issue of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump is the latest chapter of another critically-acclaimed, long-running Manga series called, as you may already have guessed, “One Piece”. Now it’s known that all Mangaka share a sibling-like bond. Some more than others, obviously, but none like the one between Masashi Kishimoto and Eiichiro Oda. How do I know they’re close? Well, just look at the latest chapter of “One Piece” where the title page is one huge tribute to the now-finished Ninja series. Oda packed in just about as much “Naruto” content into the title page of chapter 766 as he could and it warms the heart. Be it Nami’s “Konohagakure-ispired” dress, the bipedal fox serving them their meal, or …

These “The Last: Naruto The Movie” Images May Be Fake But They’re Still Pretty Cool To look At

Published by Frank Inglese

I don’t know how many times I’ve typed this in the past few weeks but…here we go again: “Naruto” is ending! I’m sure you’re very much aware of this already so if you’re sick of hearing it, I apologize. The long-running Shonen series is about to come to an end but not before a final “hurrah!” which will be coming in the form of a feature length movie based upon the lives of the main cast years in the future. We also just found out that there’s going to be another short “Naruto” series which is set to come out next year, but I wont speak about that for longer than I have to because I already did it in THIS article. Coming alongside an event this huge is always a slew of fake screenshots, images, videos and information that only work to excite and then anger the masses. In case this is your first time; welcome to the internet. “The Last: Naruto The Movie” is not impervious to this, in fact, it’s quite the …

There’s A New “Naruto” Series In The Works – “Naruto: The Next Generation”

Published by Frank Inglese

It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to figure out that “Naruto”, at this point in time, is the most popular Shonen Anime/Manga series. In fact, it may be the most popular Anime/Manga series, period. Unlike many other series’, right this second, “Naruto’s” all-encompassing popularity has come about due to the fact that the long-running series is just about over forever. Or so we’re told. Now don’t get my words wrong, “Naruto” is also much-loved to its characters, its story and the artwork behind the series but it’s no joke that the prospect of it ending has gotten people in a bit of a stir. This is why all the “Naruto” articles on our site are blowing up like crazy! Well, I’m here to deliver another piece of “Naruto-related” news that, let’s be real here, may or may not be one hundred percent legit. Basically…there’s a new “Naruto” Manga and possible Anime series on the way. As you can see in the title of this article, it will be called “Naruto: The Next Generation” and it …

The Last: Naruto The Movie – Theatrical Trailer

Published by Frank Inglese

As my fellow writer Luke Halliday would way; “Naruto mania running wild, blokey!”, and for once in his life he’d be right. ‘Naruto’ mania is definitely running wild thanks to the almost finale of the long-running Manga combined with the immeasurable hype of the final movie of the franchise soon to begin its theatrical run in Japan. Up until this point in time, most of what we’ve seen of the movie has come in the form of short ads or still images of character designes but this time we’ve got the real deal: A full theatrical trailer that has just started playing in Japanese cinemas. Yes, it has been released online for fans all over the world to admire and, well…it’s looking damn good! I’m not even that into ‘Naruto’ anymore and I think it’s looking to be a great movie, I can’t help but imagine current fans’ excitement. it’s probably through the damn roof! The song you’re about to hear in the trailer is provided by Japanese jazz duo ‘Sukima Switch’ and will serve …