Taichi Panda Heroes Adds New PvP Tournament, New Mount New Heroes and More in Faction Showdown Update
Los Angeles – Aug 5th, 2016 –Mobile dungeon crawler RPG Taichi Panda: Heroes from Snail Games has received its latest update today – the Faction Showdown Update. The major content expansion includes a PvP tournament, two new heroes, a new mount, a brand new campaign chapter and more, enriching the game’s core focus on online multiplayer.
Storm Your Enemies in Warring Factions
The time has come for heroes to unite. Civilization hangs in the balance and it’s up to you to turn the tide! To aid you in this fight, we have added several new fierce mounts for you to tame. Seize them, storm your enemies, and climb the ranks of the Champion’s League. All of this and more in the new Faction Showdown update for the online Action RPG sensation, Taichi Panda: Heroes!
The new Faction Showdown Update will include a number of new features, bug fixes and optimizations to core game mechanics, including:
New cross-server PvP tournament: Champion’s League
Two new playable heroes: Maelor and Orchid
New Faction-based battlefield mode
Chapter 13 added to the single-player story
New mount: Chomper
Level cap of teams, heroes and mounts raised to 85
To learn more about the Faction Showdown Update and the new features, please visit the Official Website: http://panda2.snail.com/en/
Along with the announcement, Snail has also released a new official trailer showcasing the new features added in the Faction Showdown Update: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HegNVYpV3U4
The Faction Showdown Update is available as an app store download. Players can download the update directly from their app store.
About Taichi Panda Heroes
Taichi Panda Heroes is a free-to-play action dungeon crawler for iOS, Android, and Amazon devices featuring fast-paced action combat rendered in vibrant 3D graphics. Players enter a fantasy world, bashing their way through enemies. Taichi Panda: Heroes features numerous online multiplayer options, including PvP, Team PvE, and Guild competition.
About Snail Games
Founded in 2000, Snail Games has been a pioneer in new online gaming experiences for over 16 years. With dozens of titles in over 60 countries, including flagship martial arts MMO Age of Wushu, Taichi Panda: Heroes, and the upcoming massive-world MMO, Dark and Light, Snail Games continues to push the frontier of gaming through game development, publishing and hardware.
KOEI TECMO AMERICA ANNOUNCES WESTERN RELEASE OF NOBUNAGA’S AMBITION: SPHERE OF INFLUENCE – ASCENSION
Intricately Detailed Historical Simulation/Grand Strategy Title Brings to Life Machinations and Complexities of Military, Politics, and Civic Development of Japan’s Warring States Era
Burlingame Calif. – August 5, 2016– KOEI TECMO America is pleased to announce today the upcoming release of Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence – Ascension, the standalone follow-up to the critically-acclaimed historical simulation title based on the Warring States period of Japanese history. Headed to the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and digitally to Windows PC via Steam® on October 25, 2016, Ascension remains true to the long-running franchise’s Grand Strategy pedigree as it expertly brings to life one of the most provocative, complex, and dramatic times in Japanese history.
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence – Ascension highlights some of the most epic battles and notable events of Sengoku Era Japan, when myriads of military officers and lords fought for domination over the land. Players will be able to experience all the events that led from the fracture of the country to the establishments of clans and the forming of alliances before the inevitable clash that led to the emergence of the first Shogunate. Allowing for deeper immersion and insight into these events as well as providing a closer look at the development of strongholds and armies, Ascensionprovides players with the extra option to begin the game from the position of an officer and ascend through the ranks to become an important warlord—perhaps even the overlord of Japan!
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence – Ascension will also offer history aficionados the opportunity to experience that same era as a historically-accurate simulation game. Players will be able to take control of their favorite officers and lords, as Ascension boasts a massive array of over 2000 diverse characters to choose from. A number of well-known individuals will offer unique events and exclusive missions, with special attention given to Yukimura Sanada, the famous Japanese samurai whom many of his time heralded as the strongest warrior in Japan. Beginning his journey at the age of 16, players can follow the life of Yukimura and the challenges he faced during the Sengoku period until his eventual defeat at the Siege of Osaka.
Other prominent figures will also receive specially tailor-made content, including feudal lords such as Ieyasu Tokugawa, who rose to become the Shogun at the end of the Warring States period; Mitsunari Ishida, who played a pivotal role at the decisive battle of Sekigahara towards the end of the war; Masamune Date, the lord known as the One-Eyed Dragon; as well as individuals such as Nyosui Kuroda and Morichika Chosokabe whose intriguing stories unfold throughout the game.
With more information and assets following in the coming weeks, KOEI TECMO America today released a selection of screenshots featuring the officers within battle, alongside detailed portraits showcasing them in grand poses.
For more information and to stay up-to-date on the latest news for Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence – Ascension, including detailed descriptions of the historical personalities that shaped Sengoku Era Japan, please visit the official site at www.koeitecmoamerica.com/ascension, Like KOEI TECMO America on Facebook at www.facebook.com/koeitecmous, and become part of the #KTfamily by following KOEI TECMO America on Twitter at @KoeiTecmoUS.
ABOUT KOEI TECMO AMERICA CORP.
KOEI TECMO AMERICA CORP. is a publisher of interactive entertainment software for current generation consoles, handhelds and digital download content based in Burlingame, California. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD., headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. KOEI is best known for its Dynasty Warriors® and Samurai Warriors® franchises. TECMO is best known for the Dead or Alive®, Ninja Gaiden®, Tecmo Bowl®, and Fatal Frame® series.
INSERT COIN TEAMS UP WITH THE POKÉMON COMPANY INTERNATIONAL FOR A NEW CLOTHING RANGE!
London, United Kingdom: 5 August 2016 – A brand new apparel range will be showcasing at a special Pokémon X Insert Coin store in London later this month.
A collaboration which brings together Pokémon’s twenty-year heritage and Insert Coin’s industry-leading reputation of creating stylish designer gamer-wear will be launching later this month. The collection aims to bring together everyone’s love of the Pokémon brand and will feature fan favorites such as Magikarp, Snorlax, Jigglypuff and Charmander… and of course Pikachu!
The new range will debut at a special ‘Pokémon X Insert Coin’ pop up shop from 25 – 30 August at London’s Old Truman Brewery. The shop will also include some memorabilia from Pokémon’s 20-year history and there will be live appearances from Pikachu.
Products will only be available in-store whilst stocks last. The initial run of products will be limited in availability to the Pokémon x Insert Coin store and will be sold on a first come, first served basis – before appearing on www.insertcoinclothing.com later this year.
About Pokémon
The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. For more information, please visitwww.pokemon.co.uk.
About Insert Coin
Based in the UK, Insert Coin was founded in 2010 and has swiftly become one of the world’s leading names in stylish, unique gamer-wear. Working with developers and publishers from across the industry, they have created iconic, fashion-led videogame merchandise for a worldwide audience, with their products exclusively available from their online store at www.insertcoinclothing.com .
Facebook: /insertcoinclothing
Twitter: @insertcointees
ROCKET LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES INTERNATIONAL LIVE FINALS IN HOLLYWOOD THIS SUNDAY ON TWITCH
Eight Teams from Around the World Compete for $55,000 Prize Pool in the First-ever RLCS LAN Event
SAN DIEGO, CA – August 5, 2016 – Independent video game developer and publisher, Psyonix, and world-renowned social video platform, Twitch, the world’s leading social video platform and community for gamers, invite their fans to tune in to Twitch.TV/RocketLeague on Saturday and Sunday, August 6-7 at 10am PDT, LIVE from the Avalon Hollywood for the Rocket League Championship Series Season 1 International Finals.
With a $55,000 prize pool at stake, the eight best Rocket League® teams from Europe and North America will battle it out to prove who’s the best once and for all! The four competing teams from North America are Exodus, Genesis, iBuyPower Cosmic, and Kings of Urban, while Europe is represented by Flipsid3 Tactics, The Flying Dutchmen, Mock-it eSports EU, and Northern Gaming.
As an added treat, Psyonix will also take the stage on Sunday at approximately 12 pm PDT to make a special announcement!
Here’s the weekend’s complete agenda (all times listed are Pacific time zone and approximations based on expected run-time):
Saturday, August 6
10 am – Broadcast Begins
10:15 am – Northern Gaming vs Genesis
11 am – Exodus vs. Mock-it eSports EU
12 pm – Kings of Urban vs. The Flying Dutchmen
1 pm – Flipsid3 Tactics vs. iBuyPower Cosmic
2 pm – Resulting matches begin to play out
7 pm – Show closes
Sunday, August 7
10 am – Broadcast Begins
10:15 am – First Matches
12 pm – Rocket League special world premiere announcement
12:15 pm – Matches continue all day
4 pm – Grand Finals followed by trophy ceremony
# # #
ABOUT ROCKET LEAGUE®
Winner or nominee of more than 150 “Game of the Year” awards, Rocket League® is one of the most critically-acclaimed sports games of a generation. Boasting a community of more than 19 million players, Rocket League® is a high-powered hybrid of arcade-style soccer and vehicular mayhem that offers easy-to-understand controls and fluid, physics-driven competition. Available digitally on Xbox One, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, and Windows PC via Steam, Rocket League® includes more than 100 billion possible customization combinations, a fully-featured offline season mode, multiple game types, casual and competitive online matches, and special “Mutators” that let you change the rules entirely.
To learn more about Rocket League®, please visit www.RocketLeagueGame.com, “Like” it on Facebook, and follow it on Twitter @RocketLeague for all the latest developer updates and news.
ABOUT PSYONIX
Based in San Diego, CA, Psyonix is a critically-acclaimed independent video game developer and leading experts in Unreal Engine technology. For more than a decade, the studio has been a driving force behind some of the most successful games in the industry, including Gears of War, Mass Effect 3, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Bulletstorm, Unreal Tournament III, Unreal Tournament 2004, and the award-winning Sports-Action hit, Rocket League®.
For a sneak peak at Bangkok please check out the latest music video from The Class
COPENHAGEN, August 5, 2016 – Io-Interactive today confirms that episode 4 of HITMAN will be set in Bangkok and will be arriving on August 16th.
The “Club 27” mission transports players to the opulence and splendour of the Himmapan luxury hotel and resort, situated on the Chao Phraya River outside Bangkok. Your targets are rising rock star Jordan Cross, front man of trending indie band The Class, and Cross’ family lawyer, Ken Morgan. Both are currently residing at the luxury hotel as the band finishes its highly-anticipated sophomore album.
Explore the grand hotel’s exquisite interiors and bask in the natural beauty of the exotic gardens adorning the hotel’s exterior pavilions. Or just enjoy the vista of the Chao Phraya River as you plan how best to carry out your mission.
“Bangkok is the exotic setting for the next episode in our HITMAN season,” said Hannes Seifert, Studio Head at Io-Interactive. “We’ve gone a bit rock and roll with this one as your targets are the lead singer of the band The Class and his family lawyer – so expect musical instruments to be used for some unusual activity.”
With all-new opportunities and disguises, plus over 65 different challenges unlocking new gear, weapons, and items, Episode 4: Bangkok is not to be missed.
HITMAN began with a Prologue and Paris location in March, continued with Episode 2: Sapienza in April, Episode 3: Marrakesh in May, the Summer Bonus Episode in July and Episode 4: Bangkok in August. Next will be the United States before the season finale in Japan later in 2016.
HITMAN is available on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC.
About HITMAN
HITMAN is the sixth game in the blockbuster series and is the culmination of a journey started by Io-Interactive more than 17 years ago. It builds on the critically acclaimed and commercially successful foundation of games like Silent Assassin, Blood Money and the recent Hitman: Absolution.
About Io-Interactive
Io-Interactive, a Square Enix Studio, is the creative force behind some of the most talked-about multiplatform videogames to emerge in the last decade. Starting with the praised and ground-breaking Hitman series, Io-Interactive has since developed the cult classic “Freedom Fighters”, the controversial “Kane & Lynch” series and the adorable “Mini-Ninjas”. Dedication to creating original IP and unforgettable characters and experiences are the hallmarks of Io-Interactive.
About Square Enix, Inc.
Square Enix, Inc. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content throughout the Americas as part of the Square Enix Group. The Square Enix Group operates a global network of leading development studios and boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property, including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 110 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 66 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 45 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix, Inc. is a U.S.-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
NEW ACTION ROLE-PLAYING GAME CHAOS CHRONICLE NOW AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE
Seoul – Aug. 5, 2016 – Gamers become Lords and fight for the glory of their house in epic battles and an immersive storyline as NEXON Korea Corporation, subsidiary of NEXON Co., Ltd. (“Nexon”) (3659.TO), a worldwide leader in free-to-play online and mobile games, launches Chaos Chronicle. The anticipated action role playing game (RPG) is now available globally for free download on Android and iOS mobile devices.
Players will experience the thrill of battle and strategic gameplay as they bring salvation to the world of Chaos Chronicle. With skillfully-timed attacks, players will master enemies and assemble an army of unique heroes in order to defend the glory of their House. Player-versus-player (PvP) battles will also bring gamers around the world together to build up heroes and devise dynamic strategies for combat.
Chaos Chronicle also features:
Skill Cancel System: Players master and deal massive double damage with a “Perfect Cancel” as they maneuver to assemble a troupe of strong heroes to fight for honor;
Many Ways to Play: Heroes traverse a mythical land in adventure mode, challenge players in a deep PvP battles, join forces to defeat mighty Raid Bosses, test limits in the Manatech Tower, and collect unique items alongside allies every day in the daily dungeons;
Gear Up, Rank Up, and Power Up: Players collect hundreds of unique heroes, complete quests to strengthen their House, and train hard to upgrade heroes faster;
A Tale of Twelve Heroes: An immersive storyline allows players to battle alongside heroes from all around the globe.
Chaos Chronicle is available for download now via mobile device from the App Store for iOS and Google Play for Android worldwide in Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese (Traditional), Chinese (Simplified), Thai, French, and German languages.
About NEXON Co. Ltd.
NEXON Co., Ltd. (“Nexon”) (3659.TO) is a worldwide leader in free-to-play online and mobile games. Founded in Korea in 1994, Nexon developed one of the world’s first graphics-based massively multiplayer online games. Nexon also pioneered the concept of microtransactions and the free-to-play business model, setting a new standard in which play is free, and users have the option to purchase in-game items to enhance their experience. Nexon currently services nearly 150 titles in more than 150 countries. The Company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and its shares are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
About Wing Studio
Wing Studio (CEO Heo Inho) is a mobile games development company founded in December 2013 integrated by developers with wide experience in creating games for different platforms. The relationship with Nexon started in December 2013 after they joined Nexon’s startup program: Nexon & Partners Center, NPC. Afterwards, in August 2014 they signed a global publishing and investment contract with Nexon for Chaos Chronicle and now they are based in the Nexon Collaboration Center, NCC.
About Chaos Chronicle
Chaos Chronicle is a side-scrolling 2D RPG that features a strategic battle system based on skills, and heroes that can be upgraded. It also features a complex microcosm, where users will be immersed into a story-driven scenario with unique action skills. You will experience whole new actions through ‘Skill Cancel’ system that lets you counter and block enemy attacks, and ‘Perfect Cancel’ system that maximizes the blasting thrill of skill execution. Plentiful contents will be offered from ‘Adventure Mode’ to ‘Daily Dungeons,’ extending up to 18 different explorable regions, as well as ‘Raids,’ where you can battle colossal monsters, PvP battles, the ‘Manatech Tower’ to test your limits, and a training system to upgrade your heroes.
Those who may have missed out on playing the original Little King’s Story will soon have the ability to do so on PC. XSEED Games will be releasing Little King’s Story on Steam later today where it will cost $24.99, €22.99, and £18.99 depending on your region and will be available at a 10% discount for one week after release.
This PC version of the game is a fully remastered and high definition version of the original Wii version of the game and will support numerous languages to choose from for text. You can check out the video for the PC version as well as a few screenshots below.
2K Games and WWE Have announced the first group of wrestlers that will be joining the WWE 2K17 roster through something they are calling the Suplex City Census. This added roster includes nineteen new names that will be in the game and while many of these names are expected considering their current ranking in the WWE, a few are rather surprising as they are WWE Hall of Famers or have been retired for a few months already.
The Superstars joining the WWE 2K17 roster include:
Aiden English
Booker T
Brian Pillman
Brie Bella
Chris Jericho
Diego
Erick Rowan
Fernando
Heath Slater
Jey Uso
Jim Neidhart
Jimmy Uso
Konnor
Larry Zbyszko
Nikki Bella
R-Truth
Simon Gotch
Ultimate Warrior
Viktor
WWE 2K17 is currently set to be released worldwide on October 11th for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360.
Creating an anime or manga series centered around food has been done before and is going through something of a revival now. While a certain show may focus more on the high school competitive section, Sentai Filmworks has brought over another series that is a bit more fluffy and comfortable in nature. This series happens to be Gourmet Girl Graffiti and while Shaft provided their own signature touch to the manga adapted series, is it worth your time?
Story
Ryo Machiko has always enjoyed cooking and believed herself to be quite talented thanks to the teachings of her grandmother. With her parents working overseas and her aunt almost always busy with work and rarely able to check in on her, Ryo was living happily with her grandmother until she passed away nearly a year prior to the start of the series. After living alone for so long, Ryo has begun to wonder whether or not she knew how to cook at all after everything she eats turns out to be bland.
Her lonely lifestyle comes to an abrupt end when she is informed that her cousin Kirin, who despite the size difference is the same age as Ryo, wants to attend an art school in the big city in the future. With Ryo already attending cram school classes in an effort to make it into an art oriented school, it seems like a perfect fit since Kirin will be taking the same classes. While initially Ryo is a bit unsure of what to make of this arrangement, once she meets Kirin the two quickly begin to hit it off, especially when the first meal that she cooks for the two of them turns out to be the most delicious one she has tasted in a long time.
After realizing that eating with those who make you happy is the best flavoring of all, Ryo allows Kirin to visit/stay over every weekend as she travels from the countryside to the city in order to attend classes. Joining this pair of girls that slowly bond throughout the series is the occasional appearance of Shiina, an old friend of Ryo’s who also attends the same prep classes and wishes to attend the same university as the other two girls.
Shiina serves as a great addition to the trio by serving as something of a balancing act for Kirin. Kirin’s personality is full of energy and despite being the same age as Ryo, her impulsive nature mimics her smaller stature as she often plays the role of a younger child while Ryo takes care of her. As for Shiina, she is far more reserved and laid back when it comes to everything around her and also has a few little quirks of her own such as being from an incredibly rich family and getting sick whenever she happens to get splashed by rainwater of any kind.
Gourmet Girl Graffiti brings these three girls together, and the occasional side character, in a fashion that mimics many of the standard “cute girls doing cute things” aspect of shows nowadays but thanks to the colorful personalities of the core cast meshing together well enough that watching their little routines and minor developments over the course of the season makes for a charming and enjoyable series. That being said, there are a number of episodes that do feel like they tend to drag on a bit too long which is rather unfortunate as the series itself is already slow moving, meaning that these moments can be incredibly dull.
Thankfully even with this issue the show stands out from the rest thanks to a certain element. That element of course is that every episode features food of some kind that Ryo or the other girls end up cooking and eating. While this wouldn’t really stand out in most other series, Gourmet Girl Graffiti sets up food as the focal point for many episodes, whether it is the girls bonding over a picnic watching the Cherry Blossoms, the three of them trying out various meals that they’ve seen on television, or even Kirin and Shiina stepping up to show that Ryo can rely on them in the kitchen as well, food plays a major role here.
Well, that and the fact that almost every time the characters eat Shaft goes into overdrive when it comes to explaining and animating every minor detail about the food and how the girls feel about what they are eating to the point of things being a little suggestive looking at times. These “foodgasm” scenes tend to be rather erotic appearing at times so be prepared for that to be mixed in with the standard style of the series at least once per episode.
Visuals
While it may not be apparent at the start, those who are familiar with Shaft’s animation style will quickly pick up and recognize many of the elements that the company is well known for when it comes to animating a series. This includes signature head tilts, a bit of fourth wall breaking camera angles, and gorgeous character designs. Each of the three main girls feature unique enough designs and regularly are wearing new outfits and even side characters that appear from time to time are detailed well.
As for the aforementioned food scenes, the company has put a lot of effort into making sure any food cooked or purchased by the characters looks as delicious as possible. This includes heavily detailing the food and displaying it in a shiny environment that is then carried over to the extensively detailed animations of the girls eating food while the camera zooms in on their lips and ecstatic faces.
Audio
Sentai Filmworks has opted to release Gourmet Girl Graffiti in North America with only the original Japanese voice track. The voice actresses in this series work well together with Ryo’s voice actress Rina Satou and Kirin’s voice actress Asuka Oogame playing off one another perfectly.
The soundtrack for the series is fairly standard for a slice of life series such as this one though it does feature a bit of unique sounding music during the eating scenes. The opening theme is light and accompanied by a Alice in Wonderland themed imagery which is a bit strange considering the theme of the series but the ending theme “Become a Smile” sung by Ryo and Kirin’s voice actresses fits perfectly as the lyrics are cooking oriented and rather enjoyable to listen to.
Extras
The only bonus features offered with this release are clean versions of the opening and ending animations as well as trailers for other Sentai Filmworks releases.
Overall
Gourmet Girl Graffiti embraces the simple and enjoyable concept of following a trio of girls who become close friends throughout the series. While this is fairly standard given the concept of these types of series, the chemistry between the characters’ personalities, gorgeous art style, and the unique spin of putting so much emphasis on cooking helps this series stand out. This means that Gourmet Girl Graffiti doesn’t attempt to throw any huge moments or drama at viewers so don’t expect anything major to happen but those looking for a delightful little series will be pleased with what the series has to offer.
Rumiko Takahashi may not be a name that your average anime fan would recognize but they will likely recognize at least one of her many popular works. After creating popular older series such as Urusei Yatsura, Ranma ½, and more recently InuYasha, generally any anime fan has seen the type of storyline that she can create. Now Sentai Filmworks has begun to release the anime adaptation of her most recent work, Rin-ne. With the first thirteen episodes currently available on Blu-ray, is the series worth starting?
Story
Sakura Mamiya appears to be your average teenage student who attends classes and has a fair amount of friends like anyone else. Well, unlike everyone else Sakura has the ability to see ghosts and various other types of spirits. While viewers are initially given a clue as to why this might be, Sakura has lived most of her life with no idea as to why she can see these spirits that no one else can see. One day while attending class, her usually absent classmate Rinne Rokudo appears wearing an extravagant looking haori.
Although his appearance is rather surprising for Sakura, it gets even more outlandish when she realizes that not only can no one else in the class see him, but that Rinne is dealing with an oversized spirit of a Chihuahua. The next day Rinne returns but this time everyone treats his appearance as something special since it is the first time that many of the classmates have even seen him. This leads Sakura to wondering what exactly Rinne is and after speaking with him and dealing with a fused evil spirit that results in the pair traveling through a realm between life and the afterlife, Kyoukai.
It is here that the pair learn about one another’s abilities and a little bit about their past. Rinne is a child born of a Shinigami and a human thanks to his grandmother and thanks to this he is tasked with guiding spirits to the afterlife while also exorcising anything evil while Sakura once was brought to the realm through the trickery of a “Damashimigami” that use tricks to meet their quota by forcing living beings to pass on and along the way was saved and treated by Rinne’s grandmother, giving her the ability to see spirits.
After this initial introduction, Rin-ne begins to settle into a fairly enjoyable pace of introducing various spiritual elements such as new ghosts or demons that need to be exorcised or bringing in people from the two main characters’ pasts. This means that the title settles for a more Ranma oriented pace than InuYasha as various characters are introduced and then appear as minor roles in later episodes. This includes the likes of an amateur exorcist who became infatuated with Sakura at a young age because she could see the same spirits he could, a demon that Rinne caused problems for as a child who now wants revenge, and eventually, near the end of this first half, introducing Rinne’s sleazeball of a father and another female Shinigami who will likely serve as a potential rival in the future.
Thanks to this style of storytelling, viewers will find that Rin-ne’s simple pacing makes for a pleasant show to watch but also one that is in absolutely no hurry to develop in any meaningful way. While we do learn a little bit about Rinne and Sakura through their interactions with other characters, each of the cast members is boiled down to a simple point that is primarily used for comedic purposes though in the entire cast Sakura is the worst offender.
This is due to the fact that her character so far is portrayed as being entirely nonplussed by any situation that comes her way. While she already has a thick skin to most of the supernatural world thanks to living with it for so long, no matter what happens the girl refuses to betray any type of emotion outside of the occasional spark. As for the rest of the cast, Rinne’s jokes come from the fact that he is incredibly poor and is a penny-pincher when it comes to using exorcism tools, meaning that he is often seen lamenting the use of cash to the point of crying blood, Rinne’s grandmother lashes out at those who call her old, an old demon from Rinne’s past is idiotic to the point that characters question whether or not anything he does is a trap or simply a mistake from his idiocy, and so forth.
Thanks to this boiled down nature viewers will see very little development regarding the characters or even the romantic feelings that are obvious between Rinne and Sakura but never acted upon in any way outside of the occasionally “mysterious feeling” of jealousy. The world around the characters does blossom rather well thanks to the amount of different mythologies explored, though viewers shouldn’t expect a whole lot of consistency when it comes to the various background characters as they often act wildly different about the supernatural happenings around them. Despite already knowing of some of these elements characters will act surprised and run away in fear while new events will happen and they will react in a completely unsurprised manner similar to Sakura.
Despite these faults, Rin-ne still manages to be an enjoyable series thanks to some witty writing crafting plenty of genuinely funny moments. Rumiko Takahashi is well known for her style of humor and it comes off extremely well here thanks to the plethora of myths, legends, and even urban legends that she can dip into to keep bringing in entirely new humorous conflicts for the characters to deal with. Along those same lines however, even at its best moments there is never any feeling of tension during these conflicts thanks to that same reasoning.
Visuals
Rin-ne manages to feature an art style that looks rather impressive initially thanks to some decent detail put into the key characters’ designs and hair styles but slowly loses its impact over the course of the show. While the designs of the various spirits that appear remain fairly true to what fans should expect given the myths and legends, the actual animation accompanying these designs is as simple as they come.
This leads to a number of scenes that appear fairly generic and even though this Blu-ray release does increase the vivid appearance of the coloration used in most scenes they still feel a bit flat at times.
Audio
Sentai Filmworks has chosen to release Rin-ne with only the original Japanese voice track. While this may disappoint many who are used to hearing her works with an English dub, the Japanese nature of many of the legends and ghosts discussed in the series does lend itself well to the original Japanese cast. It also helps that the Japanese voice cast are very fitting, with Kaito Ishikawa handling Rinne’s personality perfectly.
As far as the soundtrack goes, the background music is fairly standard for a series such as this and doesn’t really offer anything too surprising. The opening theme is “Riot of the Cherry Blossoms” by Keytalk while the ending theme “Ring of Time” by Passepied sound decent but don’t stand out in any real way.
Extras
With the release of Rin-ne Collection 1 Sentai Filmworks has only included clean versions of the two alternate opening theme animations, clean versions of the multiple ending theme animations, and trailers for other release from the company.
Overall
When it comes to Rumiko Takahashi’s Rin-ne it is nearly impossible to not compare it to her past works primarily since she utilizes so many elements that viewers of her series have grown familiar with over the years. Rin-ne quickly finds itself a solid and comfortable pace that while enjoyable more often than not, refuses to really go anywhere or develop in any meaningful way over the course of the first thirteen episodes of this first season. This means that while the comedy may work well most of the time, those looking for any type of progression will be left wondering when the real story will actually kick in during the second half.