Bryan Cogman, producer, story editor, and writer for the insanely popular HBO series, Game of Thrones, has been chosen by 20th Century Fox to pen a screenplay for the potential Magic: The Gatheringmovie. Cogman wrote a number of episodes for GoT including “The Laws of Gods and Men” and “Oathkeeper.”
Little is concretely known about the production so far, and no casting, director, or story details are available yet. It is known that the film will be produced by Brian Goldner, Steve Davis, and Simon Kinberg. Kinberg is known for being the writer/producer of the three most recent X-Men movies.
Magic: The Gathering is a popular trading-card game created in 1993 and published by Wizards of the Coast. The storylines behind the series (Yes, there is a background universe to the cards) focus on a Multiverse of individual planes which are influenced by powerful individuals called ‘Planeswalkers’. The game has a wonderfully detailed mythos which is explored in various books and other mediums.
Well renowned mangaka Kazuo Umezu has written and directed his first feature length film, the trailer for which has been recently uploaded to film distributor Shochikus YouTube Page. The film titled Mother was both written and directed by 77 year old Umezu (creator of the manga The Drifting Classroom and Makoto-chan) and is said to be a look into the secrets of the Umezu World, the above image shows both Umezu and the actor who will be playing him, Ainosuke Kataoka.
The plot of the film revolves around a publishing company and the lead editor, Sakura Wakakusa, who decides to write a book around Umezus life. Strange incidents start to occur when Sakura discovers more information about his deceased mother, as the events get weirder so does the fear inside Umezu.
The film will be premiered on the 27th of September, check out the trailer down below, the official websitefor the movieand let us know what you think about it by leaving a comment.
Eureka Seven: Good Night, Sleep Tight, Young Lovers Studio:Bones Publisher:FUNimation Release Date: April 22nd, 2014 Format: DVD Price: $29.98 – Available Here
Overview
As is the trend, popular shows that finish their run tend to have some sort of OVA, whether a full movie or an additional episode. So it also makes sense for when the show gets re-released to also re-release the OVA along with it, which is the case here. Eureka Seven left very few loose ends to clear up, which is probably why Bones opted to take Eureka Seven: Good Night, Sleep Tight, Young Lovers in a different direction. Just how different a direction is this? Let’s see what the movie has to offer.
Story
When Eureka Seven: Good Night, Sleep Tight, Young Lovers gets started it is apparent just how different a world this is from the original series. Dominic is the professor of the young Renton, more surprisingly Eureka and Renton knew each other as youths, and even more surprisingly Nirvash is a chibi larvae type archetype. This paints just how drastically different the universes that they take place in, especially coupled with Renton’s description of the setting. Namely, Earth some time after the year 2054 while fighting against a completely different enemy, the EIZO.
These differences don’t mark the movie as being bad simply because they are different, but it does create very noticeable problems. Characters and setting being so vastly part make comparison practically impossible, all the while constantly tugging at the memory of how things were in the show. After spending 50 episodes with these characters, seeing them in any other way just doesn’t feel right, even if the entirety has been changed with them.
Dewey Novak, the main antagonist of the series, is completely absent and instead hailed as a great hero in this universe, while those on the GEKKO are completely villainous themselves. The main relationship between Renton and Eureka still exists, but instead of meeting and falling for each other, the movie setting them up as childhood friends helps to condense how quickly they fall in love. Though besides the focus on Renton and Eureka, the other main character during the movie is the female Sage that is investigating what is going on with the GEKKO.
There is also a huge focus on reaching an alternate world, where time doesn’t exist and everyone can all live together forever. Distractingly though, this alternate world has a moon with Renton and Eureka’s name on it, but no clear indication is given as to whether this is the alternate universe of the original series or a completely different place for the sake of the movie. There is just so much difference, any attempt at rationalizing back to original series falls through and serves to distract the viewer from what is actually going on in the movie, which is a terrible state in which to be.
Visuals
The visuals are still very well done and as an added bonus the movie is in fact widescreen, where the original series had only ever been full-screen. This makes for a much better looking end product, especially for a re-release at this time. However, one of the main problems with the visuals is just how many are reused from the original series. Scenes and entire fights utilize recycled animation and even entire scenes themselves, which just adds to the distraction of remembering the how the scenes played out in the series. It’s one thing to reuse something when making a shortened version of the story, quite another to use it in a completely different context all together.
Audio
It is great to hear the voice actors back from the original series, but again this is something that adds to the distraction. Though hearing the voice actors give a different performance with the change in the characters is interesting in it’s own right. The music is good for the movie, but there isn’t anything from it that really stands out throughout the movie as really resonating. There isn’t much that could have been done about this however, and it is nice that at least one aspect of the movie doesn’t just distract the viewer by reminding them of the original series.
Extras
There are a few special features included in the DVD release with the theatrical trailer and TV commercials, in addition to a Making Of featurette. The Making Of giving a lot more insight into why the movie was done as its own story in a completely different universe than the original series. Being almost an hour long the featurette offers plenty of information for any fans wanting more detail about the process from the director and several of the Japanese voice actors.
Overall
Those fans that come into Eureka Seven: Good Night, Sleep Tight, Young Lovers expecting more about the universe from the show may end up being disappointed, but the movie does does an alright job starting over from scratch to create a completely new story. There are a few problems, mostly with the fact that so much was taken from the series to be reused here that it gets distracting, however those that are able to get past this fact may find something that they can enjoy.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
To celebrate the upcoming release of Stronghold Crusader 2, Firefly Studios have revealed gameplay footage of the beta-version, with the new E3 2014 trailer.
“The whole team feels as though we have managed to make a game that expands on the original Crusader without changing what people found so enjoyable about the original. It is mission accomplished on that front and we still have time for a lengthy beta period to polish everything off before launch. Having to be so vague about our release date, at least until recently, was frustrating but we only wanted to give a specific date once we knew the game would be finished and up to the kind of standard players expect. Soon there will be a great Stronghold game available on Steam, one we can’t wait to get into the hands of players.”
The E3 gameplay trailer (featured below), reinforces the major improvements for the castle simulation; with new co-op play, dynamic events to raise the stakes and destructive siege equipment and deadly troops for building and defending the ultimate castle.
Get ready to return to the desert this September for Stronghold Crusader 2!
Like many of you, I cannot wait for Sword Art Online II to start and what better way to hype us up than with a bus ride. Okay well a regular bus may not be exciting, but a special SAO decorated one may capture your interest.
Seven buses designed around the anime will be driving through various countries in the lead up to the second seasons premier. At the time of writing no details about the buses designs have been announced, however North American fans will be able to see them during this year’s anime expo AX.
The buses will also be in Paris during the Japan Expo from the 2-6th of July and can be seen around Munich, Germany, on the 15th of July. South Korea will be able to see the SAO buses in Seoul at the end of June, Taiwan’s capital Taipei can spot them from June 16th-July 15th and Hong Kong will be in their presence during June 26th- July 9th.
Although it is disappointing that us Australian/New Zealand fans won’t get the chance to see them, the official premier will be streamed for us by Crunchyroll and Aniplex on July 5th so we can still look forward to that. What do you think about the buses and Sword Art Online II? Let us know by leaving a comment down below.
Great news for fans of Studio Ghibli, so pretty much everyone, American distributor GKids have gotten the US and Canada rights to The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness. The documentary, directed by Mami Sunada (Death of a Salesman), follows the company during the production and development of their two most recent films The Wind Rises and Kaguya-hime no Monogatari (both of which are distributed by GKids). Kingdom gives audiences a rare look inside the mysterious and wonderful anime studio as well as interviews with the men who started it all; Hayao Miyazaki, Toshiro Suzuki and Isao Takahata.
At the time of writing there has been no other information announced, but keep your eyes on Capsule for more updates on the release of The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness. Let us know what you think about this by leaving a comment down below.
Ahead of it’s planned Summer 2014 broadcast a brand new trailer for Shinichiro Watanabe’s latest anime series Terror in Resonance has been released. The series has also received a confirmed premiere date of July 6th, 2014.
The series is set to premiere in Australia at Oz Comic-Con in Melbourne along side its global premiere at the Japan Expo in Paris, France and at Anime Expo in the United States.
Terror in Resonance once again reunites legendary anime director Shinichiro Watanabe and acclaimed anime composer Yoko Kanno. It is touted as an intellectual thriller exploring a terror attack stricken Japan and the mystery that surrounds it. Quickly paranoia sweeps the nation as a video is posted online hinting at the possible culprit behind the attacks. This is a psychological thriller unlike anything anime has seen before and with Watanabe at the helm, it is sure to be a thought-provoking piece no less.
Madman Entertainment have confirmed that the series will be streamed through their AnimeLab service alongside the Japanese broadcast. You can sign up now for free to AnimeLab here. Madman released a trailer for the broadcast on AnimeLab which you can see below.
AnimeLab Trailer:
Also revealed was a brand new trailer featuring the opening theme song for the series. Check out the opening theme trailer for Terror in Resonance below and leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments section.
The real-time strategy title that utilizes history as its premise and story-line was developed by SkyBox Labs and Big Huge Games. With over 18 nations to choose from, each with their own unique abilities and strategies, Rise Of Nations: Extended Version is sure to provide real-time strategy enthusiasts with a load of exciting gameplay. This extended version includes both the original Rise Of Nations and Rise of Nations: Thrones And Patriots. Steamworks is fully integrated into the title now, giving players the option to play multiplayer matches, based on ELO, and trading cards to trade, sell, or purchase on the Marketplace. They also have Twitch integration now so that you can more easily stream your matches as you play.
For more information, check out the Steam page here. This title is making a comeback in a good way, so be sure to take a gander!
Crea is an incredibly interesting 2D Sandbox RPG title, drawing its influences from more popular Sandbox titles like Minecraftand Terraria. Developer and publisher Siege Games has been working hard at creating a game that can be played in any way you want for over two years before releasing this Early Access version on Steam. One of the main selling points for Crea is its heavily moddable ability, providing players a completely new aspect of gameplay to look at. Whether you want to re-texture all of the skins or make new gear, Crea gives you endless possibilities to move forward with your progression and to create something amazing out of nothing. The game is very user friendly and it really sets a player up into discovering the full capabilities of their abilities.
Gameplay
The game plays very similarly to Terraria. While it has its differences, the movement and style of gameplay is similar. The main difference that Crea offers is that it was created with the intention of providing a more adventure-oriented gameplay experience. Players who enjoyed creating fortresses and battling the various monsters and creeps in other sandbox games will thoroughly enjoy the experience Crea provides. Battling monsters with swords, bows and arrows, magic, or even wands will yield you loot and materials to create even stronger items. Character creation in this game is slightly limited at the moment, but because this game is an easily moddable title, I’m sure someone will be creating more cosmetic options for people to choose from, all of which can be accessed through Steam Workshop.
Something that I’ve come to enjoy out of Crea is how accessible everything is, especially when looking for new patterns to create other items. Players can research different materials to uncover new patterns. For example, different weapons require different materials, but you don’t have any of the patterns until you use Research a material that is required for it. Researching a piece of wood can yield you different results under the separate branches of crafting, whether it’s in weapons, armor, basics, or alchemy. There are also costumes that you can create that provide you with different cosmetic options for gear, but they won’t provide any defensive benefits. When you craft items, they can be made to be more powerful and proficient than their original counterparts, and all of these options can be unlocked through the talent tree in-game.
Another awesome little feature that Crea has in-store for its players is the talent tree, which provides boosts and new abilities in separate trees. There is a tree for Arms, Arcane, Divine, Gather, and Craft. Each of these provide different benefits that you can upgrade with your Talent Points. You earn talent points by engaging in activities within each of these trees. Breaking down materials to collect will give you talent points in Gather, while using spells that damage mobs will give you talent points in Arcane. Each of these trees can level up, which will unlock even further abilities for your disposal. The game makes it quite easy to get adapted to the in-game mechanics, much more so than other sandbox titles like Minecraft where it’s a bit difficult to learn all the patterns for crafting. The game also creates a much more RPG oriented atmosphere, making the players want to level and progress towards better gear and materials. EXP is given for everything you do, so regardless of what activities you choose to partake in, you will constantly be leveling and making progress towards the next step in your journey.
The movement in the game is nothing spectacular, though they do have a little dash maneuver that you can utilize to speed up your travels. The combat isn’t perfect either, but it works in a game like this. Casting spells will end up at your mouse pointer, and melee attacks with the sword is directed towards whichever way your avatar is facing. You can dodge enemy attacks, which adds a whole new level of skill and challenge to the game. Getting hit by a mob will chip away at your health bar. While you do have a Heal skill, it’s on a cooldown and it heals for a relatively low amount in the beginning. Being aware of how much MP, or mana, you have is important during a do-or-die situation in the game. It’s things like this that makes this title so much more rewarding for players who enjoy the RPG aspect of games, especially in a sandbox environment.
Visuals &Audio
The graphics really match the tone and atmosphere of the title. The game is pleasant to look at and none of the graphics clash with other aspects of the game. The character customization wasn’t up to par with my expectations, however, and the design for the avatar actually turned me off slightly with how it was built. The audio, while decent, did not stand out to me at all. It fit the game and worked well in meshing with the gameplay, but I wasn’t “wow-ed” by any of the tracks or sounds that the game provided. Still, it fit the bill for what I’d imagine the game developers were looking for, and I commend them for that.
Overall
Crea is an amazing title that has a lot of potential. When Siege Games releases the game fully and the mod community grows a lot more, I’m sure that players will be taken aback with the level of depth and entertainment that this game provides. Even though Crea is in early access and has small bugs and content issues, the game is completely playable. This is probably the most enjoyable Early Access title I’ve played so far, and I can guarantee everyone that this game will knock your socks off. Give it a try and get ready to spend a lot of time building up your strength and defeating the evil terrors that lurk in this sandbox world.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Today marks the official end of the manga Black Jack Sōsaku Hiwa – Tezuka Osamu no Shigotoba Kara (The Untold Story: How Osamu Tezuka Created His Black Jack). The series was created by Masaru Miyazaki (writer) and illustrated by Kouji Yoshimoto, it was first published in 2011 in Weekly Shonen Champion Magazine.
Black Jack Sōsaku Hiwa was a biographical series about how Osamu Tezuka came up with his iconic manga Black Jack and what he went through whilst the series was in publication. First hand experiences and stories were used within the manga which was provided by people who worked at Tezukas’ studio during the run of Black Jack, the biographical series ran for five volumes with the final one due to be released in August.
Black Jack and Black Jack Sōsaku Hiwa were both published in Weekly Shonen Champion, the original series ran from 1973- 1978 within the magazine and was published in 17 volumes by Vertical Inc.
