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Transformers Energon Collection Two Review

April 1, 2014

Transformers Energon Collection Two
Studio: Actas Inc/A-CAT/We’ve Inc/Studio Galapagos
Publisher: Madman
Format: DVD
Release Date: 19th March 2014
Price: $49.95 – Available Here

Overview
With Megatron back into the swing of his evil ways, it would seem that the universe is no longer grand enough a target. Crossing beyond the border of a black hole, both Autobot and Decepticon find themselves carrying their ongoing struggle into locations unknown. It certainly is an exciting life the Cybertronians lead. Violent, but exciting.

Transformers-Energon-Collection-Two-Screenshot-01 — **The story so far…**

Story
Alright, with Unicron reactivated and Megatron claiming dominion over the other side of the Universe (though he does like to claim things), it’s time to jump right back into the action…with a recap episode. That’s right, it’s time to remove all subtly from Kicker’s slow building character development by stating outright just how much he has changed. Try to hold on to the edge of your seat as Kicker’s family steals some valuable screentime to explain the events that we loved from Collection One and that they did not themselves witness. I guess the Autobots just explained everything to Kicker’s mum for some reason. How else would she know?

With both sides now on the other side of the black hole, the Cybertronian War continues on a much grander scale. If you’ve ever though that Cybertron and Earth were not enough to contain such a grand battle, then Energon is the answer to your prayers. That’s right, the other side brings with it numerous new planets for the Transformers to fight over. Created by Alpha-Q, these Energon rich planets serve as the final hope for his race. Naturally, this puts him/it/them on edge whenever the Transformers decide to rain lasers down on each other whilst on said planets. Alpha-Q’s feelings are made known to Kicker via their mental link, serving to keep the alien present within the story despite dwelling within the sun of this new universe. Though I have to say, for the ruler of multiple new planets, Alpha-Q could’ve done a better job naming them. Rock Planet, Jungle Planet, Iron Planet…not very inventive. At least put a little creativity into your work.

Transformers-Energon-Collection-Two-Screenshot-02 — **Consider yourself grounded**

Naturally, Megatron is against using Energon for such a “frivolous” purpose and continually sends his armies to pilfer the energy source so that he may continue on his merry way to rule existence. Taking a page from the villain’s handbook, Megatron is much more willing to corrupt his opponents, rather than outright destroying them. This becomes fairly integral to the plot at points, when certain Autobots loyalty is called into question…something which is almost immediately resolved and forgotten about. I’m not just talking about the situation, but the character themself just kinda fades into the background after being the focus of roughly three whole episodes. It really doesn’t make any sense.

As the series continues to strive for grander and grander moments, it throws in a plethora of new characters. Unfortunately, these characters are rarely ever given a true introduction and instead just kind of appear. Clearly a side effect of the old “to sell toys” modus operandi, we’re presented with a number of flat characters who just serve to confuse everything. Especially considering that the other characters act as if we should know who the newbies are. They will often even call characters by the names they adopt, despite the fact they were not even present for their transformation. Seriously, everyone just starts throwing the name Galvatron around like they’ve known it for years. It’s confusing. That being said, thing get even more insane due to the fact that the dub will occasionally confuse the multitude of names. So good luck wrapping your head around that one. This free for all of names is taken to the extreme when, in one episode, the Transformers enter some kind of virtual video game. Within the tournament laid out in the game, Transformers will often appear alongside themselves…their previous selves. Just a reminder that even the characters you think you know are often completely remade for no real reason.

Transformers-Energon-Collection-Two-Screenshot-03 — **Less dimensions=More emotions**

Visuals
The series is kind of weird in that it will rapidly shift between fluid animation and images that are honestly rather lazy. There’s no real pattern to how or when it will shift, creating a series that is visually mismatched overall. At one point I’m pretty sure there was a key frame that was just a zoomed in version of a previous one, creating noticeable pixelation and throwing off any sense of flow the visuals were trying to create.

The CGI on the other hand is at least consistent with its portrayal throughout the series. That being said, due to the time of its creation, the standard to which it adheres to is best described as: average. The limitations created by the CGI serve to severly reduce the manoeuvrability of the Transformers, greatly hindering the impact of what should be some pretty stellar fight scenes. This isn’t helped by the plethora of detail lines that are present on each Transformer. When more than one is present onscreen, it can quickly devolve into a confusing visual of CGI bodies. If that wasn’t bad enough, you’ll often bear witness to some rather ridiculous moments. In an attempt to justify why the Transformers even need alternate modes in the depths of space, they will occasionally revert to vehicle form. Naturally, this results in cars majestically soaring through the absolute void. Though clearly this is repurposed footage, on account of their wheels still spinning despite there being literally no reason for them to do so. It’s honestly kind of funny.

For some scenes however, the Transformers are rendered in traditional 2D animation. Though only ever briefly, it is a great visual upgrade from their usual appearance. It also allows the Transformers to express the emotions implied by their voice, something the 3D fails to do. It’s kind of a shame that CGI is the default.

Transformers-Energon-Collection-Two-Screenshot-04 — **In space, no one can hear you Starscream**

Audio
Just as with Collection One, the English dub of Energon is surprisingly good. Whilst the voices themselves are varied and express the appropriate amounts of emotion, they are let down by the dialogue itself. Being targeted towards a younger audience, nearly every single character speaks with annoying amounts of detail, explaining exactly what is happening and what will happen as a result. Though this does not happen all the time, it’s a shame to see such a good cast forced to treat the audience like fools and dampen their performances. Especially Snowcat…man that yodelling gets on my nerves.

The musical score once again serves to amplify each moment that it plays behind. Want some added drama? Some trumpets will be there to fill in the silence. Want that sombre moment to really hit home? Boom, violins. The soundtrack has enough range to cover a variety of situations, doing a great job in supporting the visuals and dialogue.

Extras
To round off the bios that began in Collection One, this release includes some handy details that explain the Decepticons in a little more detail. There’s even some shots of their toyline incarnations, just to see how they translate into the real world. As usual, expect to find a selection of trailers showcasing other shows that you might be interested in. So the bios are definitely your go to Transformers bonus this time around.

Transformers-Energon-Collection-Two-Screenshot-05 — **The planets we fight for…**

Overall
Collection Two serves as an interesting final half to the Energon series. Increasing the stakes laid out in the earlier episodes, the backdrop of multiple planets serve as a unique way to enhance the story. That being said, the overall progress of the story remains relatively the same. Find Energon. Fight for Energon. One side wins. Winning side takes Energon. A simple formula, but hey, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. That being said, it’d would’ve been nice to see at least some form of substantial evolution. Realistically, this collection could’ve had a much lower episode count. The entire plot is rehashed and drawn out to an almost painful degree, removing any sense of build up or drama. All in all, this series primary purpose was definitely to move merchandise. Although there are a few characters who receive some development, the series throws so many new names into the mix that it simply becomes chaotic. Heck, some characters just up and decide to change their name whenever they get a new paint job. Others revive in forms completely different to those they started as. If anything, it’s Kicker who stands out as the most interesting Autobot. At the very least, the conclusion of the Energon saga provides a somewhat interesting story that serves as a kicking off point for the next series to come in and complete the Unicron Trilogy.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Indie Gala Every Monday Bundle #2 Now Available

Jamie Laike Tsui

April 1, 2014

The newest Indie Gala Every Monday Bundle is now available. Curated by Capsule Computers, the bundle contains six indie games for one single price. For $2.89, buyers can pick up the following titles:

Cardinal Quest – Slay the Evil Minotaur in this arcade styled retro dungeon crawler.

Iesabel – Players will kill monsters, explore dungeons, and pillage loot with up to seven friends in this action RPG. Co-op games can accept players using both the desktop and mobile versions of the game.

Sparkle 2 Evo – Gamers will guide a small organism from the lowest rungs of the food chain up until they become a magnificent aquatic by locating food in the deepest abyss.

Dark Shadows Army of Evil – A knight has returned to his castle to discover it overrun by monsters. Now, our hero knight must slay the beasts, rescue his girlfriend, and save the day.

Aerena – Clash of the Champions – A strategic turn based combat game in an Aetherpunk setting. Players will need to assemble a party of champions and guide them to victory. The title comes with two keys, one for the buyer and one to give away as a gift.

LYNE – Deceptively simple. Infinitely complex. LYNE is a minimalist puzzle game that will knot your brain as it calms your soul. Connect the shapes. Fill the board. Lose yourself in the interflowing paths of LYNE

As a special bonus, the Every Monday Bundle #2 can be purchased for $1.89 for the first 24 hours. Afterwards, the price goes back to normal. Buy your copy of the Every Monday Bundle #2 at IndieGala.

Ragnarok Odyssey Ace Review

Joe Morgan

April 1, 2014

Ragnarok Odyssey Ace
Developer: GungHo Online Entertainment
Publisher: XSEED Games
Platforms: PlayStation 3 (Reviewed), Vita
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Price: $39.99 – Available Here

Overview
The follow-up to XSEED’s 2012 monster-hunting-loot-fest, Ragnarok Odyssey Ace marks the first time the franchise has hit western shores on the PlayStation 3. Will its console adaptation and set of new features be enough to warrant the purchase or has this ace shot itself in the foot?

Story
You’re a knight, you join a guild, and it’s your duty to kill monsters and carry out the king’s will. While there is a slight overarching theme with the game, it really serves as nothing more than a framework. Ragnarok Odyssey Ace doesn’t go deep into any form of narrative, eschewing story in favor of getting you into the action faster. Truth be told, for this style game, choosing quick access to action over any sort of narrative is the best choice they could have made.

Gameplay
To call Ragnarok Odyssey Ace a sequel wouldn’t really be apt. Ace really feels more like an expansion that courteously includes the original game with it. That isn’t a bad thing. Far from it, in fact. Ace takes what the original Ragnarok Odyssey did well and gives players more content and options.

For those who’ve never played the original Ragnarok Odyssey, or those coming fresh to the franchise on the PlayStation 3, you’ll find a solid action role-playing game to enjoy. As mentioned above, Ace gets you into the action quickly, cutting your downtime to a minimum.

In your downtime, you’ll be hanging out at your local guild headquarters. This is the central hub for most of your non-mission activity. Here you can browse and take on quests, pick up a couple of AI-controlled hirelings, manage your inventory, change your gear, buy potions, and get cards you equip to boost your stats. Beyond that, you can also leave the guild hall to visit your personal apartment, buy and upgrade weaponry with the salty blacksmith, buy or upgrade an outfit at the tailor, and get goofy cosmetic items, like goggles or a living puff-ball hat, from one of the other shops in town.

The mission structure of Ragnarok Odyssey Ace remains straightforward. Missions typically consist of killing a set number of enemies, snagging a certain number of items (typically off fallen enemies), or taking out a particular boss. It’s a good thing, then, that Ace‘s combat system feels so good.

Arguably the single most important aspect of a monster-hunting action RPG, the combat mechanics in Ace feel fantastic. Where other, more notable games in the genre feel clunky and archaic, Ace‘s combat feels fast-paced and responsive, giving players an excellent sense of power and maneuverability at the same time. Not only can you run up to a monster and slash or swing away, but you can do it without feeling like you’ve left yourself completely vulnerable to the chaos lurking behind you. The use of verticality in Ace, though, truly helps set it apart. You can get in and out of combat quickly, with access to the giants’ entire bodies. It’s a wonderfully empowering system.

Though Ragnarok Odyssey Ace is classified as a role-playing game, it feels out of place to freely handle it such a label. Contrary to traditional role-playing games (like Final Fantasy or even Mass Effect), you never grow in power and skill based on the fact that you’ve beaten the stuffing out of enough enemies. In Ace, you can never beat up enough enemies. Progression is based solely on the gear you have, how you upgrade it, and the cards you equip to augment your stats. Materials you earn on missions can be used to upgrade your weapons and outfits, making them more powerful or increasing skill-augmenting card slots. The loss of an experience-based system feels somewhat unusual, but it’s also refreshing to know your level will never stop you from beating a mission.

One of the most notable new additions to Ace comes as what are called “Ace Skills.” These are like super-powered moves that can be used and recharged throughout each mission. They delivered particularly potent damage and effects to the prey you hunt, making you feel ever more powerful.

Ragnarok Odyssey Ace sets you up with six different job classes, and you can swap gear between missions to change your class. Each of the six classes presents notable pros and cons, from ranged damage, to healing, to melee and magic attacks. It’s fun to play around with each, discovering what best suits your style.

With the game coming out on both the Vita, where it was bred, and the PlayStation 3, it’s good to see companies putting the Cross-Save functionality to good use. If you’re one of those folks who wants to enjoy your monster slaying with a controller in your hand but can’t put it down, the functionality between PlayStation 3 and Vita works as billed. It can still feel a little clunky at first, especially since you have to quit to the main menu to activate the saving to the server, but it will quickly become second nature.

On top of a quality base game that PlayStation 3 gamers are getting for the first time, Ace includes new content for those looking for more. As previously mentioned, the powerful new Ace moves stand out. The game also includes new gear, new bosses, the ability to hire AI companions for quests, and the new randomly-generated Tower of Yggdrasil dungeon, and all of the DLC from the original game. It’s a pretty loaded package that will provide hours of fun for you (and your friends too).

Visuals & Audio
Ragnarok Odyssey Ace is a wonderful looking game. The art style is bright and whimsical, with some of the biggest baddies still maintaining a cartoonish feel. The colors are vibrant and the animation is fluid and responsive. The fidelity of the character models isn’t nearly as impressive as, say, The Last of Us, but the PlayStation 3’s port of a handheld game still manages to be eye-catching and pleasant. If you’re playing the game on the Vita, you’ll be treated to even more of what made the original look and feel so good.

Ragnarok Odyssey Ace has an excellent soundtrack. When renowned composer Nobuo Uematsu gets involved, you know your ears are in for a treat. The tracks remain upbeat and lively, setting you in the perfect mood for an exhilarating giant hunt.

Overall
Overall, Ragnarok Odyssey Ace is a fun, quick-paced action RPG with vibrant visuals and a kickin’ soundtrack. Fans of action-RPGs in general will enjoy the fluid, satisfying combat and upgrading mechanics. Those looking for a more action-oriented Monster Hunter type experience on their console may find Ragnarok Odyssey Ace to be right up their alley, while fans of the original Vita game will likely get a kick out of the added content. Vita fans will still find one of the best experiences on the platform here, while PlayStation 3 owners coming fresh to the franchise have a fun, meaty title to sink their teeth into.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Dragon Ball: Full Colour – Saiyan Arc Volume 1 Review

Frank Inglese

April 1, 2014

Dragon Ball: Full Colour – Saiyan Arc Volume 1
Author: Akira Toriyama
Illustrator: Akira Toriyama
Publisher: Madman Entertainment
Release Date: 10th March 2014
Price: $24.95 – Available Here

Overview

Dragon Ball (Z) has been around since the mid 80s and to this day I can’t honestly say it has dropped that greatly in popularity. The series/franchise has only ever gotten bigger and better, and despite its age it has continued to be loved by fans worldwide even to this day, what’s funny is that I can’t exactly see that changing anytime soon. While many things inspired the creation of “Dragon Ball” (most notably “Superman”), “Dragon Ball” has also inspired many other Manga and Anime series’ and without the work of Akira Toriyama (the creator of “Dragon Ball”) a great deal of these newer titles wouldn’t be what they are. Over the years “Dragon Ball” has been released and re-released a countless number of times with the latest being the “Dragon Ball: Full Colour – Saiyan Arc Volume 1”, the review you’re reading right now. Some people may look at this as just another unnecessary re-release but the making available of a fully-coloured, compendium-style “Dragon Ball” manga may just be exactly what this generation needs; a chance to revisit the classics, remade, repackaged and re-released.

Story

“Dragon Ball: Full Colour – Saiyan Arc Volume 1” follows the story of Goku five years after the events of the original “Dragon Ball”. The story of volume 1 works as both a character reunion for the series and as a kick-off into a brand-new arc; the “Saiyan Arc” wherein which a strange and powerful Saiyan who introduces himself as Goku’s brother comes to Earth to recruit the young hero into helping the last of his race wipe out another planet’s population in order to sell it to another alien race. Goku being…well…Goku, he respectfully declines his brother’s offer to take part in the genocide of a planet. Noticing Gohan (Goku’s Son), Raditz (Goku’s brother and the antagonist of this volume) makes Goku an offer: Join them or Gohan dies. Goku must now partner up with his old nemesis Piccolo to hunt down and kill Raditz before he can lay a finger on Gohan. Raditz is strong but the pure-blood Saiyan speaks of a powerful evil much greater than he, one that may truly mean the end of Earth.

People tend to abridge the story of “Dragon Ball” these days and in doing so they miss a great deal of the little things within the story that make it great. While the series is essentially just Akira Toriyama’s take on “Superman” and the over-arching storylines are fairly basic, it is all still done extremely well. The Saiyan’s as planet merchants is actually a cool little storyline that people tend to forget. Three men who go from planet to planet destroying civilizations and then selling the previously populated world off to another alien races is enough of a story to create a whole other series but people tend to look past that. I really enjoyed seeing Piccolo and Goku team up to defeat a common enemy and their interactions were actually pretty great, though Piccolo did have an odd speech pattern at times…his dialogue sometimes read odd, almost Yoda-like; “What say you?! Know you not the one to whom you show such insolence?!” was one of his opening pieces of dialogue but what made it even more odd is that they didn’t stick with it the whole way through so either it was a small mistake in translation or he just gets weird around long-haired, scantily-clad, manly, men.

I’m going against myself here because I’m about to say something I didn’t entirely like about the release and it may just kill me to do so because I absolutely love “Dragon Ball” but…well…it seemed rushed. The story I mean, it seemed like the manga was just rushing to a point where it could end with a scene that would get readers excited for the next volume, which it did but there were plenty of chances for Mr. Toriyama to add in a little extra content. Let me lay it down for you: The second half of the manga revolves around the “Z Fighters” (Goku’s team of fighting friends) as they train in anticipation for the upcoming battles. The Saiyans are set to arrive in one year so a year-long training session is in order BUT six months goes by in a matter of panels and it feels like we, the audience, are missing out on a great deal of content. Now, we’re probably not, I can’t imagine they would have taken anything out of the original which leads me to believe this is exactly how the original was released and it is simply rushed. Though, my only real complaint is that I would have liked to have seen more so I don’t think that’s too bad. Everything else, story-wise, is absolutely perfect IF you ignore the fact that, even in the very first chapter, death is already brushed off as nothing too serious which, unfortunately, you have to because as we all know; death in “Dragon Ball” means nothing.

Visuals

It is one-hundred percent clear that Akira Toriyama’s artistic style is ageless. “Dragon Ball” still looks brilliant, in fact this release of the manga actually runs rings around a lot of the more contemporary Shonen Jump titles which is definitely saying something. There’s no doubt that “Dragon Ball” has always and will always look good but I have to give a great degree of credit to those who actually coloured and touched-up the original manga to make it what it is in this release because it looks absolutely brilliant. Even if you’re not a fan of “Dragon Ball”, even if you’re entirely over the series as a whole, if you love good-looking, full-coloured manga than this is the one to pick up next because…just, wow.

My main thought while reading through my review copy of the release was that it actually seemed like I was watching the anime series but with sharper visuals and vivid colours. I really enjoyed how the re-release kept the original Japanese sound effects to eliminate the problem of page-cluttering that re-drawing them would cause, it even says so at the very back of the manga in the “Sound Effect Glossary” section where they’ve actually provided the English translations to every Japanese sound effect. It’s visually crisp and clean. The colours are bright and beautiful. The whole book looks simply amazing and having the manga in full-colour is well worth another re-release and another purchase.

Overall

For the most part the series holds up pretty well in this day and age which actually took me by surprise, usually we romanticize certain things in our minds over a large period of time but, despite a few issues here and there, “Dragon Ball: Full Colour – Saiyan Arc Volume 1” is an absolutely fantastic manga that once again brings to life an all-time classic. For fans of “Dragon Ball” the manga is absolutely perfect, it once again brings to life an old classic, one that has stuck around for many years and one that will stick around for many more to come. It definitely covers its own butt and makes up for the small things it lacks, I feel as though you just have to come at it in a positive way; instead of thinking “Ugh…just another “Dragon Ball” manga. We don’t need it!” think about it like you’re visiting an old friend who’s now more vibrant and pretty, maybe you’ll enjoy them more now! I know I did.

AKB0048 Part Two Review

Sergei Lazarev

April 1, 2014

AKB0048 Part Two
Studio: Satelight
Publisher: Hanabee
Format: DVD
Release Date: March 5, 2014
Price: $59.99 – Available Here

Overview
Being an idol in AKB0048 must be rough. Not only do you have to deal with corporate management, crazy fans and the whole business of not being allowed to date anyone, but it’s technically illegal to perform music in this universe. Part 1 saw a group of aspiring young girls break free from normality and begin training as “undergraduate” idols for the underground pop group AKB0048.

Part 2, titled Next Stage, promises more drama amongst the girls as their idol roles grow but so does danger as forces opposed to the notion of entertainment increase their attacks. Is this pop idol extravaganza worth the price of admission?

Story
After being left with a rousing performance and an acceptance by Nagisa’s parents of her choice to become an idol, the girls still have a long way to go before they reach their goal. Next Stage begins with the General Elections, a vote-based system where undergraduate idols get voted in by the fans to the big league, so to speak. If you’ve grown to love the legion of characters in this show (personally I’ve struggled to remember all of them) you would get an emotional kick out this aspect.

The anime does a remarkable job in simulating the idol business (minus the interstellar travel), from the rabid fans supporting their favourites to the idols bawling on stage every time they make a speech. Interestingly, there’s also corruption and conflict of interest referenced with Chieri’s father initially using his influence to boost her popularity before the elections.

The big crux with the second half of AKB0048 is the revered and long-lost Centre Nova position which is pretty much the leader spot of the group which shines brighter than the rest. This position was lost along with the legendary idol Atsuko Maeda, or Acchan, who disappeared and is almost always talked about. Who exactly would succeed her is the big question during the later episodes, but it’s fairly obvious when the show has a heroine.

What AKB0048 does differently is inject a huge amount of back story into its universe, separating itself from other idol anime that tend to focus just on girls in an everyday setting. While I can see where they’ve been going with the whole thing I can’t help but feel the action scenes, while not bad, are out of place. It gets a little too ridiculous, even for anime, when the girls sing and dance their way out of a potentially deadly confrontation.

The anti-entertainment force is more determined than ever to stop AKB0048 performing and viewers are treated (or forced to sit through) constant attacks and attempts of sabotage by the DES. Not only do they have to contend with authorities but deception from within as even the fans turn on the idols at some stage. The ending is somewhat predictable but heart-warming nonetheless and at the core of the narrative is the struggle to overcome obstacles as one pursues their dream.

Visuals
AKB0048 is a bright and colourful ride, using more pinks, blues and greens than I’ve seen in recent years. Naturally, this fits with the pop idol theme and leads to some cute but also stunning character designs. Dance choreography is wonderful while even the battles with anti-entertainment forces have a good amount of attention paid to, despite not being the focus. It’s impressive how much detail was put into the background universe of what’s traditionally a simple genre.

The use of CGI seen in the first half is continued in Next Stage, with character models receiving a 3D upgrade during concerts to bring out the extra impact. Visually, you won’t have too many complaints about AKB0048 especially if you’re familiar with Satelight’s other work such as the extravagant Aquarion Evol mecha series.

Audio
Being an idol anime, music should be a key highlight and it is, to an extent, though probably not as much as I would have liked. When you have so much going on, like battles and drama, it’s inevitable that some things won’t feature as much. What we do hear is though is good and certainly on the same level as real idol music, with happy and uplifting songs mixed with ones with attitude.

The Japanese voice track sounds as you’d expect from a show full of singing and often bickering girls, and they really shine during songs since the voice actresses are actual idols themselves. The English dub falls a little short during normal voice work but surprisingly localise some of the songs well into English. Only occasionally do we hear the English versions, for example when the characters practice, and the original Japanese songs play the majority of the time during concerts.

Extras
Included on the discs are clean opening and endings songs (which sound really good, by the way)…and that’s about it. You won’t find anything fancy with your copy of AKB0048.

Overall
As a complete package of part one and two, AKB0048 ties in with a common story about growth. How someone unremarkable can achieve something great with hard work and effort. It just so happens that that someone is part of an idol group, so we get plenty of fun, drama and music along the way. However, the narrative isn’t all that complex, despite some interesting twists in Next Stage, and to really enjoy it you’d have to grow attached to the characters. Also, the villains are portrayed fairly cheesily so it’s hard to take the threat seriously especially in an innocent show such as this.

While it owes a lot to the popularity of mega idol group AKB48 and its legion of fans, it still manages to stand on it’s own as a well done series. If you’re a fan of Japanese idols, this is a perfect anime accompaniment to your other hobby, and for everyone else this might be a great way to get acquainted with the phenomenon. The heart is there but it just lacks in lasting power for the majority of viewers.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Appleseed XIII: Tartaros & Ouranos Review

Simon Wolfe

April 1, 2014

Appleseed XIII: Tartaros & Ouranos Review

Appleseed XIII: Tartaros & Ouranos
Studio: Production I.G
Publisher: FUNimation
Release Date: February 25th, 2014
Format: DVD/Blu-Ray Combo
Price: $34.98 – Available Here

Overview
Deunan and Briareos are back again, but anyone that has already seen the thirteen episodes of Appleseed XIII, may not find exactly what they expect. While condensing down a full anime series to a movie or two, so there is a better focus on the main plot or provide a simplified experience for the viewers, is not a new idea; more often than not studios will have an OVA to top off an anime series or provide a final hurrah from somewhere during the main story. Appleseed XIII however gets the condensed plot two movie treatment with Tartaros and Ouranos. What aspects of the story will be saved for the movies and what will hit the cutting room floor to keep these movies down to a reasonable length? Let’s take a look at what Tartaros and Ouranos have to offer.

Story
Kicking things off with a little bit of backstory to prime what is going on in the world of Appleseed XIII, Tartaros opens up a little bit different than the original series. Where the series kicked off with a much more direct focus on the Human Liberation Front and what they were trying to accomplish, the movie treats it as a small part of the atmosphere to focus much more on the main antagonist for the show. Thusly, the action that kicks off is not the original dust up from the series, but actually from the second episode focused on Deunan and Briareos saving the Augean Stables plane, which makes more sense as it ties much more closely to the plot than anything related to the Human Liberation Front.

While Tartaros does a great job covering the vast majority of the first seven episodes of the series, it still ends up cutting entire episodes worth of material. In some ways it isn’t very missed as these episodes were more world building than anything else, giving an idea of what the rest of the world is like and what the people are up to outside of Deunan, Briareos, and the bioroids. There is just the right amount of action here, coupled with varied amounts of character development that knows really how to focus on the correct characters for the ultimate effect. The movie culminates exactly as it should with the final reveal of the true antagonist that the duo having been secretly facing and tease just enough to give interest for the remaining plot in Ouranos.

This time opening up on a primer of what had happened in Tartaros, Ouranos can get right in a main antagonist already revealed and a better understanding of what they have been after all along. Ouranos keeps up the pace of Tartaros‘ clear focus on the ever deepening plot, without shying away from the conflict of a main antagonist in plain sight. Which basically comes down to Deunan and Briareos having to try their best to circumvent the plans of the antagonist.

In some ways the second movie moves much faster, cutting a lot more of the other episodes and focusing more on just a few. This works very well as in the series many of the episodes became very repetitive; meet a character, try to protect them, etc. but for the movie this is limited to just two of these characters, with no need to explore the others as they would take too long and more than likely not add enough to the story to be relevant. By cutting a lot in terms of the other episodes’ content, Ouranos is able to fit in more of the action and allow the viewer a satisfying experience. Even with all the cut content, the story is able to build towards it final goal and still make sense in the end.

Visuals
As shouldn’t be a surprise the visuals look exactly the same as the series itself, as this is just an edited down version. But, those that didn’t watch the series can expect to see the vast majority of the movies to be computer animated, with quick shots of more vibrant Greek art to punctuate the emotions of the scene or call back to the original Greek myths that many of the elements from Appleseed XIII get their names. Even though each episode of the original series was done by a different studio, it’s hard to tell the difference scene to scene for the movies so that it doesn’t disturb the flow at all either.

Audio
Like the visuals, the audio is essentially the exact same as the series both in terms of voice acting and music. Though with so many less endings and openings, here they only utilize a different ending theme for the two movies. Those that haven’t seen the series can expect some pretty good voice acting, though the strong of the two will depend on probably their appreciation of Greek, as the English dub tends to have a better flow with the Greek names while the original Japanese seems to have a better pull of the feelings of a scene. The music is very choral and instrumental, giving a feeling of the relation the story here has to the Greek epics from which so many of its elements derive.

Extras
The special features for this release are some what lacking when compared to the release of the Appleseed XIII series. Where the series release had commentary and videos going into depth about the different studios that did each episode, the movies only have a selection of trailers and the two different textless closings. The trailers range from the previews of the movies themselves, to of course the other somewhat recent and upcoming FUNimation anime releases. While these are still okay, it would have been nice to see a little bit more included for the specific release of these movies.

Overall
Anyone that has seen the full series of Appleseed XIII and enjoyed it, but didn’t end up getting that may find a more economical option with this, while those that missed out completely wont miss out on too much by just diving into this to save time. The story does do a good job of condensing down to just three hours, a lot of that is by trimming down many of the side stories that don’t add as much to the main progression of plot. Though they did do a good job of keeping Tartaros entirely on the first half of the anime and Ouranos on the second half to keep the big bad reveal to the end of the first movie. With the same audio and visuals, this doesn’t seem to really be necessary for anyone that already has the Appleseed XIII series as it doesn’t add anything new, but those that don’t should find something they can enjoy at a cheaper cost point than the series.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Super Smash Bros. To Feature New Final Smashes

Nathan Farrugia

April 1, 2014

For those who love Super Smash Bros. you are probably well aware that each day the games lead developer Masahiro Sakurai gives a small tidbit of information normally revealing a new mechanic, item, stage and on rare days even a new character. Yesterday Sakurai revealed that Luigi’s final smash will be changed from the Negative Zone (which used to fill the stage with a wierd area effect around Luigi that would cause all sorts of strange effects to happen) to he’s much more famous Poltergust 5000 vacumm. While he didn’t go into specifics about how the new final smash would work, he did have a comment to go along with the picture.

Luigi might be thinking, “Who would’ve thought I’d get to show off the Poltergust in Super Smash Bros.?!” Wondering if it’s going to suck something in? Yeah, it probably will.

I imagine the device could suck people in similar to how it sucks in the ghost in Luigi’s Mansion, which would make for a very unique way of killing your enemies, or perhaps it will cause a vacumm wave to be released that causes damage and sucks you in before Luigi throws his vacumm into reverse and blows you off the stage. Either way it’s nice to see the games taking more content from source material and representing more about that character’s series.

So far three finals smashes have been revealed. Little Mac (who turns into Giga Mac), Wii Fit Trainer (whose final smash is simply called Wii Fit and unleashes a barrage of Wii Fit logos out in front of her) and now Luigi with his Poltergust. Luigi most likely won’t be the only one to get a new final smash or see changes to their existing one out of the veteran fighters on the roster. Super Smash Bros. Wii U and Super Smash Bros. 3DS are predicted to be releasing before the 2014 holidays, but based on history it is likely we will see a delay to that date. Let us know in the comments below which final smashes you would like to see changed for the existing characters, or even your own original idea for a final smash for any character.

Golden Time Episode 24 Impressions [FINAL]

James Mapley

April 1, 2014

Golden Time
Episode 24 – Golden Time

“I am broken, shattered, and not even close to perfect. I am always missing something, but this is who I am!”

As an anime fan, oftentimes you find yourself wading through a trashy, moe infested ocean of pestilence. Occasionally though, you catch sight of a golden glimmer that fills your vision and guides you back towards clear waters. An anime with qualities that make it stand apart from the humdrum we’ve become so tolerant of in the last few years. An anime like Golden Time. For 2 seasons now, Golden Time has kept up its unrelenting realism and non-stop drama and this episode saw it all come to a close. How will they tie up all the loose ends? Will Banri and Kouko find their happy ending? My mind was aflutter with a million questions as I hit play for the final time in my half-year love affair with Golden Time.

Before I go on to lavish praise onto Golden Time, it should be pointed out that it was definitely not without its problems. Aside from the occasional flourish, the art was mediocre at best and it didn’t even constitute J.C Staff’s best work which is shocking because they are not exactly renowned for their impressive artwork. The colour palette was limited, the cel shading was blotchy, and on a number of occasions you could clearly spot where they had cut corners to save money. At the start, when the story was struggling to get going, I considered the art and the barely likeable characters and I very nearly gave up on it, but clearly slow and steady won the race.

The strength of Golden Time is manifested in the unique way that it told its story. Taking on a mature fashion more typical to a shōjo or josei manga, it followed a narrative pattern atypical to the style of most mainstream anime, but never did that make it feel out of place. Typically, that entire subset of light novels and manga never get the chance to become animated because their audience is so small. Anime is primarily a vessel to advertise the source material so animation companies stick to what is popular to drive sales, but due to the success of Toradora, Golden Time was a rare, popular exception that slipped through the cracks.

However, unlike Toradora in which the focus of the main character’s affections was often questioned by the strong supporting cast, Golden Time never genuinely felt like Banri was ever going to end up with anyone other than Kouko. Instead, the tension that would otherwise come from a love rival was replaced with the lingering unease of Banri’s amnesiac relapses. Instead of questioning who he would end up with, the real thing that we all wanted to know was how he would end up with Kouko and unfortunately that is why this episode will undoubtedly be met with divided opinions.

Personally, I was more than happy with Kouko magically triggering Banri’s memories because I love sappy endings. In fact, it was the ending that I said was most likely to be how it all came to a close in my review of episode 23, but people who were looking for something innovative and new will definitely be left feeling let down. The way that Banri got his memories back was pure cheese and the way that he sprinted to catch up with Kouko – unbelievably cliché, but was it satisfying? To me, immensely so, but you would not be unreasonable for expecting more. For such a mature and well thought out series, the ending seemed a tad rushed and a lot of things were barely explained which must have irritated that section of the audience that need every aspect of a series explained in full. For instance, how was it that Linda hugged the ghost of Banri and confessed to him? Was it meant to be Banri’s past and present finally becoming one? Or was it Banri’s past finally being appeased as Linda embraced Banri and told him the words that she wished she could have said before all of this started? There was a lot of room for interpretation, something that I appreciate in an ending because everyone develops their own theories to suit their taste, however, a lot of people will be put off by that. For all that was left up to us though, the sheer force of emotion that every silly cliché, every sudden embrace, every word echoed across the bridge that knows such tragedy and such happiness, was undeniable. Raw, powerful, cheesy, but brilliant is how I would describe episode 24.

All in all, my final thoughts on Golden Time are largely positive. I would never have thought 23 weeks ago when my first review ended, “Golden Time? More like Copper Time,” that I would ever find myself tearful and smiling like a fool as the credits rolled. Just before it faded to black when a single shot of Kouko with Banri’s ring on her wedding finger came into my blurred vision, I sat in silent applause having thoroughly eaten my words. By no means is Golden Time the best romance ever made, nor is it one that will go down in history as a great. It is no Toradora and it has a number of problems with its art, its depth of character, and its pacing, but somehow despite all of that it remains a heartwrenching and incredibly well written romance that does a better job of exhibiting real life emotions than anything I have ever watched, anime or not. What I initially thought was yet another worthless copper token tossed into the well of anime turned out to be so much more. My wish was granted…

“I love the time we spend together. I love who I am, when I’m with you. Banri, I … Really love you.”

Copper Time? What was I thinking? Looking out of my window, admiring my home in the garden of England as it erupts into life as Spring arrives, I am right back where we started in episode 1. The Golden Time is just beginning… It has been a pleasure and, as always, until next time.

Catch the final episode of Golden Time over on Crunchyroll where every episode can now be found and watched on mobile devices, consoles, smart TVs and of course on PC.

For more impressions of winter’s best and worst and our Spring recommendations, head over to our Anime Impressions page.

Check out more Golden Time impressions HERE.

One Piece Unlimited World Red Receives All-New Content In Preparation For Release

Chris Chu

April 1, 2014

NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. announced today that they have all-new content planned for the big release of One Piece Unlimited World Red this year in the Americas.

Luffy and his companions will stir up trouble as they battle dynamic boss battles in beautiful graphics. Also, a Coliseum Mode will be available for the first time ever in this title, allowing the pirates to fight for glory and prestige as they try to best their opponents. With this title set for release this year, NAMCO BANDAI has also announced that they’ll be releasing a physical retail version of the game for the PlayStation Vita, which can be purchased at GameStop and EB Games Canada. The title will also be available for the PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS, and a digital-only version for the Wii U.

Make sure to keep an eye out for this exciting One Piece title in the near future, and stay tuned for more information!

WIN – Captain America: The Winter Soldier Themed Prize Pack

Zac Elawar

April 1, 2014

Courtesy of Marvel Australia and New Zealand, we have a patriotic Captain America: The Winter Soldier themed prize pack to give away! The action packed Captain America: The Winter Soldier is in cinemas April 3 and is rated M for Mature Audiences. Look for our review by the end of the week. Below is a list of the items included in the prize pack, which can also be seen above:

• 1 x Adult T-shirt $19.95
• 1 x Cap $19.95
• 1 x iPod Sports Band $25.95
• 1 x Headphones $39.95
• 1 x Notebook $9.95
• 1 x Coaster Set $12.95
• 1 x Ice Cube Tray $9.95
• 1x Set of Stickers $5.95

To enter, please answer the following question in our comments section below.

If we had a Captain Australia, or Captain New Zealand, what would their costume look like and what would be their signature weapon/move?

This competition will close on April 9th. Make sure you use a valid email when you register with Disqus before posting your comment so we can email you if you are one of our winners. If you choose to enter by logging in with your Facebook account, your email is not required.

Our thanks to the fine folks at Marvel Australia and New Zealand for enabling this competition, and good luck to everybody!

**SPECIAL NOTE**

Competition is open to AU/NZ Residents only.

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