Page 3914 – Capsule Computers

Upotte!! Complete Collection Review

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March 17, 2014

Upotte!! Complete Collection
Studio: Xebec
Publisher: Sentai Filmworks
Format: DVD, Blu-ray (Reviewed)
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Price: $69.98 – Available Here

Overview
Anime and guns occasionally cross paths but when they do it is usually for a series that is action packed or dramatic. However recently there has been a rise of shows with girls with different kinds of military grade hardware. We have seen teams of girls controlling tanks, girls playing around with air soft guns, and now Upotte!! has taken it a step further by combining these two things into one. That will make more sense in a minute, but the question is, does it make sense to pick up Sentai Filmwork’s release of Upotte!!?

Story
Seishou Academy is a very unique school with a strange enrollment requirement. Having a new teacher begin working at a school is pretty run of the mill, but at Seishou Academy nothing is quite that simple. Especially since this teacher happens to be human. You see, what makes Seishou so special is that everyone on the campus is a gun. No I don’t mean that they are simply named after firearms, though they are, I mean that every one of them, including the teachers, is an anthropomorphized firearm made flesh.

Being the only human teacher set to enter the campus and having no knowledge of this fact, the teacher Genkoku, is in for a world of trouble especially when he happens to meet a girl named Funko outside of class for the first time and happens to notice she is wearing a thong. Later when he arrives at the school and learns that the academy has posters up everywhere warning about cleaning up empty casings or firing guns in the hallway but that it also includes a firing range and bullet holes in most walls, he already gets off on a bad foot with these special girls by calling Funko the thong girl resulting in a hospital stay.

Now while the idea of a human having to integrate into a school where all of the girls are literally guns who carry around the guns they are named after and are willing to go full auto at the drop of a hat may make for an interesting story, Upotte!! really isn’t meant to be taken too seriously as the focus shifts away from the teacher and focuses on Funko and her friends. Now Funko just happens to be the girl’s nickname, as she is better known as FNC, and her friends are M16A4, L85A1, and SG 550, with nicknames of Ichiroku, Eru, and Shigu.

The majority of the series likes to focus on this group of four girl guns as they go through what would be a rather standard school life but nothing is standard in this show as almost everything is spiced up by the fact that these girls are guns. It also helps that they all have a very likable personality, especially Funko and Ichiroku, and their chemistry is perfect for the amount of comedy the show produces. It is worth noting that although the show is quite out there at times, there is a semblance of a story in Upotte!! as there are two story arcs contained in the original ten episodes.

One of which sees the attempted coup of the annual team battle held at the school by two hostile transfer students and the final being a battle between these girls and attacking AKs that have already sent three of their friends to a hospital. These segments contain quite a bit of action as well as some tactical information and bring about a believable serious tone that balances nicely with the amount of comedy and oddness this series features.

You see, since these girls are guns standard school activities include accuracy practice alongside learning history and that best sums up the way the slice of life episodes of Upotte!! play out. A school festival is made to thrive by driving a tank through the wall or setting up a café serving MREs. All of this is spiced up by the copious amounts of gun information that is provided to the viewer at every single turn and how it plays into the way the girls act.

Remember how the teacher ends up getting on Funco’s bad side by mentioning her thong? Well the reason she even has such a thing is because her rifle is using a skeleton stock as opposed to a solid stock. Ichiroku has bursts of energy only to tire out and need a brief break because the M16 is designed to shoot in three round bursts with no option for automatic. Eru is constantly getting sick or needing special treatment because the L85A1 is a very defective gun with numerous issues that result in pieces breaking or jamming.

The girls are almost literally presented as the guns they carry, with there being instances of a rifle’s stock being shot off only for her panties to come off or the pin holding their magazine in place warps causing it to fall out and said girl to vomit. This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Upotte!!’s gun trivia as every episode includes numerous tidbits of information and in some cases entire backstories about how a gun was created and modified for use today. While some of this info may be familiar to some, a lot of it is informative and presented in a fun way.

Now Upotte!! does have its faults though most of these fall under the fact that the series is limited to only ten episodes which means that there really doesn’t feel like anything is resolved. Tensions are introduced in the final few episodes but it feels like they were cut short simply because the series’ episode limitation needed it to end at that point and had to resolve everything as fast as possible.

Visuals
The animation studio Xebec can produce some great looking series at times but they tend to have a certain visual style that is pretty evident in almost every aspect of Upotte!! and that is a very strange approach to character design that leaves most of their characters, generally the female cast, odd looking. This is the case with Upotte!! in almost every aspect as the girls all have unique looking faces and the amount of detail paid to the guns is great, but any time the girls are not shown close up they always feel off.

The backgrounds throughout Upotte!! do not help much either as there tends to be quite a few basic looking areas that are used quite often and only when the series focuses on action does the animation quality take a step up. It is worth noting that despite the numerous costumes and poses the girls end up in, or Funko’s fantasies about her firing hammer about to drop, there is actually no nudity in the main episodes and even the panty shots are kept to a minimum so despite appearing very fan service focused, the show actually rarely crosses that line. Though there is one scene with a certain elf-eared girl that does hint at something quite naughty happening while she is in battle.

Audio
Now with Upotte!! Sentai Filmworks has provided both an English dub as well as the original Japanese voice work and while the English cast does a nice job with their roles, it feels like the only characters that, while a few characters such as FNC, M16A4, SAKO, and the teacher feel properly voiced, many of the side characters pale in comparison to their Japanese counterparts. It also is worth noting that during the OVA an English line is inserted into non-speaking mouth flaps resulting in not only a previously used line playing in slow motion during this moment but the voice actress not matching the speaking character.

Anyways, the background music for Upotte!! is standard and can be rather forgettable though it is nice to note that the sound effects are nicely handled and there is even a vocal insert song in the OVA. As for the opening theme we have “I.N.G.” by ARMS (the Japanese voice actresses for the main girls, which has a soft lead in and is rather enjoyable while the ending theme is “Himekure” by SG 550’s Japanese voice actress Kaori Sadohara.

Extras
Now the extra features for Upotte!! are about as slim as they get if you don’t count the OVA as a bonus feature. Outside of the bikini cover art, the only other bonuses consist of a clean ending and opening theme, trailers for other Sentai Filmworks anime, and disc credits.

Now as for the OVA, Measure Up! Smile!, it continues to follow the main set of girls as they are camping during the summer break. The OVA contains some slightly modified animation and is heavy with bikinis and even some actual nudity as the girls appear topless for the only time in the series in this OVA. The OVA is mostly fun but helps show the connection these girls have as well as show what a few of the side-characters are doing on their break.

Overall
Upotte!! fires off a round hoping to strike a small target but surprisingly they have done a great job at hitting this target off-center. This series is certainly not for everyone, but people who can enjoy some gun trivia and cute girls doing things with firearms are in for quite a time as this show has plenty of great humor and some nice drama at points. Unfortunately the length of the series and an ill-fitting English voice cast diminish the experience a bit. In the end, Upotte!! is an anime that many may not give a chance but those that do indulge in the series will find themselves in for a unique time.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Pinball FX 2: Plants vs Zombies Pinball Review

Andrew Day

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March 17, 2014

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Pinball FX 2: Plants vs Zombies Pinball Review

Pinball Fx 2: Plants vs Zombies
Developer: Zen Studios, PopCap
Publisher: Zen Studios
Platforms: Xbox 360 (reviewed), PS3, Wii U, PC
Release Date: Out Now
Price: $2.95 – Available Here

Overview

Plants vs Zombies are everywhere at the moment, from their triumphant conquering of mobile devices with their tower defense gameplay to the recently successful outing into the world of third-person shooters. Well now Crazy Dave’s garden grown guardians have taken their fight with their eternal brain-eating enemies to a whole new battleground – a Pinball table. Pea Shooters, zombie hordes and a whole lot of fun have come to Pinball FX 2 and Zen Pinball 2 owners everywhere in this latest DLC. While Plants vs Zombies Pinball doesn’t bring too much to the world of digital pinball games, it is still a fun new table to play on filled with bright colours and those wacky characters you have come to know and love from PopCap’s Plants vs Zombies franchise.

Gameplay

Pinball as we know it has been around for centuries, but the developers of Pinball FX and Zen Pinball have managed to capture the sights, the sounds and the fun of hitting a ball with those two little bumpers and bring it across to the digital platform, as well as creating one or two new features that wouldn’t normally be possible on a normal table. Plants vs Zombies Pinball keeps this tradition alive and well, and its use of the license makes for some interesting and unique interactions.

When it all boils down to it, pinball is about keeping your ball on the table the longest and racking up the highest score. You do this by defending a small little opening with two paddles, which flick the ball back onto the table. In this brightly coloured iteration, you can increase your score multiplier by taking down the zombies and jumping into the back of Crazy Dave’s car as he drives you to safety.

Fulfilling certain requirements (like getting your ball to hit a certain point) unlocks the Zombie horde, who will slowly shamble towards you. It is your job to defeat them all with your trusty ball and paddles in order to unlock the score multiplier that they provide. The zombies act just as they do in the original tower defense game, with regular zombies going down quickly while coneheads and bucketheads take a few extra shots.

As much as the Plants vs Zombies feel is present here, this is still a pinball game and that means all the bells and whistles you would expect are here. Everything from Multiball, to secret paths to knock your ball into make their mark here in what would be a fun pinball experience even without the license.

Visuals & Audio

Plants vs Zombies pinball has managed to capture the look, feel and sound of the PvZ franchise perfectly. Everything from the characters to the look of the table and even the character voices and sound effects are taken directly from the original game. As good as it is to feel right at home when playing this game, it does sometimes come across as a bit cheap and lazy, especially since there are little to no sound effects present that DON’T come from other games. Would it have been too hard to have Crazy Dave yell out “MULTIBALLLLLL!!!!” Just once?

There is a strange feminine voice that alerts the player when various events take place; like when you lose your ball, or when you kill a zombie. I can’t say for certain who this voice is, but I am assuming it is the Sunflower (largely cause she is one of the only female characters from the franchise) but there is nothing to quite say who or what is actually speaking. It is unusual and were this a more intensive gaming experience it would break the immersion. Luckily, pinball is as casual and friendly as it gets so this is more of a random occurrence than a real distraction.

While the sound choice is a little off, the visuals are amazing. Considering this is just a pinball table, the extra little details that have gone into making it look like a real part of the Plants vs Zombies world. The ways that the zombies pop up pout of the ground and shamble along, just look really cool, and the fact that your ball is a green pea pod is a nice touch that fans of the franchise will recognise.

Overall

Plants vs Zombies Pinball is… well it is pinball, plain and simple. You flick the bumpers to launch your ball around the table to try and get the highest score possible. People have been playing it for years and this just slaps a fresh coat of paint and a lovable license onto the already popular game. Luckily, the Plants vs Zombies license feels right at home on a pinball table, and the developers have managed to bring across enough of the vibe and overall tone of the franchise to add a whole other layer to an already sound pinball experience.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

New Sengoku Basara Anime Series To Air This Year

Frank Inglese

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March 17, 2014

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Sengoku-Basara-Judge-End-Anime-Poster-Art-01 — **(Click For Larger Image)**

A while back we caught wind of a brand-new “Sengoku Basara” anime series in the works but, just yesterday, this addition to the already-brilliant franchise was confirmed and announced that it will be airing sometime within this year. The new series titled “Judge End” will follow on from the last series and will cover the Battle of Sekigahara, which was an actual battle that pitted East against West for the rule of the country.

This storyline was also detailed in the PlayStation 3/Wii game “Sengoku Basara 3/Samurai Heroes”. “Judge End” will be animated by a new studio, the previous series’ and movie were animated fantastically by “Production I.G.” but this time around it will be “Telecom Animation” who will be in charge of development.

Voice actors from the “Sengoku Basara” games will each reprise their respective roles in the “Judge End” anime which is great seeing as they did such a good job. So far no actually information has been released regarding whether or not this will be a one-shot episode or a new series but you can be sure that we’ll bring you that news as soon as it breaks.

Jim Jefferies: I Swear To God & Contraband Review

Frank Inglese

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March 17, 2014

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Jim Jefferies: I Swear To God & Contraband Review

Jim Jefferies: I Swear To God & Contraband
Studio: Comedy Central
Publisher: Beyond Entertainment
Format: DVD (Reviewed)
Release Date: 5th of March 2014
Price: $26.98 – Available Here

Any good Australian fan of comedy should know the name Jim Jefferies, if you’ve never heard of him before than I hope this review of his latest stand up comedy home video release will open up your eyes to the incredibly crude but ultimately hilarious humour of this Sydney-born comic. Jim Jefferies (born as Geoff James Nugent) has been a popular stand-up comedian for many years at this point in time, with his countless specials, stand up gigs around the world and his new TV series “Legit” wherein which he plays himself as he recreates on-screen a great deal of the stories he tells in his routines, this man has never been more popular.

He’s a rising star in the comedy world that just continues to rise and thanks to the lovely people over at “Beyond Entertainment” I’ve been given the pleasure of reviewing his latest DVD release which features two of his comedy specials “I Swear To God” and “Contraband”. Follow me as I try my hand at an unbiased review of “Jim Jefferies: I Swear To God & Contraband”.

Jefferies is a man with no filter between his brain and his mouth and, for the most part, the things that come out of it are down right hilarious but his talks about religion and women can sometimes be taken negatively especially when they fall flat to such large audiences. I, for one, feel as though my sense of humour is quite broad so Jefferies’ misogynistic comments and hardcore atheist beliefs dont exactly get to me in way that I can imagine it gets to others.

I find this man hilarious but for the sake of an honest review I’m forced to look at him from many different angles. I do not mean to generalise in any way but I can’t exactly imagine female audiences to be fans of Jim, some of the comments he makes and some of his odd theories are quite offensive but going in with an open mind and an huge sense of humour will allow you to enjoy him to the fullest. Jefferies is full of “machismo”, he’s quite the man’s man and its his talks of alcoholism, drug use and sexual exploits that prove that but I feel as though he’s also the type of comic that is misinterpreted.

In both “I Swear To God” and “Contraband” Jim talks about his life, he tells real stories and obviously adds a comedic twist onto all of them, listening closely and opening yourself up to stories of his life really makes you think that this man isn’t as bad as he makes himself out to be. This is the power of an on-stage persona. His “tale” revolving around a physically disabled friend from childhood, even though overrun with crude humour and an even cruder ending, is filled with positive emotions and, somewhat, lessons that reveal a small part of his true persona BUT he’s a type of man that easily offends and has no problem doing so.

Each of his jokes, good or bad, are said with the utmost confidence in himself and his act, that’s something you can respect from a comedian and it is definitely something that helps even some of his more “blue” routines land without failure. He has quite a dark way of looking at the world and its inhabitants, its evident that his life wasn’t exactly the best and it shows within his routines. Any fan of comedy will know that most comics (not all of them) project what is deep within their heart when they’re on stage and sometimes this is done almost subconsciously, the thing about Jim Jefferies is that he has no qualms with opening up and embarrassing himself for the sake of winning the room, something many comedians do but fewer do with such success.

Despite the DVD being titled “Jim Jefferies: I Swear To God & Contraband” the main focus of the release IS “I Swear To God” with “Contraband” being grouped in among the extras alongside a great deal of short clips bunched under the title of “Jim Jefferies On…”. These extras basically have Jefferies pick a subject and riff small routines based off of what he thinks, things like “Religion”, “Politics”, “Parties”, etc. Once again, even these short clips can be somewhat insulting to those of you out there who don’t have as broad a sense of humour as others. Jefferies is a definitely not a comic for everybody, though he seems like a Neanderthal in the way he speaks and what he speaks about, he really is a fairly intelligent man and it does show. You just have to listen a little harder. Jim Jefferies, as I’ve said throughout this review, can be a hard comic to handle at times but for the most part I found him to be extremely funny and so does his audience.

During “Contraband” near the end of his set the audience actually started yelling his very own routine at him, finishing his “bits” and sentences, all the while proving their love for this man and his comedy. He does break into laughter at one point, he also looses his place several times due to the shock of an audience being able to recite his stand up routine verbatim. It’s actually quite incredible to witness even as someone that is just watching a recording of the show. Within “Contraband” he looks back at some of his older gigs, most notably the one where he was physically attack on stage by an angry audience member.

He shows footage and takes the audience through what exactly was happening both in his head and in the audience, all the while bringing audience members closer to him so as to finish off in a great way. Jefferies has mastered th art of reeling in audiences despite his seemingly hostile words, no audience member can back away from one of his routines for long, they’re almost instantly reeled back in with a silly face or a quick quip poking fun at someone or something, with most of the time it being himself.

I thought this release was absolutely brilliant. Fans of this man will enjoy this DVD through and through but the fact that there’s two stand up routines packed into one disc is something even greater, you’re basically two for one so as far as releases go this one is a real winner! I thoroughly enjoy his stand up but, as mentioned, I can absolutely see why people would not. He’s rude, he’s crude and I can imagine he offends a great deal of people that’s why I simply cannot give this release a perfect score.

Comedy is extremely hard to review seeing as it is one of the most pure forms of subjective media, moreso than TV shows, Anime series’, movies or comic books. People who will enjoy “Jim Jefferies: I Swear To God & Contraband” know who they are, I can imagine they haven’t even read up to this point because they made their decision somewhere up in the first or second paragraph but to everyone else, all I can say is to go into this one with an open mind. If you’re sensitive or easily offended maybe Jim Jefferies isn’t for you but if your skin is thick and you have a huge sense of humour; “Jim Jefferies: I Swear To God & Contraband” is the DVD for you.

Kingston Unveils System-Specific Memory’s New Package with a Taste of 100% Rich Compatibility

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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March 17, 2014

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Kingston Unveils System-Specific Memory’s New Package with a Taste of 100% Rich Compatibility

Sydney, Australia – March 17, 2014 – Want to upgrade your laptop but don’t know where to start? Kingston, the independent world leader in memory products, today unveiled a series of brand new packaging for its best-selling system-specific memory modules designed for ACER, APPLE, ASUS, DELL, HP, LENOVO, and TOSHIBA laptops. Solely available in APAC region, the new colorful design aims to help consumers to find the perfectly compatible memory for their laptops and to further perk up its overall performance!

Nowadays, one of the easiest ways to boost the speed of a laptop is simply by adding another RAM into the system. However, in the vast sea of memory modules, we couldn’t stop but wonder, what kind of memory does your system support? In what capacity and frequency does the memory best fit your laptop? All in all, how can you tell if you’re buying a compatible memory?

“Kingston system-specific memory modules are born to solve these memory compatibility problems. For those who are not really an expert on computer DIY and do not have the time to do market research, we are proud to offer an easy way out when it comes to memory selection for upgrading laptops,” said Ann Bai, DRAM Sales Director, APAC region, Kingston. “These memory modules are designed, manufactured and tested to the specifications of each brand name system. With the unique, new packaging, consumers will be able to instantly locate the perfect match of their branded laptop and find the right memory that would complement your system.”

Kingston system-specific memory is available in 4GB at 1333MHz in 1.5V and is also available in 4GB and 8GB at 1600MHz, in both 1.5V and 1.35V. It’s guaranteed to be compatible so you can rest assured you’re getting the highest quality memory, tailored to your specific computer and backed by 100 per cent testing and legendary Kingston reliability. So what’s your flavour? Come and taste the power of 100% rich compatibility. Kingston memory modules are backed by a lifetime warranty and free technical support. For more information visit http://www.kingston.com/en/memory/system_specific

Crowd funding campaign for video game aims to bring fun to the lives of people with dementia

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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March 17, 2014

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Crowd funding campaign for video game aims to bring fun to the lives of people with dementia

San Francisco, USA & Melbourne, Australia: Opaque Multimedia and Alzheimer’s Australia Vic today announced the launch of a Pozible crowd funding campaign to support the development of The Forest Project – a video game application designed to improve the quality of life of people living with dementia through the use of Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 4 technology.

The announcement was made internationally at the annual Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. The campaign aims to raise US$82,000 (AU$90,000).

“Unreal Engine 4 is a next-generation video game technology. This is the same technology behind some of the most visually impressive video games of recent years,” said Norman Wang, Opaque Multimedia director.

Mr Wang said that by supporting this initiative, backers will be helping to break new ground in the use of virtual sensory therapy for people with dementia.

“We are calling on the global gaming community to get behind The Forest Project to demonstrate that video games can add immeasurable value to healthcare.

“With the community’s support we can greatly increase the fidelity, the types of environment, experiences and will strengthen the emotional connection – ultimately making a difference to the lives of people living with dementia,” Mr Wang said.

The Forest Project also uses Microsoft’s Kinect 2 technology which, using smart TVs, aims to turn a living room or a lounge in a care centre into an enchanted space that both stimulates the senses and engages through interactivity. Currently in development, The Forest Project is targeted to be released on multiple platforms in early 2015.

The Forest Project will record a number of technological firsts:

• one of the first serious game titles to use Unreal Engine 4 for dementia care and the first application of its kind in Australia

• one of the first attempts to support the care of people with dementia using game technology as well as supporting sensory therapy applications

• and one of the first to be tailored specifically to the needs of people living with dementia and their carers

The virtual environment is being designed from the ground up specifically for people with dementia. The Forest Project will provide a beautiful, calming and highly interactive experience.

“Imagine being able to take a person with dementia out of their everyday experience and into a virtual environment through which they will experience awe, wonder, giggles, amazement and joy. Using video game technology we can do this,” said Maree McCabe, CEO, Alzheimer’s Australia Vic.

Ms McCabe said Alzheimer’s Australia Vic is constantly looking out for the game changers – the innovations that will make a difference to the quality of life for people living with dementia.

“This first interactive virtual experience we are creating is a forest. The, possibilities to create, others are boundless such as a beach or even a seasonal Christmas themed scenario.”

“Imagine if we could make this technology available for smart TVs in aged care and private homes across the globe, for everybody to enjoy.

Together we can, and in so doing, make a real difference and bring some fun back into the lives of people living with dementia,” said Ms McCabe.

Dementia is the third leading cause of death in Australia and there is no cure. In Australia alone there are more than 330,000 people living with dementia and this number will increase to around 900,000 by 2050. These figures are mirrored around the world, meaning that statistically everybody will be impacted in some way by dementia during their lifetime.

To support The Forest Project campaign visit http://pozible.com/virtualforest4dementia

Japanese Cosplayer REIKA is Coming to SMASH! 2014

Sergei Lazarev

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March 17, 2014

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Japanese Cosplayer REIKA is Coming to SMASH! 2014

The first guest for this year’s SMASH! anime convention has been announced and it’s one of Japan’s top-ranking cosplayers, REIKA (麗華). Reika is set to be the first, famous cosplayer to appear at any Australian anime convention.

Reika is known for her super accurate portrayal of male characters such as Jinguji Ren (Uta no Prince-sama), Levi (Attack on Titan) and Hijikata Toshiro (Gintama). But even more impressive is that she managed to cosplay the whole Generation of Miracles’ from Kuroko no Basket all on her own.

Aussie fans will be able to meet Reika at the convention and purchase official merchandise. SMASH! 2014 will be held at Rosehill Gardens, Sydney, as a two-day event on August 9-10 this year. Check out the website for more info as well as Reika’s Facebook page.

Nobunagun Episode 11 Impressions

Kane Bugeja

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March 17, 2014

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Nobunagun-Episode-11-01 — **They’re the best of what’s available**

Nobunagun
Gun No. 11: Operation Stone Forest (Part 1)

Having spent the better part of last episode force feeding Vidocq a helping of humble pie, it’s time for Sio’s plan to commence. With only nine E-Gene Holders currently available, these heroes will have to fight the odds in addition to the creatures that threaten humanity’s continued existence. But honestly, a ragtag group of teenagers imbued with power by an otherwordly figure with the sole intention of utilising them to fight an alien threat, where do they come up with these radical ideas?

Nobunagun-Episode-11-02 — **Each more stoic than the last…**

Undeniably the coolest part of this episode was seeing Sio continue her streak of confidence and finally assert herself as a valuable member of the E-Gene team. Having devised the operation herself, she retains command of each facet throughout and leads from the frontlines. Even amidst the chaos of her own assault she remains calm and collected, clearly expressing her acceptance of her latent E-Gene persona. That being said, as the episode progresses, Sio slips further and further into said personality and acts unlike her usual self. Though not the first time this has happened, it was definitely her longest bout in the Nobunaga mindset. At one point she simply demands that Capa and Newton hold out for 10 minutes, despite the fact that they only believe they can hold out for 5. The fact that she enforced this and yet remained so verbally polite just served to make it all the more terrifying. In essence, this fight was a complete inversion of Sio’s previous combat situations. Rather than slipping into the ways of Nobunaga at just the crucial moments, she spent a majority of her time acting like the warlord, only briefly reverting back to herself to fawn over the tanks she enlisted.

It was also interesting to see a comedic element of the anime blend into the plot, if only in a minor way. Calling upon her tendencies as a self proclaimed military otaku, Sio explains exactly which tank she requires for her plan, specifying everything from the navigation system utilised to the muzzle velocity of the shells fired. So complete was her knowledge of the tank that the Commander was openly impressed, citing her talent for memorising data. Even Saint Germain gave a light applause. On the topic of tanks, it was rather ingenious for Sio to utilise the limitations of human weaponry and transform it into a strength. It was nice to see that, despite the undeniable power of the E-Gene Holders, humanity can still pitch in every once in a while. Though it was definitely cool to see the new ways in which the Holders utilised there powers. Such as Gandhi and Cyx forming a battering ram or Sio using her bandolier as a shield of sorts.

Nobunagun-Episode-11-03 — **The E-Gene life can be hard sometimes**

As much as the episode was about Sio, it was also interesting to see how the other DOGOO members reacted to following her lead. Surprisingly, they all handled it rather well. Gandhi cited previous moments where Sio has exceeded expectations, and decided to follow her once more without any reservations. Even the First Platoon has faith in the plan, to a degree. Though she voices her doubts, Cyx still follows the plan completely, even allowing Gandhi to ride her…her transport mode I mean…the bike/tank/snow mobile thing. Don’t judge me, you try and say that without sounding euphemistic. Anyway, the E-Gene Holders definitely have a sense of duty that outweighs any of their own personal qualms, showing a form of maturity in these unique characters.

On the other side of the war for planetary dominance, we are given a brief glimpse into the hive mind of the Invasion Objects. Through the eyes of an unknown creature, we see the events of the series thus far, revealing the fact that each Invasion Object possesses the innate ability to see the souls each Holder possesses. Thouhg I’m not sure the impact that will have on the series, if any at all. This alien recap also serves to cement the fact that the creatures are indeed learning. Perhaps moreso than previously thought. Whilst viewing a particularly awesome display of protagonist power, this entity takes special interest in our heroine…and begins to recite her name. Though note completely eloquent yet, the fact that these creature possess the capability of speech opens up a whole branch of possibilities for the future of the series. Will we see dialogue between opponents? Will the Objects adapt to use weaponry? Will they become more humanoid in form, since it seems to be working so well for our heroes? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Nobunagun-Episode-11-05 — **The face of a hero?**

Just when you though everything was wrapped up in a nice little package of victory (despite the episode having Part 1 in the title), a second tentacle creature emerges from the oceans depths and takes Sio by surprise. Me too honestly. I mean, did it really need to get so “familiar” with Sio? Anyway, with this unexpected threat holding our heroine hostage, just what will happen next? Hopefully more action and less alien groping. It’s just weird is all…

Check out more Nobunagun Impressions HERE.

Hozuki No Reitetsu Episode 10 Impressions

Frank Inglese

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March 17, 2014

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Hozuki No Reitetsu
Episode 10 – Dinner Of The Ten Kings Of The Afterlife/Diets Are Hell

Another week, another episode and I’m so glad because I cannot get enough of Hozuki No Reitetsu. Welcome back to another installment of Hozuki No Reitetsu Anime Impressions, I hope you’ve all been as excited about this new episode as I have! This week marks the release of Hozuki No Reitetsu episode ten: An episode where in which ten good old friends (who just so happen to be the kings of hell) get together once again for a feast and a good old talk but with eating and drinking comes a great deal of weight gain and, for a man the size of King Enma, it’s probably NOT a good idea to gorge yourself on the offerings of the dead…even if they ARE delicious!

Dinner Of The Ten Kings Of The Afterlife:

It takes more than just one demon king to rule over hell, in fact, it takes TEN of them to do that and we should all be thinking the lords up in paradise that they’re not all as goofy as the King Enma…I don’t want him to be the only one in charge of my afterlife. Every once in a while the ten kings of hell decide to come together to break some bread and to celebrate each other the only way they know how; with a feast to end all feasts.

Throughout the episode we’re introduced to all ten of the kings but the most impressive introduction is the one done through song by Hozuki himself, who would have thought Hozuki could make learning fun. I wouldn’t say a great deal happens in the top half of this weeks episode, it’s basically a huge dinner with some interesting characters but none of them seem to actually be any of the ten kings…it’s just the usual suspects. What I didn’t exactly enjoy about this half was that they didn’t take the chance to make the ten kings goofy, silly or give them any real outstanding personality traits.

They were simply used as a group of normal-type demon/people that contrasted the odd relationship between Hozuki and Enma. While that was a good way of going about showing just how ridiculous the pair are side-by-side, the audience has already come to an understanding that Hozuki and Enma are mental, this episode could have been used to show some interesting new characters and there was plenty of room for some mass gags but the opportunity wasn’t taken.

That’s not to say it was a bad episode because it still featured some goofy conversation, I just feel it could have been executed a great deal better. What I DID like about this half of the episode is pretty much the usual; I found it interesting when they went into small detail about the afterlife and how they judge the souls of the dearly departed, how they deal with all the food offerings for those who have passed on and what each of the kings exactly do. Though I don’t know too much about the Japanese belief systems I have a feeling Hozuki No Reitetsu is fairly accurate even though it is over exaggerated and silly.

Diets Are Hell:

Leading straight off from the first half of the episode, despite a new name, this half revolves around the consequences of overeating and generally not caring about your diet. UNfortunately for a big man like King Enma he has Hozuki to help him loose a couple of kilos, sculpting him into a beautiful shape that doesn’t resemble a football. The half episode kicks off with King Enma not being able to reach down to the ground to grab his pen, realising he’s too fat to move around he decides to hit the gym once he finishes off work and Hozuki, who’s always within hearing range of every single character in the anime, insists that he comes with him as a personal trainer. Hozuki being Hozuki you can already imagine the pain King Enma is going to be put through but he isn’t alone because our friends Nasubi, Karauri, and Shiro (alongside his gang) decide that maybe its time for them to loose some weight as well, even though Shiro is the only other one of them to have a weight problem.

First they start off at the gym, while the others are just doing their own thing King Enma is being looked over by Hozuki who is a personal trainer you DON’T want looking over you. Hozuki seems to believe in “tough love” thinking it will make it a lot easier for Enma to loose weight and will probably build more character, though it’s not like the king of hell needs more character. After seemingly normal gym exercises don’t seem to be working, Hozuki calls upon the help of Oko the most beautiful resident of hell.

He assumes that she’d have some amazing workout/diet tips for the group and, well, he assumes correct. She leads them on a weightless excursion through both the coldest and hottest parts of hell, assuming that going in between blistering heats and freezing colds help to make the metabolism stranger and faster but all it really does is get them lost in a blizzard. They find shelter and quickly ditch the diets as they pray to whatever Gods a demon prays to that they could get something to eat and when a friendly demon stumbles across them and takes offers them a nice warm meal and some drinks back at his home, the group rushes off to fill their bellies.

What I really liked is how this half episode came full circle with the start showing King Enma unable to reach his pen on the floor and the end showing the exact same thing only, this time around, he’s just going to keep his mouth shut about wanting to lose some weight. It’s just anojther kooky episode of Hozuki No Reitetsu and I think I enjoyed this half of the episode more because it was just silly rather than also somewhat educational. Though I enjoy when Hozuki No Reitetsu delves deeper into Japanese mythology I also enjoy it when they just get outright stupid with it so I’m fairly happy either way, it just so happens that this particular half of the episode was one that I favoured more. The series is still doing well overall but I have noticed a decline in the humour over the past couple weeks and I just hope it picks back up soon because I truly want to enjoy this series while it lasts.

Check out more Hozuki No Reitetsu impressions HERE.

JJBA: Stardust Crusaders – Jean-Pierre Polnareff Promo Released

Frank Inglese

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March 17, 2014

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This makes four! Last week we brought you some news straight from “David Production” – an animation studio that has recently been working on an anime adaptation of of Horihiko Araki’s long-running Shonen anime “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” – in the form of a promotional video focusing on one of the characters from season three of the “JJBA” anime; Noriaki Kakyoin.

The promo video from last week was the third to be released for the series, the first one revolved solely around an older Joseph Joestar, and are released with the intention of (re)introducing audiences to characters they may or may not have seen in the past in the lead up to the actual release of the series which is set to begin its air on the 4th of April. This week the the video promo centres around a man that goes by the name of “Jean-Pierre Polnareff”; another one of the main characters within the third season of the “JJBA” series titled “Stardust Crusaders”.

Much like the character introduced in last weeks promotional video, Jean-Pierre Polnareff makes his first appearance in the series as an enemy to the “Stardust Crusader” team though, after a swift and decisive battle between Polnareff and Avdul, they realise he is just another victim under the influence of…ugh…Dio. His stand, “Silver Chariot” gives Polnareff the power of intense strength and, eventually, brilliant speed. His stand is not one to be taken lightly. The video takes you through Polnareff’s first introduction to the series and the group as well as his connection to Dio and the search for his sisters killer. Fuminori Komatsu who you may know from anime series’ like “Inazuma Eleven” and “Golgo 13” will be the voice of “Jean-Pierre Polnareff”. He is the sixth voice actor to be announced for the series alongside Daisuke Ono (Jotaro), Unsho Ishizuka (Joseph), Kenta Miyake (Avdol), Daisuke Hirakawa (Kakyoin) and Takehito Koyasu (Dio).

This series is looking to be absolutely amazing and it isn’t too far away from starting its run on the 4th of April which is barely even a month away. For now though, we have the brand-new promotional trailer for Jean-Pierre Polnareff in the featured video section below. Head down there to check it out and don’t forget to drop us a line in the comment section just under the video.