Don’t Shoot Yourself may seem like common sense, but there’s nothing common about this game. Don’t Shoot Yourself is an interesting concept, taking bullet storm-style gameplay and flipping it on it’s head. Packed with creativity, pick-up-and-play controls, plenty of content and an iTunes description that includes the phrase “no IAPs” (thank god!), Don’t Shoot Yourself has a lot going for it. Ultimately however, it’s held back by what it aims to be – a shallow, simple, casual title with no goal in mind but to help you waste time. But hey, what’s wrong with that?
Gameplay
Gameplay is simple with pick-up-and-play controls, similar to a game like Asteroids. Players move their little spaceship thingy with the right hand side of the screen (or left if your left handed, the developers were kind enough to think of you) and that’s about it. Every time you move however a bullet is shot out behind you. These bullets bounce off surfaces and it’s your job to do what you should also try to do in real life: to not shoot yourself. There are 100 bullets, and once all of them are gone, a special magic bullet is released that will free you from the level. Letting go will reload the ship/whatever it is for some reason, so this means your finger must be on the screen at all times. This isn’t always a good thing of coarse, as it can occasionally get uncomfortable. The game can occasionally get a little buggy and controls aren’t always responsive. However, the gameplay remains enjoyable, with swift action that requires tactics and strategy. Other features include “boss” levels, an “infinite” mode and a star system for skipping levels are also in place, so while gameplay can quickly feel repetitive, at least the developers attempted at switching it up. Sadly, gameplay never gets much deeper than that, so while there are plenty of levels – 50 to be exact, it all results in being more or less the same. The game also has a strong focus on social media sharing, with replays available to be shared with friends after every match. If for some odd reason you’d want to, that is. I should also make mention the game lacks a decent tutorial, and as a result the controls can be a little confusing until you get the hang of things. Hopefully we can see an improvement on this in a future update.
Audio & Visual
Visuals? Take a look at one of these screenshots. That’s the visuals. What you see is what you get here with a simple friendly approach. Colourful backgrounds help the white pop and adds to the polished presentation. The soundtrack has the provides the right atmosphere to set the tone of the game, but unfortunately sounds of low quality, like it needs to be clearer and has room for improvement. A nice touch included is when players let go the music will change to signal the fact they are reloading bullets. So while the visuals in Don’t Shoot Yourself are quite superb, the audio while decent is lacking a little in quality and the developers haven’t unleashed it’s full potential.
Overall Don’t Shoot Yourself is a mixed bag. On one hand the concept is fun, presentation while basic, works and there is plenty of content available. Furthermore it has plenty of small bells and whistles to add to it such as the option to play left handed, the ability to skip levels and more. On the other hand however, controls aren’t always as responsive as you’d like them to be at times, the soundtrack feels lacking in quality and gameplay can get a bit repetitive. That being said Don’t Shoot Yourself accomplishes what it sets out to do and while this reviewer feels it ultimately remains as a repetitive, shallow experience perhaps others may disagree. If you’re really considering picking up this title, just get a look of the trailer embedded below because honestly – what you see is what you get. On the bright side though – no in-app purchasing, so that’s a plus!
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Disney Infinity: Toy Story in Space Developer:Disney Publisher: Disney Platforms: Xbox 360 (Reviewed), PS3, Wii U, 3DS, iPad Release Date: Out Now Price:$39.99 – Available Here
Overview
When Disney Infinity launched, it came included with three Play Sets to enjoy; The Incredibles, Pirates of the Caribbean and Monsters U. In addition, two more Play Sets were available for purchase in the form of Cars and The Lone Ranger. Now, Disney have given us the last, and easily the best set of them all – Toy Story in Space. Toy Story in Space is a well designed, enjoyable experience that Disney Infinity owners should definitely not miss.
Story
Toy Story in Space features Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the crew from Andy’s bedroom as they work together as official Rangers of Star Command in order to help out the Pizza Planet Aliens get started on their new homeworld. The story is fun and all of the characters are well presented, but there is a sense of confusion in the story telling. In one sentence they will be official members of Star Command and in the next Hamm is explaining how he read all of Andy’s textbooks as he grew up. However at most times they are presented as actual rangers of Star Command and not toys being played with.
The lack of emphasis on the toy aspect of the characters, it can be a little jarring if you are a fan of the films (and really, who isn’t?) and with Disney Infinity’s strong focus on being a digital representation of the imagination and fun of a child at play, having the Toy Story crew NOT be presented as toys feels like a hugely missed opportunity, not to mention going against a lot of what the characters stand for. While there is a very worthwhile payoff at the end, for most of the campaign, I found myself wanting to scream “YOU. ARE. A. TOY!”
Gameplay
The gameplay for Toy Story in Space is very similar to the other Disney Infinity Play Sets by drawing inspiration from popular games and genres to create a well rounded experience for players of all ages. Toy Story in Space is a mixture of third person shooter and an old school platformer.
You will complete different missions given to you by various members of the Toy Story Universe. The missions are separated into three main categories; exploration, town building and space ranger training. Exploration-style missions will have you traveling over Toy Story of Terror’s impressively sized map. As you gain more packs, you will gain access to more of the game’s map. Occasionally you will be told the locations of various crates, the contents of which allows you to progress to the town building portion of the game.
The plot revolves around designing and populating this town for the planet to the aliens to inhabit, so as such it is a big part of many missions. After calling down some ground panels, you will have to scale the now-floating platforms to reach a self-assembly button at the top. Once you have made the ground, you can purchase pre-built buildings from the Toy Store and place them. These buildings once placed will usually offer you more missions to complete; such as the costume shop for decorating your aliens, and the Space Ranger Training Center.
The Space Ranger Training Center houses the Play Sets’ primary missions. There are a tonne of missions with pre-built gauntlets to charge through. These gauntlets will contain Zerg-Bots and other enemies for you to vanquish and points to collect. Once you have compeltey a mission, you will be able to go back and complete it again whenever you choose. This gives the Play Set a lot more replayability than previous Play Sets.
Much like the other Toy Boxes, Toy Story in Space offers players a wide array of additional toys and packs to use in the Toy Box mode. Finally, players have access to the Grow and Shrink Rays as well as Buzz Lightyear’s wings. These toys offer a heap of versatility and alternate ways to play and create that can completely change everything.
Visuals
Being effectively an expansion pack, Toy Story in Space follows the same art direction and style as the rest of Disney Infinity. The characters have all been redesigned from their film appearances to better fit the game’s aesthetic. However, the art style of the game has allowed all of the characters to feel like they always looked the way they do. The art style also allows the characters from Toy Story to fit in perfectly with the rest of the Infinity roster.
One part of the visuals that really do stand out are the settings and locations. The space setting leads itself to a lot of interesting visual quirks. Bright colours, especially blues, purples, greens and oranges litter the world and really give it that intergalactic feel.
Audio
Sadly, many of the voices that you know and love from the Toy Story film franchise don’t make an appearance here, with notable exceptions being Wallace Shawn (Rex), John Ratzenberger (Hamm) and Andrew Stanton (Emperor Zerg). However, while the replacements are not quite pitch perfect replacements for the original actors that gave life to these characters, sometimes it can be really hard to tell them apart. This is especially true for Stephen Stanton’s Buzz Lightyear, who at times I could swear black and blue that it was Tim Allen.
The sound effects and background music are all for the most part really well done and fit in well with the rest of the Disney Infinity Play Sets. However, if there is one downside to the audio it is the Pizza Planet Aliens. Even though they have always been designed to be annoying, they often take it way beyond tolerable here. Having an alien in its high pitched, grating voice constantly asking you to fulfill its lifelong fantasy of catching a ball while you are trying to make your way up a set of moving panels gets really distracting and downright frustrating.
Extras
Toy Story in Space comes pre-included with everything you need to round up the crew and save the Pizza Planet Aliens from their own incompetence. You will get the Play Set Piece, which when placed on the Infinity Base will allow you access to the Play Set. In addition, you get two of the three playable characters; Buzz and Jessie. Buzz and Jessie are excellently crafted and painted so as to retain all of their individual character traits and appearances, as well as fitting them in with the rest of the Disney Infinity collection. Jessie, Violet Parr and Holly Shiftwell all stand side-by side and look like they belong together.
Overall
As the last of the currently announced Play Sets, Toy Story in Space definitely does its job well. The gameplay is a lot of fun, and many of the missions feel tighter and better designed than the other sets in the series. While the lack of focus on the characters being Toys is disappointing for the franchise as well as feeling like a missed opportunity, the characters themselves retain the same actions and mannerisms as their film-counterparts. So if you are a fan of the Andy’s Bedroom Gang or are looking for a great next installment to your Disney Infinity collection, then Toy Story in Space is goes to Infinity… and beyond!
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Nordic Games and The Farm 51 are excited to announce that Deadfall Adventures has officially been released today. Treasure hunters everywhere will now be able to experience the epic story of protagonist James Lee Quartermain (great grandson to Allen Quartermain). Prepare to embark on a death-defying adventure full of mystery as the idea of Atlantis becomes not so crazy when the undead wake from their slumber. And if the rising dead don’t stop you, you can surely bet the Nazis or Russians will play their hand in snatching your acquired artifacts.
Along with the release, Nordic Games has provided a trailer encasing the jungle environments of Guatemala. What dark, ancient secrets are kept in these Mayan holy grounds? Perhaps you will be the next treasure hunter to reveal the heart of Atlantis… You can find the game on Steam (here), or retail/online stores for Xbox 360.
Straight from Supanova Adelaide comes Hanabee’s next piece of awesome news! It was barely an hour ago when we hear about their acquisition of the “Girls und Panzer” Anime license and already we’re hearing about a second one, this time around they’ve gotten the license to a classic yet on-going Anime series from 1996; “Case Closed“. Before we go on to talk about the release itself, here’s the Official Synopsis of “Case Closed” from Hanabee themselves is as follows:
Solving crimes is child’s play. Meet Jimmy Kudo, one of the most lauded detectives in the Japanese Police Force and he’s still in high school! For him, the sinister underworld and their criminal inhabitants is just a regular day at work as he puzzles out the most difficult of crimes. But you don’t enter his line of work without creating a few enemies and some may even get him killed.
When an assassination attempt goes wrong, Jimmy wakes up to find that he is no longer in his body but has, in fact, regressed to his childhood self! Now Jimmy needs to keep his true identity a secret from those that he cares about the most.
But this curse won’t stop Jimmy doing what he does best and so begins the life of boy detective Conan Edogawa!
Hanabee plans to release the “Case Closed” (Detective Conan in Japan) in two parts with the first part containing 26 episodes and the second part obviously containing the rest. Nothing has been said about release extras but I’m sure we’ll here more about that in due time. Right now only the first part has been set for a definite release despite the fact that there has been no actual release date announced but, once again, you can expect that within the coming weeks. What we do know for sure is that it will only be released on the DVD format, it will be dual-language and Part One will be sold for $59.99. It is definitely one that no fan of mystery should pass up. Congratulations once again, Hanabee!
Hanabee only just announced, at Supanova Adelaide, that they have acquired the license for the extremely popular Anime “Girls Und Panzer“. Alongside the announcement of the actual acquisition comes a great deal of information regarding what is to come in the releases, how they will be split up and even an exact release date for the series. Before we continue on to talk about the release, you first have to know what the series is all about, luckily Hanabee have also provided us all with an Official Synopsis of the series which you can read below:
It’s all fun and games until the tanks roll in…then it’s just a blast! The students at Oarai Academy are bringing back a long forgotten subject that features guns – really, really big guns! Dubbed as Tankery, the program studies the martial art of operating armoured tanks. Clearly this is not for the faint of heart and to join you’ll need people as driven and enthusiastic as the tanks they’ll need to control. Suffice to say the first students to become inducted into the art of Tankery are all a bit eccentric.
You have Team Turtle consisting of three members from the student council, Team Duck the former members of the volleyball club, Team Hippo a group of four passionate history buffs, Team Rabbit a mis-match group of six first year students and lastly the stars of the class, Team Anglerfish who are every bit as odd as their mascot. Regardless these girls are all ready to get locked and loaded for the art of Tankery. Panzer vor!
Hanabee will release the series in two separate parts: Part One will feature all twelve episodes of the series as well as two bonus episodes. Part Two will contain all the OVA episodes that were released throughout and/or after the series. Each of the parts will come with extras like Japanese Tv Spots, promos and Clean Opening and ending sequences. The series is also set for both a standard DVD release as well as a Blu-Ray release with both of the types being Dual Language.
Part One of “Girls Und Panzer” is set for a release for both Blu-Ray and DVD on the 5th of March 2014 with the DVD release being sold for $59.99 each and the Blu-Ray release going for $64.99 each. Right now there is no release date for Part Two but you can expect information on that to be released in the coming months. Congratulations on the acquisition of “Girls Und Panzer”, Hanabee!
Secrets of Raetikon is currently on IndieGoGo! Support themhere.
Secrets of Raetikon is Broken Rules’ newest project. They are the team behind the award winning puzzle platforming game And Yet It Moves. The game is the second in a series of games inspired the Alps, the famous European mountain range, from the Austrian indie studio. Players will soar as a bird through a unique take on the Alps as they solve puzzles and unlock the secret behind an ancient civilization that once inhabited the Alps.
Exploration is the heart and soul of Secrets of Raetikon. Players are free to roam the mountains and explore at their own pace. Once players are beyond the tutorial, the game sends players off into the world to discover the remaining shards. It can be tough to figure out where to go at times. There is no map to help remind the player where they are. The lack of map makes getting back to the main altar to drop off a newly discovered shard rather difficult. There were several times I solved a major puzzle and was rewarded with a long wandering journey back because I could not remember the right way back for the life of me.
The level design is wonderful. There are tons of nooks and crannies to discover. The spirit of the Alps are captured wonderfully as levels transition from dense claustrophobic forests to sweeping peaks and jagged cliffs. Broken Rules have brought the levels to life. The levels are full of animals going on with their lives while the player soars through the skies. The animals go a long way in making the player feel like they are flying through an actual forest.
The puzzles are a pleasure to solve. They are varied, creative, and some of them are downright devious. Combat is a puzzle in itself. Predatory animals will attack the player mercilessly until they are out of range. Figuring out how to avoid them will take a bit of creativity and quick thinking.
The controls are responsive and well designed. The game definitely easier to play with a controller as a thumb stick will provide a greater range of movement compared to the mouse and keyboard. Right now the controls are only labelled for PlayStation controllers instead of the more common Xbox 360 controllers, which I did find a bit curious.
Secrets of Raetikon is a wonderful visual journey. The visual design is unique with its triangular design and soft but bright colours. The visuals pay tribute to the inspiration for Secrets of Raetikon. Broken Rules’ developer Felix was inspired by a dream of flying he had one night and that dream gave birth to Secrets of Raetikon. The sun’s blurring effect gives a wonderful warm feeling to the game and quick dives give a dreamy out of this world feeling. Secrets of Raetikon visual design is unique and unforgettable.
My only complaint with the visuals is that flapping the wings makes the screen move in quick jerks. Although it is supposed to simulate the sudden burst of speed, I found it actually caused me to feel really motion sick. The effect is worsened when the player needs to carry something in their claws as it becomes practically impossible to move anywhere at a reasonable speed without flapping the wings constantly. A graphic setting that would smooth out the camera’s acceleration would probably go a long way in solving the motion sickness.
Secrets of Raetikon sports a wonderful and minimalistic soundtrack. The background music plays second fiddle to the sounds of nature. Birds of prey screech as they attack smaller birds, leaves rustle as the player flies through, and the wind whistles while flying, all while the subtle music plays softly in the background. During intense moments, like being attacked by a bird of prey or chasing a deer who is in possession of a Shard, the music comes into the foreground to create a tense chase. The only sound effect I struggled with was the low health heartbeat that will pound when health is low. I found the noise to be a little annoying after a while and I started to hate it even more once the motion sickness kicked in. A bleeding effect is clearly visible while the health is low, so I would prefer that the heartbeat noise be either become quieter or completely stopped after a minute or so.
Secrets of Raetikon is a wonderful puzzle game in the making. It is well designed, boasts solid controls, and is presented in a really creative manner. The game does a great job of allowing the player to wander and explore at their own pace, though it could use a map to help guide players around. Although the game is clearly still in its alpha stage of development, it is surprisingly well polished and a pleasure to play. There are still the odd bugs to iron out, more art to add, and some polish to complete, but if Broken Rules can keep up the momentum, they may have yet another award winning indie game to add to their collection.
EA along with Hasbro has today announced two new and distinct Monopoly-branded titles for iOS and Android devices: Monopoly Bingo and Monopoly Slots– both are free to download right now from the Apple App and Google Play stores respectively.
Chip Lange, Senior Vice President and General Manager at EA, said;
We’ve taken two of the most-time tested game mechanics‹bingo and slots and paired them with Monopoly, the world’s favourite game brand, to create two unique mobile experiences that will give fans a simple and easy way to collect their favourite properties, tokens and other aspects of the Monopoly world they’ve come to love over the years. Gamers will feel right at home with these Monopoly titles‹big risk and huge rewards await as they build their property empires, collect tokens, build hotels, and spin and bingo their way through the Monopoly world that everyone knows and loves.
Monopoly Bingo lets players Bingo their way to Boardwalk and watch their favourite Monopoly properties come to life as they progress through the Monopoly neighbourhood. Bingo fanatics can keep the bingo action coming by playing up to 16 cards at a time on tablets or up to 8 cards at a time on their phones, increasing the chance of mini-game rewards and more through “Chance” scratcher cards and the “Lucky Number” bonus. Virtual rewards including properties, tokens, and house and hotel upgrades can be won, and the “Fall Feast” room – which is only available for a limited time only – comes with exclusive seasonal-themed collection items and tokens.
Monopoly Slots will challenge fans to spin and win by playing through a variety of Monopoly-themed slot machines and celebrate in-game payouts while Mr. Monopoly himself cheers them on – it’s his casino after all, you’re just making him more moolah! Greedy old man… Players can double their luck with Twin 3×3’s or test their luck on another level with 3×5 slots. Monopoly Slots will also feature free, unlockable slot themes, big bonuses, and mini-games that allows users a”Chance” to increase their odds of hitting the jackpot and striking big. Out now in select territories, Monopoly Slots will roll out globally over the coming weeks.
First of all I have to apologise for the delay in bringing this out. A bunch of things cropped up and hopefully future episodes of Nagi no Asukara won’t be stalled for this long.
Following on from the beautifully done episode 5, the episode begins with a swimming event among the students, which is interesting seeing as how it pits normal kids against what are pretty much mermaids with legs. I love it when we see the differences between the two people; the Sea Village clearly has no swimming lessons as it’s underwater anyway with Manaka and Chisaki experiencing something new yet familiar. But we soon see that doing freestyle on the surface of the water is a different ball game compared to propelling yourself underwater.
Best new girl of the season.
Hikari loses to Tsumugu in a swimming race, injuring his toe in the process and being a sore loser about it. Just when we see some good traits of Hikari he goes and blows it all by once again treating everyone around him like trash. Manaka jumps in when Hikari hurts himself (much to the jealously of Chisaki) and tries to apply first aid at the nurse’s office. Hikari then graciously thanks Manaka and congratulates Tsumugu for being faster. Well that’s what I’d like to say, but the exact opposite is true. He doesn’t accept defeat and tells her to go away.
We finally see some more of Kaname next, our resident pretty boy of the show, alone and talking with an ordinary classmate we haven’t seen before who’s clearly taking a liking to him. Together with the eavesdropping Miuna and Sayu, they decide to rebuild the wooden offering. Chisaki is still troubled as we see her try to leave early but Manaka runs after her, bringing up the topic of her liking Hikari again. Chisaki becomes hostile and reminds her that she promised never to mention it.
Poor Manaka has had a bad day. Told off by two of her best friends she walks home in tears until Tsumugu offers to take her home on his bicycle. Here we get an explanation on the word “tomoebi”, which is when the weather is nice underwater and it snows saltflakes. A cold current passes by and the refraction in the water makes it look like there are three suns. That just sounds awesome. During the last tomoebi when the friends were little kids there was another argument and Chisaki yelled at Manaka for not being there to see it with everyone. Tsumugu gives Manaka some advice; to speak clearly and to finish her sentences. Naturally, this is yet another bonding moment between the two.
Coincidentally another tomoebi phenomenen occurs and Manaka rushes to Chisaki’s room to grab her, forgetting about their argument. The two see it together, with Hikari and Kaname hiding nearby, and Manaka apologises to Chisaki (she was never in the wrong!)and Chisaki confesses she doesn’t want things to change, for all of them to be together until the end.
Hikari and Kaname reflect on Manaka’s character after hearing this. Kaname regards her with a fond expression for jumping ahead and acting on impulse but Hikari is far more serious and grudging. Both of them love Manaka as a childhood friend, but the difference here is so evident. Episode 6 ends on Hikari’s words, that “even though she’s a scaredy-cat..” she goes through all this trouble.
So differences remain between our friends but hopefully Chisaki can now get over her issues and act natural for once. But I have to say my favourite part was the introduction of the random classmate girl. I love it when anime does this.
THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’97 Now Available on iOS & Android
Step up as the new challenger in this all-time NEOGEO classic
Seattle, WA – November 15, 2013 – SNK PLAYMORE USA CORPORATION (Corporate HQ: Suita-city, Osaka, Japan, Company President & CEO: Masao Ohata) is proud to announce the worldwide release of THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’97 for iOS and Android devices.
THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’97, the third and final chapter of the Orochi Saga storyline, is now available on iOS and Android enabled mobile devices. Popular for its strategic team-based fighting system, lore-filled legacy, and memorable character cast, this classic iteration of the renowned 2D versus fighting series is a top choice for any fighting game fan with a compatible mobile device. The Virtual Pad’s smooth touch controls allow players to easily reproduce moves specific to the KOF series, giving THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’97 the traditional NEOGEO feel that fans know and expect.
Put an end to the evil Orochi resurrection scheme, and settle the score between Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami in the mobile version of this NEOGEO classic!
Game Features:
◆ A robust roster of 35 fierce fighters
Play as iconic SNK fighters such as Kyo Kusanagi and Terry Bogard, and try to master the infamous New Face Team or the KOF ’97 Special Team! The NEOGEO version’s hidden characters are now available directly on the character select screen, so players can easily crush their opponents using Orochi Iori or Orochi Leona.
◆ Two special game modes
Based on modes from previous titles in the series, Extra Mode and Advance Mode challenge players to compete in tournaments with special rules. Master the challenge by beating rivals into the ground!
◆ A NEOGEO Perfect Port
Play THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’97 the way it was intended with 4 buttons, or enjoy the new and enhanced 6-button control scheme, including the simplified special move (SP) button!
Headquartered in Osaka, Japan, SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION (SNK) develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software in Japan, North America, Europe and Asia. Founded in 1978, SNK is one of the largest privately held interactive entertainment content providers in the world. Known for such franchises as THE KING OF FIGHTERS, METAL SLUG, and SAMURAI SHODOWN, SNK continues to be an industry leader by focusing on their rich arcade history. More information on SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION can be found at www.snkplaymore.co.jp.
SNK PLAYMORE USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION with offices in San Mateo, CA. It handles operations in North America including publishing, marketing, development and localization. More information on SNK PLAYMORE USA can be found at www.snkplaymoreusa.com.
About NEOGEO
In 1990, SNK (Currently SNK PLAYMORE) developed and sold arcade games and a console that could play these high-quality titles at home: the NEOGEO. The specs for both the MVS “Arcade” and the AES “Home” systems were the same, making them playable even in fans’ living room. It was also the first console offering a memory card allowing users to save progress at home, and for use at the arcade as well!
Revolutionary Girl Utena: Part II Studio:J.C. Staff Publisher:Hanabee Format: DVD Release Date: 6th November 2013 Price: $59.99 – Available Here
Overview The fairytale continues. The dashing Prince has saved the damsel from her horrible fate at the hands of the dark forces that pursue her. They ride of into the sunset and all is well. Unfortunately, it isn’t time for our courageous Prince’s happy ending yet. A new force has arisen to plague their lives and steal away their joy. A force drawn from deep within a place long left behind. When villainy can be drawn from purity and darkness consumes the light, where are the battle lines drawn? Could the greatest threat to happiness one’s own inner demons?
One ring to rule them all…
Story When we last left our Prince in the making (way back in Part I) she had just claimed victory in the Battle of Self, learning more about her true desires in the process. Having rescued her dear friend Anthy from the clutches of a real jerk. Well, in case you forgot, fear not because this second saga begins with that tried and true anime trope: a recap episode. Framed by a mysterious figure visiting with who appears to be Utena’s mysterious Prince, the man explains Utena’s actions up to this point. However, the man also reveals some more information regarding her quest, revealed as the Path of the Duelist. Each duel fought in the hopes of winning Anthy possessed its own classification, a fact revealed only in the episode thirteen preview. Friendship, choice, reason, love, adoration, conviction and self. Each is an ideal that Utena has fought, overcome and accepted in order to. It is also revealed that the final duel is entitled revolution, one that will see Dios released from the seal that apparently binds him.
With seven victories under her belt, Utena draws the attention of new foes: The Black Rose Duelists. Disguised in plain sight as an establishment for student counselling, the ” High School Genius” Souji Mikage searches Ohtani Academy for viable candidates. Once a student reveals their problems and inner turmoil to him, Mikage uses his powers to place them under his control. Providing them with a blackened Rose Crest ring, taken from a deceased student, Mikage completely transforms them into duellists of the Black Rose. Using these broken troops, Mikage continues to seek his true goal: the death of the Rose Bride. Unlike those who have come before him, Mikage wishes to replace the Rose Bride with one of his own choice, a mysterious boy known as Mamiya Chida.
Never trust your inner demons
Just as in the first saga, the series continues to explore the complex relationships that exist between the characters of Ohtani Academy. However, due to the fractured nature of the Black Rose Duellists, characters are twisted into expressing the darker side of emotion. Alienation, attachment, jealousy, impatience, limits, dependence and conscience. This new set of duels serves as a representation of compassion that has been corrupted by various facets of life. In further contrast to the consentual partnership between Utena and Anthy, Black Rose bearers have a far more violent interaction with their own companions, the source of their grief. Just as Utena can summon the sword of Dios, those with a Black Rose are able to pry one from the chest of their love interest. The removal of said swords and the manner in which they are obtained present themselves as an allegory for a much more…intimate act. Once broken by Mikage, characters appear to lose their inhibitions in regard to emotion and forcefully take what they wanted all along, resulting in pain for their partner.
The new saga also continues with the trend of including a bizarre epsidoe that holds no bearing on the rest of the series. Once again revolving around the miscalculations of the simple and over dramatic Nanami. Having received a mysterious designer jewellery piece, she decides to wear it everywhere, despite the fact that it’s a cow bell…yep. Over the course of the episode our dear Nanami undergoes some strange transformations, becoming someone truly worthy of her new accessory. Whilst I’m sure there’s some symbolism in here, possibly regarding Nanami’s blind following of trends to be popular, becoming a complacent nobody in the process that others regard no more highly than a cow…it’s still one hell of a weird episode.
The silhouette girls also continue to make appearances each episode and play out their bizarre stories. However, unlike their earlier stories, characters appear aware of their presence and occasionally respond. Though clearly a representation rather than a physical duo, the acknowledgement of the shadows adds a sense of authenticity to their ramblings. Despite the complexity of their stories, they are usually summed up in single, often sarcastic, sentence.
Love what you’ve done with the place
Visuals The characters of Utena possess a rather lanky physique, a feature that extends to all characters. Each also share a rather angular look, with notably sharp facial features. The overall stoic appearance that this creates is one of the factor that impedes the comdeic moments of the series. Unlike other anime series, the character designs do not change as a visual cue to the tonal change. As a result these moments fall rather flat, blending in with the rest of the series and failing to stand out at all.
One of the main visual shifts from the last saga appears each time a duel commences. As opposed to the previously sparse duelling grounds, it now bears the elements of a classroom. Rows of tables all placed in neat rows, covering the outlines of bodies, those students lost to the schemes of the past. Each desk also carries on it an item thematically relevant to the current Black Rose Duelist. For example, when Kanae is duelling white lilies line the tables. These represent the innocence she carries, longing only to connect with her soon to be family, an ideal that is being slowly destroyed by her corrupted state of mind, represented by the physical shattering of said flowers. The theme of Duelists bearing their own coloured roses also continues, though Utena’s new opponents all don a single shade: The Black Rose. The rose that blooms at the end of the world. The absolute contrast of Utena’s white rose and the representation of the darker side of the human soul.
There is also some pretty strong visual symbolism present when students pour their heart out to Mikage during their “counselling” sessions. Placed inside a small room, more akin to a closet really, students begin a physical descent deeper and deeper below the Earth. At the height of their session, a butterfly adorns the wall, placed within a glass pane. The further the student delves into their mind, and the further down they travel, the butterfly begins a reverse metamorphosis. Whilst it takes the shape of a cocoon, the students stand on the precipice of their corruption, it is only when Mikage pushes them onward that they break and the cocoon changes into a caterpillar. The lowly caterpillar serves as a representation of a characters most core desires, the ones long forgotten to time and age. It is only when Mikage forces these to the surface that he breaks a person and regresses their humanity to thoughtless emotion and, it is at this point that their eyes lose their light.
Just another one left Baroquen hearted…
Audio The English dub of Utena continues to be…rather lackluster. Characters rarely venture out of a lulling, disinterested tone that drains any sense of drama or emotion from a scene. That being said there are a few brief moments where the voice acting takes an improvement, notably with some of the new characters. New big bad Souji Mikage, voiced by Dan Green, adds an element of skill to the cast as does the short lived character Kanae Ohtani. During her brief appearance she suffers a breakdown, noting how she finds Anthy “creepy and intolerable” a fact she notes weighs heavily on her. During these moments she actually expresses genuine emotion, sounding believable when she breaks down in tears, screaming about her conflicted emotions. Though with these moments few and far in between, the Japanese audio remains preferable. Even if you choose to listen to the English version, you may hear the Japanese vocals in the preview for episode fourteen, as no English version was ever recorded. So feel free to make your choice.
The piano also continues to remain central to the overall sound of the series. The calm, regal sound serves as a representation of the overall “royal” nature of a large portion of the cast. The instrument also persists as the bond linking Miki to both Anthy and his twin sister Kozue. “The Sunlit Garden” once again appears as the core piano tune, having a part in the creation of the second Black Rose Duelist. Abrupt bursts of piano notes are also used as an audio cue to a startling moment or sudden realisation. The power of music.
Extras Just as with the Part I release, Part II includes a book featuring a number of extras. Episode commentary from director Kunihiko Ikuhara, art from Shichiro Kobayashi, the making of Be-Papas Studio, an interview with character designer Shinya Hasegawa, a character art gallery and more liner notes from the original laser disc release of Utena. On disc, the release also includes animated art boards set to music from the series, a four part interview with Kunihiko Ikuhara and a Utena promo from Japan circa 1997.
I’m not gonna use any cow puns, I’m sure you’ve herd them all
Overall Revolutionary Girl Utena is certainly an interesting series. Again, whilst clearly a dated series, it contains some interesting concepts left buried within copius amounts of symbolism. Though the first saga dealt with twisted ideas of what love truly was, it was always from a genuinely compassionate, if misguided, heart. With the advent of the Black Rose, characters motivations became far more sinister and openly violent. Love became jealousy, passion became fury and the goal of obtaining the Rose Bride gave way to the desire to kill her. Though this far more psychological approach to relationships creates an interesting dynamic, the overall presentation of the series metes its impact to a rather large degree. Scene changes are rarely prefaced, events just kind of…happen. That being said, it was definitely an improvement to learn more about characters plot regarding the mysterious Prince. Expect to hear the word “Eternity” a lot…it’s kind of important.
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