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Cosplay Life Drawing and Art Room Events – SMASH! 2013

The Art Room at the beginning of the day.
The Art Room at the beginning of the day.

Anime/Manga fanatics and artists seem to go hand-in-hand and you definitely saw that this year at SMASH! 2013 in the “Art Room” which was a dedicated, let’s say, sanctuary for all us artists out there, a place where we could come in, sit down and bust out some awesome Anime and Manga style drawings. Let’s just say that I was lucky to have been able to spend most of my day in this place because it made artists and art-lovers feel right at home. There were tables of people just free-drawing all day in comfort and while surrounded by friends. The SMASH! team had set up large pieces of hanging paper for people passing through to doodle on throughout the day in the hopes that, by the end of the day, we’d see some incredible mixes of styles and artworks. Mission accomplished!

Our lovely Cosplay model!
Our lovely Cosplay model!

Alongside the free-drawing sessions that ran all day was the Cosplay Life Drawing sessions. The Cosplay Life Drawing sessions gave artists the chance to show a bit more of their skills, they did this by having a real Cosplayer head into the center of about six or seven tables, strike a pose and let the group of artists to their best. Anyone was eligible to draw and it was open to all ages and all drawing styles. As I took pictures I was even offered a seat by one of the SMASH! staff, unfortunately I didn’t hang around but had I had the time I would’ve definitely tried it out.

Concentration is key, so it seems...
Concentration is key, so it seems…

There were constant murmurs of people sharing how they go about drawing their style and how they could improve on it. People continuously flocked to the Art Room throughout the entire day for both the Free Draw and the Cosplay Life Drawing. It was nice to see the Anime and Manga-loving community come together so tightly to bond over something such as art and illustration specifically and I hope to see it in the coming years because it was a hit and everybody loved it!

How To Produce Manga Panel – SMASH! 2013

How To Produce Manga - SMASH! 2013
How To Produce Manga – SMASH! 2013

Homegrown Manga artists Kelly Green and Ngoc Han Nguyen ran the “How To produce Manga” panel at SMASH! 2013 this year and what a great job they did at it! You know a day is going to be fantastic when it, more or less, begins with a panel on how to produce Manga and when it’s a panel as good as this one you know that what follows in the day will be just as good. Both Kelly and Ngoc have been immersed in the world of Anime and Manga for many years and have both studied and produced Manga in their time so they were the perfect duo to be up on stage giving us “young hopefuls” some interesting and helpful tips.

Kelly Green and Ngoc Han Nguyen
Kelly Green and Ngoc Han Nguyen

They went through the different types of Manga that one can create and explained each of them to us. From Shonen to Dojinshi they explained both the positive and negative sides as well as what to do and what not to do when creating such types of manga. The audience was introduced, once again, to the “5 Ws” which are; who, what, when, where, why. Kelly specifically went on to explain that, in Manga, you cannot just “put something in because it’s cool“, an artist needs to fit everything into the universe he/she has created and, even though it’s a fictional world, it still has boundaries and rules that need to be followed. No matter how crazy it is, the story needs to be honest.

Kelly Green's Shonen Manga Example
Kelly Green’s Shonen Manga Example

Both Kelly and Ngoc had also done some drawings for the audience beforehand that showed their takes on the different Manga types and how they would portray it. They showed us their very own Manga panels and took as through ways to set out drawings and scenes so that it grabs the audience. The key piece of information that they had given us was to make pages flow in a way that forces the audience to turn the page in suspense which can be done in many ways; having a panel closest to the corner to lead a reader on or having a scene on the turn of a page that will startle or intrigue a reader were just two great ways they outlined.

Almost wrapping up.
Almost wrapping up.

Social Networking was mentioned, by the ladies, to be a fantastic way to spread your name and gain a following and how through that somebody can start a great career in illustration so it’s all about “getting yourself out there“. “Do NOT buy How To Draw Manga books!“, Kelly went on to explain that they teach you the very basics and the way to get good is to draw from real life and, most importantly, you must “draw what you see”. Before leaving us for the day the ladies explained that you can not just become a Manga artist overnight, that it takes hundreds and hundreds of hours to master an art yet that shouldn’t discourage people at all because it is the passion in a work that makes it a success and we should all aim to put that passion on the page.

Hatsune Miku English software to be released on her 6th birthday

hatsune-miku-americaWe have known for some time now that the Hatsune Miku V3 English version was going to be released by Crypton Future Media sometime soon, but until today we had no idea exactly when that release would happen.

Well today it was revealed that the company is planning on releasing the Vocaloid software in North America on her sixth birthday, August 31st, the same day as one of her concerts. The downloadable version of the software will cost $149.99 while the physical copy hasn’t been given a price or a release date as of yet.

The downloadable package will include the English vocal database, the vocal editor Piapro Studio, over 200 PreSonus sound files for instruments and the Studio One 2.5 Artist Piapro Edition digital music workstation software. To commemorate the release date announcement the company also released a video of the song “Six Greetings” by Kikuo which demos the enhanced Japanese version of the software.

Gakuen Polizi manga picked up by Seven Seas

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Today Seven Seas Entertainment has announced that they have picked up a new yuri romance manga from the well known Morinaga Milk. The manga series is called Gakuen Polizi and began running in Japan’s Futabasha’s Comic High! magazine in 2012.

Seven Seas Entertainment has provided the below story synopsis for the manga:

As a child, Sasami Aoba fantasized about becoming a defender of justice, like the magical girls and “Sentai Rangers” she admired on TV. Years have passed and now Sasami has become a police officer herself. Her first assignment is to infiltrate Hanagaki All-Girls High School and ferret out any trouble she may find.

On her first day posing as a student, Sasami is shocked to discover that a supposed book thief at school is actually a fellow undercover police officer, Sakuraba Midori. What’s more, Midori insists that she herself is the officer in charge of the school, not Sasami. Will the two girls become rivals, partners…or something more?

Currently Seven Seas is planning on releasing the first volume of Gakuen Polizi in June 2014 with the second volume expected to be released sometime in Fall of 2014.

Those with Total War: ROME II to get Beta Access to Total War: ARENA

Developer Creative Assembly and publisher SEGA have announced that everyone who purchasing the upcoming strategy game Total War: ROME II will also be able to participate in an advanced beta of their free-to-play MMO Total War: ARENA that was shown off at GDC this year. But even more than just the early access owners of ROME II will also get special Legion bonuses for ARENA.

These bonuses will give players in-game Legion Armory items, “Legion” status for Total War: ARENA and about $15.00 (USD) of in-game currency. Though there are some terms and conditions, so players wanting the full details should probably check out the full details from their website. Plus, ARENA wont be ready immediately upon release of ROME II either.

Total War: ROME II will be releasing September 3rd, 2013 for PC, so players hoping to get the full experience of Roman combat, but don’t forget about Hannibal though, should be prepared and those that do should keep an eye out for the Total War: ARENA beta access.

CC Review Roundup – Week of July 29-August 3, 2013

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Join Capsule Computers editor Joe Morgan as he recaps all of the video game, anime, movie, and manga reviews for the week of July 29 – August 3, 2013. This feature is intended as a way to give you, our readers, a quick recap of every game we’ve reviewed on the site each week.  The goal is to let you get the review information you want in five minutes or less.

Here’s your review breakdown for the week:

Xbox 360
NCAA Football 148.0 / 10
PlayStation 3
Dragon’s Crown9.5 / 10
NCAA Football 148.0 / 10
Wii U
None- 
PC
Shadowrun Returns8.5 / 10
3DS
-None- 
iOS
Towncraft9.0 / 10
Droidscape Basilica8.0 / 10
Iron Force8.0 / 10
Game of Watchcraft: Spawn of Squishy7.0 / 10
Happy Dinos6.5 / 10
Asterix: Megaslap6.0 / 10
Prehistorik5.0 / 10
Anime / Movies
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R210 / 10
Hakaba Kitaro9.5 / 10
Bullet to the Head7.0 / 10
Tower Block5.0 / 10
Manga
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind10 / 10
Library Wars, Volume 27.0/10

Be sure to check out the video below this article!

If you like the music in this week’s episode, be sure to check out RoccoW.

Hanabee’s SMASH 2013 Announcements

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At their industry panel at SMASH 2013, Hanabee Entertainment made several major announcements regarding future releases and license acquisitions. They revealed that they have acquired the following titles:

  • Princess Knight – the Osamu Tezuka anime classic, planned for release in September on both DVD and Blu-Ray with English audio only.
  • Hakuoki: Dawn of the Shinsengumi – the third season of the Hakuoki series and also a prequel to the first season. It is planned for release in November on both DVD and Blu-ray with dual audio.
  • Hiiro No Kakera: The Tamayori Princess Saga – the second season of the Hiiro No Kakera series. It is planned for release in November on both DVD and Blu-ray with dual audio.

Not only did they announce these new acquisitons, but they also confirmed the release plans for the Rooster Teeth series RWBY. It was announced that RWBY will release on both DVD and Blu-Ray in November with English audio only.

It was undoubtedly an impressive showing by Hanabee, especially with the licensing of a work from the legendary God of Manga Osamu Tezuka. Please stay tuned for further updates on Hanabee releases as news surfaces.

Madman’s SMASH 2013 Announcements

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Madman Entertainment made several acquisition and release announcements during their industry panel at SMASH 2013. Alongside updating on previously announced titles, Madman confirmed that they have acquired the license for the following anime titles:

  • Stella Women’s Academy, High School Division Class C3 – Commonly known as C3-Bu, while they did not confirm any plans for a physical release of the series they confirmed it will begin streaming on the Madman Screening Room by the end of this month.
  • Maou – The full Japanese name of this series is Maoyuu Maou Yuusha, it appears Madman will be releasing it simply as Maou. Other than that no release plans were given for this title as of yet.
  • Date A Live – There are plans to stream this series in the Madman Screening Room, however no date has been confirmed. There was also no details given for a potential physical release of the series.

Other than those announcements, Madman shed some light on the situation regarding Sword Art Online and Guilty Crown. Many fans have speculated that both series have been delayed. However we now have some clarity on these releases.

Madman have confirmed now that Sword Art Online will start being released in early 2014 with the first of four volume releases. Each volume will feature dual audio and roughly 6-7 episodes a pop. Sword Art Online will be available in both DVD and Blu-Ray releases, on top of that there will be some extras included with the releases such as a collector’s box with the first volume.

As for Guilty Crown, it will be released in much the same way as Sword Art Online, in volumes for both DVD and Blu-Ray, bundled with some lovely extras. It will also feature dual audio. The first volume for Guilty Crown is slated for release in November.

Finally Madman revealed plans to release a new line of Kids manga which will begin with Pokemon Adventures and The Legend of Zelda box set manga in September.

All in all it was a great showing for Madman and it was definitely  good to get some clarity on the releases of Sword Art Online and Guilty Crown. Stay tuned for further updates on the release plans of the newly acquired titles as they come to light.

Latest Pokemon X & Y Trailer Display Mega Evolutions

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After the reveal of Mega Evolutions yesterday, Nintendo have released some more English details and screenshots about Pokemon X & Y showing the new evolutions in battle and the new Super Training Facility.

First, Pokemon will retain their Japanese Mega names and will not be renamed to Awakened Pokemon as we previously thought. The Awakened forme of Mewtwo is now known as Mega Mewtwo. Each Pokemon that has access to a Mega Evolution will need to be holding a unique type of Mega Stone when they are in battle to evolve into their Mega Evolution, for example, Lucario needs Lucarionite and Blakiken needs Blazikenite. Some of these stones will be available in game but some will be event exclusive. Blazikenite can only be received by downloading a special Wi-Fi event Torchic that is holding the item. The event will be available from launch until the 15th of January, meaning only early adopters of the game will have access to the item. We also learn that the Mega Evolutions are only temporary and will only happen during battle.

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Some more details about Super Training or S.T. were also spilled. Super Training allows you to raise a Pokemons base stats by means other than battles. One Super Training activity involves having Pokémon train by facing huge Pokémon-shaped Balloon Bots in a virtual space, with both sides trying to shoot balls into the opponent’s goal. Using the Circle Pad and Touch Screen to avoid shots from the Balloon Bots while landing their own in the goal. It is likely other training activities will also be available and each one will focus on a specific stat.

Another way to train has also been revealed called Core Training which Pokemon will complete on their own. Payers can set up training bags, earned by completing Super-Training Regimens, for Pokémon in their party to use. By tapping on the Touch Screen during a Core Training session players can help their Pokémon increase their base stats. These features can be accessed from the Super Training screen at any time.dedenne_screenshot_1-jpg

Finally, a few more details on the new Pokemon revealed yesterday were also released. By emitting radio waves from its antenna-shaped whiskers, new Electric- and Fairy-type Pokémon Dedenne can communicate with far-off allies. Its Ability,Cheek Pouch, is new to Pokémon X and Pokémon Y. If a Pokémon with this Ability eats a Berry during battle, it will not only reap the benefit from the Berry, but the Pokémon will also be able to regain HP. Dedenne can learn the new Electric-type move Nuzzle, which looks cute as the user nuzzles up to a target with its cheeks fully charged, but it’s quite dangerous! Nuzzle will do damage while paralyzing the opponent.

bunnelby_screenshot_1-jpgBunnelby is a new Normal-type Pokémon that creates its den by digging in the ground with its large, shovel-shaped ears. These powerful ears are strong enough to chop right through thick tree roots, making them a force to be reckoned with in battle. Bunnelby can learn the Ground-type move Dig. On the first turn, the user burrows underground, and on the second turn, it attacks! In Double Battles, a Pokémon can use Dig to avoid its ally’s attack and then dish out damage on the next turn.

skiddo_screenshot_1-jpgSkiddo evolves into the already announced Gogoat. A Grass-type Pokémon, Skiddo has a gentle nature and is said to be the first Pokémon to live alongside humans. Because of this relationship, Skiddo doesn’t mind carrying people or supplies on its back, and it has become able to read the feelings of its riders through their grip on its horns. Skiddo can learn the Grass-type move Leaf Blade, where the user wields a sharp leaf to slice like a sword.

Check out the brand new trailer below and continue joining us as we ride the hype train all the way to the release of Pokemon X & Y on October 12th exclusivly for the Nintendo 3DS.

Senran Kagura Burst to be released in Europe as well

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Earlier this week some amazing news happened when XSEED Games announced that Senran Kagura Burst would finally be released in English in North America. After this news was announced, many European gamers were wondering whether or not this long awaited game would be heading to Europe as well.

Well today it was revealed that Zen United is going to be publishing the title in Europe and unlike North America, the game will be released physically as well as digitally in Q1 2014. Similar to the North American release, currently no price for either the physical or digital release has been announced.