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Steins;Gate: Complete Series Part Two Review

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December 26, 2012

Steins;Gate: Complete Series Part Two
Studio: White Fox
Publisher: FUNimation
Format: Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack
Release Date: December 18, 2012
Price: $64.98 – Available Here

Overview:
The second half of a series can do many things. It can either continue the normal aspects of the first half of the show or drastically change the tone of a series by introducing new and intriguing elements that will not only keep fans of the show watching, but ensnare new viewers with the series’ new direction. Such is the case with Steins;Gate.

Whereas Steins;Gate Part 1 (the review of which can be found here) had its share of drama and mystery, many of those aspects were overshadowed by some more comedic and slice-of-life happenings. However when Steins;Gate Part 1 ended, viewers were left with an extremely shocking cliffhanger. Does Steins;Gate Part 2 provide a similarly spectacular experience as the first half?

Story:
Now it should really go without saying that anyone who jumps into the second half of the series at this point will have no idea what is going on, nor should any reader expect this review of Part 2 to not spoil some events of the first half of the series. That being said, here’s a quick summary of the first half of the series.

The story follows a man named Rintarō Okabe who is a self-proclaimed mad scientist studying the idea of time travel. Now when Okabe manages to discover an actual way to send things through time, he realizes that his actions can drastically change the world around him as the timeline shifts according to his actions. The first half of the series serves itself well as a set-up to the events of the second half by making viewers grow attached to members of the cast and also introduce a number of time-travel aspects and theories that are not only well explained, but can be ran with in the second half of the series.

Ironically, the best reference to the second half of Steins;Gate for Western audiences is a movie nearly twenty years old. However this movie, called Groundhog Day, is the best example of the situation Okabe finds himself in. At the end of the first half we find that Okabe and his friends’ activities have been tracked by an inside source and when the phantom organization does appear to put a stop to their time-travel plans, the young girl in Okabe’s care, Mayuri is shot and killed. However with his new ability to send his conscience back in time to an earlier version of himself, Okabe throws caution to the wind to try and save Mayuri’s life.

Thus, Okabe finds himself trapped in a loop of repeating events as he constantly tries to save Mayuri from dying but failing at every turn. Watching a character which earlier in the series spent most of his time having fake conversations about an “organization” or joking around about being a mad scientist slowly devolve into a defeated man who has seen his friend die countless times in horrifying ways makes for powerful drama and every failed attempt will feel like a body blow to the viewer.

Things can slow down a little bit thanks to the fact that, true to his time jumping ways, Okabe and viewers must relive certain sections of the anime multiple times but it is intriguing to see how Okabe must make specific decisions each time with his knowledge of past outcomes to make another attempt at saving Mayuri’s life. Thanks to this, there often seems to be an almost peaceful tone over the show despite the drama behind the scenes.

In fact, the second half of the series sees Steins;Gate become a potent drama thanks to many of the choices Okabe must make in his venture to shift the timeline enough to save Mayuri’s life. While the series can be a bit difficult to follow over time, often thanks to the fact that at times the viewer has no idea how many times Okabe has re-lived a certain scenario only to fail, the terrible decisions that Okabe must make and force on his friends can be quite tragic as their new happy lives must be sacrificed for their friend make for an emotional but ultimately satisfying series.

Visuals:
Steins;Gate continues to impress visually throughout the second half of the series though it is worth noting that the overall brightness of the already subdued color palette and the show overall has dropped as the show focuses heavily on the drama. That being said, there are a lot of special effects added into the show that provide some great visual flair, especially in regards to Okabe’s time jumping or failures with Mayuri.

Throughout the second half the character designs remain rather consistent and the environments are just as well detailed. It is also worth noting that the amount of text messages that have been subtitled has dropped significantly in the second half of the series, meaning viewers will not have to worry about speed-reading them during their brief time on screen that often.

Audio:
Thanks to the emotional drain on Okabe and the amount of drama that takes place during the second half of Steins;Gate, the English voice actors shine better than they did in the first half of the series. While, as one would expect, Steins;Gate Part 2 does offer both the Japanese and the English voice tracks, the English track’s voice work packs a heavier emotional punch due to the quality of the dub.

As far as background music goes, there are a number of impressively used sound effects and dramatic tracks that do wonders when paired up with the events occurring on screen. The rest of the background music is forgetful outside of these well-used tracks however. It is also worth noting that the opening theme remains the same “Hacking the Gate” by Kanako Itō while there is only one main ending song in the second half, which is the already familiar “Toki Tsukasadoru Jūni no Meiyaki” by Yui Sakakibara and a special ending used once called “Sky Clad Observer” by Kanako Itō.

Extras:
As far as bonus features go, Steins;Gate Part 2 contain a rather basic offering such as trailers for other FUNimation anime, the English trailer for the ending and opening songs. It is worth noting that there are two versions of “Hacking the Gate” which feature different visuals so keep an eye out for the differences between the two and fans of the briefly heard “Sky Clad Observer” ending can listen to it again here.

Also included are commentary tracks for episode 19 and episode 24. Episode 19 features Patrick Seitz who is the Script Adaptor for the series and also voice of John Titor as well as Jessica Cavanagh who voices Moeka. The two mention how much they love the series as well as other aspects of the show, though it isn’t quite as enjoyable as other FUNimation commentaries.

As for episode 24, we have Colleen Clinkenbeard the director for the series, Nathanael Harrison, the senior mixer engineer and Stephen Hoff, the ADR engineer. This is a very technical commentary track which is actually rather interesting thanks to the fact that the three discuss many of the different aspects that go into creating a new English dub for a show such as Steins;Gate.

Overall:
With all of the set-up over the first half of the series, Steins;Gate Part 2 sees Okabe drop his preconceptions of the world and of time travel as he repeatedly breaks his own rules to try and do anything to save someone close to him. While some aspects of the show can be complicated and difficult to understand, this goes to show how well-woven together the plot is that even if someone doesn’t manage to understand everything, they will find Steins;Gate’s second half incredibly emotional and intriguing thanks to Okabe and the group’s emotional journey to save a friend’s life and set the world right again.

Survarium screenshots released along with launching official Website

Mari Shishido

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December 26, 2012

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Survarium screenshots released along with launching official Website

Survarium’s Facebook page released some new screen shots today in addition to announcing the launch of the game’s official website. The website features a few fun things, like a new wallpaper for Survarium in several resolutions here. For those unaware, Survarium is the spiritual successor to the STALKER series in the form of a F2P MMOFPS planned to release for the PC in late 2013.

The screen shots give the ambiance of a creepy, dark world that also manages to look full of things to explore. All this is a great setting for an MMO that will rely heavily on in game survival skills and awareness. The game will also feature a collective story that is affected by the actions of the player base, and some parts are not even hinted at by in game NPCs or quests and must be uncovered by the user exploring the world on their own.

Black Knight Sword Review

Dustin Spencer

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December 26, 2012

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Black Knight Sword
Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture, Digital Reality
Publisher: D3Publisher
Platform: Xbox Live Arcade (Reviewed), Playstation Network
Release Date: December 12, 2012
Price: 800 Microsoft Points ($9.99) – BUY NOW

Overview
When a new Suda 51 title hits the market, a trip to the bizarre is a guarantee. Black Knight Sword is the result of a collaborative effort from the famed developers behind the likes Sine Mora and Lollipop Chainsaw, and proves to be one of the oddest creations we have seen in some time. For those unfamiliar, this game tells it’s twisted plot through a Kamishibai (Japanese Paper Theater), with a brave knight taking on an evil queen with a bit of that classic 16-bit feel attached. Does this off the wall, retro flavored romp prove to be worth the tickets, or do this knight’s strings need to be cut? Let’s find out.

Story
As mentioned, the narrative in Black Knight Sword takes place with a Knight being summoned to stop the chaos of the White Princess. Of course slaying the Princess is a bit away from the norm for the side scrolling genre, but in this world – just about everything works to the mayhem’s advantage. Every encounter you make, whether it be from a walking head to a giant eyeball that eats hearts is unique, providing a ton of incentive to trek on through the bizarre world ahead.

At times, this gimmickry can be a bit much – even for those who go out of their way for the over the top stylings. It’s not that it doesn’t all fit as this bizarre world is quite enchanting as it stands. The problem is that Black Knight Sword can get so wrapped up in weirding out the player that it seems to lose complete focus on the narrative and atmosphere it’s trying to set. That’s really just a minor takeaway though, as Suda 51 fans will still find their fix as they work their way throughout the game’s five main stages.

Gameplay
Fans of the classic side scrollers of the past will feel right at home here, as Black Knight Sword feels as if it was ripped off the Super Nintendo – at least gameplay wise, due to the simplicity of the controls. Players can use their melee (sword attack) at any given time, fire a projectile with the shoulder button, or perform a quick dodge and double jump to spring away from an enemy or over a pit. Yeah, it’s a simple scheme, but the game is anything but. This is a title that on normal mode can present a decent challenge to any veteran gamer, as every move you make needs to be taken with great caution due to the low amount of lives and punishment for death that is presented.

Starting out, the player will have three lives. Once those are lost, it’s Game Over and the current level will need to be restarted. Checkpoints might have come in handy, but a lot of this title’s charm comes from it’s archaic methods for difficulty, so staying alive so you don’t have to suffer the inconvenience of doing it all over again is really the main concept for the entire experience. Hearts can be collected from enemies, and then used as a currency to purchase upgrades and items to make your knight stronger. Remember that eyeball I spoke of? Well, he (or she..maybe it?) is your shop keep, who will trade those tasty delicacies for stronger armor, extra lives, and more health.

It’s a well oiled system in place that works well and is sure to teach the player as they play how to survive if they happen to fail a stage. Can’t beat a boss? Collect more hearts and get a stronger blade, upgrade that health bar, or snag an extra life. Much like Dark Souls, Black Knight Sword will make sure you learn from your mistakes, greatly enhancing the rewards of finishing a tough stage. If I had to complain about any part of the actual gameplay itself, it would be the dodging mechanic. It’s a no-brainer to roll out of the way when a strong attack is being used against our hero, but rolling can get a bit finicky from time to time and cause deaths if executed even a tiny bit incorrectly. Again, this can be fixed with a bit of practice and patience, but the flaws with dodging do stick out due to how polished every other action is.

After completing the campaign, Cat Head Grass mode is your more timid reward. Specific treasures can be collected as you partake in the campaign, which turn into…well, Cat Heads in flower pots that enjoy making melodies. It’s an odd gift for finding everything, but does it’s job well of inspiring multiple playthroughs. For those wanting more substance, a challenge and arcade mode can also be played to squeeze out more hours of the actual gameplay, giving further incentive to take this brave quest several times over.

Visuals and Audio
As you can tell, the main gameplay portions are pretty standard fare. The visuals while you are battling your way through Black Knight Sword however are the reason for attending this twisted production. Black Knight Sword presents itself as a marionette play of sorts (Kamishibai, as mentioned earlier), and is really all over the place. Environments are full of dark color and rigid, raw textures that will be soaked with the blood of your foes. Your knight will change himself as he grows in strength from the upgrades that are equipped as well, urging the player to keep gathering hearts and transform into a true warrior. This world’s tone is dark, but there is a bizarre sense of innocence that wraps itself inside the experience, creating a truly unique blend of unease and wonder.

I could praise the music that paints the portrait for Black Knight Sword, but I feel like the audio is all outshined by the crazed narrator, who provides unsettling commentary for the story at hand. As you progress, this voice will act as all of the characters in the game, making it feel as if you are being read a bedtime story by a insane warlock – and his job at performing these twisted dialogue sequences is nothing short of phenomenal as he alone will ensure you feel like you are in this kingdom of the crazy, like it or not. Yes, the sound effects and music set the atmosphere fine, but that unnamed narrator takes it one step further and gives this title’s gimmick a rich coat of frosting.

Overall
I’ve played a lot of Suda 51 games in the past, but Black Knight Sword may be the most bizarre and unorthodox creation we have seen come out of Grasshopper to date. That might not be for the game’s benefit at all times, but this is definitely one digital release that fans of the famed company should at least check out. Underneath it all, there is a challenging yet solid platformer that indulges in the madness, offering rewards to those who survive the evil princess’ treachery. No, it isn’t a blockbuster and doesn’t do anything revolutionary, but Black Knight Sword is still easily worth it’s meager price-tag and promises a truly unforgettable ride for those willing to make the plunge into darkness.

Pass the time with these retro Apple 2 games on your browser.

Mari Shishido

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December 25, 2012

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Are your siblings still sleeping and you want to open presents? Or maybe your family is wasting time sustaining their bodies with petty nutrients before the fun stuff. Or you are like me and are stuck on the lame side of the world where we are perpetually stuck in the past. Either way, presents are waiting to be opened and you don’t know how to deal with it. Worry not, you can spend some quality time revisiting the past on your browser by playing some classing Apple 2 games.

Oregon Trail has brought many memories of trying to cross rivers and failing, followed by Dysentery. Play as a family man moving across the old wild west of the United States.

Space Quest A funny Sci-Fi game with influences from Star Trek and Star Wars. You plays as a janitor saving the galaxy but mostly through dumb luck.

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar will certainly eat up some time, and you may even come back to it later. With a sprawling world of blocky 2D graphics, your imagination is actually more free to roam in this adventure game.

So before you open your new presents with their spiffy graphics and sleek design, revisit the past so the future can look even more pristine. Happy Holidays, everyone.

First trailer for Slender: The Arrival is Released

Mari Shishido

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December 25, 2012

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First trailer for Slender: The Arrival is Released

Slender: The Arrival is the sequel to the popular survival horror game, Slender: The 8 Pages. Both games are based off The Slender Man mythos and are made by Mark Hadley with Blue Isle Studios. The original was already nerve racking and scary, but with better graphics and more levels this sequel could be even more horrifying (Note: Author of this article has been confirmed to be a “complete baby” by multiple sources).

The game is planned to launch in early 2013 to the PC and Mac. You can visit the official website here. Check out the trailer below, and let us know what you think of it in the comments section.

Motorway Review

Roger Ma

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December 25, 2012

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Motorway
Studio: Media Asia Films/Milky Way Image Company
Publisher: Madman
Format: DVD
Release Date: November 7th, 2012
Price: $29.95 (Available Here)

Overview

Motorway is the latest film from Hong Kong director Cheang Pou-soi, and sets to thrill its audience with fast paced vehicle pursuits. The part crime-thriller, part racing, and part action film has the potential with its multilayered genres and its two experienced lead actors; the film is aiming to be more than the sum of its parts. But does it live up to its daring premise?

Story

Motorway’s story is one that we’ve all seen and hear before: a rookie cop must team up with a veteran officer in order to solve the crime at hand. Nothing new here, however unlike most films with this same-old clichéd setting Motorway takes place on the fast passed streets of Hong Kong, on the motorway (hence the title).

Cheung, played by Shawn Yue, “the rookie cop” is a motorhead and is part of an elite undercover police unit that specializes in high-speed chases. His partner Lo, played by Anthony Wong, “the veteran officer” is a retiring cop who’s seen and past the best years of his career. After a criminal breaks out of prison thanks to the help of legendary, underworld getaway driver Jiang, played by Guo Xiaodong, the two unwittingly team up to catch the crooks. But again, haven’t we seen this before?

Let’s face it Motorway’s plot isn’t at all original, but then again that’s not the main reason why we’re here. As it so boldly states on the box, motorway is what we came for and motorway is what we get. From the very first few starting minutes of the film, we are treated to a delightful action packed high-speed chases down (you guest it) a motorway.

From here on in, the story only real purpose is to set up the next chase scene, which there are many in the film. Down the mountains of Hong Kong, down the alleyways of Hong Kong, through the city central of Hong Kong and well you get the picture. While the action is deal with so well in the film, other aspects i.e the plot are sourly lacking.

For no reason, as it’s unexplained in the film, the two baddies Jiang and the guy he busted out of prison, are betrayed by their criminal gang leaving the duo to conduct the diamond heist by themselves. The diamond heist? Oh yeah about that, it’s the whole reason why Jiang broke out the guy from prison in the first place. It’s not really well explained.

Now while this may seem all a bit silly, the film is acted incredibly straight. While in a western film with a similar premise would have the odd tongue-in-cheek gag or joke (the entire Fast and the Furious series I’m looking at you). In Motorway these moments are virtually non-existent, the film is played dead set seriously and as such can get away with the simplistic plot because it’s so genuinely acted out, there are no cheesy performances here. This is a hardball cop drama; that is while you’re watching. As you steep away from the onscreen sensory assault, there are moments that stick out like a sore thumb.

Of particular note is when Cheung loses the legendary getaway driver Jiang for the first time, due to a sharp 90-degree turn in a very narrow alleyway that he couldn’t pass. The premises is silly to say the least, why couldn’t he just go around the block and cut them off when they get out of the alley?

Yet this difficult challenge of turning his car on a sharp 90-degree angle becomes a major plot point later on. In any other film this premises just would simply not work, yet in Motorway because of it’s straight delivery it somehow works – though it’s completely predictable of where and when Cheung will use this mastery of the 90-degree turn * cough cough * the very last chase scene.

It’s moments like these when you release the vast plot holes within the film. And while we are taken for a thrilling action packed ride and are willing to suspend our disbelief for the sake of entertainment, just please don’t treat us like we’re stupid. Many things within Motorway are left unexplained or just glossed over as we are then quickly cross to another exciting chase scene.

Visuals and Audio

Much of Motorway is set during the night and as such the City of Hong Kong is a standout with its bright lights and unique cityscape. The film is shot as you would expect standard camera set ups and all that jazz; that is until the chases sequences, which if you haven’t caught on by now, are a many. The highlight of the film is the extensive chase sequences.

Camera angles constantly switch positions in a frantic yet non-disorienting way and slow motion is used stylistically to emphasis the stunts. The chases themselves are highly entertaining to watch, though they can get a little confusing to watch as later chases sequences in the film are too dark and it’s often unclear which characters we are following. But If Motorway gets one thing right it is the car chases.

The sound of the cars is evidently present within these sequences, audio is top notch as you would expect. As the movie is set in Hong Kong, the characters speak (mostly) Cantonese. Don’t worry if you’re not a native Cantonese speaker, the film’s English subtitles work fine with a hiccup.

Extras

Now for the real disappointment, there are virtually no extras to be found on the DVD apart from Motorway’s theatrical trailer and a few other Madman Eastern Eye films. It’s a real shame as it would have been good to have seen a behind-the-scene making of the stunts and chases sequences, which are just so good in the film.

Overall

While Motorway has moments of greatness these are unfortunately muddled in an overly simplistic, yet very well acted plot. Hong Kong cinema is renown for its quality action films, from crime-thrillers to kung-fu movies, yet Motorway does not live up to past classics.

While it has some fantastic chase sequences, heck the whole film is based around them, it’s story is predictable and one that we’ve previously seen many, many times over before. The fast cars and action may allude some viewers and get them across the line, Motorway is trying to do too much at once and as a results falls flat on it’s bland plot.

Tenchi Muyo! Movie Collection Review

Travis Bruno

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December 24, 2012

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Tenchi Muyo! Movie Collection
Studios: AIC, Pioneer LDC
Publisher: FUNimation
Format: DVD/Blu-ray Combo Pack
Release Date: December 18, 2012
Price: $69.98 – Available Here

Overview:
While the Tenchi Muyo! franchise may have paved the way for many tropes used in anime today, it is also one of the most confusing series of all time thanks to the fact that the OVAs originally created back in 1992 and aired until 1995 spawned not one but two alternate universe storylines which are not related to the plot of the original OVAs, though used the same characters.

Now not only did these other series, Tenchi Universe and Tenchi in Tokyo make things a bit more confusing for fans, the original OVAs would continue eight years later in 2005 to wrap up the story. However during that eight year span of time not one, but three movies were created. Now FUNimation has taken these three movies, Tenchi in Love, The Daughter of Darkness and Tenchi in Love 2, and brought them to Blu-ray for the first time ever. Are these movies worth checking out now that they’ve finally arrived on Blu-ray?

Story:
As mentioned before, the Tenchi Muyo! series is something of a mess as far as continuity goes between series. Therefore it is worth noting that the movies contained in this package do require the knowledge of not only the Tenchi Universe series but some knowledge of the original Tenchi Muyo! OVA packages would help the viewer understand some of the happenings throughout these three films.

FUNimation has chosen to package these movies in a bit of a strange way, with Tenchi in Love and Daughter of Darkness on the same disc while Tenchi in Love 2 (also known as Tenchi Forever) is relegated to a second disc which contains negligible bonus features. However for the sake of continuity it is recommended that these movies are actually watched in the order of Tenchi in Love 1 & 2 then Daughter of Darkness, as such that is the order they will be discussed here.

Now Tenchi Muyo in Love seems to take place after the ending of the Tenchi Universe series some point after all of the girls have made their way back to earth and Tenchi is living a peaceful life with these girls, or at least as peaceful as life can be living in a houseful of alien women. However when a viscous alien known as Kain breaks free from his space-prison he begins to wreak havoc and sets out to destroy the Jurai family. However he does so by somehow destroying the Masaki blood-line which causes Tenchi to begin to fade away in-front of the girls’ eyes.

Thanks to some quick thinking from the genius Washu, Tenchi is saved from fading away completely thanks to one of her inventions. When it is discovered that Tenchi’s mother has disappeared from the picture frames around the house, the group realizes that they must travel back in time to 1970 to try and put a stop to whatever caused Tenchi’s mother to disappear, inevitably pitting them against Kain’s nefarious plans.

Despite the fact that the movie seems to take many things away from the original Back to the Future movie, the story actually works quite well thanks to the fact that the group has to try to blend into the 1970 school system to learn more about the situation, often resulting in many hilarious situations. Another plus is the fact that despite the movie can be rather predictable at times, the main characters make the movie enjoyable throughout these predictable plot points as many viewers will be happy to see the cast in a new situation.

As for the second movie, Tenchi Muyo in Love 2, something strange happens to Tenchi and when he suddenly vanishes from the Masaki household, the girls are thrown into despair. This movie takes a drastic step away from the normal comedic antics that Tenchi Muyo! fans hold dear and instead trades it off for heartbreak, sadness and emotional drama.

As Tenchi is trapped within an alternative universe where he is living with the woman he loves, Haruna, Ryoko and Ayeka search desperately for the man they love and when they manage to encounter him, they are broken up to see that not only does Tenchi not even remember them, but even his appearance has changed slightly. As such the two must try to overcome their emotional trauma potentially losing Tenchi forever to try and save him from this alternate world.

This movie, despite being a severe departure from the rest of the Tenchi franchise, is probably the most memorable of the entire collection thanks to the fact that while there has always been emotion at play through the series, nothing has ever felt as real as the emotions felt by Ryoko and Ayeka throughout the movie. Meaning that whilst many may find this shocking move away from comedy something unenjoyable in your standard harem show, the emphasis on emotion and heartbreak makes this middle move unmissable for anyone who has become engrossed in the Tenchi franchise.

Finally there is Tenci Muyo! The Daughter of Darkness and in this collection it almost seems out of place despite being a movie. This is mostly thanks to the fact that the way that the movie is structured almost feels like an extended OVA episode more than anything else. Seemingly placed within the Tenchi Universe canon thanks to the inclusion of Kiyone, the show seems better fit within the OVA series than anything else.

But moving on, Tenchi manages to discover a blue haired girl named Mayuka while visiting his family’s shrine and for some reason, Mayuka calls Tenchi her “Daddy.” This obviously throws not only Tenchi, but of the girls around him for a loop considering the fact that he has never fathered a daughter, let alone one as old as Mayuka already is. As such we see the cast struggle with the fact that this girl may somehow be his daughter, however there are more worrisome issues at play behind the scenes as a strange creature seeks revenge on those who wronged her.

The Daughter of Darkness movie returns the Tenchi franchise to the standard slapstick comedy and humorous visual gags that it is known for and thanks to the fact that it is only an hour long, it provides a nice refresher after the drama of Tenchi in Love 2. That being said, while the story is rather interesting the short run time does not do it justice by allowing the whole revenge scenario nor the drama between the girls escalate to truly interesting levels, instead we are left with what seems like a rather rushed ending. Still, thanks to the OVA feel of the movie, many fans will simply enjoy it for what it is, a slice of the already jumbled Tenchi universe that takes their favorite characters and puts them in yet another unique situation.

Visuals:
With this being the first time that the Tenchi Muyo! movies have ever made it to Blu-ray, it is rather unfortunate that while the movies may look slightly better than they ever have before, these improvements are rather minimal at best with the first two movies only seeing minor improvements while Tenchi Muyo in Love 2 actually benefits the most from the upgrade, though that is likely thanks to the newer art style used in this movie which really brings the third show in the collection to a higher tier, however there is still a lot of blurry unfocused sections thanks to the movies’ age.

As a whole however, these movies are still rather impressive for their age and given the fact that these were originally created as movies, the overall artwork and the character drawing has seen a significant upgrade in detail and quality over what was previously found in the series. Not only do the characters look better than they have before, the action sequences and backgrounds are similarly impressive as well.

Audio:
It should come as no surprise for fans of FUNimation’s releases that the Tenchi Muyo! Movie Collection comes with both the original Japanese voice work as well as the classic English dub recorded many years ago. Throughout these movies the same voice actresses and actors retain their characters, though it can be said that thanks to the different emotional trials the cast experiences in Tenchi Muyo in Love 1 & 2, the English cast does a great job matching this range of emotions.

As far as background music goes, many familiar themes play throughout these movies however there are a number of new trakcs as well, many of which are quite enjoyable, though it is worth noting that, surprisingly enough, the movie not related to the other two, Daughter of Darkness, actually contains the best use of background music and sound effects compared to the two Tenchi Muyo in Love movies.

Extras:
Unfortunately as far as bonus features go, the Tenchi Muyo!: Movie Collection is almost completely barren as far as bonus features go. There are trailers for other FUNimation shows as well as a promotional trailer for the Tenchi Muyo in Love 2 movie. Also the release comes with a limited edition art booklet, though our review screeners did not include this art book for analysis.

Overall:
Ultimately the Tenchi Muyo!: Movie Collection contains the best possible way to view these three Tenchi Muyo! movies despite the fact that their jump to Blu-ray could have seen a better visual upgrade. That being said, with three interesting movies, two of which taking Tenchi fans’ favorite cast of characters and putting them in new situations resulting in new comedic and dramatic outcomes and one finally bringing real emotion to the series, these movies shouldn’t be passed up by any fan of the Tenchi Muyo! series.

Nyaruko-san wishes everyone a Happy Space Christmas

Travis Bruno

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December 24, 2012

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Nyaruko-san wishes everyone a Happy Space Christmas

As you may already know, Nyaruko-san: Another Crawling Chaos, also known as Haiyore! Nyaruko-san is getting a second season called Haiyore! Nyaruko-san W sometime soon. Well until that release date is announced or some extra information is revealed, fans are currently in limbo.

However all is not lost, as Nyaruko-San has taken some time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas in her modified Santa outfit. Then again considering she is from space, would it be something of a Space Christmas? Either way, you can find the image to the right (click for full size) as well as a slightly modified version of the main website here.

Have a Merry Christmas from Fairy Tail’s Erza and Hiro Mashima

Travis Bruno

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December 24, 2012

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While many of us are scrambling around trying to finish up some last minute shopping and wrapping of presents, others are able to take some time and sketch out some special drawings and no one does it better than the creator of the Fairy Tail manga, Hiro Mashima.

Today Hiro, who often posts drawings of his characters on his Twitter feed, revealed the picture found to the right (click for a larger version) with Erza Scarlet wishing everyone a “Merry Christmas.” It is worth noting that Hiro Mashima’s Twitter can be found here and anyone who happens to enjoy Fairy Tail itself or anime alone should probably follow him for plenty of great artwork of his cast of characters.

Sushi Hero Review

Joe Morgan

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December 24, 2012

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Sushi Hero
Developer: Design Symphony
Publisher: Ayopa Games
Platforms: iPhone (reviewed), iPad
Release Date: December 20, 2012
Price: $0.99 – Available Here

Overview

What do you get when you cross Plan 9 from Outer Space with Jiro Dreams of Sushi and set it all in a runner game? You would end up with Sushi Hero, the newest game from Design Symphony and Ayopa Games. Sushi Hero serves up something with bright flavors, though it may ultimately leave a bitter taste in the mouths of some.

Gameplay

Players take on the roll of a nameless sushi chef. Before each level begins, you’re given a shopping list of three types of fish to kill and how many of each breed you need to slaughter.

When the clock starts, you run continually from left to right, touching the left side of the screen to jump or double jump and the right side of the screen to chop away with your cleaver. As you progress through each level, you can earn point multipliers by stringing together kill combos.

You start each level with a full heart, but each hit from an electric eel, urchin, or poisonous fish will knock off a quarter of your health. There are hearts you can pick up to restore some health. You can also snag a bite of wasabi which will allow you to ‘spit fiyaah,’ taking out everything in your path for a few seconds.

There are twenty levels to play through, each with three difficulty settings. Each level takes around a minute to clear, so if you only have a couple of minutes in line at the supermarket you can finish a stage or two. Players should have no problem beating the game under an hour, but that will only get you a third of the achievements.

Taking down a whole string of fish and working up to an 80-kill combo feels great, and timing a couple of dodges in a row is quite satisfying. The problem is that the sushi list you’re given for each level feels virtually irrelevant. You end up running through each world trying to kill anything and everything that gets in your way, regardless of what breed it is. The only penalty you incur is that you must replay a level if you die or fail to kill everything on your list. It can also become blindingly frustrating to play levels with a dark background, especially later in the game, since every fish that can harm you is also black or dark gray.

Audio & Visual

Sushi Hero has an amusing visual aesthetic. Character designs feel like something from a Saturday morning cartoon, with bright colors and funny looking teeth and eyes. The animation also feels wonderful. Watching a pudgy sushi chef sprint across the world, legs flailing about as if independent from his body, helps reinforce the fun, lighthearted feel of the game. Each level has its own background art that helps it stand out. The only problem is that dangerous enemies blend into darker levels, making the game more frustrating than it should have been.

The music is fantastic. It does a great job setting up the idea that you’re getting ready to dig into something fast-paced and action-packed, with tight loops of trumpets, synth, and drums. Unfortunately there are only one or two tracks, so it will begin to feel old before you’ve beaten every level. The sound effects get the point across, but they do nothing in particular to add to the character of the game.

Overall

Sushi Hero is has a few shining moments but it’s not without a few flaws and frustrations. Levels will feel like they blend together and enemies blending into dark backgrounds becomes frustrating on more difficult stages. Unfortunately, Sushi Hero doesn’t do much to stand out from its competitors, but for those willing to try it out, they will find a fun, colorful, entertaining experience.