There is more Rozen Maiden on the way! Originally a simple manga series this idea has since expanded and now has already covered two anime series to date. Rozen Maiden currently attracts a cult following of loyal readers and watchers, all now eager to check out what the series will have to offer in its third season.
The overall story focuses on Jun Sakurada, who encounters and befriends a living doll named Shinku, with much of the story exploring how other Rozen Maidens (the living dolls) operate and exist in the larger world around them. While no specific date has been released for when this new season will air, fans should expect some form of communication on the matter soon. Produced by studio Nomad, there are currently twelves episodes already released and with this new reveal by Young Jump magazine, it seems more are definitely on the way.
For more info on the announcement check out this website (English only speakers/readers may need a translation).
GOSICK Collection 2 Studio:Â Bones Publisher:Â Madman Entertainment Format:Â DVD (Subtitles Only) Release Date:Â August 1, 2012 Price:Â $59.95 –Â Available Here
Overview: What make’s a mystery series good and what makes a mystery series bad? Well a good mystery series doesn’t have predictable conclusions to the central mystery. A good mystery is one that the audience is never smart enough to figure out. It leaves them completely in the palm of the creators hand as they take them for a wild ride but never letting them outsmart them. A good mystery surprises you. A bad mystery is obvious the antithesis of this, it’s obvious from the start what the solution to the puzzle is and the audience is simply watching along as the characters slowly figure out what the viewer knew all along. The characters should always be a step ahead of the viewer. GOSICK makes this mistake in it’s ill-fated second half. The mystique of the it’s first half fades into what amounts to nothing short of droll predictability.
Story:
The first part of GOSICK which I previously reviewed stood out to me for it’s deft pacing and intelligent writing. It’s mysteries were well conceived and genuinely compelling. So what exactly happened with this second half that caused things to become so messed up? What was originally an often brilliant mystery anime devolves into a utterly pedestrian affair by the time it’s final act kicks in.
It’s a shame that the creators seem to genuinely stop caring at around episode 18. The writing noticeably drops in quality and what was once engaging is now a chore to watch. The mysteries become far more straightforward and bland while simultaneously the characters almost completely come to a stand-still in terms of development. Everything becomes utterly stagnant and just screams of apathy on part of the people working on this series.
All of this of course culminates in the series finale which was nothing short of a disappointment. There was no real emotional pay off, instead things quickly tie up any loose ends and skip to the happy endings. It couldn’t be anymore benign. It’s far too predictable, a problem that afflicts the second half as a whole. The mysteries begin to become far too simple and at some point, don’t even feel like these characters are solving a mystery so much as they are moving from one action scene to the next.
But of course the biggest issue is that none of this is remotely engaging. The fun chemistry between the two leads we witnessed in Collection 1 seems to be completely strung out by the time the final few episodes roll out leaving little but boring banter amongst the two with very little substance behind it. That’s the major issue with this half of the series really, it’s just lazy and does very little to add the same level of substance as seen in the series’ beginnings. It’s nothing more than disappointing, when there was a lot they had to work with in terms of both characters and plot.
GOSICK had potential to be so much more than it was and that is a damn shame. The characters and plotting were so refined and polished, but somewhere along the way it all falls apart. What could have been a modern day classic is nothing more than yet another footnote in a long list of footnotes of anime history.
Visuals and Audio:
Aesthetically GOSICK is still a quite pretty series. It’s a shame that the soundtrack really falls off the deep end with this collection. Tracks are poorly timed and often do not fit the scene in which they are used at all. There will be a sad scene that for no explicable reason is backed by a gleeful tune and really that is the sort of sloppy work that makes this second half of the series so disappointing. The voice acting is thankfully still strong enough to deserve a mention, in particular the performance of Aoi Yuki who does a brilliant job elevating the wooden dialogue she is given as Victorique to a standard that the series should have been able to uphold from start to finish.
Getting back to the aesthetics of this collection, I must say the animation remains incredible fluid and the art is still as vibrant and inviting as always while also being able to turn on a dime at any given moment and provide some truly stunning dark imagery. Overall the art is one of the only high points of this overall weak release.
Extras:
Madman didn’t help make this release any better by only including the bare essentials with this collection. Not only is this release without an English dub, it also features bugger all in terms of bonus content. All that we have included is your bog standard content like trailers and textless opening and endings. For the price tag, I honestly don’t feel this is even remotely close to value for money. Not only does the series take a noticeable downturn in quality in this part, but it is ultimately a bare bones release with little in the way of replay-ability There is very little here that earns it the hefty price tag and as such it’s a difficult collection to recommend to anyone who isn’t hardcore about GOSICK. Like the other aspects of the product, it’s just a disappointment.
Overall:
GOSICK Collection 2 is a a difficult product to recommend, due to the fact it’s not only expensive but also a relatively weak release as a whole. The series falls apart in terms of plot, there is next to no bonus content, there is no English dub and the soundtrack is incredibly poorly timed. It’s just a top to bottom disappointing release that honestly needed a little longer in the oven in many aspects. This is one best saved for those who are mad about GOSICK. Sure it’s disappointing, but hardcore fans will still get a kick out of it despite it’s overwhelming flaws. So if that isn’t you then what do you do? Well it’s simple really, it’s best you avoid this release. That was a pretty simple mystery to solve.
Blue Exorcist Collection 2 Studio:Â A1-Pictures Publisher:Â Madman Entertainment Format:Â DVD (Subtitles Only) Release Date:Â August 1, 2012 Price:Â $59.95 –Â Available Here
Overview:
Endings are hard. A good ending usually brings things full circle, both thematically and emotionally. Now that doesn’t sound too difficult right? When you’ve built things up over such a long period of time there is surely a pay off for it all at the end right? With Blue Exorcist Collection 2 wrapping things up for our Satan hatin’ heroes, does it stick the landing? Or does it fall completely flat on it’s exorcist face? Read on to find out.
Story:
The biggest hindrance that faced Blue Exorcist was simply the fact that the manga which it is an adaptation of, barely had as many chapters as the anime had episodes to work with. From the start we knew they would have to opt for an original ending or an abrupt cut-off point. The opted for the former and judging by what we got, it was definitely the wrong decision.
The focal point of the series is of course the two brothers, Rin and Yukio. Because of that, a lot rides on the chemistry between the brothers and the handling of their individual character journeys. It’s very disappointing to say the least that A1-Pictures utterly drops the ball in the final act of the series, by taking a route that goes entirely against these characters stories and personalities up to this point. In particular the way Yukio was handled in the final few episodes was simply appalling. It made him into nothing more than a prop which does not at all do justice to a character viewers have grown to care for over the course of the series.
Of course though, the major point of interest in this second half of the series is the battle with Satan. The moment promised from the very beginning. Instead of a proper cathartic conclusion to the Satan plot we have the plot thread dangled in front of us only to have A1-Pictures chicken out and drop it in the shows final moments. Is this how you bring things full circle? Is this how you provide a satisfying conclusion? No it isn’t. Instead what we get is riddled with cliche upon cliche and convenient plotting at it’s worst.
It’s truly a shame that a series with as much potential as this had to fall of the wagon in it’s final half, but as is with many adaptations, beginning an anime series based upon an unfinished manga, is just asking for trouble and that’s what Blue Exorcist got with it’s ending, trouble. It falls short of anything close to satisfying, leaving nothing but disappointment behind.
The biggest shame of all though is that this is a series that has spawned such a rabid fan-base and for this anime to end in such a way is rather disparaging for that huge fan-base that was hoping for something a little more satisfying and meaningful from this anime.
Visuals and Audio:
Artistically this half of Blue Exorcist is just as gorgeous as the first. The animation is fluid without any noticeable drops in quality and the character designs are just as unique and interesting. It’s hard to look past the visuals of Blue Exorcist as it’s really one of the series high notes. It’s consistent and in the day and age, that’s a feat in and of itself. To look this consistently stunning is so damn impressive, I just have to give A1-Pictures credit where it is due and they certainly earned it with the brilliant artwork and animation they have done for this anime.
The music in Blue Exorcist also continues to be great, with the second opening and ending doing a good job at setting the tone as well as standing on their own as great songs in their own right. On top of that the incidental tracks are brilliantly composed and perfectly timed with precision.
It really feels like A1-Pictures know how to do pull off great animation and soundtracks, but for the life of them they can’t write their own original plots when it comes to adaptations. It’s evident where there strong point lies when adapting material and it’s in the aesthetics. Give them the job of writing for someone else’s characters and disaster is sure to follow.
Extras:
Madman have done a pretty good job with Blue Exorcist Collection 2 in terms of special features as they have packed in a fair amount of extra content to satisfy fans of the series looking for some more bang for their buck. On disc you’ve got textless opening and ending themes (a standard inclusion for anime releases), web versions of the next episode previews and a special extra animation called Ura-Ex (B-Side Exorcist) which is some nice fan service.
As you can see this is a decent amount of bonus content, considering that this release is without an English dub (an issue plaguing many anime releases as of late). I can’t express this enough, but an English dub for big releases like this should be a given. Surely it wouldn’t have hurt them to simply wait for the American’s to finish the dubbing? Regardless there is enough content here to look past the troubling lack of English audio.
Overall:
Blue Exorcist Collection 2 has the unfortunate job of containing the lackluster ending to this series. If you have been following this anime and had high hopes for an amazing finish, I regret to inform you that what lies ahead is nothing short of a disappointment. This was an anime series brimming with potential but it all falls apart once A1-Pictures tries to make up their own story with these characters. They just don’t have good enough a grasp of who the characters are the series suffers because of it. If you have followed Blue Exorcist this far, you may as well finish things off, but prepare yourself for what is ultimately a very unfitting end to an anime series that was relatively good for the most part.
Many Christmas shopping parents and children might be disappointed this year, with the news that EB Games Australia will no longer be taking orders for Nintendo’s latest console as of tomorrow. Two weeks ago, EB Games Australia announced that the cutoff date for Wii U pre-orders was to be set for the 18th of November, less than two weeks from the console’s Aussie and Kiwi launch. EB Australia has confirmed that all existing orders will be covered on the launch day, but no mention has yet been made as to when the next shipment of stock will be available. This news comes following the noted shortages of stock in North America and Europe, as EB International and Gamestop also seem to have ordered out of their day one stock.
It has not yet been confirmed as to whether or not other retailers like JB HiFi have also ordered out, the odds are that if the country’s largest game retailer has run low on stock, you can bet that many others are likely to follow.  Fingers crossed that further allocation will become available to shops (and Santa) before the holiday season comes to a close.
Microsoft and 343 Industries’ live-action web series that has Halo fans clamouring, more than ever, for a feature length Halo film, will be getting a home media release.
Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn will be coming to Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital Download on December 4th, and will reportedly feature the approximately 15 minutes of unseen footage (true, except for those of us who own the Limited Edition of Halo 4) along with all the bonus behind-the-scenes extras that Halo 4 Limited Edition owners already have access to via the included redemption code, and viewable on Halo Waypoint.
The $10 million, 90 minute production, which was broken into five 15 minute long episodes (factor in the missing 15 minutes of footage!) for the web prior to the release of Halo 4, will be presented long-form on Home Media, as a film. Frank O’Connor, Franchise Development Director for 343 Industries – who also made a cameo in the series – stated: “This film has a TV-14 rating, and deals with some pretty grim subjects, but in the framework of the Halo universe…Our intent was to make it ‘feel’ like the same tone as the game, but with perhaps more emphasis on grittier, more human concepts, given the medium.”
The Blu-Ray and DVD versions can be pre-ordered here.
Ubisoft now has film adaptations moving forward on two of their biggest IPs. First, it was announced that Michael Fassbender will co-produce and star in an Assassin’s Creed film, being developed by Ubisoft Motion Pictures and New Regency. Now, a Splinter Cell film adaptation has it’s lead male role cast. Tom Hardy will be playing the Third Echelon field operative we know all too well, Sam Fisher.
Variety confirmed the casting news on the same day that Collider revealed the screenwriter for the film; Eric Singer, who wrote the 2009 investigative thriller, The International, starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts. Ubisoft is currently searching for the perfect studio to partner with on the production, with negotiations with Warner Bros. and Paramount having begun. Tom Hardy is blowing up in Hollywood, quickly becoming one of the most sought after actors of the last decade. The involvement of both Fassbender and Hardy, respectively, in these two high-profile game-to-film adaptations marks a great coup for the genre and is a promising sign for it’s future.
CEO of Ubisoft Motion Pictures, Jean-Julien Baronnet had this to say about The Dark Knight Rises mega-star: “Tom Hardy is currently one of the biggest talents in the film industry, and he has a phenomenal ability to take on complex and varied roles with his broad range of acting skills…His involvement in the Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell movie is exciting news for movie and video game fans alike.” Praise for screenwriter Eric Singer was also relayed: “Meanwhile, Eric Singer is one of the most talented writers of the moment, and … we’re confident he’ll bring a fresh approach and create a thrilling story … while still respecting all the codes and traditions of the franchise that are so important to fans.”
For me, this is very exciting news, and I am more hopeful than ever that the silver screen will finally be blessed with a worthy game-to-film adaptation, and that the original work of all the fantastic story and character writers in the video game industry can be recognised on a larger scale. Some discredit the attempts at getting these films made, but cross-media attracts a wider audience to the source, which is good for business!
And today marks the launch of the Nintendo Wii U console over in the North America region of gaming. Nintendo and other retailers have held numerous launch parties for the launch of the device and many millions of fans have been recorded as participating.
At the official Nintendo World store in the U.S, Reggie Fils-Aime was seen giving a live talk to fans to celebrate the launch of the console. The Wii U Facebook page has some pretty good shots of the event, so you should definitely check out the link here.
Do you have your Wii U yet? What are your thoughts on the device?
Call of Duty is, without argument, the best video game franchise in gaming history – ever. For those of you with arguments as to why this series is not the best gaming franchise ever, your points are invalid simply because they do not support the fact that this game franchise is the best game franchise in all of gaming history of all time.
In fact, I’d wager that those that believe that they have an opposing view on this subject actually do believe that they do; but really they don’t. Does that sentence make sense? No. Good. Neither do those fools arguing against the greatest franchise in gaming ever.
So why is Call of Duty the greatest franchise ever? Well, you all should know this already considering that your agreeance on this being the greatest gaming franchise of all time is what that lead you here in the first place. So really, why should I go into detail on why this is the greatest franchise in gaming ever? Considering that this is already common knowledge amongst the gaming community it seems kind of moot to even discuss it. Heck, I’d be wasting both my own time and yours by over-analysing what is simply the greatest thing to happen to gaming since women picked up a microphone.
What do women and Call of Duty have in common? Nothing much really, other than some can often be found playing the franchise. I mean, if gamer-girls like it, then it must be good. Heck, it’s so good that even gamer-guys like it. So if you’re able to pull in two halves of a gender and put them together around a common entity, then that entity must be some kind of godlike entity. I can’t be wrong here, because it’s Call of Duty.
Did you know that Call of Duty is one of those games that require a large amount of skill to even become good at? I mean, how many arena shooter players out there can 360 no-scope a headshot on a moving target whilst falling off a building? Probably none. Because none of those wusses are as good as the Call of Duty gaming elite. This video here proves that.
You know what else Call of Duty is better than? Everything else of course. That’s what. Those fools winning millions of dollars in DoTA and it’s clones (LoL, DoTA2, HoN, etc.) tournaments, useless. I’d like to see them attain a KDR of 20:1 (kills/deaths). They probably couldn’t even find the correct trigger to shoot. They probably have it mapped to X; those wusses. Yeah, that’s right, I play BLOPS2 on a Playstation 3. It is, after all, the superior version of the game.
You see a lot of game franchises change and evolve over the course of their franchises history, usually with each one getting better and better while adding more and more features to make themselves increasingly fun. Call of Duty doesn’t do this. Why should it? The formula is already perfect – why fix what is not broken. Or even better, why add more sugar to a cake that is already giving you diabetes? You don’t want to die do you? No. Having a Call of Duty game with more Call of Duty on top certainly would be a danger to your personal health. This is why, I believe, Activision has taken to releasing a new topping to the franchises cake each year; rather than giving us all the toppings at the same time.
You know what? Why is Call of Duty even likened to things like video games? It is clearly its own beast that is clearly deserving, neigh, is entirely its own thing. Video games and Call of Duty are two entirely different breeds. Video games are for children, but Call of Duty is clearly not. The fully adult audience knows this to be the case and is why you never encounter an eight year old with a sniper-rifle sitting in some corner somewhere that’s just out of the games drawing field. Doesn’t this paragraph entirely destroy the premise of this article? Yes. But it also proves that Call of Duty transcends what it means to be a video game and notifies us of the glory that is Call of Duty.
So once again, Call of Duty is a gaming franchise so great that it can no longer be associated with video games. Call of Duty was the greatest franchise ever in gaming history, but now it is some kind of god that can not be trifled with. If you do, you shall incur its wrath.
If you’re having an argument about why Call of Duty is the greatest franchise ever and just can’t find the words you need to win, like Call of Duty does, then just link the clueless fools to this article. It’ll win for you. Like Call of Duty does.
Earlier we posted that Hanabee would be acquiring and releasing the great .hack//G.U. Trilogy movie from the .hack// franchise. Now we’ve discovered that they will be further licensing two more series in the realm of Anime. These two series are: Gyo and Hakuoki.
The acquisitions were announced at a panel in Adelaide today at the Supanova convention being held over there. These were also announced on Twitter, so any fans following their page will have already noticed these announcements.
Be sure to check out the official tweets below for more info. Gyo and Hakuoki are announced to be releasing in March 2013.
Hanabee New Acquisition| Hakuoki| March 2013 release #Hanabeepanel
Coming to Australia in February 2013 is the .hack// movie based on and retelling the events of the G.U. games, called .hack//G.U. Trilogy. This movie is being released courtesy of our friends over at Hanabee, which have been releasing Anime series and the Red Vs. Blue franchise over here in Australia.
.hack//G.U. follows the story of Sora Haseo the Adept Rogue as he searches for the evil Tri-Edge player-killer character. The film version of the story condenses the three games into a roughly 2 hour film and retells it in a slightly more straightforward manner.
Be sure to check stores locally for the film in February. Be sure to check out the twitter post below.
Hanabee New Acquisition| .hack//G.U. Trilogy| Feb 2013 release #Hanabeepanel
Microsoft and 343 Industries’ live-action web series that has Halo fans clamouring, more than ever, for a feature length Halo film, will be getting a home media release.
