First there was Ys: Woodland of Celceta, a remake of Ys IV. Now, Nihon Falcom has announced a new Vita game: The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Keisei Event Full Voice Edition (yes that is the title). The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Keisei is the sequel to Sora no Keisei. The first one was recently released in the West as Trails in the Sky. Trails of Zero (a rough translation of the title) was released last September in Japan. Over here, we are still waiting for the second chapter of the Sora no Keisei trilogy.
Not much has been said about the game expect, as the title may suggest, the game will have more voice acting than the Playstation Portable version. The game has an official site (www.zero-full.com) but it is only an image of the main characters of the game and some text. However, there is one piece of text which can be considered important. If you go to the website, one would notice the number 2012. That is the release year of the game but only for Japan.
Falcom has also partnered up with several companies in relation to the production of the game. Two companies that have been noted are figure maker Chara-Ani and Patapon creators Pyramid Inc. Can this mean that, with the inevitable Limited Edition going to be released, we will see a figurine within it? Also, will we see XSEED Games localise the game in the coming years?
Following Shueisha’s anouncement of the Medaka Box manga to be adapted into animation, is the news that popular basketball manga Kuroko no Basuke has also been green-lit to be animated.
But wait, there is more! Legendary anime studio, Production I.G, has been confirmed to be handling the series. Production I.G are well known for their incredible production value and quality of animation, having created such masterpieces of animation as Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Eden of the East.
Kuroko no Basuke follows a school basketball team as they attempt to take their team to the inter high school championship.
No other details have been announced, however more information is said to be forthcoming from Shueisha.
Sentai Filmworks have been on fire lately when it comes to licensing titles hot from Japan and the trend continues with Sentai announcing their acquisition of the much hyped Persona 4: The Animation.
The new series set to debut on Japanese screens this upcoming fall season on the6th of October, is an adaption of the popular Persona 4 video game.
Sentai have announced that they will digitally distribute the series through multiple outlets and have slated the series for a DVD and Blu-Ray release at some point in 2012. The english dub cast for Sentai’s version is yet to be announced, however it may be unlikely that the video game’s cast will reprise their roles considering Sentai usually do their own in house voice work.
What do you think of this announcement? Let us know in the shout box or comments section.
Genre: Racing, Drama, Action Price: $59.99AU (Buy Here) Rating: M For Mature Audiences. Contains Animated Violence. Recommended for Viewers over 15. Publisher: MADMAN Format: DvD (Reviewed), Blu-Ray
Ballet, Motorcycles and Mechatronics. Rideback. That is all
Seriously though, Rideback is an amazing Anime series that should be seen by all Anime fans/ Otaku at least once in their lifetimes. It is seriously that good. From the awesome mechanical designs, to the Mach-Rider-esque theme song, Rideback carries an awesome tune the entire way through… well, most of the way through anyway. “What’s this!?” you might be wondering; read on to find out more.
Story
Rideback follows the various exploits of the Rideback club, and its newest and most important member Rin Ogata. The story takes off when an ex-ballet dancer, Rin, is attending a college and is drawn into the Rideback Clubs garage during a downpour of rain. Soon Rin finds herself atop a legendary Rideback known as a L-Type Fuego, which apparently means fire, and with it she becomes a great Rideback pilot.
What I found strange about the Rideback Anime’s story is that the Fuego and Rin’s bond is absent for nearly an entire half of the story. You see them both grow and conquer so much together in the first few episodes that it gives you this impression that they’re going to take the center stage throughout the entirety of the series. And, as I’ve stated, this is not the case. The story quickly becomes a poorly rounded saga of life under a strict military rule, some Ridebacks are shown to be fighting this regime, but you ultimately don’t care about them, their riders or any of it really. What you’re promised at the start is not what you end up with and it makes you feel ripped off.
This is especially true with this one character who seems as though they’re to become a love interest to the protagonist, only to have anything to do with him scrapped until the very end. There is no romance, it’s set-up to be the beginning of one, but there’s no pay-off. I’m kinda glad, as I didn’t like the character all that much anyway.
It really irked me that from the mid-point onwards, Rin barely touched a Rideback (she maybe handled two of them for very shorts amounts of time) and any time a Rideback vehicle was shown; it was holding a gun and walking. The beginning of the series started with an awesome concept, fast races and a personal tale of growth and fun, whereas, the series quickly declined into cheap drama and a very poorly thought-out military concept.
I know it sounds harsh to be compaining about such a prominent part of the story, especially since it had played a part since the beginning, but it was ultimately the racing and the incredibly well done action scenes mixed with amazing characters that sells you on the series. The story just does not head in a likeable direction after it’s sucked you in. If you want my opinion on this, watch the first half of the story and then make up your own ending. But, if you’re anything like me, you’ll become invested in the characters and continue watching just to see what happens.
Animation
The quality of Animation within Rideback is superb. Handled by one of the best Anime houses in Japan, Madhouse, every scene is incredibly smooth, nicely detailed and blended incrdibly well.
I’m going to be honest here, I absolutely hate CGI in my Anime. It looks cheap, it’s generally out of flow with whatevers happening around it and it usually sticks out like a sore thumb; so you can imagine how dissappointed I felt when I looked at the back cover and saw CGI motorbike-mechs. However, once I started watching the show, I found that I absolutely loved the way they had animated each of the vehicles within the series. Madhouse had managed to blend the vehicles into the scenes so well that I didn’t care/notice that there was CGI in my Anime.
The one major gripe I had with the animation is that one of the main characters, Shoko I believe, had this weird thing where she appeared to have one tooth for the entirety of the series. I swear, mouth opened or closed, that one tooth was ever present, always protruding, never desisting. It wasn’t that bad a distraction, but it did give me the impression that she only really had one tooth, maybe she does? It is never discussed.
Audio
Rideback has, quite possibly, one of the best Anime soundtracks that I have ever heard. The opening theme is very reminiscent of the old videogame Mach Rider, as are many of the tracks found playing in the background of the series. If you’re someone who enjoys Anime soundtracks, you’re going to love a huge number of pieces from this show.
Counter to what I just stated, though, is that Rideback also might have some pretty terrible tunes playing in the second half of the series. While they’re not so bad that they detract from the experience, they’re just not as dynamic as the soundtrack used in the first half of the 12 episode series.
As with any Anime release, you’ll get people asking ‘which is superior, the dub or the sub?’ To them I say, ‘Watch it the way you want to.’ There wasn’t really that much of a quality difference in audio between the Japanese and English dubs. Or at least, I’d like to say that. However, in Rideback the 5.1 channel English track is far more superior to the 2 channel Japanese track, regardless of language preference. I also found the Japanese track to be mixed at a much louder volume level to the English track, which hurt my ears a bunch while switching through during playback.
My one major complaint with the Audio does not have anything to do with audio fidelity, it has more to do with accuracy. Early on in the series, many of the characters can be heard spewing various internet memes during regular chat. My main gripe is this one line from the first episode: “[…]Rin doesn’t confident in the way that she dances…” Please, no. So I hear Rideback is cool, she is motorbikes and doesn’t afraid of anything. It’s bad enough that I have to listen to this kind of babble at conventions, I don’t want to hear it in my Anime as well. While the other meme’s are a lot more subtle, they are still present (particularly early on) but they do seem to dissappear by the time the second half comes along.
The absolute best part about the audio though. The opening theme song was recorded by MELL, who also did the opening theme “Red Fraction” for the Anime series Black Lagoon. The theme for this series is Rideback and carries the feel of the series accordingly.
Special Features
Rideback comes along with a small selection of Special Features across both of it’s discs. These range from standard, to out of the ordinary, but still seemingly standard.
Of main interest within these features are the two commentaries, one on each disc, that cover the content of the episode they’re about. The commentaries are on both Episode 4 and Episode 10.
The other special features are your standard fare, textless opening and closing; and Anime Previews. I’m not complaining, the commentaries are well worth watching and the rest are just icing on a yummy frosted cake.
Overall
The first half of the series of Rideback is an incredibly fun and emotive work that promises so much with its imaginative world and awesome characters. It is heavily detracted by the second half, which often feels bland and uninspired (as though they may have had a different team working on it or something), but is still not enough of a deal breaker to avoid watching altogether. The series is incredibly bi-polar, being really awesome and fun at the beginning, and then becoming incredibly depressing and dark by the end.
I am quite glad that I had the opportunity to watch this series, and definitely feel it’s worth picking up.
In the middle of next month, well-known game developer and publisher Level-5 will host their own gaming event entitled Level-5 World. Games from the studio will be shown to the public before release. Being held at the Tokyo Big Site, admission will be free. So, if you are in Tokyo on October 15 or 16 (or both dates), I would recommend paying a visit. Just be early.
The official website has been updated with a partial list of games that will be available as a demo at the event. This list includes:
Ni no Kuni (PS3)
Inazuma Eleven Go (3DS)
Girls’ RPG (3DS)
Fantasy Life (3DS)
Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney (3DS)
Time Travelers (3DS)
Games that are announced at the event may also be playable. Notice the tremendous amount of support for the 3DS. At the Tokyo Game Show, a Sony document noted a Level-5 game in development for the Vita. This could be the event where we will know what the game may be.
Below is a commercial for the event, which highlights some of the games covered in that list. Also mentioned in the commercial is a new Gundam game for the upcoming anime Gundam AGE, which is being overseen by Level-5 and the story was created by Level-5 president Akihiro Hino. The Gundam AGE game will take the RPG route. I know one certain Capsule Computer editor who would be excited to hear that announcement.
Can’t make it to the show? No worries, as Level-5 did announce that some events will be broadcast on Ustream for the world to enjoy. However, the main stage show, Level-5 Vision, hasn’t been mentioned whether it will be broadcast on Ustream. One would expect that, considering this is where the title announcements will take place, this should be broadcast. I know I would like to see it. You know what would be better? Actually being there. Level-5 are excellent developers and Ni No Kuni for the Playstation 3 is on my Most Wanted list. I hope we hear a certain announcement on the back of this one.
Shueisha have announced through their flagship magazine, Weekly Shonen Jump, that the popular school fighting comedy manga Medaka Box has been green-lit to become an anime series. This is big news for shonen fans who have long awaited this popular manga making the jump (pun intended) to anime.
For those who are out of the know when it comes to Medaka Box, the series follows Medaka Kurokami after she becomes the head of the Student Council and decides to open a suggestion box, to help improve the school. Unfortunately there is bigger problems facing the school then messy club rooms. Bigger problems such as a principal supervising an experimentaton program on students to tap into their inherent supernatural abilites!
Not much else has been revealed regarding the anime adaptation of Medaka Box at this point. However more information is set to be revealed in the following weeks in Weekly Jump.
Konami have released extensive detailing of the online mode for PES 2012, which hits Australian stores in two weeks time (October 13th) and was released in the Americas earlier this week.
Some of the newest additions to the online experience in the Master League of PES for the upcoming release include the ability to alter team styles, the introduction of contract periods, and increased more realistic injuries and fitness management. Facebook functionality is another new feature under “myPES”, allowing results to be shared amongst friends including league tables.
PES 2012 online will allow up to eight players to link up on PS3, 360 and PC, and as a means of enhancing this, Community Mode has been improved, giving users a wider pool of opponents to play against with up to 100 users able to join a Community group. Inter-community matches have also been added to add further depth and rivalries.
“Online is a key element to PES 2012 and we have worked hard to deliver options that enhance both the competitive edge of the game, and that bolster the solo modes in Master League Online,” commented Jon Murphy, European PES Team Leader for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “PES 2012 is all about skill, playing a team’s strengths and flowing football – who wouldn’t want to share that with their mates!”
One final addition which was announced to accompany the launch of PES in America was the creation of www.canyouplaypes.com, featuring vignettes from renown referee Roberto Roberto Roberto, conveying the PES Code of Conduct as a way to maintain the integrity of the game. Additionally, the website will have UEFA Champions League and Copa Santander Libertadores news feeds, PES 2012 trailers and regular updates on PES news and events.
Interested in seeing some more Skullgirls combat? Sure you are, how about a trailer focused around introducing a new fighter into the mix. Her name is Parasoul and she is a mini-skirt wearing crowned princess of Canopy Kingdom. She fights on her own but that doesn’t mean she won’t call in her soldiers to do a bit of damage as well.
Don’t take my word for it though, check out the trailer below and of course keep an eye out for more from Reverge Labs’ Skullgirls, since despite the delay, this fighting game looks to be more interesting than any of the Street Fighter remakes that have been pushed out lately. 2012 can’t come soon enough!
Well well well. It seems that when a company doesn’t mention a whole lot about a game in a long time, they have to end up releasing a whole ton of news all at one time. Today Atlus not only released a trailer for The Cursed Crusade but also a date for the game to be released which is October 25th on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 as well as saying a demo will come out a few weeks before the game is released.
The demo will give players a chance to take on the “Assault of Castle Biron” and fight off tons of soldiers both as a normal person as well as a the demon side of Denz. You can catch the trailer itself below and learn a little bit about the storyline.
Cave Story 3D may have fancy 3D sprites now, but the series wasn’t always in 3D. In fact the title used to be a 2D game originally released six years ago on the PC and last year as WiiWare as simple Cave Story. Now the 3D models may be nice, but those yearning to have the good ol’ 2D sprites back, can choose to do so.
The team at Nicalis and NIS America have just revealed that Cave Story 3D will have a 2D mode which is much different than simply shutting off the Nintendo 3DS’ 3D mode. It actually takes Quote’s sprite (main character) into a 2D sprite that travels through 3D levels. You can check out the screenshots below to see how this 2D sprite looks, or of course you can check it out yourself when the game is released on November 8th.
