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Yatterman Review

Kelly Teng
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Genre: Live Action/Action/Adventure
Produced by: Nikkatsu
Director: Takashi Miike
Starring: Sho Sakurai, Saki Fukuda, Anri Okamoto, Kyoko Fukada, Katsuhisa Namase, Kendo Kobayashi
Running time: 107 minutes
Language: Japanese with English subtitles
Available for purchase at: Madman Online Store ($29.95)

Overview

I’m not a fan of live action films. There, I said it. Something about the tacky outfits, the casting of people who really don’t fit the role of playing someone who is so perfect in drawing, and the special effects which appear as just that – effects – doesn’t appeal to me. Take the failed Dragon Ball movie, the terrible attempts at a Sailor Moon live action, and [insert all the other terrible live action titles here], and there really shouldn’t be any reason for me to pick up another live action film again…except now, there is.

Yatterman may just be able to renew my faith in what I see as a largely unpopular genre in the Western world. The film is very anime-esque, yet even more powerful than that is the fact that it’s possibly the weirdest yet genuinely enjoyable and light-hearted film that I’ve seen in a long time. With plenty of “what the…?” moments, and even more moments of laughter and exclaiming “that’s so awesome!”, Yatterman really did come out as a film that caters to both the kid in the adult and the adult itself.

Plot

The plot originates from its namesake, the animated Yatterman, but Takashi Miike specifically said he was not trying to take the animation and simply throw it on to the big screen. Thankfully, Takashi’s storyline is simple and really allows the audience to focus on what really matters: the cool visuals and the awesome characters.

Gan Takada (Yatterman #1, played by Sho Sakurai) and Ai Kaminari (Yatterman #2, played by Saki Fukuda) are a couple who work in a toy factory in Tokyoyo by day. However, at night they transform into superhero duo Yatterman. Accompanied by their mechas Yatterwoof and Toybotty, Yatterman fight crime and stop evil from occurring all over the world. Their thieving enemies, the Dorombo gang who work under the ‘God of thieves’ Skullobey, are currently on the hunt for the four pieces of the Skull Stone which – when united – are said to create a miracle.  One day, Yatterman come across a girl, Shoko (Anri Okamoto), whose father has gone missing after searching for the Skull Stone, and together with Shoko they must find a way to stop the Dorombo gang before they find all the pieces and take over the world.

Yes, it sounds like one of those superhero films you loved when you were a child. The storyline is really so simple and easy to follow so there’s nothing really unique about it; at the same time it’s incredibly engaging and hilarious. From the underlying love story Gan and Ai to Shoko’s search for her own courage, there is something for every single viewer of all ages – except kids, because there’s also a ridiculous amount of sexual humour. The best part is that Takashi Miike took the great elements from a 1970s anime and made it current with tons of pop culture references – think Indiana Jones costumes – so the modern audience can enjoy everything Yatterman has to offer without feeling like they’re watching a kid’s show.

Characters

The film’s main characters are Yatterman #1 and #2, Shoko, and the Dorombo gang consisting of Lady Doronjo (Kyoko Fukada), Boyacky (Katsuhisa Namase), and Tonzura (Kendo Kobayashi). Each has their own unique personality traits which adds to the quirkiness of the film, and this is probably one of the few films I’ve seen where I’ve found almost every character funny at some point.

I have to say Boyacky and Tonzura are probably my two favourites from the film. Those two are the classic goofballs in any Asian film, television series, or anime, and they provide plenty of entertainment across the two hours. Boyacky is a little bit more sex obsessed, which makes him perfect for anyone who enjoys a little bit of perverted humour; I also loved watching his good old fashioned attempts at hitting on his love, Lady Doronjo. Tonzura is slightly more random and more of a support character, but he has his funny moments too.

Most of the women in this film were slightly irritating, though. I liked Lady Doronjo, but Shoko and Yatterman #2 are two of the dullest characters I’ve ever come across in any Japanese film. Shoko’s search for courage is touching to some degree, but Okamoto’s acting is overdramatic and quite obviously just acting. Yatterman #2 was also kind of pathetic and needy with Yatterman #1, which is a shame because I like Fukuda as a person. It’s quite a shame because the film had a lot of potential for funny moments with Shoko and Yatterman #2, but Takashi Miike instead kept them flat, needy, and overdramatic which took away slightly from my enjoyment of the film.

Visual and Audio

The DVD’s back cover says Takashi Miike is an “Oriental Tarantino”. I completely disagree: if we’re comparing him to Hollywood directors, this dude is the Asian equivalent of Tim Burton. In fact, if Burton were to make a live action film based on an anime, I think it would probably look just like this.

The set design was – first and foremost – absolutely spectacular. I adored Lady Doronjo’s bathroom, and places like Tokyoyo and Ogypt (yes, that’s supposed to be Egypt. Told you this film is awesome), have their own Yatterman flair: Ogypt had massive sphinxes with anime-style cat faces on them. What was equally as great, however, was the costumes. Lady Doronjo and Yatterman had costumes which made them genuinely look like they’d popped straight out of an anime; even better though was Skullobey’s massive skull head which must have been a pain for the actor to wear.

As stunning as the set design was though, the animation was equally incredible. There was one particular moment where Tonzura went into a ‘daydream’ sequence of him in a cartoon-esque scenario, and his face is superimposed over an anime body. Yatterman truly managed to surprise me with brilliant and innovative graphics which brought the world of anime into the world of reality without managing to look tacky.

The sound effects were also great, but what I really found to be enjoyable was the soundtrack. This film is filled with remakes of the Yatterman theme song, as well as a few musical elements where the Dorombo gang or Yatterman will spontaneously burst into song. Again, it’s reminiscent of those 80s and 90s anime shows, but Takashi Miike modernized the soundtrack to keep it up to date with its new audience.

Extras

When I opened up the “Extras” menu, I instantly was excited: “Making of Yatterman” and “cast and crew interviews” were displayed in front of me and I thought I would be entertained for another hour or so. Ten minutes later, it finished.

The “Making of” is really very misleading, because it only shows a very little snippet from the production aspect of the film, and none from pre-production or post-production. The interviews were great: I liked hearing Takashi Miike speak about the adaptation from anime to film (he provides excellent insight into what he wanted the film to be), and even better to see an interview with Sho Sakurai, the actor who plays Yatterman #1. The only thing is this: when you enjoy DVD extras, it can suck when they end too early and these ones definitely ended far too early.

The theatrical trailer is included in the DVD as well, but this really didn’t stand out to me and after 30 seconds of the trailer I stopped the disc. The trailer isn’t half as spectacular as the film, and I would rather find another minute and a half of the film to watch again rather than view the trailer.

Final Comments

Overall, Yatterman was a highly enjoyable film which was engaging in both its plot and its visual elements. While I probably wouldn’t watch it again, this film did provide me with a great experience and plenty of laughs. It’s a must-see for any fan of the original 1970s Yatterman, or for any fan of live action in general. Oh, and Takashi Miike…please do a collaboration with Tim Burton in some crazy East-vs-West film. We’d all love to see it.

I give Yatterman

7-5-capsules-out-of-10

Two New Trailers Show off the Stunning Sights in Dream Trigger 3D…

Dustin Spencer
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Dream Trigger 3D couldn’t honestly be coming at a better time as the brand new arcade shooter from D3Publisher is looking to end the drought of 3DS titles with some intense action and a top of the line musical score that will surely be a fantastic way to break in that new 3DS. Recently, two new trailers were released, each showing off a different part of the game, proving that this visual experience will be an expansive journey throughout the 50 levels the game boasts.

These two clips come under the titles “Colony Hostility” & “Infinite Tranquility”, and both of which do a great job of showing off the actual gameplay. The bottom screen is used as more of a sonar as players shoot their way through levels on the top screen with colors, lights and debris bursting out of the screen. The music also is a big factor in Dream Trigger 3D, as the beats blaring from the speakers are all set to play with the actual visuals, creating a full 3D experience in both forms. Of course the trailers are not in 3D, so just watching these clips won’t give you a true glimpse of the final product, but I can easily see how the 3D will work in Dream Trigger and I am really liking how this title is shaping up.

Dream Trigger 3D launches on May 10th for the Nintendo 3DS and you can check out both trailers below.

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlC_QIpQbHE&feature=related[/pro-player]

Duke Nukem Forever PS3 details

Darren Resnekov
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In the words of Randy Pitchford, the CEO, President and Co-founder of Gearbox games, “this is a title people have been waiting over a decade to play, and we all deserve to play this game for ourselves”. This guy knows the Duke well, having started his career with 3D Realms, responsible for all the Duke Nukem titles coming after the original. Not having a title in the franchise since 1997, Duke was dead and buried until Gearbox games decided to resurrect the ass kicking, alien splatting legend.

The game has had involvement from a lot of different studios and individuals and carries a great deal of excitement and nostalgia for all those involved. Pitchford, via the Official Playstation blog, tells how the original design and vision for the game came from 3D Realms studio, and how “with the exception of just one person, every single designer and artist listed in the credits of the 2001 Duke Nukem forever trailer had at some point every joined Gearbox software or are part of the project”. He goes on to give praise for Triptych Studios, which was created by 3D Realm ex-employees, for keeping the Duke Nukem Forever dream alive. Working at Triptych is Duke Nukem co-creator Allen Blum who has never left the heroes side.

Gearbox are working close with Piranha studios, who are going to be responsible for the multiplayer portion of the game as well as preparing it for the PS3 console. He also goes on to thank 2K games for the support they are giving the game as publisher of the title. The one thing that comes through in this article is the sheer passion these guys have for getting this game out to the public. They just want as many people to experience the same feelings they have towards the franchise and to stress the importance of keeping the character alive in the video game market. It’s hard to sum exactly what he was trying to get at, but in his own words, “It’s about being the biggest badass known to mankind and taking down bosses the size of buildings all the while quipping one-liners. It’s about the gratification that comes from overcoming thinking challenges and even solving in-game context appropriate puzzles — actual puzzles, not just blindly running forward like we do with other games that often times can just play themselves. It’s about keeping the experience going for more than five or six hours and creating something that feels EPIC. It’s about exploring, finding all the hidden items and gags, and discovering what you can and can’t do. It’s about kicking ass and taking names. And that’s something we will all get to try for yourself soon enough”.

 

Duke Nukem Forever ships out to stores on June 14th in North America and June 10th internationally.

EA Announce Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows- Part 2…

Dustin Spencer
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EA Announce Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows- Part 2…

Leading this summer’s huge box office line-up is without a doubt the final film in the Harry Potter franchise, Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2. The news that there will be a videogame for the final movie should not shock anyone as every single movie in the franchise has received the videogame treatment and nothing looks to be changing as EA have announced just that bit of news today so you Potterheads can breathe easy as the last film will indeed be gracing consoles.

With the announcement also came with a brand new trailer which is introduced by Hermione Granger actress, Emma Watson. Now the trailer itself shows off very little of the actual gameplay, but I have a little bit of hope that this series will go out with a bang as this is the last of the Harry Potter games (aside from the next lego version anyway…) and also the darkest and most exciting point in the series’ canon. Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 1 was released last year and wasn’t exactly a very fulfilling title, even with the Kinect support added in, so hopefully this time around more polish and creativity will be used into the actual game as I am quite a follower of the Potter films and we have not truly seen a game come in and capture the same magic that the theatrical releases offer.

With that said, I am sure the hardcore fans will still be elated to know another game is coming soon, I just hope it can live up to how big the last film will be in terms of production value and gameplay. Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2 launches in July alongside the official movie release for the Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, and PC. Check out the announcement trailer for yourself below and stay tuned as once more footage arises from this new title we will be sure to bring it to you.

Operation Flashpoint: Red River Out Now

Roger Ma
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Codemasters’s highly anticipated tactical first person shooter ‘Operation Flashpoint: Red River’ is now available in Australia and Europe for Xbox 360, Playstaion 3 and PC. Operation Flashpoint: Red River puts players into realistic, tactical combat situations. Set in a Tajikistan, players take a role in a US Marine Fireteam – Rifleman, Scout, Auto Rifleman and Grenadier – who all have a unique skill to bring to combat.

Operation Flashpoint: Red River sets it apart for other first person shooters by putting an emphasis on authentic realism and four player campaign co-operative gameplay, where players will have work together as a team to complete their objectives. Codemasters have also released a new launch video focusing on each member’s specialities that makes up the US Fireteam. North American gamers will have to wait a little longer to get their hand on the game, with a June 7 release date.

 

Gameloft brings NOVA to Facebook

Benjamin Webb
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Handheld gaming giants, Gameloft, have brought their first person shooter franchise – ‘NOVA’ – to the Facebook gaming platform.

This version of the game is titled “N.O.V.A: Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance: Elite” and is the first First Person Shooter franchise in the social network. As with any social network based games, players will be required to spend real world money on upgrades for equipment and accessories. The game being on a social network means that there will be large community and plenty of support over the life of the game.

The title plays like a traditional FPS and appears visually to be quite nice. The initial load may be a bit long for some players, as the game adds the resources to your computer, but after that it should run near instantly. Though it should be noted that if you do not purchase the required map to advance, you will have to buy it.

Join in on the fun with Myself and MasterABBOTT at NOVA Facebook.

Note: Loving the menu theme.

Yoostar 2 gets Youtube support

Jack Joly
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2

Yoostar Playground, Yoostar 2’s free facebook game brings the Yoostar community together as players could rate, share, comment on, and “mash-up” performances. However, getting your videos seen was a little bit fiddly. Until now. A new update means players can now post their performances directly to Youtube, and several other changes have been made based on feedback from the fans. Yoostar Playground on Facebook is adding several frequently requested features during the next two weeks:

-Players will be able to post performances on Facebook user walls;

-A new “boost” power up will amplify earned activity points in different scenarios so players can move up the leaderboard faster;

-The Store will alert players to fresh downloadable content as soon as it hits the Xbox Live and PlayStation networks;

-New video tutorials will help players move from beginners to pros on Yoostar 2;

-A news feed delivered directly to Facebook user pages will alert fans to everything from the latest tips and tricks, to who was seen using Yoostar or is making a meteoric rise in the standings

It’s great to see Yoostar Entertainment Group listening to the fans and acting on it, and social network support was always one of the game’s merits as the videos would be meaningless without someone to laugh at them with.

X Rebirth Announced

Benjamin Webb
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Deep silver, in accordance with developer EGOSOFT have just recently announced the latest game in the X series. For those of you unfamiliar with the X franchise, they are essentially a kind of space simulator. I think that the series tagline sums it up better though, ‘Trade, Build, Fight’. The title is planned for a quarter four release, 2011.

Essentially the game will feature a rich and driven economy, as well as dangerous space pirates and tough as nails dogfights. The game will follow a male protagonist and his female partner as they travel the galaxy in an old ship ‘with a glorious past’. The title also promises top notch graphics (which fans of the series know will be delivered) and tonnes of variation, fitting the playstyle of each player.

The title – X Rebirth – looks to be a hint of some kind of remake or a kind of rebirth for the series. But as the press release states: “The space simulation X Rebirth heralds more than just an additional chapter within the X series, it is a fresh beginning bringing with it a number of gameplay innovations without compromising its successful origins”  it looks like it is just a new title in the existing universe, but featuring fresh characters.

I know it’s bad to push bias in a news article, but I’m personally pumped for this game!

Images –

Links –

X-Rebirth Homepage

X-Rebirth Facebook

X-Rebirth Egosoft Community

Press release –

20th April 2011 – Hampshire, UK /… Publisher Deep Silver and developer Egosoft today announced the latest game set in the X Universe, set to transport the multi-award-winning series to another dimension with radically new game design and top notch graphics. The space simulation X Rebirth heralds more than just an additional chapter within the X series, it is a fresh beginning bringing with it a number of gameplay innovations without compromising its successful origins.

In the distant future, the X universe faces a period of profound and irrevocable change. While the universe stumbles towards an uncertain future, countless adventures await as new enemies rise in search of power. Enter a young adventurer and his unlikely female ally traveling in an old, battered ship with a glorious past – two people alone against the galaxy, playing a key part in the events to come. The fate of the universe rests in the hands of the player…

X Rebirth represents a spectacular new beginning for the X series, offering loyal fans and newcomers alike a vast, vivid and extremely detailed universe to explore throughout the game. Varied gameplay elements such as action-packed space combat, detailed trading mechanics and high-speed space exploration with fast travel allow players to experience a truly unique space saga that will keep them hooked for dozens of hours. X Rebirth features a whole new user experience – it is easier than ever to start with, and remains as deep as fans expect it.

X Rebirth for PC is expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Saints Row: The Third – THQ MEDIA RELEASES!

Michael Marr
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What I’ve loved about the previous instalments in the Saints Row series is that they DIDN’T attempt to create a scruffy, brown coloured, physics bogged, REALITY crime simulator along the lines of the Grand Theft Auto games. It’s for this reason that I, personally, have always preferred playing SR as opposed to GTA. THQ and Volition were able to create a series of crime style sandbox games with an almost active acknowledgement that the situations within the game were so extreme, so over-the-top or so ridiculous that they are actually a ton of fun to play. I mean, what self-respecting gamer doesn’t dream of firing a rocket launcher at hordes of enemy gangsters and evil corporate executives hundreds of feet up the side of a tower from a helicopter being piloted by a total stoner? For those that don’t know, that’s how Saints Row 2 ended.

The latest media releases, and screenshots for the latest instalment, Saints Row: the Third, do not disappoint. From the looks of the screens posted up on the official SR3 website, players are in for an even more over-the-top, adrenaline pumping game experience. The very first gameplay screenshot I saw was this:

The player character (presumably the same protagonist from SR’s1 and 2) is engaged in a mid-air gunfight. With dozens of enemies. Hundreds of feet in the air. While skydiving. BACKWARDS. Oh yes, and did I forget to mention the GIANT BALLS OF FIRE that scream past the player as they’re falling, incinerating everything in their path? No? My bad.

And let’s also not forget some of the vehicle sections. The basic bread and butter of a modern crime sandbox game. From the screens and media revealed so far there appears to be a large variety of cars, just ready to be *ahem* liberated. Additionally, innovations from Saints Row 2 appear to be making a return (such as helicopters and motorcycles). Oh yes, and this little number might also be worth mentioning:

 

Nothing says “subtle” like a TANK, am I right? For those of you who want to get a closer and juicer look at some of the new media that’s been released check out: HERE

  • New Screens The first screenshots of Saints Row: The Third, featuring a skydiving shootout, a massive tank battle on the streets of Steelport and a showdown with a heavily-armed Mexican wrestling gang.
  • New Environment Concept Art Your first look at Steelport, a city of sin controlled by the Syndicate, a global criminal organisation whose latest enterprise is the eradication of the Third Street Saints.
  • New Character Art Your first look at the major players of Steelport:

 • Phillipe Loren: the cold, calculating leader of the Syndicate

 • Zimos: an old-school pimp who hates Morningstar and what they’ve done to pimping, mostly because they ran him out of business and pimpin’ ain’t easy.

• Killbane: leader of the Luchidores Mexican Wrestling gang that has cornered the gambling trade in Steelport.

• Angel de la Muerte: Killbane’s former tag-team partner. The relationship did not end well.

• Matt Miller: Leader of the Deckers and specialist in high-tech cybercrime

Unedited from THQ media release statement:

 “Developed by Volition, Saints Row: The Third is scheduled for release on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and Windows PC later this year.

Years after taking Stilwater for their own, the Third Street Saints have evolved from street gang to household brand name, with Saints sneakers and Saints energy drinks available at a store near you. The Saints are kings of Stilwater, but their celebrity status has not gone unnoticed. The Syndicate, a legendary criminal fraternity with pawns in play all over the globe, has turned its eye on the Saints and demands tribute. Refusing to kneel to the Syndicate, you take the fight to Steelport, a once-proud metropolis reduced to a struggling city of sin under Syndicate control. Take a tank skydiving, call in a satellite-targeted airstrike on a Mexican wrestling gang and defend yourself against a highly-trained military force in the most outlandish gameplay scenarios ever seen, igniting a city-wide war that will set Steelport on fire.”

If you read my joint Phantom: Requiem review, we’d know that taking on a giant GLOBAL crime syndicate is not the best of ideas… From this alone we can conclude that this particular instalment of the Saints Row series will feature a pretty heavy story element. Not that I’d be complaining mind you. I did thoroughly  enjoy the stories of the previous two games. Especially some of the nastier REVENGE missions. I think we can expect this title to be a big seller, not just for the sake of gameplay, but a long, in-depth and enjoyable story keeps players playing. Let me say definatively: Look out for it. Oh, and thsoe bullets flying over your head.

So uh… when can I start pre-ordering? 🙂

SSX dev diary #3 focuses on level design

J. Bradshaw
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Imagine snowboarding down Mount Everest, tricking all the way.  That would be insane, right?  In January 2012 though, this pipe dream will be realized.  Plus, it will be even be possible to go down a mountain in the Rockies, where a train wreck has occurred!  It may sound unbelievable, but once the video below touches your eye sockets, this fantasy will become a reality.

Ok, so maybe not a REALITY, but pretty close.  Look out for the next dev diary to hit on April 27, 2011.  In the meantime, get your groove on with the EA Vancouver team and us know what you think of the game.

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