Fate Unlimited/Codes localized in the U.S.

I never thought that it would make it over to our shores but its true; Fate Unlimited/Codes is making its way to the U.S. for both PS2 and PSP.

For those of you wonder what is Fate/Unlimited Codes, let me explain. Fate began as an eroge in Japan that had multiple scenarios depending on how you played your game. Those scenarios involved the same characters but what happens in the story and the outcome vary greatly. The PC game was a success that it spawned a prequel, light novels, manga, an anime series and a number of games. This is the first of the games to be localized in other countries.

The main character is Shiro Emiya, a boy who gets involved in the Holy Grail War in modern day Japan. Magus (something like a wizard) compete by summoning servants to do battle against each other; the last one standing will be able to obtain the Holy Grail which can grant any one wish. The catch is that the servants they summon are not typical monsters but epic heroes from history's past of future. Shiro becomes unwillingly involved in the tournament when he summons the strongest servant; Saber.
Before I begin let me say one thing: HOLY S**T!! I never thought this game would make it to our side of the world. I have played this game, my friend imported the Japanese version and I think I enjoy it more than he does.

This is a game for all the hardcore fighting fans and anime fans out there; its extremely technical and it punishes players for mistakes with endless combo potential. It can be extremely frustrating yet fun; with the attention it received in Japan, this game became an instant tournament hit. Oh, did I mention it was published by Capcom.

The release date is unknown for now; if you like anime, check out the series (anime or manga, it's worth the money!) Check out what the fuss is about here.

Chris if anything is incorrect, please don't hit me. T_T

[Edit: There has been some changes to the release of Fate Unlimited/Codes. It will be released in the U.S. but only as a downloadable game for the PSP. It will be priced at $29.99. Once again, Capcom makes me cry myself to sleep.]

Punch Out!! Website Opens

The glory days of the NES are being revived with the brand new Punch Out!! for the Wii. The official website has opened yesterday and the music brings me back to the days when I still wet my pants.
Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! is a classic in every sense. It was a simple game that took time to master and the game ranks as one of the best games of all time. The last time the franchise was visited was back on the Super Nintendo with Super Punch Out!! back in 1996. It has been thirteen years and its finally making its comeback.

Punch Out!! puts players in the shoes of Little Mac; an up and coming boxer who who takes on the boxing world with the help of his trainer, Doc Louis. With an arsenal of jabs, body blows and a ferocious upper-cut; players will be taking on diverse opponents around the globe. You can check out the site here.

Doesn't this guy look like Carlton or Cisco? Either way he looks fun to hit. :)

If only they could bring Mario back as the ref...

King of Fighters takes to the skies

SNK will be soon releasing a new King of Fighter's game on Xbox live. But wait, it's not a fighter?

It's actually an arcade style shooter where you would control planes while the screen floods with enemy projectiles. But instead of planes, you get the KOF characters to control. As of now, Kyo and Athena are playable but imagine the possibilities. Here's hoping Nakoruru makes the cut. :)

However, another game did this already. Castle Shikigami, a franchise that few are aware of, is played in the exact fashion. You control people instead of planes and each character differs to a degree. In fact, you can probably pick it up cheap at the local bargain bin at Gamestop for the Wii or 360. While its not a long game, (what kind of arcade shooter is?) it's plenty of fun for a very good price.
As of now, it is scheduled to be released in Japan only but I don't have any doubts that one day it should find its way to the States.

Muramasa is done for...and then saved?

So, I have been incredibly busy with work that I haven't had a chance to blog for a while. Now that I have a free moment, it's time to go over some depressing news.

An upcoming game on the Nintendo Wii known as Muramasa: The Demon Blade is not going to be released to the United States. This gorgeous game is from the creators of the PS2 eye-candy Odin Sphere; the game was fun and a visual treat. The company that was to bring the game over, XSEED, has dropped the title and has not provided a reason for doing so. But now it's spiritual sequel will never see American soil.

Or that was the news as of three days ago...

The game was picked up by Ignition Entertainment which will be releasing the game. It was originally supposed to be released in July but now that date has been pushed back to September. Well, at least it's coming here.

Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora

As of today, I've decided to blog about a new topic. This is the first entry of the new section I would like to call Anime Treasures.

Basically, here I will blog about anime series that I have watched thoroughly and believe they deserve a great amount of recognition. Whether they are famous or obscure titles, old or even new, these series left a good impression. Without further ado, here is the first series.

Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora translates to "The Sky in Which a Half-Moon Rises". This series first debuted in 2006 and it ran for six episodes.

The story is about a seventeen year old boy named Yuichi who is being hospitalize over the winter due to having hepatitis A. He often sneaks out of the hospital at night only to be beaten by the nurse when he returns.

One day, he happened to meet Rika, a girl of his age, in the opposite wing. She's a natural beauty but also a very selfish girl. Although she led him by the nose, he is soon attracted to her. However, when Rika told him about her illness, he realized why she acts so selfish; she doesn't have long to live.

The characters aren't perfect; they have flaws but that makes them seem closer to human. Seeing Yuichi struggling with his new found relationship with Rika is the core of the show. It was a treat watching the young couple cope with their situation and what is to come.

Some of the characters were just intolerable, not all of the jokes were successful at being funny and it was mostly misplaced. Some situations can seem unrealistic and it would of been better off as a drama show or a comedy; not both. The animation is alright but some of the supporting characters look off.

It's not a perfect show and I am certain not too many people have heard of it. But it is an addicting show and you can finish it in an afternoon. Six episodes is perfect; any longer and the story would of dragged on. The show was a hit in Japan where it spawned manga, light novels, five drama CDs and a live action drama.

If you enjoyed movies like A Walk to Remember, this is a good series to check out. Even if you don't, well everyone could use a little drama in their life. This show is great for guys and girls, so don't judge me.

Why do I like these kind of chick shows? Okay, masculine thoughts...

Final Fantasy XIII Demo

If you live in the land of the rising sun, you are one lucky dog. Recently released with FFVII: Advent Children is the playable demo of the highly anticipated Final Fantasy XIII.

The game follows the tale of a woman named Lightning who pretty much looks like a sexy version of Cloud. She is chosen against her will to be a l'Cie, which leads her to be hunted for her powers. It's a nice change to see a strong female lead.
The game looks stunning and absolutely drool worthy. The battle system still retains the ATB system from the previous games but nearly everything else is brand new. When it is your characters turn to act, he/she is allowed to input a number of commands and then carry them out all at once.

For example, if Lightning can do three actions and you choose, "ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK" then she will carry out a three hit combo. This allows the game to pull off battle that would be on par with Tarantino films.

Will we see the demo here on American soil someday? Most definitely. Soon? Well, the demo will be included in our Blu-ray version of FFVII: Advent Children. Will the game meet expectations? Only SQUARE-ENIX holds the answers.

As of now, the release date is sometime in 2010. Hopefully it lives up to the hype and beyond. Check out the game play video here.

Aww, I want a baby chocobo now...

[Edit: There will not be a demo of the game included with Advent Children in the U.S. The demo may possibly be released as a download for the Xbox and PS3. No further news yet.]

End of Eternity

So Tri-Ace is releasing a new RPG in the near future; a game that has a hint of sci-fi and a modern setting. The End of Eternity is a game which I know little to nothing about but what I do know is that the game is being published by SEGA and not SQUARE-ENIX, the long time patron of Tri-Ace. Square is not publishing a RPG? Shocker.

End of Eternity stars Zephyr, a teenager with raging hormones who strangely reminds me of Final Fantasy XIII. Heck, he even has a odd name like Lightning of FFXIII. He and a coworker of his, Vashyron, are both mercenaries who free a girl from a laboratory who is named Experiment 20. She is 19 years old and she is destined to die before she hits 20. Adventure and mayhem probably soon follow.


End of Eternity is scheduled to be released by Winter of 2009 in Japan for PS3 and XBOX360. There has not been a release date set for U.S. yet. Click here to check the trailer.

How do RPG heroes get their hair like that? It's always so perfect...

K-ON! Ep. 1

I like cute girls. I also like cute things. So, how about a show about cute girls doing cute things? Sounds like a great show! Or is it?


K-ON! is a show about four girls who just entered high school and they must join at least one after school activity. The light music club is in danger of disbanding since all previous members graduated so in order to save the club and to do cute things these girls decide to join.

The first to join are Ritsu, a drummer, and her friend Mio who is a Bass player. They later get a girl named Tsugumi to join who plays keyboard. The last person to join is Yui, who plays the... castanets. However, the other members believe she is a guitar prodigy.

The series is animated by Kyoto Animation who is famous for animating Haruhi Suzumiya and Lucky ☆ Star and they did a good job with animating K-ON! So far, the first episode introduces the characters and the premise of the show but otherwise nothing spectacular happens. The music is easy on the ears and the characters are soft on the eyes. The opening and closer are catchy and very happy sounding but I might be inclined to skip it in future episodes.

While the production of the show is good, what bothers me is the characters on the show. Our main character, Yui, is clumsy but she is gentle and innocent. (Maybe too innocent.) Ritsu is the hyperactive member of the group and her friend Mio is the tsundere character keeping everyone in check. Then there Tsugumi, who is the extremely polite one who is a bit of an airhead and probably comes from a rich family.

This all reminds me of another anime...



Don't misunderstand me; it isn't a terrible show. It even made me chuckle once in a while but I feel as if it has all been done before. Whether this series remains on its cliché path or finds it own way, its too soon to tell. It's not innovative but it won't offend anyone either. Hopefully, there will be something to spice up its future.

If you have a half an hour to kill and you like watching cute girls doing cute things then I would check it out but if you don't I won't hold it against you.

Now if you don't mind, I'm gonna go eat tacos...

No interest in future Star Fox

Recently G4 interviewed Dylan Cuthbert, the president of Q Games who was responsible for developing Star Fox and Star Fox: Command. He was also involved in the process of developing the unreleased Star Fox 2 though many of the elements in that game would later be seen in Star Fox 64.

When asked if Q Games would be interested in creating a Star Fox title for the Wii, Cuthbert stated that the company would not be involved with the development of the next installment. He had this to say:

Cuthbert: "(Laughter) After Command? Uhh, not yet. Maybe in another 10 years. I’ve made three."

Cuthbert: "The problem with that is that it’d be a big project, like 100 people on the staff. It’s just not something we really want to do. I’m sure someone will make it. Maybe they’ll go back to Namco."

I love Namco but I really don't want to see another Star Fox: Assault.

I respect the fact that Nintendo doesn't want make games just for fans but to develop games on their own terms. A game that is released just to please fanboys and a game that is released based on innovation has a huge difference in quality. And I'll gladly take quality over mainstream games any day.

Read the full article here: http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/694530/Original-Star-Fox-Creator-Not-Interested-In-Making-Star-Fox-For-Wii.html

If you're disappointed, blame Slippy. (Damn toad)
Now, I'm gonna go play a children's card game while riding a motorcycle. See you next time.

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood Ep. 1

Whoever watches anime has most likely heard of the Full Metal Alchemist. The tale of two brothers who seek to correct their mistake by seeking for the famed Philosopher Stone. When this show first debuted, it garnered a huge following. By the time the show concluded, it became legendary. All sorts of media have been conceived, thriving on its success.

Now, if you do watch the new Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, I have a piece of advice for you. Watch the series knowing only the characters names and background. Forget the plot, character developments, interactions and pretty much everything about the first season. This is more than a second season but a complete revision of the whole series.

Pretending that we know nothing at all about the series except the characters names, we are thrown right into the action and comedy that Full Metal is all about. Edward Elric is the Full Metal Alchemist; the youngest state alchemist in all of military history. His partner is his younger brother, Alphonse Elric; who is enclosed in full body armor and constantly mistaken to be the Full Metal Alchemist. All the characters from the previous season are back like Roy Mustang, Armstrong and even Maes Hughes. (More time with Hughes! :D)

This first episode has the Elric Brothers chasing down the "Ice Alchemist" and stopping his attempt to bring down the head of the military, Bradley. The episode is packed with over-the-top action, comedy and style by showcasing everyone's talents to stop the rogue alchemist. Whenever Ed is called short, its priceless.


The animation looks great and the character designs look a little different from the first season whether for better or worst. Romi Paku and Rie Kugimiya reprise their roles and are spot on as Ed and Al but I did notice that some of the characters have a different seiyū like Roy Mustang.

The opening is by YUI (Bleach's fifth OP - Rolling Star) appropriated titled "AGAIN" and closer "Uso" by Sid are destined to be popular hits in the near future. I don't know why but I am especially fond of the closing theme. You can check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcSwIRNQfYI&feature=related

One thing I will address is the fact that there are spoilers right from the get-go. In the opening, they show that one of the characters is a homunculi and while I have no problem since I watched the first season; new fans of the show will be caught off guard.

Even so, this is a show not to be missed. If you watched the first season, keep in mind its a brand new story with the same characters but if you never watched the first season then enjoy the ride for it's going to be one hell of a good time.

It's time for me to go but don't forget, we all live in a Pokemon world...

Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike

The majority of my friends know how much of a whore I am when it comes to the "Tales of" series.

For those of you that don't know what "Tales of" is; it is a RPG series that started out on the SNES and became wildly popular, especially in Japan. Its known for its real time battle system that feels like a fighting game but maintains RPG elements like hit points. Every story is a stand alone meaning that in one game where you would meet and interact with characters, the next game in the series would involve an entirely different cast set in a different world. So, if you never played any of the previous games, you can jump into any of the newer titles and you wouldn't be confused at all.

It has spawned spin-offs, sequels, manga, anime, it own convention called "Tales of Festival" and now its very first movie.


Based off the newest game in the franchise, the movie is titled Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike.

This movie is about Yuri Yowell, the main character, and his days before the game takes place. Being a prequel, this will provide more of a back story on his days as a knight and the reason why he left. Albeit, it won't explain the story of the game but it should provide more info on why Yuri does what he does. Other characters in the game like Flynn Scifo and Estelle will appear in the film. It is due out of Japan sometime in 2009.

Until then, see you next time...

Omamori Himari Green Lit

Well, after reading that bit of news (check the post below) I am please to report that there will be an anime in the near future of Omamori Himari.


Honestly, I wasn't on board with this manga when I first started reading it but due to a friend's assertive push (you know who you are) I kept going with this series. While it has more than its share of fan service, the story was able to hold my interest.

The story is about young boy named Yuuto, whose parents died and left him as an orphan. While he is cared for by his childhood friend, Rinko, the only thing his family has left him is an omamori; a good luck charm. This charm is special in which it is meant to protect him until he turns sixteen. On his sixteenth birthday, a girl named Himari enters into his life sworn to protect him.

However, she isn't exactly human but a cat girl/demon hunter complete with cat ears and furry tail. Bringing bestiality to a whole new level, she lusts after Yuuto. Now, if only he wasn't allergic to cats.

Enter hilarity, plenty of fights with demons and a love quadrangle and you have a decent story for the weekend. Though the lines of PG-13 and R rated seem to be crossed every now and then...

More details will follow in the near future.

Until then, see you next time...

Live Action Anime Adaptations

When an anime has been around for a while, that's usually a good thing. Its widely popular and fans will buy anything related to it. That is until a live action adaptation is made. Then everything goes right down the toilet. But what's worst then an live action adaptation? An American live action adaptation.

One anime recently made the jump to the big screen and reviewers and fan boys alike have already concluded that the movie is a failure. Though, I haven't seen it yet to make my own opinion.


This live adaptation is not the end for there are talks of an American adaptation of one of my most beloved series: Full Metal Panic!

A great show with plenty of action and slapstick comedy with plenty of material to make a decent movie but if things continue as they have, I'm not gonna have high hopes. It doesn't look too good as teenage heartthrob Zac Efron (High School Musical) is supposedly involved with the project.



Can you picture Zac Efron as Sergeant Sousuke Sagara? (Sigh... :/)

Well, only time will tell and even if the movie is going to bomb, it won't deter me from remaining as a fan. So, when is the next season coming out?

If you want to read the article, check this site: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-04-07/mandalay-pictures-licenses-full-metal-panic-film-rights

Until then, see you next time...

Valkyria Chronicles Ep. 1

Hey everyone, spring is finally here (kinda) and with the rainy season comes a new season of anime. So to kick off my very first blog I will be reviewing one of the newest titles this season.

Based of the highly praised PS3 RPG, Here's Valkyria Chronicles:


For those of you who own a PS3 but have not yet picked up this game, I highly recommend it. It is a beautiful game with its own unique art style, a great story, great characters and it won a number of awards and a cult following. If you haven't heard of the game then blame SEGA's marketing group.

The first episode kicks it off with some history and it introduces the current conflict between two nations and the country caught in between. The country of Gallia is being invaded by its bigger neighbors for its resources called Ragnite.

Welkin Gunther is a young college student who returns back to his hometown of Bruhl to help his younger sister evacuate. On his way home, he sketches the local fauna and is the arrested under the impression of being a spy. He is arrested by Alicia Melchiott; a member of the local patrol and from there his story begins from a reserved nature boy to his adventures in the military.

The animation looks great and if you look closely, the animation has a storybook feel to it; just like the game. The story has a nice pace; despite being an adaptation from a game the story doesn't feel rushed. With charming characters, Alicia stands out as a great female lead. Accompanied by a great opening and cute closer; this anime is worth the time and attention.

If you want to see the trailer follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um0SQRXWdFs

Until then, see you next time...