Video Game Review: Yakuza 3

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Have you ever wanted to be a badass with a heart of gold?

That’s a rhetorical question. Of course you have! It’s why Goku is one of the most popular characters in the history of anime. It’s also partly why Yakuza 3 is so much fun. Kazuma Kiryu (that stern-looking dude in the box art) is not your typical ex-yakuza. He’s not just one of the most respected and feared chairmen in the Tojo Clan’s history; he’s also a big softie. He’s such a nice guy, in fact, that he decided to run a small orphanage in Okinawa after leaving his life of crime. And this is where the gameplay portion of Yakuza 3 begins…after about an hour of cutscenes. Yes, like many of my favorite games (Psychonauts, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, and Final Fantasy X), this one has a few caveats to its otherwise solid design. I’ll explain why after the break.

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Series Review: A Certain Scientific Railgun

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Okay, confession time. How many of you clicked on this review just because it had “Railgun” in the title?

If you did, you’re in good company; that’s the very reason I started watching A Certain Scientific Railgun in the first place. It was only later that I learned it was a spinoff of another anime called A Certain Magical Index, which itself was adapted from a series of light novels by Kazuma Kamachi. Ever heard of him? Yeah, me neither. However, you don’t need to have seen Index to understand Railgun; the latter stands on its own as a highly enjoyable mix of action, scientific intrigue, comedy and slice-of-life. Yup, this show has something for everybody… including Bleach fans, since its second half contains an inordinate amount of soul-crushingly boring filler. Unfortunately, that turns out to be the major flaw that drags down an otherwise awesome show.

Find out more after the break!

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Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya Licensed

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HUGE NEWS! A video on the ASOS Brigade website has just confirmed that Bandai has licensed The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya film, which will be coming to Viz Theater in San Francisco on May 21. Tickets will be available from New People World. Based on what we know so far, it’s likely that Bandai is dubbing the movie alongside the second season. Stay tuned to Project Haruhi for further updates, and feel free to discuss Haruhi in greater detail in our forums!

Crunchyroll Licenses EVERY Haruhi Series

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Crunchyroll, the subscription-based anime streaming site, just announced that they’ve acquired the online streaming and digital distribution rights to all of the Haruhi series. This includes The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya seasons 1 and 2, as well as the webseries Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya and Nyoron Churuya-san. It does NOT, however, include the Disappearance film. These shows will soon be available for free to everybody in America, the British Isles, Scandanavia and the Middle East (but not Australia). However, in order to see the ad-free HD-quality streams, you have to subscribe to their Anime Membership service for $6.95 a month. Personally, I don’t think subscribing is worth it. Although I admire what Crunchyroll is trying to do, I’m also frustrated by the crappy quality of their video streams. For example, when I tried to watch Heroman, the HD stream looked so bad that the show was nigh-unwatchable. I think I’ll stick with my trusty Haruhi DVDs for the time being.

Series Review: GA-REI -zero-

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I have a confession to make. I am not a big manga reader. I follow a few titles, but I’m generally ignorant of the latest Japanese comics until I’m clued in by one of my friends. So I came into GA-REI -zero- with only basic knowledge of the manga. I knew it was about slaying evil spirits in the modern world, but that was all; and, honestly, that’s all you need to know. The show works fine on its own. It even made a fan out of me.

Be warned: the first episode is a massive tease. As usual, Tokyo is going to hell, this time because of a massive spike in spirit activity. A group of elite spirit hunters—whose best member is clearly the girl who uses her motorcycle as a weapon—is brought in to clean up the paranormal activity. They’re doing quite well up until the end, when a mysterious girl kills all of them with her katana. Continue reading →

K-ON!! OP and ED

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The first episode of K-ON!! just finished airing in Japan. The speedsubs aren’t out yet, but fortunately we’ve got just the thing to take the edge off your moe cravings. Behold, the new K-ON!! opening and ending themes!

GO! GO! MANIAC

Listen!!

The singles of these songs will be released on April 28th by Pony Canyon.

I initially didn’t like the “Go! Go! Maniac” very much, but I think it’s starting to grow on me. It has a very infectious beat, like that damned Love Hina theme that always gets stuck in your head. As for “Listen!!”, I feel it’s kinda generic; definitely not as good as “Don’t Say Lazy”, but not all that bad either. Let’s hope the rest of K-ON!!‘s music is a bit more memorable.

Anyhoo, the buzz on Twitter seems to indicate the K-ON!! premier was a huge success. This will no doubt come as a relief to many otaku who have been nervous about Kyoani since last year’s Endless Eight debacle. Fortunately, it seems disaster has been averted… at least for now…