The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Evolution’s Debut Trailer

Falcom has uploaded the debut trailer as well as the first set of screenshots for The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Evolution.

The upcoming PS Vita update will bring a fully-voiced script, including both main scenarios and sub-stories, an arrange soundtrack of over 50 songs, updated UI and camera operability, character illustrations redrawn in the modern style, and more.

You can vist the game’s official website here, which recently launched. Check out the debut trailer below:

Source: Dualshockers

Nintendo Confirms New Console, Evidently Powered by AMD

Nintendo confirms that work is underway for a new game console. Evidently the same gaming device that AMD hinted at earlier this week. We covered the interesting revaluation by AMD a week ago which indicated that AMD is working on a semi-custom SOC for a brand new gaming device.

 

Many had suspected that the new semi-custom AMD client was indeed Nintendo. However it wasn’t clear whether the gaming device was a traditional living room system or a handheld device until now.

Nintendo Confirms New Console’s Coming – Evidently Powered by AMD

In an interview with the associated press Shigeru Miyamoto the mastermind behind some of Nintendo’s most beloved franchises such as “Mario Bros” and “Donkey Kong” revealed his excitement for the future prospects of Mario on a new gaming console.

AP: Mario has been busy on the Wii U with “Super Mario 3D World” last year and now “Mario Kart 8.” Is he taking the next year off? What can we expect from that franchise in the future?
Miyamoto: Since we first created Mario, people have compared him to Mickey Mouse. I’ve always said Mickey Mouse evolved with each evolution in animation. You saw Mickey Mouse each step of the way. From early on, I wanted Mario to be that character in the digital world, so that with each digital evolution, he was there to usher in the next era. I think that maybe when we release the next hardware system, you can look forward to seeing Mario take on a new role or in a new game.

Mario is perhaps one of the most iconic characters in video game history and is certainly a character that has evolved as time and technology progressed. However the way Miyamoto described this pace seems to suggest that the most significant evolutionary change is yet to come. The prospect of which should make Nintendo fans very excited.
With relation to the new gaming console itself. When the subject of next generation hardware was directly brought up, Miyamoto wasn’t shy to confirm that Nintendo is currently working on the next major iteration.

AP: I know you’re working on “Star Fox,” but beyond that, will you continue to design games for the Wii U, or are you already thinking about new hardware?
Miyamoto: We’re focused on providing a robust line-up of Wii U software for next year. It seems like we’ve managed to do that this year and people are very happy with what we’ve done on Wii U. For the time being, our focus is on the Wii U hardware, but Nintendo as a whole has groups working on ideas for new hardware systems. While we’re busy working on software for the Wii U, we have production lines that are working on ideas for what the next system might be.

There you have it folks, a new generation of gaming hardware from Nintendo is coming sooner than one might have thought. And yet again it’s powered by AMD, not surprisingly so. Hopefully the new hardware will serve to at least bring Nintendo’s performance and graphics capability to parity with Sony and Microsoft. A device that can run all of the non-exclusive gaming titles in addition to Nintendo’s exclusives certainly sounds like an extraordinarily attractive option. 

Source: wccftech.com

Resident Evil Revelations 2 New Trailer

Resident Evil Revelations 2 will be an episodic follow-up to the original on 3DS, and its first episode arrives Feb. 17 on PlayStation 3 and 4, Xbox 360 and One, and PC.

Final Fantasy 15 Jump Fest Trailer

Final Fantasy 15 rolled out a new trailer this weekend for Jump Festa 2015, the enormous convention over in Japan. It features some bursts of gameplay but the majority of it comprises cinematics establishing the game's story.

Notably, the character of Cid now is a woman named Cidney. The rest of the trailer teases out details that director Hajime Tabata addressed or answered in a Q&A with fans at a Jump Festa panel. Kotaku had a reporter at the event and published a very detailed transcript of Tabata's remarks, so be sure to check that out if you have a specific question in mind.

One question that isn't answered is when this game is coming out. For now, it's just "now in development." For more Final Fantasy 15 video, see these seven minutes of gameplay, with Tabata's commentary, from Tokyo Game Show 2014.

Source: Polygon

Bloody Kiss Review

Too short for its own good.

Genre - Drama, Romance, School, Shoujo, Vampire, Supernatural

Length – 2 Volumes: 8 Chapters

Authors - Furumiya Kazuko

Run - 2005 - 2007

Serialization - Hana to Yume

Now then, how many vampire love stories has Japan produced? I'll give you a second there....

Ok good, I'm sure you needed more then your fingers and toes. Yes, this is another love story involving a young girl who meets vampires, and just so happens to fall for one of them. Though predictable, it wasn't a terrible read. As a matter of fact, it provided some good laugh out loud and endearing moments. Sadly, what plagues this manga is not its clichéd story, but its length...

Let's begin with our three main characters. Katsuragi Kiyo is a strong willed girl with looks to boot. The manga begins with her receiving news she just inherited a mansion from her now deceased grandmother. She goes to explore the now decrepit mansion with the intention of selling it to pay for her studies. Upon arrival, Kiyo and her legal companions are attacked by an unseen force. After a short while they discover they were attacked by Kuroboshi, a teen living in the mansion. Right behind him, his caretaker Alsh, steps out and apologizes. Kiyo not only discovers they are actually vampires, but her grandmother was taking care of them. After telling Kiyo they have no intention of leaving, the real story begins...

Now, my last sentence there would indicate that there is a lot to look forward to, but there really isn't. With only 8 chapters, there really isn't much story progression. We are shown Kiyo's daily life with the vampires and the vampires attempt at making Kiyo their "bride".

That's it, all you really see is the daily shenanigans between the three main characters. Near the end, a new character is introduced. It turns out hes an old friend of Kiyo's and is able to fight off monsters. Sadly, because of the length of the series his introduction and participation in the last few chapters serve practically no purpose. I have a feeling the author did indeed have a higher purpose for this character, but because of time constraints and obvious clues that the author herself had no idea where she wanted the story to go, she stuck with what she gave us.

To its benefit, the interaction between them really keeps the story going. The art was typical Shoujo, but very clean for the most part. Alsh is probably my favorite character. The guy knows know bounds, and provides most of the comedic relief.

Alsh being Alsh.

Like I've already stated, this manga is too short. I have a feeling that it could have turned to something great if only the author could have organized her thoughts better. If you have an hour to kill, go ahead and read this. I mean its not terrible, its just really short. Read it for the lulz if anything....

Art - (7/10) Plot - (5/10) Enjoyment - (6/10)

Overall
6/10

Note: I swear I've seen Alsh somewhere before.

Land of The Blindfolded Review

Do you have a blindfold?

Genre - Drama, Romance, Shoujo, Supernatural

Length – 9 Volumes: 40 Chapters

Authors - Tsukuba Sakura

Run - Feb 2000 to Apr 5, 2004

Serialization - LaLa DX

I'm not a big fan of Shoujo manga, but this one is a keeper. Land of The Blindfolded is one of those series you pass off simply because it seems typical. And you would be correct in thinking it's typical, but there's more to it than that.

The story revolves around three people. Kanade, Arou, and Namiki. Kanade can see the future of someone she touches. Her power activates randomly, not at will. As the good natured person she is she tries to prevent malevolent visions of the future from coming true. Like Kanade, Namiki can see the future as well. The difference between them is Namiki can see the future at will. Namiki is introduced as a mischievous character who is somewhat selfish and is Arou's rival in love.

Oh the joys of seeing the future eh?

In reality he has a good heart and tries to help when he can. Arou is the opposite of both Kanade and Namiki. He can see the past of a person and objects at will. Arou is introduced as a smooth talker which is rather amusing since in reality he's rather shy and keeps to himself.

Arou and Kanade's first encounter

For the most part this is a typical Shoujo manga. You have romance, some comedy, and drama. Kanade is a shy girl who gets embarrassed easily, especially when she makes any sort of physical contact with Arou or Namiki. See? Typical right? But Arou defies Shoujo laws in some ways as he's not portrayed as just some good lucking guy with little to no internal emotional problems. In essence, he's not just there to look pretty. Same goes for Namiki. He's practically a prodigal son. He has the brains, looks, and the power to see the future. Out of the three main characters, he has the most personal issues. Each character gets their own little arc expanding on their past, and Namiki's past is very dark and sad. Arou comes to a close second in that department.

Arou when he tries to find out about how his mother died.

What drew me in was the supernatural aspect. It was interesting to see how the main characters affected those around them with their visions of doom and gloom. Of course, there are people who would fear them, or try to use them for their own selfish gain. This is seen in the second half of the series. There are no villains in this series. The only thing that comes close to a villain would be the power Arou, Kanade, and Nakimi all have. It's the one thing they are constantly fighting against. Kanade always goes out of her way to prevent bad things from happening to people. This puts her in many tight and awkward situations. Luckily Arou and Namiki are usually there to give her a hand. Kanade's energetic and ditzy best friend Eri is also there to help her. She becomes less of an important character when Namiki is introduced. She makes a comeback sort of speak near the end of the series.

The story moved smoothly, clichés were filled in with twists in the plots, and characters grew stronger with each problem they overcame. The character development, for a series to span over only 40 chapters, was well done. As I kept reading I fell in love with the characters. They each create a balance for one another. If any of them were to have been killed of somehow, the manga wouldn't be the same. Moving on to the art, the art was average. This series first started in 2000 so you can't expect much. As you progress through the second half of the series there is a noticeable upgrade in the art. The use of the soft textures and toning really emphasized the gentleness and personalities of the characters.

I have one and only complaint. It is never explained why the three main characters have powers. Near the end something almost impossible happened. I got all excited thinking I was finally going to get an explanation. But no, no explanation. The extraordinary event at the end stayed an unexplainable extraordinary event.

Art - (8/10) Plot - (8.5/10) Enjoyment - (9/10)

Overall
8.5/10

Note: Super Saiyan Arou ftw \o/

Onani Master Kurosawa Review

[Censored]

Genre - Drama, Parody, Romance, School, Psychological, Seinen,

Length – 4 Volumes: 31 Chapters

Authors - Takuma Yokota (Art), Ise Katsura (Story)

Run - 2007 - 2008 (Probably)

Serialization - None (Really?)

I know what you must have been thinking as soon as you googled the name, trust me, I thought the same. Do not be fooled however. Get past the plot summary and you will be taken for a ride on one of the most original and engaging stories Japan has produced.

Note: No this is not a hentai, srsly...

Kakeru Kurosawa is a fapper (waits for oohs, ahhs, and ewwws) who enjoys fapping in the girl's restroom. Kurosawa can be described as a quiet and mischievous individual who likes to keep to himself. He doesn't like to attract attention nor is he the type to make friends. At first Kurosawa has no shame; he thoroughly enjoys doing what he does. Upon finishing his daily routine he leaves and encounters a girl approaching the restroom.

This encounter sets the gears in motion.

This girl is Aya Kitahara. Like Kurosawa she is also quiet and likes to keep to herself. The difference here is she is a pushover. She is constantly getting bullied and does nothing to stop it at first. She is a actually a very dark and twisted individual who likes to blackmail to get what she wants. Nagaoka Keiji can be called Kurosawas friend, though at first Kurosawa detests him. Keiji is the opposite of Kurosawa. He is loud and loves to talk and befriend everyone he can. He is constantly trying to get Kurosawa to open up and be more social.

At first it seems like just a story about a guy with a perverted addiction, but it's much deeper than that. Think of Kurosawa as a perverted version of Light Yagami (Death Note Main Character). Like Light, Kurosawa shows the same level of arrogance and just so happens to have a superiority complex to boot

Like a boss.

His attitude and emotions drive the story. Kurosawa's strategic ideas and the people around him affect him and vice-versa. Both fuel the fire if you will. It goes without saying this is a series for mature audiences. Aside from the fact that Kurosawa is a fapper, we are also shown real life occurrences and situations we can relate to. Betrayal, blackmail, deceit, lies, love, all of these things we encounter on everyday life is present in "Onani Master Kurosawa". This story shows us just what can happen when you get in over your head and the consequences of your actions, as well as realizing what you want in life. There is no obvious predictability, which makes this story so much more appealing. As I read through, I felt Kurosawa's anger when he was betrayed, I felt his hopelessness when he was shunned, and I felt his happiness when he finally fell in love. As the story progresses Kurosawa changes into a different person. He begins as an introverted kid who violates his female schoolmates in his thoughts with his fapping, yet in the end he he has undoubtedly grown and shown us that there is more to him. Kurosawa battled with self-realization, learns of consequences, finds the good in people, and comes to understand what he wants in life. Its a motivating story really.

In regards to the art, it's different. At first glance it looks like someone just trolled you, but no you're not being trolled, the whole thing looks like it's been sketched and colored in where it needs to. I was annoyed by this at first but as I kept reading I wouldn't have it any other way. The art does a great job of showing character's expressions, using many close ups and careful shading. Much of the emphasis is on the characters, so the backgrounds are usually simple or not there at all. Like I said, as I kept reading I wouldn't want the art any other way, it fits the story perfectly.

Another thing you will notice is the series parodies famously known series such as "Detective Conan" and "Code Geass".

All hail Lel...wait what?

Do I have any complaints? The ending. I was expecting a bit more =/

Art - (9/10) Plot - (10/10) Enjoyment - (10/10)

Overall
9.5/10

Note#2: Kurosawa is godly

Shinsengumi Imon Peace Maker Review

The path to revenge starts here.

Genre - Action, Drama, Historical, Samurai, Shounen

Length – 5 Volumes: 29 Chapters

Author - Nanae Chrono

Run - May 1999 to Sep 2001

Serialization - Shounen Gangan

I'm very hesitant to read/watch anything samurai related. It ends up as a bore fest for me. But Peacemaker however, was an awesome exception. For those wondering about "Peacemaker Kurogane", it's the name for the anime adaptation (awful) and the direct sequel to this series set some months later.

Like your typical samurai series, this series deals with revenge. Our main character Tetsunosuke Ichimura seeks revenge for the death of his parents. He has not forgotten the face of the man who killed them and wishes to acquire the strength to defeat him. Like everyone in their teens, he is rebellious and outgoing, though somewhat of a numbskull. From here on out he and his brother seek to join the Shinsengumi, they are like the unofficial police in the area. The Shinsengumi hold strong warriors, and their leader Toshizo Hijikata is known as the Shinsengumi's Demon and is revered. Let me just say that this guy has to be one of the most bad ass characters I've seen in a manga and to top it all off, he's got a sense of humor that will produce laughs.

The demon of the Shinsengumi

Upon making his "entrance" into the Shinsengumi, Tetsunosuke fights Souji Okita, a captain. Souji is fabulous. He's a rather feminine looking guy who sometimes acts like a girl. Unlike Hijikata, he's always in a cheerful mood and makes jokes. Some of these jokes however, do make you question his sexuality. Do not be fooled by his behavior though, along with Hijikata, Souji is also knows as a demon, and his fighting skills are not to be reckoned with. Tetsu loses his first fight with Souji but he manages to impress everyone with his tenacity. Afterwards he becomes Hijikata's page. It is here where the events that lead to Tetsu's growth as a samurai start. Tetsu's brother Tatsunosuke, disagrees with his brother's need for revenge. Tatsu is the older brother and hence feels responsible for Tetsu's well being. Thought at first he is very overprotecting of Tetsu, he begins to waver and allows Tetsu to do as he wishes.

The one thing that stood out for me while reading this series was that it was historically accurate. The story is set in the Edo era and the beginning of the Meiji restoration. The events that happen in the manga actually happened in Japans past. Most of the characters in the story are based on real characters in that era. It goes without saying Nanae Chrono did his homework. Also, you're technically getting free lessons on Japan's historical past. Now then, who says reading manga is a waste of time?

Like "Bleach" there's not much attention to background detail, more focus is put on characters, buildings, etc. Your going to see some gray/blank patches of sky and such. It's not a bad thing, it works well for this manga as it makes up for it in the action scenes. The action scenes are very detailed, and very bloody. It would make it harder for the mangaka and harder to follow what's going if EVERYTHING was detailed. Let's be honest too much detail can confuse people. Character development is excellent. The characters thoughts are always present; you start to feel a connection to them and their personalities. For example, the transition Tetsu makes as a rebellious outgoing whiny little punk into a more mature character was portrayed with great care and detail by the mangaka.

Tetus pain begins to calm near the end.

I enjoyed this series. It was funny, bloody, action packed, filled with historical facts and goodies, what more can you ask for?

Art - (8/10) Plot - (8/10) Enjoyment - (8/10)

Overall
8.5/10

Note: Souji <3