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Naruto Shippuuden 179
Japanese | Subtitle: English | 0:23:09 | 704 x 400 | AVC1 (24fps) | MKV | 60 MB
Genre: Anime by darklegend
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Beast Master vol. 1 Impression
Innocent high-school girl; check. Potentially dangerous misunderstood youth; check. The two forming an odd but close relationship; check. Yup, stage is set for another Shoujo manga so what separates, or not, Beast Master volume 1 from Viz from the other manga with the same formula. Let’s take a look.
Yuiko Kubozuka is an interesting girl. She loves animals but they run from her for their lives. This love gets her in trouble a few times and soon she is rescued by classmate Leo Aoi, who is himself also very … unique. Leo has a look that just screams crazy guy and it keeps many away from him, a fact he does not seem to mind. Leo keeps to himself and has a very unique connection with animals, they love him. Yuiko notices this and decides to get closer to Leo forming a friendship and showing others he’s not crazy. Well not all the time. See when Leo sees blood he goes crazy attacking anything in sight. This is due to his being raised in the wilds of Africa (something his handler tells Yuiko) but in a twist of fate she is the only one who can calm down Leo. As the two learn more about each other the boundaries of normal and crazy begin to blur. Will Leo be able to conquer his blood seeing induced craziness and will animals ever go near Yuiko? Time will tell in Beast Master.
So what sets Beast Master apart from other shoujo manga? It’s not the art as the character design and action is very shoujo. It reflects the genre perfectly and I would say is middle-ground in the genre. Not top level, not horrible but gets the job done. The backgrounds and non-character design, well guess there would need to be more to comment so I just won’t. Ok, so no to the art but how about the story? The odd girl and strange guy connecting with each other is not so new but Leo’s origins are. A boy raised in the wild introduced into society; good concept and similar to tales such as Tarzan and even Jungle Book. So there it is, not the art, not the relationship but the background for Leo, that makes Beast Master worth a read.
It’s not the best, not the most original but there is enough mystery about Leo and his budding relationship with Yuiko to make Beast Master a worthy purchase by shoujo fans.
Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Impression
How can a game with its last truly relevant release back on the PlayStation 2 still warrant gamer’s attention especially when released on the PSP? Easy, it’s the magic of Disney … mixed with the excellence of Square Enix. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep is the latest entry in the Kingdom Hearts franchise which has seen release on the PS2, Game Boy, DS and now PSP. The mixture of Disney characters and settings with new and old Square Enix characters seemed odd but worked beautifully. The chronicling of Sora’s adventures with Donald and Goofy is a tale as touching and deep as any Disney feature film. It’s magical on so many levels and that magic has been recreated in what is a prequel to the franchise, one taking place years before Sora, one that shows the origins of Keyblade Masters and so much more. What else does this chapter bring, let’s take a look.
Gameplay – Fill in the background and story gaps from Kingdom Hearts I and II in this prequel tale of Keyblade Masters. Three friends, Ventus, Aqua and Terra have their own tale to weave and these three paths will take from 9-10 hours to complete. Journey to various Disney worlds and unravel the mystery while leveling up each character and unlocking their full potential and abilities. All three adventures are needed to fulfill the full story and while the third play through can feel a bit ‘been there, done that’ the end result is worth it … for fans of the franchise that is. The multiplayer is enjoyable but requires a buddy to have the cart also.
Graphics – First install everything on the PSP memory card for faster, smoother looks and loading. What this gives gamers is PS2 quality looks that run seamlessly. The new trio of Ventus, Aqua and Terra are original yet familiar. They retain the look of the franchise which Sora, Rikku and Kairi began. The worlds of Disney come to life, look beautiful and show off the power of the PSP. Sadly Square Enix is one of the rare companies to pull off such excellence on the PSP. The cut scenes are as gorgeous as ever with action to match in-game. Just a truly gorgeous game.
Sound – It may be the same opening song but it creates a connection to the original Kingdom Hearts that gets fans hearts racing. The background music utilizes many of the same tunes from the franchise but it‘s so awesome it works all over again. Voice work is freaking spectacular and brings each character to life. Few games can match the audio offerings of Kingdom Hearts.
Design – Character design rocks and weaving new Disney worlds into game form is done plain sweetly. The games design carries on the tradition of Kingdom Hearts I and II with some nice new wrinkles such as the ability unlocking Command Board.
Miscellaneous – Three characters each with their own 9-10 hour adventures, all needed to complete the full story. Where Sora was the main focus sporting Donald and Goofy in support this tale sees all three of Terra, Aqua and Ventus journeying to the same locations with different objects and access. They create a trinity that’s unique and a prequel setting Star Wars should be very envious of. This is how you do a prequel.
Overall fans of Kingdom Hearts should already be playing Birth by Sleep while PSP owners have zero excuse for not jumping into one of the smoothest, most beautiful adventures the system has to offer. From a gaming standpoint Kingdom Hearts may be a bit long in the tooth but this is one beauty that is aging so well
Arc Rise Fantasia on Wii Impression
Gameplay – Take on the role of young mercenary L’Arc as he battles Feldragons in a fantasy adventure spanning 30+ hours. This is a traditional Japanese role-playing game so expect to spend plenty of time in menus and conversations moving the story along, taking on quest and getting to the next turn-based battle. L’Arc will encounter many other characters who will impede his adventure or fight alongside him. Gamers will fight, gain experience, level up, upgrade weapons, gain access to new locations, move the story along and repeat. This is what J-RPG’s are about; hours of gameplay to make characters stronger and advance the story … nuff said.
Graphics – For the Wii this is a solid graphical adventure. The environments at times look a bit soft, have a glow about them but in-battle graphics blend into the background as the characters and their animations take center stage. The special attacks and lighting are very solid, look great and won’t disappoint. Arc Rise may not sport the photo realistic looks of the latest RPG’s but it does offer some of the best looking level grinding available on the Wii.
Sound – While there is a ton of reading to be done the voiced sequences are executed with … well, they’re executed. Through no fault of their own there is over and under acting on voice work but the worst is how voices sync with lip movements. Dealing with bad voice work is easy, but lip sync issues, that’s not cool. The soundtrack has it’s moments with some memorable tracks but overall offers up standard if not solid RPG fare. Battle and interaction sounds do the job. Not too much epic about the ear candy from Arc Rise Fantasia.
Design – Very close to being J-RPG design 101 with a young hero and heroine in a fantasy work with dragons and the prerequisite anime character design. While the story is nothing super original the character design is solid and characters unique with some very creative boss and monster designs. Fans of the genre will feel right at home but even for them the amount of menus can be a bit annoying. Love the characters and the game moves at a very standard J-RPG pace.
Miscellaneous – Best RPG on the Wii … yes and no. Arc Rise Fantasia is one of the best J-RPG experience on the Wii and owners of only the Wii will enjoy this romp but it’s not a shining example of the genre. This is the pretty girl who always catches your eye but who never quite sticks out as that true love of your life. Yeah you dated but beyond that, twas ok.
Overall Arc Rise Fantasia is not the best the genre has ever seen but it is one of the best on the Wii. It offers hours of enjoyable gameplay but won’t redefine the genre nor will it stick in gamers hearts as truly wonderful stories do. For a system starving for the genre Arc Rise is a solid entry that will eat hours but not too many. Sadly the story won’t stick with gamers as some of the best RPG’s have a habit of doing.
Mikansei No. 1 Manga Impression
Two volumes, one enjoyable story. Mikansei No. 1, volumes 1 and 2 from Tokyopop combine time travel with pop idol-ism. A unique combination but one that works. Created by Majikoi, known for the art of Code Geass, this is a good looking manga but what about the story, let’s take a peek.
Living in the 23rd-century is a drag for Vivacious Neo. Short skirts and singing are just two items not accepted by society and being a short skirt sporting idol-wanna-be, well it just does not work for Neo. While escaping school disciplinarians for her latest performance, Neo stumbles upon a container with a mist in it, one which when opened transports her back to the 21st-century. Quickly Neo finds herself in the middle of a stand-in performance for the very popular P-Shock, a performance which catches a certain producer’s eye. Soon she’s teamed with Saya, a boy hoping for his own break. In order to get signed to a record deal the two must learn to perform together and produce a specific turnout at a park performance. Challenges from other groups, personality conflicts and request to return to the future are just a few of the hurdles Clap= must face. Will they succeed? Will Neo return to the future before the big performance? Will Saya and Neo build the chemistry needed to be a successful duo? So many questions and the clock is ticking down to performance time.
Ok fans, those familiar with Code Geass will see the similarities but this is a much more playful story which the art reflects. There is no lack of detail and personality in each character or setting. I love the art, love the cover art and the characters are fun. Both the art and story mesh to deliver a story that is as enjoyable to read as look at. The issue is it’s over too soon. Two volumes of this idol singing, time traveling story is not enough. There are mysteries (no spoilers) about Neo’s past, friends and possibly other time travelers that are never fully answered. That being said these teasers are the one drawback as just when readers are getting hooked … boom, it’s over. The relationship building between Saya and Neo is enjoyable, seeing their past, why Saya is so driven; it really does build a good story.
So here is what Mikansei No. 1 does. It delivers great art, uniquely designed characters in a story that unique in its concepts of time travel, idol singing but familiar in its relationship building. Two volumes is a decent investment but it’s over way too soon. A third volume would have been welcomed to flesh out some of the past detail but now I’m just nitpicking. A nice diversion from all the action, fighting, long, long, long manga series. Check it out for the art but keep it for the story, good times.
Witcher: Geralt of Rivia Papercraft
Online Gaming and Gigaspaces
What’s under the hood? A good engine can make the gaming experience all the smoother. Just check out the power of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 to see what their ‘under the hood’ action can bring gamers. But what about online gaming? No matter how powerful a PC gamer’s machine is, if the backend infrastructure and gaming cloud is not solid and able to withstand fluctuations in users, scale to meet the gamers needs, well then the gaming experience will suffer, the game will suffer and everyone loses. Recently we had the chance to chat with some of the folks in this business, the business of the backend, and they, Gigaspaces, were more than happy to shed light on how their product and the overall online gaming experience can be better from a solid backend that’s scalable and fast.
What is Gigaspaces? Without the nitty gritty Gigaspaces offers all the backend system tiers in one convenient package. Message tier, application tier and database tier all tied together. They pull all the pieces together so companies don’t need to shop around for separate pieces of the same desired environmental outcome. All transactions are done in memory as are updates to the system, it’s all seamless. What??? Ok, in simple terms they handle all the backend setup, support and updates so companies can focus on making great games and it runs smooth allowing for fluctuations in user rates with no slowdown in service. Scaling to meet larger numbers of gamers … so simple yet they pull it off where many fail.
They are global with offices everywhere and support everywhere. They utilize a cloud environment, using what systems are needed when needed (scaling folks, see a trend). Gigaspaces scales up while keeping latency down. Push out a Facebook game with promo, no issues with Gigaspaces supporting the backend. This is a simplification folks but the point is they handle it all under the hood. Let’s look at some real benefits and examples, check out the Gigaspaces site if you want geeky detail.
Benefit to game companies – Originally created to meet the needs of an Israeli Military Defense project, Gigaspaces knows how to upscale while keeping latency down. No small feat and one that, when applied online, can greatly enhance the cost and experience companies see. IPhone launches in US, demand is amazing and the site goes down due to traffic while in the UK demand is also great but thanks to Gigaspaces scalable backend the site runs with no issues. One example but the fact remains a gaming company can concentrate on gaming and not the backend issues, Gigaspaces takes care of updates, scaling … the whole kit and caboodle.
Benefit to gamers – First is the quality in gameplay experience. Don’t get caught with slowdown and latency that ruins the gaming experience. If the technology can support the UK iPhone launch with none of the issues the US faced, that’s something to take note of. There is also the face companies can spend more time working on their games and not worrying about the backend.
Overall this is one look at one company that handles the backend of the games we love. Know what’s under the hood; is it Gigaspaces or someone else? Seeing slowdown in your favorite game or online application? What’s under the hood? Just like knowing the engine of a car, knowing the engine of an online game can greatly enhance the experience of driving and gaming. Education is key and this is one gamer who’s doing more research.
About Gigaspaces:
“GigaSpaces Technologies is a leading provider of a new generation of application platforms for Java and .Net environments that offers an alternative to traditional application servers. Its flagship product, XAP, is an enterprise-grade application server for deploying and dynamically scaling distributed applications under any requirement.
GigaSpaces customers depending on our reliability and millisecond latency include dozens of Global Fortune 100/500 companies, including Société Générale and British American Tobacco; six of the world's top 10 investment banks and financial services companies like Dow Jones; leading telecommunications carriers and eCommerce companies like eBay; and five of the world's top online gaming companies and Internet media organizations.
GigaSpaces was founded in 2000 and has offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia.”
Dr. Seuss iPhone Games Impressions
Dr. Seuss on the iPhone has been largely reserved to interactive versions of some of the more beloved titles. While these virtual books are enjoyable and a great distraction for kids they are not the only trick up developer Oceanhouse Media sleeve. In addition to these books there are three games to mention; three games which add to the story or continue the tale. What do these games offer iPhone owners and their kids, let’s take a look.
Grinchmas! – The Grinch, first bad then good, loving Christmas and all its wonderful offerings. For those who see the Grinch a bad this is the game for you. Two play modes are offered in this snowball/present throwing romp. First is Mean Grinch where gamers throw snowballs at houses to quite the noise and second is the Merry Grinch mode where gamers are tasked with throwing like colored presents to the proper colored houses in a certain timeframe.
Both modes carry the same basic controls of using a finger to sling objects, but game concepts, objectives vary enough that they are different experiences. There are also three difficulty settings and a number of challenge modes so this is a game that kids will enjoy but adults will get addicted to when it comes to challenges. The sounds are just south of too annoying and bring to life the world of the Grinch. Recommended for both young and old, nice looking game.
Up with a Fish – The Cat in the Hat, what a great story and the game retains the frantic pace of the book. Gamers must catch various objects; stack them on top of each other, including the family fish. The more items stacked, the better the score. Watch out for Thing 1 and Thing 2 as they’ll smash all the stacked items.
Great use of the iPhone as the main controls have gamers tilting the phone to either side to catch objects and as speed picks up it gets pretty frantic especially when Thing 1 and Thing 2 make an appearance. The background music is ok but gets annoying after a few plays but the look is pure Dr. Seuss in every objects design. Sadly there is only one play mode and not much more. Recommended for the whole family but note the limited gameplay
Lorax Garden – When it comes to a sad yet hopeful ending nothing beats The Lorax. The book ends with just one Truffula tree seed left and this is where the game begins. Gamers need to plant and grow more Truffula trees, flowers and use them to repopulate the land. Pick the color, leaf shape, trunk shape for each tree while watering the plants, pulling weeds and getting rid of insects. It’s a plant growing simulation built around the world of the Lorax.
What a great game. This is The Lorax 2: The Growth as gamers and fans of the book finally get to re-grow the land the Onceler destroyed. Cultivating plants, picking how they look and sharing this with friends via postcard emails are a lot of fun. The art style carries on the heritage of the book while the sounds are soothing and perfect for the settings. The challenge ramps up as gamers move from level to level so this is a pony with many tricks. Recommended for older kids but also parents who love to grow plants.
So there you go, three games built around the works of Dr. Seuss. Up with a Fish is the most basic while Grinchmas! offers a deeper gameplay experience with challenges and it’s capped off with Lorax Garden which can be very addictive with deep gameplay built around re-growing the Lorax forest. Great games, all three, but not for every age, some are for you, some are for me.
Evil Controllers Custom FIFA Jersey Contest
Looking to score some sweet gaming swag? Check out Evil controllers for their contest around the September 28th FIFA 2011 release. They’ll be hosting a FIFA ’11 Custom Jersey Contest and the top 20 entrants receive free (love free) Evil Thumbstick kits with the grand prize winner receiving an Evil Controller with imaging, LED design and Evil Thumbsticks. Pretty slick prize but what to do to win … how about keep reading to start.
Create a jersey; any design related to FIFA from your favorite team, screenshot … anything. Evil Thumbstick is touting the freedom of choice here so keep the flopping clean and go nuts with headers, head-butts, jersey pulling, whatever tickles your inner soccer hooligan designer. Just incorporate Evil Controllers into the design and check out the Evil Controllers Facebook page for official rules and submission guidelines.
Get started and submit from September 28th through October 12th at 11:59 P.M. and of course certain restriction apply (check the site folks).
NEWS Naruto Shippuuden
Naruto Shippuuden 179 "Jounin in Charge Kakashi Hatake"<--ends of filler akan direlease pada tanggal 30 September 2010
Naruto Shippuuden 180 "Inari's tested courage"<--Arc Pertemuan 5 kage akan direlease pada tanggal 7 oktober 2010 2010
Naruto Shippuuden 180 "Inari's tested courage"<--Arc Pertemuan 5 kage akan direlease pada tanggal 7 oktober 2010 2010
Anime Hell Preshow 2010
Just got back from Anime Weekend Atlanta where, among other things, I present the popular and confusing "Anime Hell" event. This free-form Japaheeno cartoon clip show has been an annual favorite among those "in the know" who enjoy things that are goofy, kooky, kicky, and ginchy in the way of out-of-contextual audio-visual entertainment. Of course there's always a few moments of setup while the thousands of audience members find their way to their seats, and the technical crew explains their complicated equipment to me, the host. A few years back I realized that what I ought to do is put some music over the PA to make these moments a little more entertaining. That's how I started making Anime Hell Pre-Show Compilations, and that's what we're giving you today at Found Sound! It's a little longer than our usual tracks, but I think you'll forgive us our bandwidth savagery. So sit back, close your eyes, imagine an anime con badge around your neck and a hotel function room chair beneath your ass, and pretend you're waiting for me to drunkenly figure out how to use a DVD player. Not to mention wondering what the hell this insane country music has to do with Japanese cartoons.
ANIME HELL PRESHOW 2010: "Shortcake Rap" (Strawberry Shortcake), "October Is Country Music Month/Jerry Clower" (various), "Fascist Threat" (Janet Greene), "Batman And Robin" (Thor Ables), "They Took Little Johnny" (Boyd Peters), "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke '68" (Tex Williams), "I'm A Sick American" (Frank W. Morris). 17:00
Some tracks previously appeared on the compliation "I Love Country & Western Music Volume 2" courtesy Devlin Thompson.
Transformers: War for Cybertron on PS3 Impression
A fans dream and gamers delight. Transformers: The War for Cybertron on PlayStation 3 is as much for gamers who grew with the franchise as it is for gamers looking for a solid single and multi-player experience different than other titles on the market. A deep knowledge of Transformers will enhance the gaming experience but is not mandatory as the narrative is clear and moves at a fevered pitch putting gamers into both Autobot and Decepticon roles while offering up faceless, class based bots online full of upgradable goodness. Is this it? Impression over? Nope, let’s take a deeper look.
Gameplay – Play through a third-person adventure as both Autobots and Decepticons from the rise of Megatron to the acceptance of leadership from Optimus Prime. The single player campaign puts gamers into the blossoming civil war and takes them all over Cybertron and its moons running and gunning and of course transforming to accomplish objectives. It’s a fan-service filled single-player adventure with a robust multiplayer, online mode piled on top. Deathmatch, Power Struggle, Conquest, Cod of Power and Countdown to Extinction are the modes of play (team deathmatch also) and while multiplayer won’t rewrite the Halo and CoD’s of the gaming landscape it’s well executed and fun. Gamers can choose a specific class of robot, level them up and take the action online with gameplay that offers up transformations on the fly. Every class of character is unique with unique skills, a nice, deep online experience awaits.
Graphics – The characters look great and transformations are fluid. Some of the cutscenes and up close shots show pretty plain details but the in-game look more than makes up for it. Cybertron and its moons feel connected but sport a look that separates each level. The cinematic scenes will get fans juices flowing like no Transformers game before it. The grunt transformers also look rock solid and well designed. The best looking Transformers title yet.
Sound – It starts with the legendary Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime and never slows down. The voice work rocks, sound effects are true to the animated heritage and the background music delivers to fit the pace. Transformers delivers in the sound department.
Design – Mixing design elements from both the prequel stories on the new movies and the original comics and cartoon. The design of not only mainstream characters but secondary grunts shows a familiarization with the source material, fans folks, this game was made by fans and the design shows in each bot. The planet of Cybertron is a well designed character with levels requiring transformations to advance and a different feel to each setting. Using a Decepticon based beginning leading into Autobot based moves the story along wonderfully.
Miscellaneous – Fan-service galore. This is not a Fallen driven story, it’s one based on the mythology of the Transformers franchise pulling in plenty of characters and references to the cartoon and comics. It does not hurt this is a rock solid action game but when it’s wrapped in so much fans will dig, it’s simple a game not to be missed.
Overall Transformer fans should already own War for Cybertron on whichever system they own. It’s packed with great fan-service, a worthy story driven narrative that puts gamers in the driver’s seat. Seeing so many characters in their original Cybertronian forms is a joy and the voice work is rock solid. Level design can feel familiar but gamers won’t notice when Trypticon is bearing down on you. Fans looking for a fun, different, online experience should also take a look as this is a surprising deep online experience that requires more than plain-ol-fragging. Who knew transforming into a jet could cause so many lock-on issues?
Monster Hunter Tri Impression
Crazy addictive and popular over in Japan, but not getting that same solid foothold and love here in the States. The Monster Hunter franchise one could say was ahead of its time on the PlayStation 2 with limited online capabilities and footprint while the PSP just never took off enough. This known Japanese gem is now looking to remedy these issues with a solid, very solid US release with one major issue. What is the issue facing Monster Hunter Tri for Nintendo Wii, let’s take a look.
Gameplay – An action RPG that puts gamers in the role of (wait for it) a monster hunter. Hunt monsters, harvest them and build new, more powerful equipment to take on the next big ol’ bad monster. There is a main beastie in the game to drive the story but the star is just monster hunting solo or with friends (4) via Wi-Fi. One central town puts all the shops and upgrade centers front and center so it’s all about third person hacking and slashing but with strategy needed as the monsters get stronger, bigger and smarter. There are patterns to learn but these wild beasts feel real in their movement and random patterns. Gamers can pattern their hunters to suit a certain style from ranged to up close melee, there is no one way to play. The multi-player is a stand alone, non-friend code based system that makes getting online and gaming with buddies all the easier.
Graphics – Solid looking for a Wii title. The overall look feels a bit soft with great color usage and very detailed weapons and armor, all customized and looking good. The different settings from volcanic to under water look unique and there are some impressive settings to carry the great action. This is a very good looking game from customized characters to towns, NPC’s, settings and of course the monsters.
Sound – Monsters are scary sounding, sometimes. Sounds in distance help build the anticipation of a hunt while each custom weapon is fairly unique sounding. The musical score moves along the action and there are a few noteworthy tunes but in the heat of battle music can wait. A quality sounding game.
Design – Unique monsters with different weak points and movements, patterns. Environmental settings suited for the monsters including underwater hunting. A weapons/equipment based creation system that’s deep and engaging. All of these are expected in Monster Hunter and each executed beautifully but it’s the learning curve design that makes this a game worth savoring. Designing challenge that frustrates in a good way is hard and taking down strong monsters, solo or with a team, with the right equipment and planning is just plain awesome. This is why Monster Hunter rocks and is so addictive. The challenge is there and very, very rewarding.
Miscellaneous – The sleek, included, controller rocks and gives gamers looking for a more classic gaming touch options that extend beyond just Monster Hunter. The design of the controller blows away the basic Wii classic controller (or maybe it’s the sleek black coloring?).
Overall, Monster Hunter Tri is for gamers, not casual Wii gamers, but real gamer gamers who have been asking for more traditional challenge for their Wii. The level of commitment is old-school in the hours needed to take on the steeper learning curve while equipping your hunter in the proper manner. There is a ton to do as a single player but the true brilliance of Monster Hunter comes out when playing online with friends in the best online Wii experience yet. Expect to fail, expect to ready tons of menus and expect to feel a deep, deep satisfaction that the monster of choice finally falls.
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Babelgum on the MMO Lifestyle
Welcome to the second guest blog post this time taking a look at two very interesting gaming subjects. First up is Gamers which takes a look at the MMO lifestyle while The Battle for Our Minds takes on those who's live have been influenced by computer games. Enjoy, check out the links and give some impressions.
Gamers takes a close look into the mysterious MMO (massively multiplayer online) lifestyle, revealing the lives of dedicated players across the country. Documenting his adventures to gaming conventions, basement lairs, and game companies, director Ben Gonyo talks to everyone from “Super Fans” at World of Warcraft conventions to staunch critics, game designers, and even gaming celebrities such as Red Sox star pitcher Curt Schilling, comedian Jay Mohr, and New York Times bestselling fantasy author RA Salvatore.
The Battle for Our Minds tells the stories of people whose lives have been deeply influenced by computer games. Using the microcosm of game fans in the USA and Korea and game developers working for Microsoft as a magnifying glass to reflect upon the broad social, moral, and political impact of this new medium, Halcort explores to what extent these games have impacted individuals identities and lives today.
Big Windup! Oofuri DVD Complete Series S.A.V.E. Impression
Great baseball action at a nice low price! Are we talking about cheap seats to a bad MLB team? Nope, we’re talking about Big Windup! Oofuri from FUNimation. This anime of an all freshman high school baseball team has received the S.A.V.E. (super amazing value edition) treatment and getting a full series for the price should not be missed. What’s the story all about? How’s the animation? Lots of questions so let’s get to it.
Middle school is over, time for high school baseball. For Mihashi this means a new school where is failings of the past, not to mention his family ties to the school, are in the rear view mirror and he can work to be the #1 pitcher he wishes to be. With splintered confidence but an array of solid pitches Mihashi must learn to trust his new catcher Abe and the new team behind him. The first challenge is building trust and a practice game against his old school Mihashi Academy. Conquering this challenge won’t be easy nor will the summer baseball tournament where Nishiura draws the defending champs Tosei full of seniors and experienced players. The challenges facing Mihashi and the players of Nishiura will be many but with an energetic female coach and faculty advisor full of off-field mental exercises the team will be in great shape to compete. Warm-ups are over, it’s time to play ball.
Sports anime are interesting. How do you recreate the love of a game in a story driven animation? Well for Big Windup! it’s all about the characters and setting. Mihashi is not the prototypical ‘hero’ athlete and his issues, failings are easy to connect with for many a viewer. The story introduces enough background to make the characters seem real and the two games (yes two games) played over the course of the series not only add drama but show growth in each player and teaches a bit about baseball. All this is accomplished by using humor and intensity at the right time and the outcome is never 100%. It’s a really, really well told story with great characters. The animation does not let down the action with good character design and moments of intensity that come across as any major moment in an ESPN highlight. The action and animation deliver to the point of feeling the nervousness and excitement of the game. Well done on all fronts.
Let me state this. I’m not a big sports anime fan. I’ve gotten into the manga Slam Dunk and really dug the anime for Bamboo Blade but this is the first American sport anime I’ve dove into and it was good, not what I expected. There are a few baseball lessons thrown in but I found myself liking these characters and their issues, even the bonus episode about a different group of players, it’s just fun. I will most definitely be grabbing a few more sport anime to check out and for the price of S.A.V.E. I’m not really sure how any anime fan can pass up this series.
I'LL FIND YOU AND I'LL KILL YOU! Panel OF DOOM! Report, AWA 2010
I was concerned I might be out of practice.
With the one-two punch of the shrinking number of anime-specific FL conventions and out-of-state cons either having their own personal HELLs or having no interest in such an event, the Panel OF DOOM!--my solo act take on the Anime HELL experience--hadn't seen the light of day for well over a year. Not since...AWA 2009. But old habits die hard, and so this year's DOOM was almost entirely new clips and held in an all-new venue: the Video Art Track (VAT)! From my vantage point, the place was filled beyond capacity to standing room only from beginning to end. CRITICAL RESULT: HAPPY. Full list of what was shown (sort of in order of appearance):
For the sake of expediency, I'll use one entry for things with multiple clips shown. That way I don't have to write "Gatchaman" quite so many times!
JOHN CENA'S "BAD BAD MAN" MUSIC VIDEO - in memory of Gary Coleman
EMPEROR PALPATINE TALKS GUNDAM AND DBZ WITH MR. PLINKETT
SOUL TRAIN LINE - "Mighty Mighty" by Earth Wind and Fire
PARTY 7 OPENING ANIMATION - from the creators of Redline
KSBY WARNS AMERICA ABOUT PEDOBEAR
ASTRO BOY 1980 - Uran accepts a ride from a old man who wants to put a special unit in her
GATCHAMAN - Galactor's plan to attract 16 year-old girls, sick old man in wheelchair makes friends with little girl, never trust the forest patrol
SUNTORY BEER ADS - featuring Mike the Penguin
CHEERS BEER - Every Good Thing in Life
RED BARON - Science Investigation Detective, the greatest piano ever, 60 second premise recap, crucifixion explosion
IRON KING - Nonstop Action Before Credits, Slapping a Girl, Blowing Up Schools, Fighting Handicapped Monsters
LEGEND OF THE SACRED STONE - puppet wuxia fighting at its best
THE TEN TIGERS OF KWANGTUNG - its exciting finale!
DR. NAMBU FROM SCIENCE NINJA TEAM GATCHAMAN IS A DICK - Whales, Centrifugal Brain Surgery, Lost Shoes, Magma Jesus
TEARS OF THE BLACK TIGER - "fabulous" Thai western
BLACK LAGOON OMAKE - Radical Revy-chan
THE AMAZING RACE - watermelon catapulting
COMBATTLER V - Supermagnetic Yo-Yos, From Conceptualization to Implementation
FIRED! - featuring Brandon Keener, voice of Garrus Vakarian in Mass Effect
BUD ICE PENGUIN - DOOBY DOOBY DOO
PENGUIN MEMORIES - Mike the Penguin...in Vietnam
WOLF'S RAIN - the best walrus fight anime has ever depicted
ALLUDA MAJAKA - Telugu Indian movie where our hero evades capture, rides horse
3DFX COMMERCIAL - canceling science and medical advancement
SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO SEASON 2 - the Comet Empire hates dinosaurs and dinosaur planets
JAPANESE SUSHI RESTAURANT AD
JOJO'S BIZARRE ADVENTURE - car paradox in memory of Satoshi Kon
KOREAN ROBOCOP SELLS FRIED CHICKEN
RAVEN TENGU KABUTO - Iron Horse, Iron Terror
CRAPSHOTS - Using Hokuto Shinken to heal...and failing
DROP BY OSAMU TEZUKA - the most nihilistic cartoon Hayao Miyazaki had ever seen
NIA: NINJA IN ACTION - ninja vs woman with large rock in purse
DORITOS NINJA FORCE
LAWS OF ETERNITY - Happy Science cult heroes engage in philosophical finger pointing duels with Hitler and Nietzsche
JAPANESE MARIO KART DS COMMERCIAL
CRIME PATROL 2: DRUG WARS intro
DOLPH LUNDGREN MAKES UNICORN ON THE COB
JAPANESE FANTA COMMERCIAL - Grape Fun Time
HARD TICKET TO HAWAII by Andy Sidaris - Skateboarder and blow up doll blown up...by rocket launcher
KELLOGG'S COCOA KRISPIES - Snaggletooth uses his chocolate touch and thinks his chocolate thoughts
CHAD VANGAALEN - MOLTEN LIGHT (I'LL FIND YOU AND I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL FIND YOU AND I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL FIND YOU AND I'LL KILL YOU!) - I've held onto this clip for 3 years, waiting for the time to strike
GARBAGE DAY - I tried not running this for a while, but I can't resist
SLIMBY AND THE SPECIAL PICTURE (repeat from DOOM of years ago)
SAM PECKINPAH'S SALAD DAYS
Phew! And to think I brought an entire extra 90 minutes of stuff just in case people were getting bored with what I was showing! Worry not; we'll rock out with Sivaji the Boss next year! Click here for the 2010 lineup of Anime's Craziest Deaths!
With the one-two punch of the shrinking number of anime-specific FL conventions and out-of-state cons either having their own personal HELLs or having no interest in such an event, the Panel OF DOOM!--my solo act take on the Anime HELL experience--hadn't seen the light of day for well over a year. Not since...AWA 2009. But old habits die hard, and so this year's DOOM was almost entirely new clips and held in an all-new venue: the Video Art Track (VAT)! From my vantage point, the place was filled beyond capacity to standing room only from beginning to end. CRITICAL RESULT: HAPPY. Full list of what was shown (sort of in order of appearance):
For the sake of expediency, I'll use one entry for things with multiple clips shown. That way I don't have to write "Gatchaman" quite so many times!
JOHN CENA'S "BAD BAD MAN" MUSIC VIDEO - in memory of Gary Coleman
EMPEROR PALPATINE TALKS GUNDAM AND DBZ WITH MR. PLINKETT
SOUL TRAIN LINE - "Mighty Mighty" by Earth Wind and Fire
PARTY 7 OPENING ANIMATION - from the creators of Redline
KSBY WARNS AMERICA ABOUT PEDOBEAR
ASTRO BOY 1980 - Uran accepts a ride from a old man who wants to put a special unit in her
GATCHAMAN - Galactor's plan to attract 16 year-old girls, sick old man in wheelchair makes friends with little girl, never trust the forest patrol
SUNTORY BEER ADS - featuring Mike the Penguin
CHEERS BEER - Every Good Thing in Life
RED BARON - Science Investigation Detective, the greatest piano ever, 60 second premise recap, crucifixion explosion
IRON KING - Nonstop Action Before Credits, Slapping a Girl, Blowing Up Schools, Fighting Handicapped Monsters
LEGEND OF THE SACRED STONE - puppet wuxia fighting at its best
THE TEN TIGERS OF KWANGTUNG - its exciting finale!
DR. NAMBU FROM SCIENCE NINJA TEAM GATCHAMAN IS A DICK - Whales, Centrifugal Brain Surgery, Lost Shoes, Magma Jesus
TEARS OF THE BLACK TIGER - "fabulous" Thai western
BLACK LAGOON OMAKE - Radical Revy-chan
THE AMAZING RACE - watermelon catapulting
COMBATTLER V - Supermagnetic Yo-Yos, From Conceptualization to Implementation
FIRED! - featuring Brandon Keener, voice of Garrus Vakarian in Mass Effect
BUD ICE PENGUIN - DOOBY DOOBY DOO
PENGUIN MEMORIES - Mike the Penguin...in Vietnam
WOLF'S RAIN - the best walrus fight anime has ever depicted
ALLUDA MAJAKA - Telugu Indian movie where our hero evades capture, rides horse
3DFX COMMERCIAL - canceling science and medical advancement
SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO SEASON 2 - the Comet Empire hates dinosaurs and dinosaur planets
JAPANESE SUSHI RESTAURANT AD
JOJO'S BIZARRE ADVENTURE - car paradox in memory of Satoshi Kon
KOREAN ROBOCOP SELLS FRIED CHICKEN
RAVEN TENGU KABUTO - Iron Horse, Iron Terror
CRAPSHOTS - Using Hokuto Shinken to heal...and failing
DROP BY OSAMU TEZUKA - the most nihilistic cartoon Hayao Miyazaki had ever seen
NIA: NINJA IN ACTION - ninja vs woman with large rock in purse
DORITOS NINJA FORCE
LAWS OF ETERNITY - Happy Science cult heroes engage in philosophical finger pointing duels with Hitler and Nietzsche
JAPANESE MARIO KART DS COMMERCIAL
CRIME PATROL 2: DRUG WARS intro
DOLPH LUNDGREN MAKES UNICORN ON THE COB
JAPANESE FANTA COMMERCIAL - Grape Fun Time
HARD TICKET TO HAWAII by Andy Sidaris - Skateboarder and blow up doll blown up...by rocket launcher
KELLOGG'S COCOA KRISPIES - Snaggletooth uses his chocolate touch and thinks his chocolate thoughts
CHAD VANGAALEN - MOLTEN LIGHT (I'LL FIND YOU AND I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL FIND YOU AND I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL FIND YOU AND I'LL KILL YOU!) - I've held onto this clip for 3 years, waiting for the time to strike
GARBAGE DAY - I tried not running this for a while, but I can't resist
SLIMBY AND THE SPECIAL PICTURE (repeat from DOOM of years ago)
SAM PECKINPAH'S SALAD DAYS
Phew! And to think I brought an entire extra 90 minutes of stuff just in case people were getting bored with what I was showing! Worry not; we'll rock out with Sivaji the Boss next year! Click here for the 2010 lineup of Anime's Craziest Deaths!
AWA HELL AFTER ACTION REPORT
Field reports indicate this was the BEST HELL EVER. Nadelman kept 'em cooking with TLA and by 10pm the audience was ready to roll... with laughter! 2 screens, updated TOWER OF POWER (tm) speaker stacks and an advanced pipe and drape echo reduction system meant an upgraded HELL experience for the capacity crowd. Here's what was shown.
LOGORAMA - the Academy Award winning short film featuring advertising logos killing each other, swearing, and boob-grabbing.
GTFO -if you are a furry, GTFO.
MAD MEN OPENING - swelegant Sterling Draper Cooper Price title by Th' Gavv.
SW2000 OPENING - title card from horrifying Ultraman feature "Space Warriors 2000"
RICK ROLL - this is not Soul Eater.
GUNDAM -T28 -TORBOTO In which I give the audience the finger.
MACEK TRIBUTE - Uh? Wha? Huh?
DR TRAN LETTERS -viewer mail.
ANIME VS AMERICA - Care Bears, Monchichis, Mr. T and the Dukes versus Fighting General Daimos and Space Battleship Yamato. And Gamera.
IT'S A UFO - fascinating true anime documentary about aliens.
HETALIA ROSWELL - fascinating true anime documentary about aliens landing on America's house.
GIRAFFES!!!
ZINC OXIDE - where would we be without Zinc Oxide.
HALLOWEEN - Centron safety film about the dangers of Halloween.
part two:
THE HANGMAN - nothing says workplace safety like a burly Englishman in a domino mask.
WILL YOU BE HERE TOMORROW - not if you starred in this safety film!
ACTION AFTER WARNINGS - what to do if the Big One drops and you live in the UK.
GAS IN HEATER - gas in your heater can kill you.
EVERY MOTHER'S NIGHTMARE - don't leave your baby on the sidewalk.
DINNER FOR A SEAGULL - drowning, it's what's for dinner.
DONKEY KONG JR - vintage video game ad.
PIXELS - short film about 8-bit world domination.
FINAL FANTASY II - vintage video game ad.
VIRTUAL REALITY - news clip about exciting new trend for 1991.
ZIPANG clip from the amazing film. Jigoku fights Zatoichi, Tange Sazen and 100 others.
BLACK DYNAMITE - But Black Dynamite, I sell drugs in the community!
BITCH KILLER - god this film makes me horny.
MEGAFORCE -the good guys always win, even in the 80s.
ULTRAVACUUM - super monsters battle super vacuum cleaners.
ULTRACARINSURANCE - super monsters ding your car.
MURPHY IRISH STOUT - the choice of high tech samurai.
MINILOTO,NOCRIA - quick Japanese ads.
HEAVY METAL MEMORIES - Spinal Tap K-Tel TV ad.
ZIPANG - back to killing. Warning, this sword is REALLY sharp.
YOGI OKEY DOKEY - yeah, he's real funny, you obese death-suckers.
DR TRAN LETTERS - again with the viewer mail.
DOWNFALL REJECTED - Hitler gets what Hitler wants.
PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE:
See you at AWA 17!
Club Penguin Game Day! on Wii Impression
Club Penguin from Disney; a site targeted at youngsters with addictive activities and of course coin collecting … to buy stuff. With a strong online following the franchise made the move to the Nintendo DS with Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force and Club Penguin: Herbert’s Revenge. These two handheld, mission based adventures retained the look and feel of what Club Penguin is known for and now it’s the Nintendo Wii’s turn. Club Penguin: Game Day! on Wii takes a different approach to the franchise yet still rewards fans. How, let’s take a gander.
Gameplay – A Wii mini-game extravaganza set to the Club Penguin license. Quick play allows gamers to jump right into the initial 6 unlocked games (12 total) while Tournament allows for some head-to-head action in the same games. The bulk of the single-player action happens with Story Mode which sees gamers picking 1 of 4 colors to conquer the island and all its games and challenges. To complete the game all four colors must unlock 100% of the island. The mini-games are a collection of a study in past Wii motion games as there are multiple uses from shooting segments to leaning/bob sled, hopping Java jump and snow ball fights with a throwing motion. Not a one trick pony. Collecting coins (more on that in Misc.) is a huge piece of gameplay and gamers can take their penguins with them to friend’s homes and gather/transfer more coins. While this is a kid targeted game the hard setting offers some decent challenge and random events really throw a monkey wrench into cocky gamer’s plans. The true fun is that these games can be enjoyed by all ages, yes something the marketing team would say, but true none the less.
Graphics – Look at Club Penguin online and that’s what gamers get. Bright and vivid colors and mini-game graphics that capture the essence of the family friendly franchise and look good. This is Club Pending, a known franchise with a known look and feel and it’s replicated nicely on the Wii.
Sound – Lost in the mix of action. Sound effects are fun and fitting to the settings but as for any music, nothing too really mention here as gamers will be wrapped up in the addictive gameplay.
Design – A study in Wii motion controls rewarding the advanced gamer with more advanced moves but keeping it simple for the kiddies. When a seasoned, grown gamer can jump into a vivid color, penguin infested party game and not complain, well then that’s something special.
Miscellaneous – Coins and exclusives. Club Penguin online gets visitors hooked by helping them gather coins in every event, coins which can then be used to buy items or transfer online to buy items on Club Penguin online. There are also 24 exclusive unlockable items in-game that can be won/purchased and transferred so this is a game that really rewards fanbase, not just another Wii mini-game collection.
Overall, the mini-games and story mode in Club Penguin: Game Day! will be a trip for kids with its variety and license. The license is the key as this title has an audience but did not just do a quick cash-in game. It’s fun and imaginative, great in groups and addictive in its new items to gather and coins to build. A nice first effort from the folks at Disney with a solid license behind it.
Naruto Shippuden Movie - The Lost Tower Original Soundtrack
info filmnya :Naruto Shippuden 4: The Lost Tower (剧场版 NARUTO-ナルト - 疾風 伝 ザ ロスト タワー, Gekijōban Naruto Shippuden: Za Rosuto tawa?) Adalah film Naruto ketujuh secara keseluruhan dan film keempat Naruto Shippuden. Ini akan dirilis pada tanggal 31 Juli 2010, dengan kegiatan penjualan tiket sebelumnya dijadwalkan untuk April 17 dan 19 Juni.
Ditugaskan pada misi untuk menangkap Mukade, sebuah nin-hilang, Naruto Uzumaki menetapkan untuk reruntuhan bersejarah sekali mulia "Ouran", di mana ia mengejar dan sudut ninja jahat. Tujuan Mukade adalah mengungkapkan menjadi leyline terbengkalai dalam reruntuhan, ia merilis kekuatan leyline, menyebabkan cahaya menyelubungi Naruto, mengirimnya ke masa lalu, 20 tahun sebelum seri dimulai. Ketika Naruto terbangun, ia datang ke dalam kontak dengan Hokage Keempat, Ayahnya, Minato Namikaze.
Ditugaskan pada misi untuk menangkap Mukade, sebuah nin-hilang, Naruto Uzumaki menetapkan untuk reruntuhan bersejarah sekali mulia "Ouran", di mana ia mengejar dan sudut ninja jahat. Tujuan Mukade adalah mengungkapkan menjadi leyline terbengkalai dalam reruntuhan, ia merilis kekuatan leyline, menyebabkan cahaya menyelubungi Naruto, mengirimnya ke masa lalu, 20 tahun sebelum seri dimulai. Ketika Naruto terbangun, ia datang ke dalam kontak dengan Hokage Keempat, Ayahnya, Minato Namikaze.
Naruto Shippuden Movie - The Lost Tower Original Soundtrack
sambil nunggu filmnya keluar....ni aku kasih Soundtracknya
DOWNLOAD
Link One Piece 467
[HorribleSubs] One Piece – 467 [360p].mkv
Zomgupload | Fileserve | Uploaded | Hotfile | Megaupload
OR
Part 1
Part 2
(kalau bisa pakek software idm (internet download manager)
Zomgupload | Fileserve | Uploaded | Hotfile | Megaupload
OR
Part 1
Part 2
(kalau bisa pakek software idm (internet download manager)
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