Cosplay Girl Of The Week #86 (Masami Iwasawa)
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This week's Cosplay Girl Of The Week comes the anime show "Angel Beats."
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Angel Beats Review
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In a world after death, angels fight for their fate and their future. Yuri, the leader of the Shinda Sekai Sensen, rebels against the god who destined her to have an unreasonable life. On the other hand, Tenshi, the chairperson of the student council for the world after death, battles against the SSS members. SSS members utilize armed weaponry to battle it out against the angels harnessing supernatural powers.
Seedling Review
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If you don't know already Seedling is a Zelda-esque flash game on Newgrounds.com, made by user ConnorUllmann. Who has created several games, including Quietus, Casus and Hollow. Does it deserve Zelda comparisons? Is Seedling worth your time?
Story- Seedling is based around our adventurer who happens to be a seed and his journey. He does not know much but knows he is here for a reason. "A small boy is born from the wind, appearing in front of a house. He
doesn't know his purpose, but knows that this house is important. This
house holds his answers--and the beginnings of an arduous journey that
will introduce him to creatures and objects he has never seen, as well
as bring him to question right and wrong." As stated by the developer.
Gameplay- The gameplay is essentially a RPG/ top-down dungeon crawler with various easier than it seems puzzles.While trying to navigate seedling's various obstacles, as arrow keys are set to control your movement and x and c for combat you will find your hands cramping up quite often and certain parts seem impossible after trying twenty-five times. There is no difficulty setting and is pretty straight forward with dungeon progression. Every stage can be completed as difficult as it may seem, seedling is actually more forgiving than some of his indie brothers like the binding of Isaac. There are respawn points at the entry of every room and you never loose items upon death. The level design is set up to complement your progression and move along with every new item you acquire. Bosiniad burning tremors was the most rage-inducing level for me while the bosses was defeated in 15-20 seconds tops while the first boss I could not figure out how to beat at all. But that is my only complaint as far as gameplay goes. Seedling took me about three hours to beat the most I have spent playing a web based game with an end which is a good thing in my book.
Graphics and Sound- The graphics are as good as a flash based top-down RPG can look. The art is amazing not complex but is done very well. Every level feels alive and has an atmospheric vibe that the sound complements very well. With the exception of certain bosses every enemy when hit looks and sounds like there were hit, this is some thing a lot of flash games and even big published games have trouble perfecting but seedling has it down packed. Also the soundtrack for this game is great and fits the game exceptionally and is only 1$ on bandcamp.
Final Grade 8.5- I love this game a few glitches, puzzle bugs and misleading level design, keeps Seedling from getting a 9 or 10 but it is an amazing game and deserves a play and it is free so why not. Click here to play Seedling.
The Worst Superhero Movies Ever Made PT.1
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With the summer movie season almost coming to a close. Fans have seen some of the best Superhero movies yet with "The Dark Knight Rises", "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "The Avengers." Regardless of how you feel about these titles there is one thing for sure. These movies aren't in the category of the worst superhero movies ever made. I decide to go back into the archives of superhero movies to find the absolute worst films. Reliving these movies was a very painful experience. There is no particular order, some movies are worst than others but it doesn't matter. These are superhero movies that need to be buried or never see the light of day again. Here is my part 1 of my list.
Batman & Robin (1997) - Let me get this one out the way otherwise it will turn into a Batman & Robin article. Personally this is the worst superhero movie ever made and the worst Batman movie ever! Not only was this film poorly miscast, but the inaccuracy with the characters will make any comic nerd go insane. Seriously Barbara Gordon is Alfred's niece? Are you insane? Let's not forget about Bane being turned into Joel Schumacher's version of Frankenstein. Bane has no dialogue except saying his name and the word bomb. Do you remember the infamous BANE!!!!! scene when the venom is injected? It was enough for any fan of "Knightfall" to transform into a Super Saiyan out of anger due to inaccuracy on the adaptation.
Then there is Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze. My goodness not only was his Mr. Freeze very campy, but the constant puns relating to things cold was not only annoying but laughable. "You are not sending me to the cooler." "Let's kick some ice." "What killed the dinosaurs? The ice age." We get it Schumacher he's Mr. Freeze and he's cold. Don't believe me enough watch the video below. Finally the writing is unforgivable. The dialogue was not only horrible, but jokes fail to assume you. "This is why Superman works alone." That dialogue is enough to set you into a state of rage. Let's not forget things that are unforgivable like, giving Batman a bat credit card that says Batman Forever, then having him say. "Never leave the cave without it" is something I can't forgive. In order to get a credit card don't you need to give out information. Did he sign his name on the application as Batman? Or is Bruce Wayne so rich that he makes his own credit cards?
The funny thing about Batman & Robin is the films attempt to have some emotional depth. The film attempts to accomplish this by making Alfred sick and having the Cape Crusaders bicker with one another like high school girls. Unfortunately due to the campy tone, the Scooby Doo sound effects and annoying talks about ice, you can careless whether Alfred dies or not. Trust me you wouldn't care that Robin is tired of being in Batman shadow either. Robin is a cry baby in this movie and I wish they just kept him frozen in this film. As for George Clooney as Batman let's just say thank goodness Nolan rebooted the series.I have ranted enough on this horrible film. Let's move on to the next one.
Steel (1997) - 1997 must have been the death of superhero films. Not only did we get Batman & Robin but we also got "Steel" starring Shaquille O'Neal. For some reason studios thought that people wanted to see the story of one of DC's lackluster heroes. Let's be honest I doubt Steel is on many peoples list of favorite superhero. Why is this movie such an epic fail? I will give you only three reasons why this movie sucks.
1. Acting is non existent in this film. Shaq's acting is probably the worst I've seen in a superhero movie. However to be fair Shaq isn't an actor he's a basketball player. But c'mon his delivery on the dialogue is so robotic that it comes off like it's just a guy trying to act. The dialogue was lame and outdated and didn't connect with the audience. Seriously who was saying it's hammer time in 1997? In addition his supporting cast doesn't help either. Most of them are over acting or just didn't care about they roles. The most annoying performance was Ray J. Yes the same Ray J that is Brandy's brother. The same Ray J with the sex tape with Kim Kardashian. His character is loud, obnoxious and frankly a little of a stereotype of a inner city kid. You wish something bad would happen to that kid, but it never does.
2. Action and design is horrible beyond belief. Shaq Steel suit looks like a grown man who visit Party City to go trick or treating. Sometimes it looks okay and other scenes it looks really cheap. The action is so bad you think a kid choreograph some of this. Shaq moves so slow that I'm surprise he catches any crooks at all (see the train yard scene.) His movements was too stiff for the role and him riding the escalator is too laughable.
3. The story is boring, uninteresting and full of characters you don't care about.
Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987) - Worst Superman movie ever! Superman IV takes logic and throws it out the window. Not only is this movie just a one view perspective on how we should handle nuclear weapons. Superman has the nerve to take upon himself to tell the governments, the citizen of Earth that he will take care of this issue. He will take care this problem because he is no longer an alien visiting Earth, he's now a citizen. So after growing up in Smallville and saving Metropolis now you feel like a citizen of Earth? The story is not the only problem wrong with this film. Like I said logic was thrown out the window. Now I know this is a movie and anything can happen, but basic elementary school science should still apply. There is a scene when Superman has to rescue Lacy Warfield from Nuclear Man in space. Lacy is in space with no shuttle, no space suit, she is able to breathe in space. Yes goodbye basic science! Humans can breathe in space in this movie. If that isn't enough the villain Nuclear Man is the worst villain in a Superman movie. His back story is laughable, his fight scenes with Superman is lame. He literally served no purpose. Finally this movie was made in 1987 you think the effects for the flying would improve from previous installments. Nope! In fact the effects are the worst in the series.There is plenty wrong with this movie but unfortunately I have more films to discuss. Stay tune for part 2. I' am sorry my brain can only take so much.
Batman & Robin (1997) - Let me get this one out the way otherwise it will turn into a Batman & Robin article. Personally this is the worst superhero movie ever made and the worst Batman movie ever! Not only was this film poorly miscast, but the inaccuracy with the characters will make any comic nerd go insane. Seriously Barbara Gordon is Alfred's niece? Are you insane? Let's not forget about Bane being turned into Joel Schumacher's version of Frankenstein. Bane has no dialogue except saying his name and the word bomb. Do you remember the infamous BANE!!!!! scene when the venom is injected? It was enough for any fan of "Knightfall" to transform into a Super Saiyan out of anger due to inaccuracy on the adaptation.
Then there is Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze. My goodness not only was his Mr. Freeze very campy, but the constant puns relating to things cold was not only annoying but laughable. "You are not sending me to the cooler." "Let's kick some ice." "What killed the dinosaurs? The ice age." We get it Schumacher he's Mr. Freeze and he's cold. Don't believe me enough watch the video below. Finally the writing is unforgivable. The dialogue was not only horrible, but jokes fail to assume you. "This is why Superman works alone." That dialogue is enough to set you into a state of rage. Let's not forget things that are unforgivable like, giving Batman a bat credit card that says Batman Forever, then having him say. "Never leave the cave without it" is something I can't forgive. In order to get a credit card don't you need to give out information. Did he sign his name on the application as Batman? Or is Bruce Wayne so rich that he makes his own credit cards?
The funny thing about Batman & Robin is the films attempt to have some emotional depth. The film attempts to accomplish this by making Alfred sick and having the Cape Crusaders bicker with one another like high school girls. Unfortunately due to the campy tone, the Scooby Doo sound effects and annoying talks about ice, you can careless whether Alfred dies or not. Trust me you wouldn't care that Robin is tired of being in Batman shadow either. Robin is a cry baby in this movie and I wish they just kept him frozen in this film. As for George Clooney as Batman let's just say thank goodness Nolan rebooted the series.I have ranted enough on this horrible film. Let's move on to the next one.
Steel (1997) - 1997 must have been the death of superhero films. Not only did we get Batman & Robin but we also got "Steel" starring Shaquille O'Neal. For some reason studios thought that people wanted to see the story of one of DC's lackluster heroes. Let's be honest I doubt Steel is on many peoples list of favorite superhero. Why is this movie such an epic fail? I will give you only three reasons why this movie sucks.
1. Acting is non existent in this film. Shaq's acting is probably the worst I've seen in a superhero movie. However to be fair Shaq isn't an actor he's a basketball player. But c'mon his delivery on the dialogue is so robotic that it comes off like it's just a guy trying to act. The dialogue was lame and outdated and didn't connect with the audience. Seriously who was saying it's hammer time in 1997? In addition his supporting cast doesn't help either. Most of them are over acting or just didn't care about they roles. The most annoying performance was Ray J. Yes the same Ray J that is Brandy's brother. The same Ray J with the sex tape with Kim Kardashian. His character is loud, obnoxious and frankly a little of a stereotype of a inner city kid. You wish something bad would happen to that kid, but it never does.
2. Action and design is horrible beyond belief. Shaq Steel suit looks like a grown man who visit Party City to go trick or treating. Sometimes it looks okay and other scenes it looks really cheap. The action is so bad you think a kid choreograph some of this. Shaq moves so slow that I'm surprise he catches any crooks at all (see the train yard scene.) His movements was too stiff for the role and him riding the escalator is too laughable.
3. The story is boring, uninteresting and full of characters you don't care about.
Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987) - Worst Superman movie ever! Superman IV takes logic and throws it out the window. Not only is this movie just a one view perspective on how we should handle nuclear weapons. Superman has the nerve to take upon himself to tell the governments, the citizen of Earth that he will take care of this issue. He will take care this problem because he is no longer an alien visiting Earth, he's now a citizen. So after growing up in Smallville and saving Metropolis now you feel like a citizen of Earth? The story is not the only problem wrong with this film. Like I said logic was thrown out the window. Now I know this is a movie and anything can happen, but basic elementary school science should still apply. There is a scene when Superman has to rescue Lacy Warfield from Nuclear Man in space. Lacy is in space with no shuttle, no space suit, she is able to breathe in space. Yes goodbye basic science! Humans can breathe in space in this movie. If that isn't enough the villain Nuclear Man is the worst villain in a Superman movie. His back story is laughable, his fight scenes with Superman is lame. He literally served no purpose. Finally this movie was made in 1987 you think the effects for the flying would improve from previous installments. Nope! In fact the effects are the worst in the series.There is plenty wrong with this movie but unfortunately I have more films to discuss. Stay tune for part 2. I' am sorry my brain can only take so much.
The Return Of "Star Wars Celebration Radio" On SiriusXM
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Star Wars fans rejoice:
SiriusXM announced the return of Star Wars Celebration Radio—a limited-run channel broadcasting live fromStar Wars Celebration VI, the official Lucasfilm event celebrating the award-winning Star Wars™ saga.
Star Wars Celebration Radio will launch Thursday, August 23 at 6:00 pm ET, the day the event kicks off at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. It will air through Monday, August 27 at 3:00 am ET on Sirius channel 123, XM channel 142, and channel 770 online and through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App for smartphones and mobile devices.
Star Wars Celebration Radio will feature interviews with iconic cast members from the Star Wars films, as well as insiders/key players whose behind-the-scenes whose contributions to the series are well known to fans. SiriusXM listeners will be able to listen in on live panel discussions from Star Wars Celebration VI throughout the weekend and hear colorful commentary from celebrity fans and other attendees.
Star Wars Celebration Radio will also feature an in-depth interview with George Lucas—the legendary creator of the Star Wars saga—conducted by Senator Bill Bradley for a special edition of his SiriusXM show American Voices in which he discusses his evolution as a filmmaker and storyteller, the role technology played on this journey and the spiritual life lessons woven into the Star Wars saga.
“We are thrilled to be back at Star Wars Celebration and to bring the sights, sounds and behind-the-scenes action of this annual event to millions of fans across the country through SiriusXM,” said Jeremy Coleman, Senior Vice President, Talk and Entertainment Programming, SiriusXM. "The passion for Star Wars seems to grow every year through every demographic and the insight and fun of the Celebration makes great radio. Senator Bill Bradley’s interview with George Lucas is particularly gripping.”
Star Wars Celebration Radio will be hosted by SiriusXM on-air personalities Mark Says Hi! and Dave Ziemer. This marks the second year SiriusXM has broadcast this limited-run channel.
For more information, visit www.siriusxm.com/starwars.
NFL Fantasy Draft Raffle Tomorrow - Super Bowl, Jets and Giants Tickets
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Hey Otakus and Geeks Fans, Tomorrow Aug 23 1 Iota giving away tickets to attend NFL Fantasy Draft Week presented by DirecTV 2012. For anyone in the New York area ( if you like fantasy football and NFL stars ) Check it out. Go to 1Iota.com
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LOG ON TO 1IOTA.COM AND GET YOUR FREE TICKETS TODAY!
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Lenni Reviews: "The Future is Japanese"
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“The Future is Japanese,” edited
by Nick Mamatas, Masumi Washington, and Haikasoru, features stories about and
by Japan and Japanese people. It’s a solid collection of short science fiction
stories featuring multiple subgenres. The collection features space travel,
cyperpunk, dystopian landscapes, and fantastical time travel adventures.
This collection spares no
punches, thrusting you completely into each world. Like many stories, they are
a contemplation on what it means to be human or what we are doing to the planet
and ourselves through ruthless pursuit of high technology or illogically
clinging to the past. Over all I would have to say in this book the future is
absolutely Japanese; and also incredibly depressing. The darkest of subjects
are handled with candid and vivid clarity producing genuine fear, horror, and
sometimes even shame. One of the stories was so dark, I honestly felt as if I
needed a shower when I was done.
Not every story is connected to
Japan or Japanese culture but they still fit in with the scifi nature of the
collection. As a geek, I was enthralled by the different takes on what the
future would be like. And for you mech fans? Yes, one story does feature giant
battle suits. Some of the tech talk may lose some of the less die hard
cyberpunk fans and authors just drop Japanese words as if we’re already
supposed to know what they mean, but the action makes up for it. Not being familiar
with some of these more famous authors, I don’t have their body of work to
compare these stories to. The works in this book stand alone as some pretty
darn good stories. The ones originally in Japanese are solidly translated so I
wasn’t left confused.
Not all the stories are winners.
There were times I felt preached to or as if I was sitting in a class on
cybernetics or virtual reality. But hardcore Japanophiles and science fiction
fans will not be completely disappointed by this collection. There is plenty
here to enjoy and at 360 pages, there is a lot of meat in the book. I’m not
sure I would buy it but it’s worth picking up from your local library or
borrowing from a friend.
Lenni Reviews: Blade of the Immortal Vol 25: Snowfall at Dawn
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Warning: If you’re
reading this and you haven’t read the first 24 volumes, there will be spoilers.
This review operates on the assumption you have read every volume but this one.
Are you ready? Then proceed:
Have you ever been hip deep in a series - book, comic or
television - and had a favorite villain? You almost look forward to their
repeat appearances. You wonder what they will do to the hero next and if the
hero will finally end their reign of terror for good. Shira is NOT such a
villain. In fact, he is one of those villains who you wonder when the hell he
will be finished off so you don’t have to deal with him anymore!
Volume 25 of this
fantastic, award winning series by Hiroaki Samura promises such a showdown with
Shira, who is known for his sick predilections with torturing and murdering
women. So, I guess as a female manga fan, I am one of many psyched to see get
Shira dead in a fantastic way. I don't enjoy seeing him and I almost regret him
lasting so long over other villains I enjoyed seeing more. But therein lies Hiroaki
Samura's genius; Shira is so fantastically created, I can't freaking stand him.
I suppose you don't get rid of a villain so crazed and sick, he carves off his
own flesh to make the bones of his forearm into a double blade dagger.
Rin and Manji have
recovered from their adventures at Edo castle where Manji was the victim of
some pretty heinous immortality experiments. But there is no real rest as they
hurry on their quest to find and punish Anotsu. Anotsu is also on the move,
with Magatsu in tow and the funniest pair so far in this series, Meguro
and Tanpopo, get more screen time. It’s hard to really get into the meat of
this volume without completely ruining all the surprises. I can say this; You
will laugh, you will cringe, you will gasp, and you will scream when you get to
the cliffhanger and can’t find an American release date for the next volume!
This series has never let me down.
It’s one of the few I will still outright buy rather than read in the store or
borrow from my library. My art idol, Hiroaki
Samura, is fantastic as usual; remaining on my list of creators that I will
purchase pretty much anything with their name on it. The detailed explanation
on how the kessen-chu worms work lost me for a moment but not because it
wasn’t interesting! I went back and read it on my second pass though the book.
When your heroine is in peril and your hero embattled, you don’t want science;
you want the fight. And my friends; do you ever get it. Stick with this series if
for nothing more than the supreme hope Shira will FINALLY get his.
A Retro Look Back At Yu Yu Hakusho (Game Gear)
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This week retro look back we take a break from the Sega Genesis and head to the Sega Game Gear. We take a look at Yu Yu Hakusho 1 and Yu Yu Hakusho 2 Battle Of The 7 Fighters. Check out the gameplay for both games.
First Look At Spider-Men #5
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Hey comic heads here is your first look at Spider-Men #5 courtesy of our friends at Marvel.
Peter Parker, Miles Morales and the Ultimates team up to take on Mysterio, but even if they can take him down, how will Peter get back home? And what will he and Miles do with the knowledge that they’re not alone in the universe. And most important of all – will Peter Parker give Miles Morales his blessing to carry the mantle of Spider-Man? The chart-topping creative team of writer Brian Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli pull out all the stops in Spider-Men #5.
Peter Parker, Miles Morales and the Ultimates team up to take on Mysterio, but even if they can take him down, how will Peter get back home? And what will he and Miles do with the knowledge that they’re not alone in the universe. And most important of all – will Peter Parker give Miles Morales his blessing to carry the mantle of Spider-Man? The chart-topping creative team of writer Brian Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli pull out all the stops in Spider-Men #5.
Grace Helbig Joins leetUP "AwesomeSauce Live" 2012 Tour
/| Here is some geeky news. ATTENTION all giant robot-loving, D&D-obsessed, podcast-pirating, LARP-afflicted, zombie-slaying, cartoon-watching, bacon-eating people of the world -leetUP today announced that viral luminary Grace Helbig will be joining the "AWESOMESAUCE.LIVE!" 2012 fall tour. The massive tour de force which Complex Magazine coined "Kevin Pereira's Coachella for nerds," is set to descend and ravage pop culture fanatics in 10 cities this fall. The YouTube darling hits the road for nine shows, beginning September 20 in Seattle with stops in Portland, Austin, Dallas, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Madison and Chicago. (*Minneapolis excluded) Hear it from the source: Grace Helbig talks joining the leetUP tour on the "Daily Grace": http://www.mydamnchannel.com/ Said Kevin Pereira: "Grace Helbig is the most hilarious, adorable and talented woman on YouTube, and unless Curiosity finds a sign of life, in the GALAXY! She may be known by millions for 'Daily Grace,' but just wait until you see what happens when we strap a few GoPro cameras on her body and toss her into the leetUP crowd!," A wildly popular stand-up and improvisational comedian, Helbing is best known as a correspondent on "G4's Attack of the Show!" and for creating the monster hit web series known to millions as "Daily Grace" on My Damn Channel - voted one of Time Magazine's Best50 websites of 2011. Since the series' inception, Helbig has released over 1000 videos, amassed an astounding 220,000+ channel subscribers and in excess of 34 million views on YouTube alone. Earlier this year she was heralded by Time Magazine's Techland column as one of the best 140 Twitter feeds shaping the online conversation in 2012. Helbig brings her sassy and unique flavor to the leetUP "AWESOMESAUCE. LIVE!" tour where she will perform stand-up sets for the audience and act as roving reporter for check-ins with the crowd. She joins former "Attack of the Show!" host, Kevin Pereira and a collection of geeky celebs and interweb stars including Doug Benson, Paul Scheer, VJ Mike Relm, Epic Meal Time, Zach Pearlman and Ask A Ninja in a two-fold live event designed to celebrate everything nerd. With non-stop action on and off the stage to include panels, podcasts, cosplay, competitions, live entertainment, experiential zones with exclusive technology demos, photo playsets, an old-school videogame arcade and more, it's a true festival of nerdy delights. Upon hearing news of the launch of the leetUP tour, Complex Magazine wrote "Kevin Pereira's Coachella for Nerds Will Ravage..." leetUP was created in 2012 by the tour's host, Pereira, G4 Network founder, Charles Hirschhorn and creative collective iam8bit, as a way for nerds to come together to interactively celebrate all things geek in a high-energy, entertaining and innovative environment. The experimental pooling of their collective experience and tech "know-how" was a huge hit, delighting over 1.000 fans at Los Angeles' Club Nokia with the first-of-its kind experience to the world of the elite geek. Post-event, social media blew up with fan postings of photos and videos from the event, leading to demands across the country for leetUP to take the show on the road. To watch episodes of "Daily Grace": http://www.mydamnchannel.com/ Follow Grace on Twitter: @gracehelbig Follow Kevin on Twitter: @kpereira "AWESOMESAUCE. LIVE!" FALL 2012 TOUR DATES: Thursday, 9/20: Seattle, WA; Neptune Theatre Friday, 9/21: Portland, OR; Crystal Ballroom Friday, 9/28: Austin, TX; Paramount Theater Saturday, 9/29: Dallas, TX; South Side Music Hall Thursday, 10/4: Boston, MA; Royale Friday, 10/5: Philadelphia, PA; Electric Factory Sunday, 10/7: Washington, DC; 9:30 Club Thursday, 10/11: Minneapolis, MN; Mill City Nights Saturday, 10/13: Madison WI; Barrymore Theatre Sunday, 10/14: Chicago, IL; Vic Theatre  |
New Evangelion 2.0 Voice Tour Guide App For I-Phone
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Here is some cool news Otakus:
The EvaNavi San Francisco Voice Tour Guide is a fun
English audio application designed for the iPhone® that incorporates
aspects from the hit Evangelion 2.0
sci-fi anime property to guide users to 60 notable attractions around San
Francisco.
The EvaNavi SF application is available for FREE download from the iPhone®/iTunes® AppStore at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id549431695?mt=8.
Anime
fans, tourists, and even local residents can get to know the City by the Bay in
an entirely new way with a unique audio guide powered by the voice of Mari
Makinami Illustrious (voiced in English by actress Trina Nishimura) of the famed Evangelion:2.0:
You Can (Not) Advance. anime film. The EvaNavi SF application was specially
produced for North American fans and made possible by official support and
approval from the creators of Evangelion
2.0 in association with NAVIelite (www.dribrain.com)
and developed and designed by the Japanese IT creative company and web/mobile
app developer KAYAC, Inc. (http://www.kayac.com/en).
San
Francisco is world-renowned for an array of unique restaurants, stores,
landmarks and other points of interest. EvaNavi SF features many unique
locations ranging from the Japanese pop culture entertainment complex of NEW
PEOPLE and the J-Pop inspired Hotel Tomo, to must-visit stops for anime fans
and gamers such as the Cartoon Art Museum, the Super 7 collectables store, and
Gamescape, as well as scrumptious Japanese eateries and live music venues such
as Kiss Seafood, Juban Yakiniku House, Blowfish Sushi to Die For and Yoshi's
San Francisco. The app also highlights many of the Bay Area’s non-J-Pop attractions
such as Citylights Bookstore, Radio Habana Social Club, Chronicle Books and
many more “Must” local attractions.
The
EvaNavi SF Voice Tour Guide launches in “EvaNavi Map” mode and shows 60 “must
see” pop culture-inspired locations all over the city. Users can easily find
the attractions nearest to them by turning on the app’s geo-locator and tapping
the arrow to locate themselves by GPS. An easy-to-use “Spot List” mode quickly
finds locations sorted by distance as well as in alphabetical order. Other
features include one-tap playing and easy audio controls as well as on/off options
for spot notifications. The application is compatible with iOS 4.0 and up and
requires iPhone (3GS and up) with internet or cellular data connection.
“This
is a very useful application and we’re very excited to launch it to North
American users thanks to the support from our festival partners, NAVIelite and
KAYAC,” says Seiji Horibuchi, the founder of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. and co-chairman
of J-POP SUMMIT Festival. “Users
will have fun with our new EvaNavi SF Voice Tour Guide application accompanied by
Mari’s very informative voice! It’s like checking out all the fun places with
her as your personal guide! Even you are
not familiar with Evangelion or
anime, this will be a fun way to tour our beautiful city of San Francisco.”
Slender Game Review
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If there is one thing that has been lacking for me as a gamer is a good scare. I can only play Dead Space, Fatal Frame, Silent Hill and Resident Evil series for so long. Needless to say I was in a horror game drought until my friend told me about Slender by Parsec Productions.
Story - The game is loosely based on The Slender Man mythology. The Slender Man was created at the Something Awful Forums in a thread entitled "Create Paranormal Images." He is described as wearing a black suit strikingly similar to the visage of the notorious Men In Black, and as the name suggests, appears very thin and able to stretch his limbs and torso to inhuman lengths in order to induce fear and ensnare his prey. Once his arms are outstretched, his victims are put into something of a hypnotized state, where they are utterly helpless to stop themselves from walking into them. Not much is known, as no specific information has been found about origins, but his objective and habitat are made very clear. He has the need to kidnap children, and is seen right before the disappearance of a child or multiple children. He seems to prefer fog enshrouded streets and wooded areas as a way to conceal himself from being noticed. It should also be noted that children have been able to see him when no other adults in the vicinity could. Children also have dreams or nightmares concerning The Slender Man before their disappearance. Confiding these stories to their parents are met with the usual parental admonition: overactive imaginations. Source - http://www.mythicalcreaturesguide.com/page/Slender+Man.
Gameplay - The game is played in the first person perspective. Players begin in the woods only armed with a flashlight that will run out of batteries. The objective of the game is to collect 8 pages scattered in the woods and various locations to find out about The Slender Man. Simple mission, simple gameplay and it works very well with this environment. The gameplay takes you back to the old days of walking through a haunted house, or playing a game with a time limit before the monster comes and gets you. The game does nothing new in any sense. However it brings back the feeling of being tense, not wanting to look around the corner because you think the monster is there. What makes this game really scary and a joy to play is that Slender Man is watching you the entire time. You never really know where he will appear. They will give you little hints like having your screen go fuzzy. Other than that he will appear anytime from anywhere. Just know the more pages you collect the more faster and more relentless he will become. The game is over if he gets too close to you or you stare at him for too long.
The controls are excellent and that is thanks to the fact that you can customize the controls to how you want it. Use the mouse, the keyboard or both. I found it easier to use the keyboard for the controls and the mouse for the camera angles. Overall the gameplay is solid, old school horror and you will enjoy the simple but great scares Slender Man provides.
Gameplay Video -
Graphics - The graphics is not up today's standards. However the graphics does succeed in the environment lighting. Even though the graphic doesn't carry the power you expect from console games, the lighting in this game really adds to the beauty and feel of the game. From dark corridors, to the woods the flashlight illuminating light in dark areas are the games strongest graphic points.
Sound - The sound does a great job of adding scary elements, from the haunting sounds of the woods, to the creepy orchestrated music when Slender Man is near.The game gives you a pure horror experience.
Replay Value - The game is not too long, but has replay value of watching your friends get terrorize by The Slender Man. Since he can appear randomly you might want to explore and see where he might appear next time.
Final Grade B+/8.5 - For those looking for a more realistic scare Slender is right up your alley. No zombies, no aliens, no weapons just a flashlight, the woods and a stalker. Simple gamplay, good scares and a great soundtrack. This is one free game you don't want to miss.
Download The Game Here
http://slendergame.com/
Story - The game is loosely based on The Slender Man mythology. The Slender Man was created at the Something Awful Forums in a thread entitled "Create Paranormal Images." He is described as wearing a black suit strikingly similar to the visage of the notorious Men In Black, and as the name suggests, appears very thin and able to stretch his limbs and torso to inhuman lengths in order to induce fear and ensnare his prey. Once his arms are outstretched, his victims are put into something of a hypnotized state, where they are utterly helpless to stop themselves from walking into them. Not much is known, as no specific information has been found about origins, but his objective and habitat are made very clear. He has the need to kidnap children, and is seen right before the disappearance of a child or multiple children. He seems to prefer fog enshrouded streets and wooded areas as a way to conceal himself from being noticed. It should also be noted that children have been able to see him when no other adults in the vicinity could. Children also have dreams or nightmares concerning The Slender Man before their disappearance. Confiding these stories to their parents are met with the usual parental admonition: overactive imaginations. Source - http://www.mythicalcreaturesguide.com/page/Slender+Man.
Gameplay - The game is played in the first person perspective. Players begin in the woods only armed with a flashlight that will run out of batteries. The objective of the game is to collect 8 pages scattered in the woods and various locations to find out about The Slender Man. Simple mission, simple gameplay and it works very well with this environment. The gameplay takes you back to the old days of walking through a haunted house, or playing a game with a time limit before the monster comes and gets you. The game does nothing new in any sense. However it brings back the feeling of being tense, not wanting to look around the corner because you think the monster is there. What makes this game really scary and a joy to play is that Slender Man is watching you the entire time. You never really know where he will appear. They will give you little hints like having your screen go fuzzy. Other than that he will appear anytime from anywhere. Just know the more pages you collect the more faster and more relentless he will become. The game is over if he gets too close to you or you stare at him for too long.
The controls are excellent and that is thanks to the fact that you can customize the controls to how you want it. Use the mouse, the keyboard or both. I found it easier to use the keyboard for the controls and the mouse for the camera angles. Overall the gameplay is solid, old school horror and you will enjoy the simple but great scares Slender Man provides.
Gameplay Video -
Graphics - The graphics is not up today's standards. However the graphics does succeed in the environment lighting. Even though the graphic doesn't carry the power you expect from console games, the lighting in this game really adds to the beauty and feel of the game. From dark corridors, to the woods the flashlight illuminating light in dark areas are the games strongest graphic points.
Sound - The sound does a great job of adding scary elements, from the haunting sounds of the woods, to the creepy orchestrated music when Slender Man is near.The game gives you a pure horror experience.
Replay Value - The game is not too long, but has replay value of watching your friends get terrorize by The Slender Man. Since he can appear randomly you might want to explore and see where he might appear next time.
Final Grade B+/8.5 - For those looking for a more realistic scare Slender is right up your alley. No zombies, no aliens, no weapons just a flashlight, the woods and a stalker. Simple gamplay, good scares and a great soundtrack. This is one free game you don't want to miss.
Download The Game Here
http://slendergame.com/
Music Monday Spotlight #1 (FLiP)
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Welcome to the revamped Music Monday. Instead of doing audio show and playing the tunes. This time I will be playing the Music Videos and talking a little bit about the artist. To kick things off we travel to Japan to take a look at the all girl band "FLip."
Music Monday Spotlight #1 - FLip from Justin on Vimeo.
Information on FLip from JPopasia.com:
FLiP is an all-girls band from Okinawa formed in 2005 by their current members: Sachiko (voc.), Yuko (gui.), Sayaka (bas.) and Yuumi (dru.) but only in 2008 they've made their first release. In 2006 they represent Okinawa as a band for an audition in Japan, they went to Tokyo and their current manager was interested in signing them and that’s how they started. Friday, 6th October of 2005. In Okinawa Naha city-state occasion at MacDonald or sort: Sachiko, who at that time was still in 2nd high schools grade “would like to unite the girl band it is groovy in any case!!”From this strong impulse consultation is offered to classmate Yuko of junior high school age. After that Sayaka of the classmate of high school, Yuumi joins and reaches to FLiP formation.
FLip's Official Site - http://www.flip-4.com/
Music Monday Spotlight #1 - FLip from Justin on Vimeo.
Information on FLip from JPopasia.com:
FLiP is an all-girls band from Okinawa formed in 2005 by their current members: Sachiko (voc.), Yuko (gui.), Sayaka (bas.) and Yuumi (dru.) but only in 2008 they've made their first release. In 2006 they represent Okinawa as a band for an audition in Japan, they went to Tokyo and their current manager was interested in signing them and that’s how they started. Friday, 6th October of 2005. In Okinawa Naha city-state occasion at MacDonald or sort: Sachiko, who at that time was still in 2nd high schools grade “would like to unite the girl band it is groovy in any case!!”From this strong impulse consultation is offered to classmate Yuko of junior high school age. After that Sayaka of the classmate of high school, Yuumi joins and reaches to FLiP formation.
FLip's Official Site - http://www.flip-4.com/
Bond 50th Anniversary Blu Ray Collection: Special Features Clips
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Check out the clips for the Special Feature section for the upcoming James Bond 50th Anniversary Collection. I can't wait for this one. Who is your favorite Bond?
Bonus Material NEW – The World of Bond – the 007 films have a look, style and attitude that is signature Bond. From the cars, to the women, to the villains and even the music, Bond films stand apart. The World of Bond takes the viewer through the best of five decades worth of classic James Bond in one thrilling montage. The World of Bond showcases the fascinating and entertaining interplay among unforgettable moments of danger, seduction, adventure and a dash of that distinguished humor that fans have cherished from the beginning up until now. To add to the experience, The World of Bond featurette will also offer a Pop-Up Trivia option to challenge even the sharpest of fans with little known facts and interesting trivia from the Bond Universe. o NEW – Being Bond – there’s only one James Bond – but he’s proven too much for only one actor to play the role. In the franchise’s 50-year run, six distinguished actors have taken on the part and secured a spot in cinematic history. Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig each reflect on the impact and importance of taking on such a famous role. With this piece, gain insight into what each actor brought to the character and discover how they shaped the world’s most timeless secret agent. o SKYFALL Videoblogs – behind-the-scenes look at the making of SKYFALL from the cast and crew.
Bonus Material NEW – The World of Bond – the 007 films have a look, style and attitude that is signature Bond. From the cars, to the women, to the villains and even the music, Bond films stand apart. The World of Bond takes the viewer through the best of five decades worth of classic James Bond in one thrilling montage. The World of Bond showcases the fascinating and entertaining interplay among unforgettable moments of danger, seduction, adventure and a dash of that distinguished humor that fans have cherished from the beginning up until now. To add to the experience, The World of Bond featurette will also offer a Pop-Up Trivia option to challenge even the sharpest of fans with little known facts and interesting trivia from the Bond Universe. o NEW – Being Bond – there’s only one James Bond – but he’s proven too much for only one actor to play the role. In the franchise’s 50-year run, six distinguished actors have taken on the part and secured a spot in cinematic history. Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig each reflect on the impact and importance of taking on such a famous role. With this piece, gain insight into what each actor brought to the character and discover how they shaped the world’s most timeless secret agent. o SKYFALL Videoblogs – behind-the-scenes look at the making of SKYFALL from the cast and crew.
Cosplay Boy Of The Week #68 (Captain Barbell)
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This week's Cosplay Boy Of The Week we travel to the Philippines. This week we take a look at the Filipino Superhero Captain Barbell.
Read MoreCosplay Girl Of The Week #85 (Darna)
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This week's Cosplay Girl Of The Week comes from the Philippines with the super heroine Darna.
Read MoreThe Stain That Leads To The Demon (Oni ni Itaru Doro) Manga Review
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Title - The Stain That Leads to the Demon (Oni ni Itaru Doro)
Author - Natsume Hasumi
Artist - ???
Pages - 87
Story - People’s negative feelings form stains in their hearts, and before long these stains become demons. Fujimori loves being praised by other people and goes to great lengths to become a model student. When the suspicious transfer student Shinomiya Kuroto appears, Fujimori becomes involved in a battle that no one must know about!
The story and concept is really enjoyable in this Manga. Author Natsume Hasumi have weave a story with a concept that will really make you look at yourself, or at least some of your friends. The concept is focus on the negative vibes and energy in our hearts. What if all the negative feelings that we have manifested into a beast of it's own called "Dirt Demons?" This is what happens with Fujimori the main character who lives a fake life. He lives for the sole purpose of being praised by others. However the same people that praise him, he resents and gets envious of. These negative vibes have gotten so bad that he is on his way to becoming a "Dirt Demon." Once your negative vibes is at it's peak you become a mindless "Dirt Demon" who sole purpose is to harm the people you hate.
Enters the mysterious Shinomiya Kuroto a Death God who watches Fujimori to guide him to not becoming a "Dirt Demon." Together these two have the classic positive and negative chemistry that you would expect in a cop movie. Fujimori goal is to remain fake so he can continue getting his praise. While Shinomiya is trying to get him face reality. This is a recipe for a back and forth confrontation. The characters are a pleasure to read as they go through there journey. However it suffers from lack of backstory on both men. Shinomiya is truly a mystery and I wish they would explain more about him. How did he become a Death God? How did Fujimori become such an attention whore? These things were never really explain and it might leave you disappointed. Overall the story is enjoyable and has heart. A great theme of being yourself will keep you interested to the very end.
Art - The art is pretty good. The artist brings the characters life, but some art feels like it was drawn from sketch at parts. The action is average at best. It doesn't really scream action just a couple shots of the "Dirt Demon" dying, some blood splatter, nothing really special. Otherwise it's pretty good.
Final Grade B+/8.5 - "The Stain That Leads To The Demon" is a good Manga to check out. With great concept, good characters and themes, this is a Manga that you should at least read.
Author - Natsume Hasumi
Artist - ???
Pages - 87
Story - People’s negative feelings form stains in their hearts, and before long these stains become demons. Fujimori loves being praised by other people and goes to great lengths to become a model student. When the suspicious transfer student Shinomiya Kuroto appears, Fujimori becomes involved in a battle that no one must know about!
The story and concept is really enjoyable in this Manga. Author Natsume Hasumi have weave a story with a concept that will really make you look at yourself, or at least some of your friends. The concept is focus on the negative vibes and energy in our hearts. What if all the negative feelings that we have manifested into a beast of it's own called "Dirt Demons?" This is what happens with Fujimori the main character who lives a fake life. He lives for the sole purpose of being praised by others. However the same people that praise him, he resents and gets envious of. These negative vibes have gotten so bad that he is on his way to becoming a "Dirt Demon." Once your negative vibes is at it's peak you become a mindless "Dirt Demon" who sole purpose is to harm the people you hate.
Enters the mysterious Shinomiya Kuroto a Death God who watches Fujimori to guide him to not becoming a "Dirt Demon." Together these two have the classic positive and negative chemistry that you would expect in a cop movie. Fujimori goal is to remain fake so he can continue getting his praise. While Shinomiya is trying to get him face reality. This is a recipe for a back and forth confrontation. The characters are a pleasure to read as they go through there journey. However it suffers from lack of backstory on both men. Shinomiya is truly a mystery and I wish they would explain more about him. How did he become a Death God? How did Fujimori become such an attention whore? These things were never really explain and it might leave you disappointed. Overall the story is enjoyable and has heart. A great theme of being yourself will keep you interested to the very end.
Art - The art is pretty good. The artist brings the characters life, but some art feels like it was drawn from sketch at parts. The action is average at best. It doesn't really scream action just a couple shots of the "Dirt Demon" dying, some blood splatter, nothing really special. Otherwise it's pretty good.
Final Grade B+/8.5 - "The Stain That Leads To The Demon" is a good Manga to check out. With great concept, good characters and themes, this is a Manga that you should at least read.
A Retro Look Back At WWF Raw (Sega)
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Justin takes a look back at WWF Raw for the Sega Genesis. Check out the gameplay of the Bedlam mode and One On One mode as Justin guides you through.
Toys In The Attic Trailer
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Here is the trailer to Toys In The Attic. Abandoned toys come to life when people aren't around. They journey across the attic to rescue their captured friend.
