Enslaved: Odyssey To The West

Enslaved: Odyssey To The West is an futuristic action game for the PS3 and X360 that's loosely based on the ancient Chinese novel Journey To The West. There's an interesting pedigree behind this game as it is directed by Andy Serkis, the man best known for his performance capture performances as Gollum in Lord of The Rings and King Kong in the most recent remake. Serkis also did performance capture in this game as the main character Monkey.

Official art and screencaps are below but, in particular, check out the next two pictures. They are of a life-sized statue of Monkey made to promote the game. I wonder who got to keep that.

Image Archive (.zip)

Movie Wars Core Single Update! [UPDATED]

The name of the temporary group that Maki Ohguro and Koji Kikkawa has finally been named! Called Daikichi, which was derived from their respective surnames kanji, Ohguro (大黒) and Kikkawa (吉川) these characters together mean, "excellent luck."

The title of the single the two collaborated is called, HEART∞BREAKER. The single will be released on 15/12 which is 3 days before the premiere of the movie. It will be released in 2 versions, one with a DVD of the PV which costs 1890 yen, there's a possibility of a making-of the PV included in it. However there is no official information about that yet. The second version is a plain old CD with the song for 1260 yen.

Source: CSToys Blog

UPDATE: The preview of the single is now available on YouTube but the embedding function was disabled by the uploader. Along with the preview, an interview with Daikichi is part of it.

Kamen Rider OOO Latoratar Combo Debut!

On the latest episode of Kamen Rider OOO called, Drenched, the Past and a Burning Hot Combo, another full form was introduced called, Latoratar Combo. La coming from the Lion Medal, Tora coming from the Tora (Tiger) Medal and Tar coming from the Cheetah Medal. In this scene he is fighting Mezool's Shark Yummy. Thank goodness they never used the Japanese word for lion which is shishi or else the name will sound bad!

Wetest. Episode. Ever.

Takeru Satoh Talks About Love

For all the ladies out there, on the cover of the women's magazine, anan, Takeru Satoh (Kamen Rider Den-O, Bloody Monday, BECK: Mongolian Chop SquadD) talks about love and marriage. The said issue was published on October 27th.

In the magazine, he reveals his natural face as a 21-year-old bachelor. Sato said, “I don’t have anybody I love right now, but I really want to fall in love. I’m so lonely.” Somehow I think it’s doubtful that his loneliness is from a lack of female interest though.

Sato also talked about marriage, “Of course I wanna get married someday, but it won’t be anytime soon. Right now, I can’t even imagine having a marriage life, but I definitely want to get married someday, when I find someone I love.”

Source: Tokyo Hive

D.Gray-Man & Yu-Gi-Oh! GX on HEROtv Promos

Here are the new promos of the upcoming titles on HEROtv this November! Aside from these two, this November, Hunter X Hunter (Premieres on November 9) and Initial D: First Stage (Premieres on November 25) will premiere along with the new local show, My HERO Nation on November 06, Saturdays at 11:00am, with repeats at Sundays at 11:00am and Weekends at 08:00pm. And the continuation of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 and Shin Mazinger Edition Z.

D. Gray-Man Promo

To those watched the TV5 dub and wonders why it is still Jefferson Utanes as Allen Walker, it is because that Telesuccess Produtions are the ones owning the license for the dub so it is no surprise that it will air on HEROtv.

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Promo

Just have Louis Parabolles back as Jaden Yuki, and I will be happy. Hope this would directly air on Studio 23 once its run on HEROtv will be over like what happened to Yu-Gi-Oh!

Source: ZEN Otaku Honbu FB (For the promos), ZEN Otaku Honbu (For the dates, and other titles)

TBS Will Sell Official K-ON!! Cassette Player

The TV station, TBS has announced on Friday that its online shop is offering the official K-ON!! cassette player for audio tapes in early November. The limited-edition player follows in the footsteps of the pink cassette tape that shipped with the second full album from the anime's fictional Ho-kago no Tea Time band on Wednesday.

The 3,980-yen (about US$49.50) player can play (but not record) cassettes over the included stereo earphones or monaural speaker. It comes with auto-reverse and auto-stop as standard features, but the required pair of AA batteries or 3-volt DC power adapter is sold separately.

Source: ANN

TBS sure loves to milk more out of the title! Aside from an upcoming movie, we will have this! Good luck to those planning to but the pink cassette player!

OOO & W feat. Skull: Movie Wars Core Latest Promo!

Here's the latest promo of the upcoming Movie Wars film, Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider OOO & W feat. Skull: Movie Wars Core. In this latest teaser, we have the glimpse of Kamen Rider Core.

Hi No Tori Fansubs Releases Robot Detective!

Hi No Tori Fansubs along with Deadfish Fansubs has just released the first episode of a classic tokusatsu series called, Robot Detective (Robot Keiji)! Like Goranger and the Kamen Rider series, this series is also created by Shotaro Ishinomori!

Unlike most of Ishinomori's heroes, Robot Detective does not have a human form, but can display emotion via changes in his face.

You can download the first episode of Robot Detective in their officil site!

Hi No Tori Fansubs Releases Chodenshii Bioman!

Chodenshii Bioman is the eigth Super Sentai series in the entire franchise and before these guys decided to sub it, it is only available in two formats, in its original Japanese audio minus the subs and in English dub (The ones Filipino 80's kids heard back in their childhood). we later saw the series subbed in YouTube via DTKingdom, but his account was down due to copyright infringement.

Now, Hi No Tori Fansubs has just released its first episode of this team! To those who are living the rock, it is the story of five people with Bio Particles that was passed to them by their ancestors when Peebo and the BioRobo first came to Earth. Now, Doctor Man and his Neo Gear Empire decides to do its move, and so, the five complete strangers will now fight to protect our Earth.

This is the first Super Sentai series that featured two female Rangers and two types of monsters of the week.

You can get the first episode of Bioman in their official site!

Kamen Rider GIRLS Project?!

Wind Wave's (Kamen Rider W's fictional radio station) DJ HurryKenn has posted on his Twitter account that are gathering various girls with motifs from various Kamen Rider shows and turn it into an idol group (Kinda like AKB48) called Kamen Rider GIRLS!

Aside from singing, they will also dance, and occasionally, fight. A CD is planned to be released.

Source: CSToys Blog

Author's note: Now, I am starting to wonder, what happened to Rider Chips, the rock band responsible in making various theme songs in Kamen Rider shows? The last time I heard them was in Kamen Rider Kabuto...

About the idea, it reminded me of the Queen and Elizabeth unit back in Kamen Rider W and the duet by the girls in Kamen Rider Kiva. Hope this would be a blast!

Kamen Rider Cho Den-O Trilogy Collector's Box Debuted at #4!

As of October 18-24, the Collector's Box set of last Spring's blockbuster movie trilogy, Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider the Movie: Cho Den-O Trilogy has debuted at #4 with 9,207 copies sold in Japan!

Along with it, the 9th volume of Kamen Rider W TV series debuted at #10 with 4,874 copies sold!

Source: ANN

The Collector's Box Set contains the following films of the Trilogy: Episode Red: Zero no Twinkle Star that focuses on Kamen Rider Zeronos/Yuuto Sakurai's love story with her future wife, Airi Nogami.

Episode Blue: The Dispatched Imagin is NEWtral which is about the friendship between Kamen Rider NEW Den-O/Kotaro Nogami and his Imagin partner, Teddy while they are trying to solve a case about a female Imagin.

Lastly, Episode Yellow: Treasure de End Pirates which features the return of Kamen Rider DiEnd/Daiki Kaito in AU Den-O World in which for the first time, a Time Police is introduced via G Den-O and his partner, the artificial Imagin, Eve. Along with it, we are introduced to his final form, Kamen Rider DiEnd Complete Form which allows him to summon the lead movie exclusive Riders minus Gaoh.

Along with those films, it also includes two bonus discs with making-of and event footage and a 4-page description.

Get your original copies at: Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider The Movie Cho Den-O Trilogy Collector's Box at Play-Asia.com

DragonBall Online Opening

I know, the opening is a little old but it is something worth looking at. DragonBall Online or DBO for short, is an MMO being simultaneously being developed in Japan and Korea which is set 216 years after the original manga (To spoil you: The scene were Oob and Goku flew.).

Series creator, Akira Toriyama (Who also did the artwork for the Dragon Quest franchise, Chrono Trigger and Blue Dragon) has a great deal of creative control over the project, both contributing to and supervising the story and art design, including character and location arrangements. It has been stated that Toriyama has been working on character designs for this project for the last five years.

Now I am starting to wonder, when we will see this game in Philippine shores? I wanna be part of the Majin Race!

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX S2 Premieres on HEROtv!

After the long wait, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Season Two is set to premiere on cable shores via HEROtv this November! As we all know, the previous season, which is about their freshmen year in the prestigious Duel Academy aired a couple years ago from the said channel.

On their second year, Jaden Yuki and his friends are up for a new challenge! Aside from dorm transfers of a certain character, and new rivals, they will face a new enemy, and oh, more children's card games!

Along with it, Initial D: First Stage will premiere this November and the Dubber's Cut of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 will air. To those who don't have the idea, Dubber's Cut is when they feature the voice actors behind the characters of a certain title.

Source: HEROtv Multiply via Zen Otaku Honbu FB

Now, I wonder, what took them so long to acquire Yu-Gi-Oh! GX?!

[DL] Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Awakening of the Trailblazer OST

Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Awakening of the Trailblazer OST
2 Discs, 30 Music Files
Size: 154 MB (RAR) | 160 MB (Extracted)Special thanks to JEFusion
Download via MegaUpload

150-Word Review: Dragonball Evolution

Out of boredom, I decided to create another segment called, 150-Word Review, in which I will review a certain title within 150 words or less, and for its first run, I will review one of the most “loved” US anime adaptations of all time that fans want to “remember” it so dearly, and that is: Dragonball Evolution.

Note: Some parts of the introduction are sarcasm.

The film sucks. Want me to expand it? First, Goku is a teenager, second, he is not innocent and his innocence is one of the driving forces in the original manga and anime! I mean, if you watched or read DragonBall Z, Bulma and co. were surprised that he had a child! I mean, he has no brief idea on how to do it!

Second, it is not faithful to the original source and my personal favorite, the humor is watered down. The only good thing about it is that Roshi is still Roshi… and that’s it. Oh, did I mention that the Namek race was mentioned earlier compared to its source in which it was mentioned sometime in DBZ and not in DB!

Overall, skip it, and if you bought the copy, burn it. But hey, at least the effects were decent… and Kamehameha being related to Airbending!

First one reached exactly 150 words, not bad for the first review! Now, if you are satisfied with this one, what title or titles you wished for me to review within or less than 150 words, just post your comments below!

Bakuman 03 – Genetics and Everything in Between

I am soooo jealous!

This episode is indeed about parents and their children. For starters, to those who remembered, Saiko (I will call Moritaka in this name starting now) can’t communicate with his father and all messages coming from him are relayed to his mother. For the first time, he directly communicated with him… but he relays his messages via manga!

This was also the case with his uncle and his love interest which turned out to be Miho Azuki’s mom! Taro Kawaguchi relayed his message to his love via a character, Otoko Roman, a pun for men’s romanticism. Those scenes related to the guy touched Azuki’s mom deeply. Now she knew that both expressed the same feelings for each other.

Since we are talking about genetics in here, Saiko actually inherited something from his uncle! Both of them have the same taste for women and both of them have the same style on their relationship with them! Fun yes, creepy, absolutely.

Aside from that, we learned Saiko and Shujin’s (I will call Akito in this name starting now) respective favorite manga. Saiko loves manly titles, to be exact, Ashita no Joe (Which will have a film to be released next year) and does his moves along with Shujin. As for Shunjin, his favorite would be DragonBall… and calls both creators of the respective manga, geniuses.

Yeah, you can call Toriyama a genius all right; seriously, he let Oolong wish for panties when Shenron asked them what will be Pilaf’s wish and along with it, he tends to forget some characters as the series progress (The last few episodes of Z reminded us that they were never forgotten, only that their use in the plot is now over). You can really call Toriyama a genius all right.

Speaking of manga, we learned the process on how a manga ends up being published in weekly manga magazines. Aside that we learned about the name Saiko is talking about in the previous episode, we learned more on the strict process for a name to end up published in the magazine. After learning about it, I wonder how many hours it takes for the mangaka to create a very decent title worthy to be published in a magazine…

Overall, this episode is both fun and at the same time, heartwarming. I was right in my hunch that Saiko’s uncle would end up being a spiritual mentor in the series. Aside that they can use his studio, his presence is clearly felt out in this episode. Aside from that, we might say that Saiko’s dad can be considered one too. Sure, he likes to talk indirectly and we never saw his face but that is the beauty of it. It adds up the mystery about his character and the role that he will take in the series.

OOO Sagorzo Combo Revealed!

In the latest scans, we are now revealed about OOO's third full form, the Sagorzo Combo! Sa coming from the Sai Medal (Rhinoceros), Gor coming from the Gorilla Medal and Zo coming from the Zou Medal (Elephant) these Core Medals came from the Greeed, Gamel. On the scan above you, you can see OOO Sagorzo Combo fight against Yoroi Musha Kaijin, a monster that OOO will fight in the upcoming Movie Wars Core film.

On the following scan, we saw his abilities, these abilities are:

The ability to control gravity (Hence, we will see a floating OOO in the future!), super strength and the ability to create magnetic fields.

The ability to create earth shattering stomps. The Zou legs can deliver a heavy drop kick which can easily destroy the enemy, this will be called, Sagorzo Kick!

And my personal favorite, the ability to do Rocket Punches (Mazinger Z reference, FTW!).

OOO Sagorzo Combo is said to premiere at the end of the year. Probably around episode 13-15. On the latest scan above, he is said to face the Butterfly Yummy.

Source: Gideon Burogu

UPDATE: Placed more background info.

Kamen Riders Birth & Core First Images!

Two of the most awaited Riders who is said to first appear on the upcoming Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider OOO & W feat. Skull: Movie Wars Core film has just been revealed! First, is Kamen Rider OOO's secondary Rider, Kamen Rider Birth and this film's movie exclusive Rider, Core!

Kamen Rider Birth, much like its predecessors, G3 and IXA, is a tech-based Rider which like them, will use a gun. According to rumors, much like Ryu did in the previous Movie Wars 2010 film, he will appear on the same manner in the end credits. It is still unknown who will play his actor.

Kamen Rider Core, is said to be the main villain of the said film and is the first Rider who is made out of purely CGI. According to rumors, he is said to utilize the abilities of the Showa Era Riders, heck, his appearance looks like Rider 1 on fire! Now, I am starting to wonder how strong this guy is considering that this guy has all the abilities of the Showa Riders. Giant Kingstone Flash anyone?

Source: JEFusion

D.Gray-Man this November on HEROtv

It seems that they are really riding the TV5 Express! Aside from Code Geass and Gundam 00, D.Gray-Man, a titled that started airing on TV5 last March is set to premiere on cable shores this November.

To be honest, I am not surprised with this move considering that this title's license is owned by Telesuccess Productions. So I am not surprised if I will hear Jefferson Utanes as Allen Walker and Grace Cornel as Lenalee Lee. Other Telesuccess titles that aired on HEROtv that are currently airing on HEROtv are Hajime no Ippo and Shin Mazinger Z, both shows aired on GMA.

Video source: ZEN Otaku Honbu

Kamen Rider OOO Backstory + Rumors

A little backstory of the original Kamen Rider OOO have been revealed. The events were dated back 800 years ago (1210) wherein Kamen Rider OOO, with immense powers, fights the Greeeds and sealed them.

800 years ago, Kamen Rider OOO could freely use the Core Medals at will, and could change combos and achieve unbelievable powers. No one ever knew and can explain those powers are. Will OOO's powers ever be explained in the current timeline?

Each Greeed have their own characteristics and differences: Uva which have powerful physical strength, the strategic Kazari, the full of greed and easygoing Gamel, and the one who creates the most Cell Medals and gives them out, the only female Greeed, Mezool.

The Greeed Gamel seems to look up onto Mezool as a motherly figure. It is stated that he is willing to risk his own life for her, and even approaching Kamen Rider OOO.

Kamen Rider OOO RaToraTa, a form which utilizes Raion (lion), Tora (tiger) and Cheetah Core Medals from Kazari, will debut in the next few episodes against the Shark Yummy. This Yummy comes from, nonetheless, the water-based Greeed, Mezuru, is very similar to the piranhas and appears in large quantities.

Using the RaToraTa Combo, Kamen Rider OOO's whole body is able to emit powerful heat rays (which could be this combo's Scanning Charge). These heat rays causes the rivers nearby to evaporate which makes it super effective against water types.

And now, here's the guy that we are waiting for! He is Kiyoto Maki (Yuu Kamio). He's the head scientist of the Kougami Foundation, the guy who is behind the foundation's Medal System and the Candroids that Kamen Rider OOO is using. According to an existent rumor, he Maki is creating a new Medal System using Core and Cell Medals which could lead to the Rider System that will be later used by this year's 2nd Rider.

Note: The info revolving his involvement with the 2nd Rider is still a rumor. Please take as a grain of salt. Thanks!

Source: alternate-Zer0 and DecaEnd

Fruits Basket Hollywood Live-Action Film on the Works

The popular shojo manga by Natsuki Takaya, Fruits Basket, is set to be adapted in Hollywood by producer, Joshua Long of 1212 Entertainment, who is known for his involvement in the live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop that stars, Keanu Reeves.

There is not much information about the upcoming film, according to our source, but accordingly, one of the officials from ULTIMO SPALPEEN shared some additional information on Twitter.

I quote, “The Fruit Basket movie is planned to be more realistic than the manga/anime version. So the scenes where Toru sleeping in the tent in volume 1 will not be used in the movie scene.”

Writer's note: Considering that Cowboy Bebop is partly delayed right now, I guess we will see this film once Bebop will be released.

Bats, Mummies and More Skull!

Halloween is just around the corner and the timing is quite perfect for the release of new scans of the upcoming Movie Wars Core (It is tiresome to write the entire title) film! It seems like we have more love for Skull's story and images for OOO's Nobunaga plot! On top is the first Dopants the terrorized Futo, Spider and Bat.

Eren Komori (Reon Kadena), a Gaia Memory Dealer is the identity of the Bat Dopant (on top).

Since she is the Bat Dopant, I bet that she will insert her Memory on her neck. You know, vampires and all. Now, the question remains, who is the Spider Dopant?

Kamen Rider Skull's first transformation is not complete. This form is called Crystal Skull. Accordingly, in the said film its hidden powers will be revealed.

Wait. Crystal Skull? Based on what I remembered, it is related to some Incan mumbo-jumbo that was seen in an Indiana Jones film. Aside from that, Skull having hidden powers is kinda a shout out to the original Skull Man that has psychic powers.

A young Shroud shows up in the basement of the Narumi Agency. It'll be a story about the childhood friends, Narumi and Shroud. Both seems to be planning on creating a machine that could help defeat the Dopants, the RevolGarry.

Shroud used to fight Dopants with the Shroud Magnum and the Bomb Memory.

On the present, W HeatJoker fights the Ptera Yummy.

Wait. Akiko carrying Ryu's Accel Driver?! ill we ever see Akiko henshin into Kamen Rider Accel (aside from the rumor that she will transform into Kamen Rider Skull)?! I never heard about this! (Source: 145zzz)

Hina and the ballerina, Yoshino.

Kougami Foundation's research facility finds the mummy of Oda Nobunaga and creates a homunculus out of it. A jelly like substance appears and disappears with many Cell Medals.

While OOO was fighting the Greeeds, he happened to save a young man. This young man was the escaped Nobunaga. Eiji decides to call him Nobu.

Nobunaga follows Eiji around, even when he's working for an IT company. They were called in to fix a problem with the computers.

Petra Yummy (on the left) was created from the Yoshino's words, "Dance more!" Yoroi Musha Kaijin (Incomplete form, on the center, complete on the right) Has great control over swords and other weapons. If you look carefully you can see crab, lobster and scorpion themes in him. Could this monster be the source of the second Rider's powers?

W CycloneJoker Xtreme and OOO Tatoba Combo faces a huge foe, Kamen Rider Core! Another rumor states that OOO's TaJaDoru form will debut during this fight.

Source: alternate-zer0, DecaEnd