The central umbrella of discipline in the world of TLA is called Bending, the ability to manipulate an element. There are 4 main types of bending: Airbending, Earthbending, Waterbending and Firebending, each based on a specific real-world martial art. Much like anything else, bending can be used for good or evil — Firebenders can warm cold tea, or they can burn down a village, Earthbenders can dig ditches, or they can create small earthquakes, etc.

The film’s story itself felt very rushed, to the point where it felt like I was just learning the story and then the climax occurred. This is because they tried to cram 500 minutes of story into 103 minutes. By doing so, Shyamalan effectively lost the spirit of the series. Quite a few key points from Book One were also absent from the movie. For instance, the Kyoshi Warriors that play a major role later on in the animated series were left almost completely out. Some people feel that the adaptation should have been in the form of a television series portrayed by real live people.

Myself and many other “fans” of the animated series do not agree with the changes that were made. One of the changes that’s really grated on everyone’s nerves is the pronunciation of a lot of the characters names. It’s so far off. For example, the main character’s name should be pronounced “Ang”, not “Ahng” like it is in the movie.

The other change that really bothered me is that the Firebenders needed pre-existing fire to bend it. This change makes sense as water, air and earth are everywhere, but fire is not. You cannot control something that isn’t there, so in order to control fire, you need to already have it. However, this isn’t true to the source material. In the animated series, Firebenders can create fire from their movements, without needing a pre-existing fire.

The bending motions in the film were every bit as intense martial arts should be, although they did tend to take too long, specifically Earth. There were a few times where I saw prolonged motions without any Bending. I was like “Uh, guys, what are you doing?”

Casting was pretty good, as was the dialogue, aside from pronunciation. Mind you, this was the first time that I had seen any of the castmembers’ work. Noah Ringer (Aang), Dev Patel (Zuko), and Jackson Rathbone (Sokka) all portrayed their characters well. Rathbone in particular played Sokka well: funny, sarcastic, and a bit of a goof. But in my opinion, the best performance would have to be that of Shaun Toub. He really nailed the role of Uncle Iroh, very knowledgeable but extremely easy-going and friendly. The worst is Nicola Peltz, who played Katara, she wasn’t anything like her animated counterpart! She completely butchered the outgoing, cautious, and stubborn character from the animated series.

Locations and costumes were very true to the series. From the Air Temples to the Northern Water Tribe. The only thing I would change is that Zuko’s burn needed to be more defined, although I’m not sure if that’s even possible, given Patel’s complexion in the movie.

As a fan of the series, I wasn’t all that impressed with The Last Airbender. It missed some major points in the story that needed to be delved into, rather than just mentioned in passing. About the only thing the film is good for is a children’s action movie. You do not want to see this film if you have any shred of respect for the animated series. Several people that I know have gone on and on about how the movie could’ve been done so much better. Let’s hope that if and when they do another movie, that they kick M. Night Shyamalan in the balls with a nice fat paycheck and tell him to leave “his life’s work” alone.

The Last Airbender was produced, written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It is based on Avatar: The Last Airbender, created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. The film stars Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone and Dev Patel, and was distributed by Paramount Pictures. Released on 2010.07.01 in North America. The film was watched to completion.

Preferences: we all have them. Whether you like Coca-Cola over Pepsi, subtitled anime over dubbed, or dogs over cats. As gamers, some prefer to play shooters with a controller, while others prefer to use a keyboard and mouse. However you can’t use a keyboard and mouse (to play games) on a console… Or can you? The XCM XFPS Rateup Adapter for PS3 aims to change that. Still, the question remains: Does it hit its mark, or does it shoot itself in the foot?

Better known as XCM, Farmer has been in the business for roughly 10 years, making such products as converters, peripherals and cases. Their first popular and arguably their best-known product is the Xtender Case Mod for the original XBox. Most people now refer to their products as XCM (short for “Xtender Case Mod”) and not Farmer. So, they’ve went by the letters XCM ever since. I discovered the XCM XFPS Rateup Adapter for PS3 (Rateup) while trying to figure out some way to play games that have more complex control schemes, such as Demon’s Souls and Batman: Arkham Asylum.

When you get the Rateup, you get the adapter itself and the instruction manual. While I’ve seen some people say the manual leaves things to be desired, I find it to be clear and straight to the point. It explains the adapter in diagrams and how to set it up.

The Rateup boasts the ability to map any part of the controller to any key of the keyboard and mouse, including both analog sticks and the buttons underneath them (L3 and R3). It has 2 USB ports, 2 PS/2 ports and one PlayStation/PlayStation 2 port, so the keyboard and/or mouse you use can be USB or PS/2. The Rateup comes with a preset/default mapping for the keyboard and mouse, but you can also customize the mapping to your liking.

To set your keyboard up how you want it after you’ve plugged it in to the Rateup made sure it’s set to port 1 (by pressing F1 on the keyboard), reset your PS3 controller and plugging that in is: You press the “P” (program) button, press what button on the controller you’d wish to assign, and push the desired button on the keyboard or mouse. It saves your mappings to the adapter itself, but certain things are not saved, such as your right analog settings. You can use a PlayStation 2 controller, but unlike the keyboard/mouse, you can’t remap the buttons.

The Rateup also has built-in Turbo/Rapid-Fire — 8 instances, actually. One for each action button. This is very useful in action games like Dante’s Inferno, or God of War. In addition, it lets you adjust the sensitivity of your mouse with 2 dials, one for the X axis and one for the Y. XCM also says that the Rateup is compatible with 95% of different kinds of mice and keyboards, not every one.

While it says it is compatible with all PS3 games, I haven’t had a chance to try the Rateup on games that use motion controls so I cannot say whether or not it works with those games. However, XCM has made a similar product that they say “supports Playstation 3 Sixaxis [motion control] games.”

As a physically challenged gamer, some games are difficult for me to play, even using BenHeck’s Access Controller. While I don’t play First or Third-Person Shooters (“FPS” or ‘Shooter” respectively) like Call of Duty, I’ve tried the Rateup with my wired HP keyboard, playing several titles, including Trine, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and Soul Calibur 4. Although I had to re-program the Rateup for each game (because I play one-handed), it was a tremendous help in Trine and Batman: Arkham Asylum. I am now able to play more efficiently, having the ability to remap the control to the keyboard, giving me full access to it.

In Trine and Batman: Arkham Asylum, I can pull off moves that require the shoulder buttons to be pressed, without having to contort my hand to press 3 things all at once. For example, I can do the Wizard’s magic in Trine, and stealth takedowns in Batman. The fact that you have to press 3 things at once was the only thing that stopped me from actually putting time into those titles. However now that I can have full access now, I don’t foresee anything stopping me, unless there are hidden motion controls that I am aware of. Soul Calibur 4, however, I’m having getting used to, mostly because I’ve spent years and years playing fighting games on a controller, not a keyboard. I can do it but I have a little trouble.

There are a few drawbacks with the Rateup, including the fact that not every part of your mapping is saved and the somewhat redundant setup, but none of them are deal-breakers. I can’t say whether or not it works well for Shooters, but as an adapter that lets you use your keyboard as a controller, the Rateup works wonderful.

The XCM XFPS Rateup Adapter for PS3 retails for $98.99 USD on Extreme Mods. It may seem pricey, but we gamers spend around $150 on an arcade stick, so it’s rather cheap.

Extreme Mods is a website that sells console modification products and accessories, such as cases and cables. They have been featured by such media sources as Game Informer, GamePro, and X-Play. In addition, they are an official North American reseller of XCM/Farmer products. They sent us the XCM XFPS Rateup Adapter for PS3 for review and I’d like to thank them for doing so.

Peter Keefe, best known as the producer of the 1980s anime, Voltron, passed away on May 27, succumbing to throat cancer. He was only 57.

Voltron was an adaptation of two different anime series — Hyakujuu Ou Golion and Kikou Kantai Dairugger XV, redubbed and edited. I’m sure some of my fellow writers probably grew up watching it in the mid-80s. I watched it a decade later.

Felicia Day’s award-winning webseries, The Guild returns for a third season. The series tells the story of a local guild and their adventures both in and outside of the game. Following the troubling conclusion of season 2, tempers flare and a rival guild shows up. Things escalate when the rival guild starts terrorizing the Knights of Good in-game and out. Will the Knights of Good survive the trials and tribulations, or will anarchy reign supreme?

While I first heard of The Guild at SXSW 2008, I didn’t start watching it until after I saw Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, which made me a fan of Felicia Day. I had been playing World of Warcraft for a while, so the subject matter was something I could relate to. However, the show is written so well that I became a fan almost immediately, not because I also play an MMO, but because it’s a good series. As Peter’s previously said, “watching a season all together is a lot more like watching a movie than a web series.”

Each episode in the series runs anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes in duration, the ending of each making you yearn for the next episode. Luckily you don’t have to wait a week for each episode, as all 12 episodes of season 3 are contained on the DVD. Each season of The Guild is filled with drama, humor and a plot twist here and there, much like any other series, on-air or online.

Season 3 marks the appearance of several new faces to The Guild, including Wil Wheaton as the leader of the rival Axis of Anarchy. This was my first time seeing him in a role other than Wesley Crusher, and I have to say he pulled off the antagonist role very nicely. In fact, the entire Axis of Anarchy cast pulled off their roles great. My favorite would have to be Venom, played by Teal Sherer. Venom is wheelchair-bound and tired of the sympathy everyone gives her (and frankly, so am I), and has no problem exploiting her wheelchair when it suits her.

The DVD also contains several hilarious gag reels; the “(Do You Wanna Date My) Avatar” music video and a behind-the-scenes short; interviews with the Axis of Anarchy, which are a good look at the characters and their actors; a featurette on how to make Vork’s sword; the Guild Halloween video, which I hadn’t seen until I watched the DVD; video applications of people who wanted to become a part of the Knights of Good; advice for people who want to make a web video; and a PDF file of the script.

You can watch The Guild episodes, as well as order merchandise at the series website: http://www.watchtheguild.com/. The Season 3 DVD is out now from New Video. You can order it from The Guild‘s website. Felicia also warns you that the DVD is uncensored.

New Video is a leading independent Blu-ray, DVD and digital distributor specializing in multiple genres, including cutting-edge documentaries, independent films, cult hits (such as Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog), and classic kids programming. They also provide over 11,000 hours of film and television programming from more than 120 trusted brands to download and streaming platforms including iTunes, Hulu, YouTube, Netflix, Xbox, Sony Playstation and Amazon. They gave me this DVD for review, and I would like to thank them for doing so.

Within the last decade or so, whether it is due to slimlining or just new chipsets, video game systems have had many reincarnations, the latest most notably being Nintendo’s DSi XL. However, last October, Sony released a new incarnation of its PSP, named the PSPgo, commonly referred to as just the Go (its model number is PSP-N1000, as opposed to other models PSP-1000, PSP-2000, and PSP-3000). But the question remains: Is the device good to go, or should we take a detour around it? This is a topic that has been pretty iffy, as some don’t like it and others do.

Revealed on 2009.05.30 and retailing at a whopping $249.99 USD new, the PSPgo is Sony’s latest reincarnation of its PlayStation Portable system, and the first to be exclusively digital. What does this mean? It means that unlike previous models in the PSP line which use Universal Media Discs (UMDs), the Go does not support any physical media. Instead, it come standard with 16GB of internal memory, which can be extended up to 32GB by putting in a Memory Stick Micro flash card.

In order to play games, you have to buy and download them from the PlayStation Store (PS Store). This is both a good and bad thing; it’s good because you don’t have to carry discs around with you. However, it’s bad, because if you do have games on UMD, you can’t play them; you’d have to re-buy them the from the PS Store and download them. There is unfortunately no way to redeem your UMDs for digital copies. In addition, not every previously released game in the PSP library is up on the PS Store. However, Sony has stated that all future games will be.

Like its elder brethren, the Go features 802.11b Wi-Fi. Not necessarily the best, but it gets the job done and in decent time. The Go is also 43% lighter and 56% smaller than the original PSP (1000), and 16% lighter and 35% smaller than the PSP-3000. That’s one heck of a size reduction! Its screen is a 3.8-inch 480×272 LCD, as opposed to previous models’ larger 4.3-inch 480×272 LCD. Some people don’t like the fact that the screen is smaller, but I honestly don’t mind it.

The screen slides up to reveal the main controls, which are closer together than they are on previous models. The distance between the directional pad (D-Pad) and face buttons on the Go is only approximately 3.75 inches, as opposed to approximately 6.25 inches on a PSP-1000, and approximately 6 inches on a PSP-2000. Like with previous incarnations, the D-Pad, analog nub, start and select, Home, and face buttons are on the front. The Home button, however, now looks like the Home button on a PlayStation 3 controller and is on the panel with the screen. Volume and screen brightness control are now on the top, along with the left and right shoulder buttons.

The face buttons themselves are just a little clicky, but this is a good thing rather than a bad thing. Unlike some third-party console controllers that I’ve tried which had horrendously clicky buttons, the Go’s clicky buttons are only noticeable when you press the button down all the way, and even then the click is barely noticeable. The analog nub is still as terrible as it is on previous models. With the volume and screen brightness control buttons being in the middle on the top of the system, they are very difficult to use while the screen is slid up.

Also, much like its predecessors’, the Go’s battery, which is rechargeable also offers about the same life — 3-6 hours per charge depending on what you do. The difference between the Go’s battery and other models’ is that the Go’s isn’t replaceable by an user. It is thought that it was made as such to thwart piracy.

The battery isn’t the only thing Sony changed for the Go. They also combined the AC power cord/charger, and the data transfer cord into one. No longer does it use a standard USB A-to-Mini-B cable which is common to many devices, including several phones such as my T-Mobile Sidekick. Instead, the Go comes with a new multi-use cable, which resembles an iPod cable.

The Go also boasts Bluetooth connectivity, enabling the use of compatible Bluetooth headsets as well as tethering with Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones (I’ve yet to try it with my Sidekick). It also enables users to sync and play games with a PlayStation 3 (PS3) controller. The latter was the main draw about the Go for me. As I’m a physically challenged gamer, I couldn’t play my PSP when I was out, because of the distance between the D-Pad and face buttons. With the Go, however, I can sync a PS3 controller to it then be on my way to play. This makes the Go a truly portable system for me, as I can now play PSP games, whenever and wherever I want; something I can’t do with previous models.

If you don’t have Wi-Fi, you can also use a Windows program called Media Go. This program lets you access the PS Store, download and install games and software to a connected PSP, as well as other compatible devices. The software can also be used to manage and transfer other media such as music, videos and photos stored on the PSP and other compatible devices. Files are transferred to the PSP or other device via a USB connection (Think iTunes, but for Sony devices).

The PSPgo has a few drawbacks, the most notable being its hefty pricetag and lack of UMD support, but if you’re a physically challenged gamer and/or never had a PSP before, I would highly recommend you get a PSPgo. Not having discs and being able to used a PS3 controller is so wonderful, as is playing while traveling. One bit of advice though: try to get a used Go, as those retail for $149.99 USD — $100 cheaper than a new one. That’s what I did; I finally traded in my XBox 360, and used that money to purchase a used PSPgo, the beginning of this month. Two of the best decisions I’ve made in regards to gaming, I say. However, if you already have or have had a PSP and have a lot of UMDs, you might want to stay away from the Go, because you’ll have to re-buy all of your games… Well, the ones that are on the PS Store, at least.

I had previously mentioned the musical voice synthesizer, Vocaloid. However, you didn’t get to see, or rather hear, the full extent of what you can do with the program, because I focused on the March 9 concert. I plan to rectify that with this post though. The Vocaloid program is so versatile that it can be used to produce or reproduce any number of songs, including “Fleeting Moon Flower”/”Setsugetsuka”, “Fate: Rebirth”, GACKT‘s “RETURNER ~Yami no Shuuen~”, and “Phantom of the Opera”.

I’ve heard many a Vocaloid song within the last 2 months or so, some good, some bad. The one thing that still surprises me though, about the good and even the mediocre songs, is how professional they sound. For the most part, I even forget the voices are synthesized.

Last March, Japanese newspaper, Asahi Shimbun uploaded a 13:35 news special about the Vocaloid, Hatsune Miku, to its YouTube channel. Much like my previous article, this special, which I just found while working on the list below, explains what Vocaloid and Miku is, how popular “she” is, as well as Miku Miku Dance and other video programs.

Narrowing the list down to these 10 (or 12) was very difficult, because there are so many good songs. In addition, I tried to find English subtitled versions so you can understand the lyrics (I even found an English subtitled version of the news special), but I digress. Here are my top ten Vocaloid songs, that are on YouTube:

10. “Levan Polka” (Hatsune Miku)

The song that started it all. This cover of the song of the same name, originally by the Finnish quartet, Loituma, is arguably the one that made Vocaloid such a hit.

9. “Meltdown” (Kagamine Rin)

The lyrics and video are a bit scary but I really like the song. The young girl is the childish side of Rin, while the older one is her mature side. The composer says the lyrics and video represent conflicts of inner psychological world.

8. “Just Be Friends” (Megurine Luka)

A beautiful, yet heart-wrenching song. Its upbeat and danceable tempo is a stark contrast to the heartbreaking lyrics. The music itself, I’d say is on the same level as Daft Punk, which is a plus. I really like this song, and I’m not the only one. There’s a live-action cosplay version of the above video.

7. “Magnet” (Megurine Luka & Hatsune Miku)

A love song unlike the norm for us Americans. This one is about forbidden love, and given that it’s a duet with 2 female Vocaloids, yeeeah… Personally, I applaud this decision, because while what’s implied is a touchy subject, it does need to be put out there.

6. “When the First Love Ends” (Hatsune Miku)

A song I can really relate to, having given unrequited love on a number of occasions. Listening to this song brings back so many sad memories of when (in my case) the girls left.

5. “Black*Rock Shooter” (Hatsune Miku)

This song inspired an anime of the same name, which was scheduled to start airing, this Spring. More info here.

4. “World Is Mine” (Hatsune Miku)

A really cute song about a rather demanding “princess” telling you how to treat her, with just a pinch of affection. The ending of the video also makes me giggle.

3. “Last Night, Good Night” (Hatsune Miku)

A really beautiful song. There’s just something about it that makes me really like it so much, but I don’t know what. However, I do know that this is one of my favorite Vocaloid ballads that I have heard. Because the quality of the subtitled version isn’t all that great, here’s the link to a better version (sans subs), and as an added bonus, here’s a version by GACKT’s Vocaloid, Kamui Gakupo.

2. “Double Lariat” (Megurine Luka)

A powerful song about the trials and tribulations that an auditioning/up-and-coming singer has to face. I like the song so much that when I first heard it, I made a playlist on my iPod, with nothing but this one song, 15 times.

1. “Love Is War”/”Koi wa Sensou” (Hatsune Miku)

Another powerful song, this time about trying to make someone you have a crush on notice you. After failing a few times, you finally decide to buckle down, and try harder, maybe even resorting to drastic measures. The video is pretty awesome too, it’s cel-shaded. This song has its own playlist on my iPod too. Here’s a different version of the song with the male Vocaloid, KAITO.

Honorable Mentions
“Umbrella” (Hatsune Miku)

This is a cover of the song of the same name made famous by Rihanna. While the video itself is kinda pointless, the song’s very good. The creator says it’s hard to get Miku to sing in English (so we end up getting Engrish lol), but still in my opinion it’s well done.

“Caramelldansen” (Caramell)

Not even a Vocaloid song, but this is from the first Vocaloid video game for PSP, Hatsune Miku -Project DIVA-. The song is arguably 2008′s catchiest song among anime fans. This is also the first time I’ve seen the full dance.

Fictional secret agents, such as the iconic James Bond, have had cool gadgets like pen-bombs, laser-shooting wristwatches, and grappling hook belts. Now technology has gotten to a point where normal people (like you and I) can have such gadgets. ThinkGeek (a shopping site for geeks) has come out with Spy Camera Sunglasses, but are they suitable for their intended mission, or should they be terminated?

I became interested in these glasses last year after attending Anime North. As I am physically challenged, I’m unable to work a regular camera; I can’t even use the camera on my phone. Frustrated by the fact that I couldn’t take pictures of the beautiful costumes myself (my mother was there with her camera, but still), I began searching to see if there was some solution to my problem. I was later emailed by my friend, informing me about the glasses. They looked like a viable solution.

When you get the glasses, which supposedly come in your choice of up to 4GB of storage, you also get a remote with a strap, a mini USB cable, a storage case, a cleaning cloth, extra clear lenses, the manual, and a driver CD for Windows 98 users. The only thing they don’t come with is an AC adapter, which is a disappointment. It’s an optional accessory.

The case opens like a book, and it stores everything except the CD and the manual, and is pretty sturdy for plastic. My only problem with it is, the night I got the glasses, the hinge of the case popped out. It was easy to fix (I just had to snap it back in), but the hinge could have been better made.

The glasses themselves are quite lightweight, though a bit heavier than ordinary glasses. They’re made of plastic, and while I haven’t done a thorough durability test, they do seem to be durable. Having put them on myself (read: one-handed) a few times, and dropping them once, they still work and haven’t broken. The lens-frame and temple arms are one piece, while the earpieces fold. The lens flip up, and the sunglasses lens, at least are UV400 which is said to protect your eyes from 99-100% of UV rays.

In addition to having built-in cameras, the glasses also have built-in MP3 playback with built-in earbuds. The earbuds, which are corded, are connected to the bottom of the temple arms, and can be hooked to the earpieces of the glasses when not in use, thanks to a thin yet sturdy piece of plastic on the earpieces. The sound quality from the earbuds is on par with your average buds. They leave something to be desired by audiophiles, but for the average music listener, they do just fine.

The temple arms are a bit bulky, but this is because the 2 cameras, and the battery and MP3 player are housed in them. On the top of the arms, there are buttons; the power button (which you need to hold to turn the glasses on or off), which oddly plays or pauses the current MP3, is on the left, while the right has 2 buttons: one to capture images/raise the volume in the earbuds/skip to the next MP3, and one to lower the volume/skip to the previous MP3. The only problem I have is that the blue light that tells you the glasses are on, is in a spot where you can’t see it, at least not in lit places.

The remote is a little bigger than the Eisenhower/original silver dollar (or for you PokeMon fans, it’s about the size of the PokeWalker), and it has 2 buttons: one in the middle to capture images, and one near the strap to play/skip MP3s.

The cameras are 1.3 megapixels each and they capture images at a resolution of 1280×1024. To capture an image, you have to press the button and wait for 3 beeps, the last beep signals that the image has been captured. The pictures look better than what I was originally expecting (given my webcam), but they still look a bit over-saturated. The low pixel count is a bit of let-down, given that even camera phones take higher quality pictures (Tanya‘s is 5 megapixels), but it’s not that much of a drawback.

The battery is polymer li-ion and rechargeable. The battery life varies, depending on how many pictures you take per minute. If you keep taking 10 pictures a minute, the battery will only last 2 hours, but if you only take 1 picture a minute, it will last 9 hours. The mini USB cord, which is USB 2.0, does double-duty. It is used for data transfer as well as re-charging the battery.

In addition to my above complaints, I also have a problem with the location of the mini USB port on the glasses. It’s located on the bottom of the left temple arm, next to the earbud cord. It’s covered by a flexible piece of… either silicon or rubber, and it’s so close to the earbud cord that you have to hold the cover open and move the cord out of the way just to plug the mini USB in. I can do it myself, but it’s a bit of a hassle.

Even with their shortcomings, the 1.3 Megapixel Spy Camera Sunglasses, which retail for $69.99 on ThinkGeek, are a wonderful product, one that I’d recommend not only for other challenged individuals, but for anyone that doesn’t care if the pictures are crystal clear and don’t feel like carrying an actual camera. The sense of freedom and the new ability these glasses have given me make them worth the price. My only suggestions are, if a new model of these glasses were to be made, bumping the pixel count up to at least 5 megapixels, moving the light so it can be seen, and include an adapter.

ThinkGeek specializes in geek products, such as mini USB monitors, roll-up keyboards, and humping-dog USB flash drives. In addition, they have a “Security & Spy Stuff” section that has stuff like video-watches and hidden flash drives. They even carry t-shirts and edible stuff like wasabi gumballs(?! o.o) and energy drinks. They gave me this product for review, and I would like to thank them for doing so.

One of the big things that has really exploded in Japan this past decade, is a program called Vocaloid.

Originally released in 2004 by Yahama, this musical voice synthesizer enables users to synthesize singing by typing in lyrics and melody.

It didn’t get really popular until 3 years later, when Yahama released Vocaloid 2. With the release of Vocaloid 2, the program was given a makeover with the Character Vocal Series released by Crypton, featuring an anime-style character named Hatsune Miku as the mascot for the software. Many more voices have been released, including a GACKT one.

Wikipedia states that “Nico Nico Douga [which is best described as the Japanese version of YouTube] played a fundamental role in the recognition and popularity of the software. Soon after the release of the software, users of Nico Nico Douga started posting videos with songs created by the software. According to Crypton, a popular video with a comically-altered Miku holding a leek, singing Ievan Polkka, presented multifarious possibilities of applying the software in multimedia content creation. As the recognition and popularity of the software grew, Nico Nico Douga became a place for collaborative content creation. Popular original songs written by a user would generate illustrations, animation in 2D and 3D, and remixes by other users. Other creators would show their unfinished work and ask for ideas.”

In 2008, a fan-made program called Miku Miku Dance (seen as “MMD” on YouTube, Nico Nico Douga and other video sites) was released. MMD is a program originally made to animate computer models of Miku (hence the name). However, Vocaloid is such a hit that models of the other characters have been created. Today, the models aren’t limited to Vocaloid characters, and MMD is used to make most fan-made 3D music videos. As of this writing, there are “about 12,200″ MMD videos, just on YouTube.

On 2010.03.09, Sega (who developed and published the Hatsune Miku PSP game) held the very first Vocaloid concert at the Tokyo Zepp music hall. (Interestingly, in Japanese, 3 is “san,” and 9 is “kyuu.” “Sankyuu” is Engrish for Thank you. In addition to “san,” 3 can also be “mi,” so 3 9 can be either “Sankyuu” or “Miku.”) Doing the music for the 39′s Giving (Thanks Giving) Concert was a real band named The 39S (The Mikus?)

But what’s so amazing about it?

It’s who sings.

Miku and other Vocaloid characters sing, but this isn’t your Major Magic’s or Chuck E. Cheese’s concert. Ohhh no!

Miku and others were holograms. Yes, that’s right. I said HOLOGRAMS! And they look so real! At first glance, they just look like animatronics, but you can see light shining through the bodies.

Even I had a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that these were holograms @____@ Only in Japan can you come across technology this advanced. Jeez…

(I think) You can watch the entire concert, here.

And the deaths continue. This time, we’ve lost Japanese hip-hop producer and DJ, Nujabes.

On March 19, it was announced that the 36-year-old had been in a car accident in Tokyo on February 26. He died later at a hospital in Shibuya.

Nujabes, who real name was Seba Jun, was best known for his prolific contributions to the anime series, Samurai Champloo. However, he also collaborated with underground American hip-hop acts CYNE, Cise Starr, Apani B, Five Deez, Substantial, CL Smooth, Terry Callier, as well as British rapper Funky DL and R&B singer Dwele, and Japanese artists such as Uyama Hiroto, Shing02 and MINMI. He also owned the Shibuya record stores, T Records and Guinness Records, and was the founder of the independent label Hydeout Productions.

Samples of his work, below:

For every action, there is a reaction. Whether we go to work and get paid, or don’t study and fail an exam, everything we do has an impact on the future. This is one of the first lessons we learn in life, and it’s the main theme of French developer Quantic Dream’s latest title, Heavy Rain.

Quantic Dream has released 2 other titles in the past (1999′s Omikron: The Nomad Soul, and 2005′s Fahrenheit, released in North America under the title Indigo Prophecy), but Heavy Rain is the developer’s most ambitious project to date. The question is though, does it sing in the rain, or flow into the sewers?

The story at its core is one of love and what you would do to save a loved one. For some time, someone has been kidnapping young boys who are later found drowned in rain water, with an orchid on their chest and origami in their hand. This causes the culprit to be called The Origami Killer. The main characters are in search of the killer for their own reasons. As with any game, expect plot twists and surprises. The story’s strong the entire game, and it does a great job of tying up loose ends.

The story is split between 4 playable characters, all of whom you get to control, one per chapter. However, it is not like an RPG, wherein you have a group, or “party.” The 4 playable characters in Heavy Rain are separate for most of the game, and yet in some way are connected (think six degrees of separation). These 4 are: Ethan Mars, an once-prosperous architect whose son is abducted; Madison Paige, a photo journalist covering the Origami Killer story; Norman Jayden, a FBI agent working on the Origami Killer case; and Scott Shelby, a private investigator asked by the victimized families of the Origami Killer to find the culprit and bring him to justice.

Every aspect of Heavy Rain is top-notch, from the music and voice-acting, to the graphics and animation. In my opinion, they are on par with Hollywood movies.

The music, which was recorded in London’s Abbey Road Studios, was composed and conducted by Normand Corbeil (Ashley Judd & Tommy Lee Jones’ 1999 film, Double Jeopardy). Every single track invokes a strong sense of a specific feeling — sadness, suspense, even happiness. The music is just one thing that makes the game leave such an impact on the person playing.

The voice-acting is phenomenal. Heavy Rain‘s voice cast is one of the best I’ve heard in any media, and that’s saying something, as I’ve heard a LOT of voice casts in my time. All of the characters are incredibly well-rounded and life-like. This stems from the fact that a lot of people auditioned to be in this title, 457 to be exact. Of those 457, only 90 were selected. So that’s 90 characters with at least one line of dialogue. In regards to acting, out of the 4 main characters, my favorite is Norman Jayden. Leon Ockenden, the actor who voices Jayden, lays everything out there. You can just feel the emotion radiating from his acting.

I’ll say it right now. I think the graphics and animation are a cut above other games, including Final Fantasy titles, which are renowned for looking gorgeous. This is because most, if not all, of the game was motion-captured (mocapped), including movement and the dialogue. The shooting took 172 days and within that time, they recorded 30,000 unique animations. That’s a lot of mocapping.

The graphics are so life-like, and yet there’s still that tiny bit that keeps them looking CG. Faces in particular look very realistic, because Quantic Dream made virtual actors (the real actors had their heads scanned to create digital computer models thereof). The textures are what you’ve come to expect from 360 and PS3 games, they’re incredibly detailed. Even on my SDTV, I can see a lot of detail.

Heavy Rain itself plays out more like an interactive film, rather than a game. It’s hard to explain why; it just does. In this case, it’s a major plus. It pushes the limits of story-telling from most other games.

One of the main things that sets Heavy Rain apart from other titles is its choice mechanic. Almost every situation can be approached in a number of ways, including dialogue. You can choose whether or not to stop a robbery, in addition to the way you stop it. One scenario of this instance is that you can knock the robber out with a bottle of liquor from behind, or you can talk them into just leaving. You can control when or if your character asks a question, and the manner in which they ask it. Almost every one of the choices you make affect the game from that point on, although some events occur no matter what you do. It is also possible for any or all four characters to die, so choose carefully.

Heavy Rain also features a thought system that lets you hear what the character is thinking at almost any given moment by holding a shoulder button. This is an unique and interesting feature that I’ve yet to come across in any other game.

The controls… Whew, boy, there’s so much to be said about them. I’ll start out with these 2 comments: 1) The game does use motion-control, and 2) your difficulty setting determines how prominently it’s used. One example is: During a fight, on Medium, you might have to shake the controller up and down to escape someone’s grasp. However, during that exact same fight on Easy, you just have to mash a button to escape their grasp. The difficulty does not affect all motion prompts though, as some are universal throughout all 3 difficulties.

While not as groundbreaking as the motion controls were at the launch of the Wii, Heavy Rain‘s motion controls are very intuitive. They really shine when doing little things, such as shaking the controller to shake an OJ carton, or moving the controller downward to crush something into a desk. Quantic Dream really put thought into the motions, instead of using random ones.

Movement is controlled by holding R2 to move and using the left analog stick to turn. When not holding R2, holding the left stick controls which way the character is looking. Flicking the left stick in a specific direction while the character is standing, makes the character turn in place and face that direction.

Dialogue is chosen with the face buttons (Triangle, O, X, and Square). Each button is a specific response, which vary depending on the situation.

During action sequences, we’re treated to quick time events (QTEs), where you have to follow the onscreen prompts (ie: when a ‘X’ come up, you press X, when an arrow appears, you push the right stick in that direction).

Interaction with objects is handled by holding a button and/or moving the right stick. These movements can be as generic as pushing the stick up, or they can be as unique as moving it up a quarter-circle.

There are times when you have to hold multiple buttons. These can be as simple as holding X and O, but other times, they’re insane. I call those ones “Controller Twister,” because you have to hold something like R1, L1 and shake the controller, or even Square, L1, Triangle, R1, O and mash X. Those are fun… Not.

As a disabled gamer, there were only 3 times when I needed help, because the prompts were mandatory (I was stuck at R1, L1 and shake the controller, for a couple days, because I had no one to help me).

After 2 less-than-stellar attempts, Quantic Dream has returned with an outstanding game, one that I’m proud to say, made me buy a PS3. Heavy Rain is a game unlike any we’ve played before. The graphics are amazing, the music and acting are on par with Hollywood movies, the story is so powerful and engaging, and the controls are just awesome. Without a doubt, I say Heavy Rain is worthy of a Game of the Year award. I highly recommend it to anyone who has a PS3.

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)

Heavy Rain was developed by Quantic Dream, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It retails for $59.99 USD new, and is rated M for mature. In addition, Sony is offering a printable alternative box art.

Last week I touched on the upcoming interactive drama, Heavy Rain and its promotion, but this time I’m going to go into detail about it.

Quantic Dream and Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) are really going all out for Heavy Rain. SCE set up Four Days, an alternate reality game (as Kotaku calls it), that occurred every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (4 days) a week, for 3 weeks. There are also several Twitter accounts that are connected to Four Days (@perfectfolds and @sleeperinthesun are the two English ones). I personally can’t remember any other game that’s had more English promotion online.

Sure, games like Left 4 Dead have had tweets made by characters (which while writing this, I learned were just some fans’ bots), but I don’t remember a company putting as much time and effort into promotion as Quantic Dream and SCE are doing for Heavy Rain. Not even Atlus.

The Four Days challenges, which suck you into the universe of Heavy Rain and don’t let go, vary from watching an animation and figuring it out, to an interactive YouTube video, to using a video to help you find someone.

The three 4-day challenges are described in the introductory email as:

“The first four-day challenge will suck you into the fracturing mind of a nascent killer. You need to know your prey to catch him. Keep your eyes open, even as his malign influence starts to impossibly spread… and most important of all, don’t fall under his spell…

The third and final challenge is the endgame. If you’ve proved your worth, you’ll be propelled to the highest levels of the investigation. But to succeed, you’ll need to re-enter the killer’s psyche. Gaze into that abyss again. You’ll need to break all the rules to find your suspect. There are multiple suspects. Which one is guilty?”

From what I understand, at the beginning of Week 1 (January 26th – 29th), you were contacted by FBI agent (and one of the 4 main/playable characters in Heavy Rain), Norman Jayden to help in the investigation of The Origami Killer. Interestingly, in addition to the Twitter accounts and Precinct 52 website, SCE also created other seemingly unrelated sites such as PicXaminer (which was referenced during Week 1).

Successfully completing Week 2 (February 2nd – 5th) gave you early access to the European demo, which was otherwise released on February 11. (I registered on the 5th, after reading Kotaku’s article about early access to the demo).

When Week 3 (February 9th – 12th) began, you were now part of the FBI and had until Friday to figure out the best suspect, and submit their name on Friday.

On Wednesday, I received an email which read:

“hey

call me M for now”

Madison Paige is another of the 4 main/playable characters in Heavy Rain. Her Facebook listed 2 additional suspects for Four Days.

Then Thursday, Jayden left a message for us

As of this posting, we are still waiting for the email that we were told to wait for, if we submitted the correct suspect.

Quantic Dream and SCE are really setting the bar high for both Heavy Rain, and for promotion in general.

Short and sweet. Part 1 of the Heavy Rain discussion.

Upcoming interactive drama, Heavy Rain was a substantial reason why I bought my PS3. Heavy Rain premiered at E3 2006, via a tech demo called The Casting. Then in 2008, Heavy Rain reappeared with a new demo that featured a now-false release date of 2009. My interest was piqued with the release of the GamesCom 2009 trailer.

Quantic Dream and Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) are really going all out for the title. I personally can’t remember any other game that’s had more English promotion online. SCEE (Europe) has set up Four Days, an alternate reality game (as Kotaku calls it), that plays out over 4 days from sign up on the Precinct 52 website.

Completing Four Days gives you (at time of this writing) early access to the European demo, which is scheduled to be released on February 11.

Gabby and I both got the demo, and the following conversation occurred (You’ll see why this is just part 1). (As with last time, my replies are in bold, while hers are in quotes.):

“Yeah. I downloaded and played the demo the other day. It was heavy, no pun intended. I had to stop part the way through because I was so overwhelmed. But not in a bad way.”

“Just…the control on that game is so vast”

How so?

“Every little thing…You control when your character asks a question, the manner in which they ask it. Which way they look. Whether they lean over the bedpost in an imposing manner or sit down on the bed. And you know somehow, every last one of these little actions affects something.”

Yeah…

“It’s almost like the game is here to remind us how wide our options are and how little we, ourselves matter in the grand scheme of things.”

Damn, well put.

“I need a day off in order to play that demo. My mistake was trying to play it while I was sleepy, so I was missing things.”

lol

Part 2 will be when she has that day to play the demo. But for now, here’s the trailer that’s included in the demo:

Update: I was mistaken. Four Days is a 3-week-long alternate reality game, occurring on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (4 days) every week. Early access to the demo was the reward for successfully completing Week 2 (February 2nd – 5th).

Support: HMV // CDJapan

On 2009.12.02, after 4 years without a new original album (2007′s 0079-0088 was a Gundam cover album, and 2009′s Slo-Pachinko Gladiator Evolution Original Soundtrack was just that — a soundtrack), GACKT returned with a new album entry in the RR (Requiem et Reminiscence) Project, RE:BORN. But does RE:BORN stand tall, or does it fall on its face?

Gackt Camui is an Okinawan musician, composer, lyricist, poet, author, actor, designer and model. Usually referred to by his mononymous stage name, GACKT. He is known for his work with Malice Mizer, and for his solo artist career after leaving Malice Mizer. In addition to Japanese, he has performed in English, French, Korean, Cantonese, and Mandarin. The man is nothing to laugh at, and neither is his talent.

His music runs the gambit of genres. While it’s technically classified as JPop, it also has electrometal, techno, rock, and even the classic rock ballad. Even though I don’t always understand what he says, he sings to a point that I can feel it, and that speaks more volumes than the language barrier.

The RR Project began in 2001 with release of the album Rebirth and the Requiem et Reminiscence tour. It continued in 2008 with the release of his 28th single Jesus, 29th single Ghost, 2008-2009 Visualive Tour Requiem et Reminiscence II (the backstory of which is explained in detail on GACKT’s official website, through “Asakura’s Report”) and now with RE:BORN.

As with the rest of his albums, RE:BORN is in essence a collection of A and B-sides from GACKT’s most recent singles, barring the 2 Kamen Rider Decade singles (Journey through the Decade and The Next Decade). However, unlike his previous albums, RE:BORN contains 2 discs – the actual album, and a drama CD, entitled “REBIRTH TO RE:BORN – ZERO’S MAIL.”

RE:BORN is a good album overall, but there a couple tracks I don’t care for (Koakuma Heaven isn’t a bad song, something about it just hits me wrong, and FARAWAY -Hoshi ni Negai wo- is just too upbeat for me). Some artists have the uncanny ability to make you really feel what they’re trying to express. Even with the language barrier, I believe I understand the bitter story that GACKT is trying to depict in this album. Sometimes, even, the songs make me want to sing along.

To me, the flow of RE:BORN splits the album into 2 parts. The first part focuses on the continuation of World War II after the events of Requiem et Reminiscence and the creation of the Nazi cyborg, ZERO, while the second focuses on the person that ZERO was. You’ll better understand why I get that feeling, after you listen to REBIRTH TO RE:BORN – ZERO’S MAIL.

JESUS -RRII- is a good starting point for the album because it conveys a sense of realization and remorse, meaning some time has passed in the RR story, since Rebirth. The lyrics are almost telling you that the war isn’t going well, and in the PV for the single, you can see that the war’s going so bad that the German wants to kill himself. The song itself is the same as the single version up until the ending, which is extended and has a live “finale” feel to it.

SUDDENLY feels as if the war is just about to be over, and yet, while you are hopeful for tomorrow, you can’t help but to look back on everything that’s happened. The instrumental reminds me of a late-80s/early-90s ballad.

NO REASON was always one of my favorites from GACKT’s recent singles. Incorporated into the album, I get a sense of asking yourself, on the battlefield, just why you are fighting a losing battle. Is it to protect? For pride? Or…?

IN FLAMES is almost melancholic in its sorrowfulness during the slow parts. But, GACKT’s voice is so powerful during the other parts, that it’s like a raging fire. At the end of the track, there’s a slowing heartbeat, which to me, signifies ZERO about to be created.

SAYONARA -RRII-, I feel is the soldier’s last act. The track begins with nothing but a door opening, approaching footsteps and someone sitting at a piano bench. Then the piece is played with an accompanying violin (Oh YOU… How I love your violin-playing). Then after the piece ends, the soldier stands up and walks away with church bells ringing in the night sky, as if it’s the soldier’s time.

GHOST marks the beginning of ZERO, as it starts out with what sounds like a machine powering up. In my opinion, the PV has a double meaning: 1) GACKT and the dancers were Terminators (the song was used as the opening for the Japanese version of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.), and 2) They were the GHOST unit (see Asakura’s Report), which means that the person GACKT portrays in the PV is ZERO (which IS suggested in the booklet anyway).

The ending of BLUE LAGOON -Shinkai- scared the hell out of me. I was playing the album via my PS3 w/ my 5.1 speakers. Unlike the B-side version, this one ends with a losing-power type of sound effect. This is where I believe ZERO’s part comes to an end, which is suggested by the loss-of-power sound effect.

I believe at the onset of OBLIVIOUS -Kao no Tenshi-, the now-deceased soldier’s personality and memories somehow surface within ZERO, meaning the soldier is “in control.” The song definitely has a nostalgic feel to it. I get the image of walking down a time-worn street, looking into the old and weathered buildings, and remembering long-forgotten memories.

The next few songs are upbeat, which contrast with the first 6, and leave OBLIVIOUS -Kao no Tenshi- to act like an interlude.

Although it’s truthfully a tribute to deceased actor Ogata Ken, MY FATHER’S DAY could be about 2 characters in the story: the soldier’s father for creating him, and the Nazi scientist for making him a cyborg — stronger, more lethal, “immortal.” Both opinions could be supported by this lyric: “The many things you have left for me.”

Koakuma Heaven feels so out of place on this album. I’m not too sure how, or even if, it ties in with the album’s concept… I guess you could say it’s about the girls back when the soldier was human, but I don’t know. In fact, I think it only fits because of the effect on the vocals. They have an… electronic distortion overlapped on them. (The live is just FUN)

I might not like the song itself, but FARAWAY -Hoshi ni Negai wo- definitely fits on the album. The upbeat instrumental contradicts the sadness I sense from the lyrics. The soldier still loves a certain woman, but he knows that now that he’s no longer human, it can never happen. So the soldier stays away from her and just watches. “I just want to say from faraway ‘I love you’.”

FLOWER -RRII- begins drawing this entry to a close. Unfortunately, it’s on a rather sad note. Even without referencing the PV, you can tell something happened to a loved one, just by listening to the emotions in GACKT’s voice in the song.

LOST ANGELS is an awesome song to end the album with. It’s hard to explain, but it does have a… somber “credits”-type of feel to it anyway o.O

Drama CDs are something I’ve always liked. It’s quite hard to explain just why I like them…

I highly recommend reading “Asakura’s Report” (translated: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3) before listening to REBIRTH TO RE:BORN – ZERO’S MAIL. Reading the Reports beforehand will give you a much greater understanding of what’s happening, even if you don’t understand what the characters are saying. Even after my initial listening (before finding the Reports), I was in tears because I felt the emotion in the characters’ dialogue. After reading the Reports however, I was floored because the story was so sad.

ZERO’S MAIL basically tells the story of the album in more detail than my above reviews. ZERO’S MAIL alternates between “current” events and flashbacks to depict the tale. In fact, most of the drama CD is flashbacks. It begins in the “present,” with the female lead, Maria getting a letter from the supposedly-long-deceased soldier who is now ZERO (thus the title “ZERO’S MAIL”), talking about the friendship between him, her, and Asakura Ryuuichi. A good number of the scenes focus on that friendship, with the war’s events popping up throughout. It’s pretty easy to figure out when’s when, because the tone switches between bright and youthful and dark and war-torn.

Truthfully, I wasn’t all that fond of most of GACKT’s recent singles themselves, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from RE:BORN, especially seeing it had been 4 years since his last original album. However, I’m glad to say that it combines the singles into one cohesive album. Others will disagree, but I have to say that this is one of his best releases in years, and I love that it continues the story from a previous album. RE:BORN is definitely a “buy” in my books.

The other night, Gabby went on the ESRB website then IM’d me. I was intrigued by her findings, and so the following conversation occurred. (As with last time, my replies are in bold, while hers are in quotes.):

“lol…I’m on the ESRB website. Never noticed the progression in Persona‘s ratings. The original Persona was rated E. Eternal Punishment went T. 3, FES and 4 all got the almighty M rating (which in my opinion 3 and FES only got because of the Evokers. 4 actually EARNED that rating through content alone). And SMT: Persona, a remake of an E rated game, got upgraded to T.”

“Some of these ratings and the criteria that got them there make me wonder. Demon’s Souls was rated M. Difficulty-wise and in terms of the general IDEA of the game, I could see why it would go M. But content-wise, I’ve seen much more go T.”

“So I have to wonder if ESRB ratings are completely dependent on the presence of offensive content.”

“Comparatively, it slightly offends me that games like Persona 3 and Demon’s Souls share a rating with something like Grand Theft Auto and Saint’s Row.”

“And I think there’s a degree of leniency in handheld titles…”

Demon’s Souls is such a T.

“It really is. Like, based on the content descriptors, it’s a solid T. Based on the content, to me, it would even still be a T. There’s not THAT much blood, and there’s no more violence in that than there would be in, say, G.I Joe or your standard RTS or T-rated adventure game. The difficulty tier, I would put at 15+. Definitely requires a lot of patience and strategy.”

P3… ok, M I can see

“Yeah… P3 gets an M. Evokers aside, it would be a real stretch to classify that as a T-even. It’s a weak M, though.”

“To me, none of the Halo games deserved M-ratings, either”

Halo? What’s that? *kidding*

“rofl I’ve watched most Halo games being played, and there’s nothing M about them to me. Halo games are solid T. Mirror’s Edge was a weak T. So I wonder what other criteria the ESRB uses.”

CONTENT-WISE, back in the day, stuff like God of War, Heavy Rain, etc, would’ve been AO.

“I think there should still be AO, but all the stigma taken off of it. Like…I think Retailers should still have the option to sell AO games. But the point of that is: They can’t be displayed on shelves: who cares?”

agreed. …Wait…

“Because like I said, it’s bullshit that Demon’s Souls, Persona and GTA all share the same rating. And Halo…lol”

AO go poof? I mean I know we don’t sell AO, but did they do away with AO altogether?

“No, It still exists. It’s just not worth it for publishers. It can’t be put out for display, and I don’t think it can be advertised. I think that AO is like the equivalent of porn, like… gotta keep it secure, can’t be easily accessible to minors and there’d probably have to be some rules regarding not only sales, but trade-in of it, too.”

“But the thing is: games that would go AO, people would know about them already. A lot of games don’t get heavy advertising but still sell. Borderlands was a decent example of that. I saw more advertising after it came out.”

The title refers to this cutscene:

Fair warning, expect more Persona posts in the future.

On Wednesday, January 20, Atlus announced the North America release of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable (P3P) for PSP (Boxart and Opening movie at the bottom of this post). Now, this is a significant announcement for me and Gabrielle (henceforth shortened to “Gabby”), because we met in 2007 thanks to our love for the original P3.

As we are living in an age where information is easily obtainable thanks to the Internet, she and I have been keeping a watchful eye on Atlus’ releases on both sides of the Pacific. So when the news broke, last August, that there would be a PSP version of one of our favorite RPGs, Gabby and I started guessing when Atlus USA would bring it over.

Then Wednesday, she sent me a text saying “Sooner than I thought. P3P coming July ’10.” I replied to this with “I really need a [PSP]Go then.” (I traded my PSP in because the newer games needed a higher firmware than I had and at the time, I couldn’t upgrade and continue to use my PSP. The Go however, has the ability to be controlled natively with a DualShock 3. This does away with my need to have custom firmware, RemoteJoy, Xpadder and a computer just to play.)

The following conversations occurred from Thursday morning up til Saturday night. (As with last time, my replies are in bold, while hers are in quotes.)

2010.01.21
Have you guys ever had used Go’s?

“Nope.”

Why am I not surprised?

“lol Because nobody’s buying them new from us, really. And for what you get for it on trade in, it’s nowhere near worth it. That, and the one kid who I know bought one from us, he broke his so he just bought a 3000. Apparently, don’t drop it while it’s slid open or else it’ll break right in 2.”

I wonder if I can find one from a friend…

“Possibly.”

I really doubt they dropped the price and 250 is a bit much.

“They most definitely didn’t drop the price. Something that made me curious was that a couple of weeks ago, we dropped our used price for the Go, despite the fact that I don’t think that many are getting traded in. So I don’t understand the motive behind that, because if they dropped the price, chances are they dropped the trade-in value as well. They’re not even offering used ones on the website.”

New is still 250?

“Yep. That price hasn’t moved.”

Welp, I have til July 7th to get a Go. [We know that we usually get games a day after its listed release date, because that is the shipping date.] “July 6″ riiight…

“It’ll probably get pushed back a week or two.”

This is Atlus.

“That seems to be the Atlus trend as of late. ‘Let’s add something! It’ll take a week!’”

lol But in all honesty, Atlus’ delays are damn worth it.

“My boss is plotting getting his PSP now. Since they announced it. And I know when I tell [name removed] tonight, he’ll probably start saving up for it.”

XDDD

“He was going to reserve SMT: Persona just for the soundtrack. I was like ‘…I can burn it for you.’”

“Reserving a game for a system you don’t have just for the soundtrack… We still have like…7 copies. Even if he waits until July, we’ll still have that one, too.”

I -AM- biased: I’m getting it because it’s P3.

“Same here. I <3 me some P3.”

So do I.

I will admit though, if they did make one, I’d buy P4P too.

“I’d probably lose my mind.”

XD Why?

“Because I love P4. I want to have P4‘s babies.”

xD

Honestly, I hope P3P‘s manual control is -an option-.

“I’m sure it is. One I’ll be utilizing as little as possible.”

Unlike some people, I’ve had no problem with P3‘s AI.

“EXACTLY!”

“I’m sure most of those people bitching either didn’t make it through the game and are trying to blame the AI or had a harder time than they feel like they should have and are blaming the AI.”

“Regardless, I made it through the game three times and the AI has never screwed me over. This is the only game I’ve ever seen where if one member uses an attack and it doesn’t work, they announce that to the rest of the party and NO ONE ELSE USES IT TOO!”

EXACTLY!

“The AI is smart. That’s all there is to it. They did a good job.”

Semi-Learning AI, I call it.

“Precisely. They remember what’s worked on enemies they’ve fought before, use trial and error on new enemies.”

“Only thing I’ve seen is that, at least in P4, characters don’t use their buffs and debuffs as much as they should. At least mine never did. Chie never touched Power Charge or Tarukaja the entire time she’s had it unless I made her.”

*Manualed P4*

“I only used them once I got up into the tougher battles where strategy was needed.”

“Persona 3 introduced a revolutionary social element to role-playing games,” explained Aram Jabbari, Manager of Public Relations and Sales at Atlus. “Players weren’t just progressing through a story; they were a part of it, and their decisions and the relationships they chose to foster or neglect became a powerful complement to the game’s satisfying combat.[...]“

EXACTLY!

“Yup!”

P3P will be fucking EVIL. “Why?”? P3 on the go? Yeah…

I’ll play it on the bus…

“Hell yeah.”

Even if the story is 99% the same, I’ll still dive in.

“Me too.”

2010.01.22
GABBY! GABBY!!

“Hm?”

“Maximum Persona 3—The RPG that captured critics and fans alike achieves a new level of excellence. Built upon an enhanced version of the game, players will find numerous significant improvements, including the addition of Skill Cards, part-time jobs, a total of five difficulty settings (ranging from the newcomer-friendly “beginner” to the ultra-hardcore “maniac”), and most importantly, the ability to directly control your teammates in battle.”

Enhanced!! Which, in my head, says The Journey (FES)! If The Journey isn’t “enhanced,” I don’t know WTF is.

(*I read down that page*)

CLARIFICATION! YES! “For clarity, all that P3P is missing from FES is The Answer, but has all of the content and improvements from FES’ version of The Journey.”

OMGSQUEE!!

“lol”

I was hoping it was The Journey. I mean, I’d still play vanilla P3 too, but…

“Yeah, I would play through it again if it was vanilla, but I’d be nowhere near as out of my mind about it.”

“I knew it was gonna be Journey+ from what I was seeing that they added to it. There was no way they weren’t gonna make it worth it. There’s even P4 cameos in it. That severely kicks up the fangirl in me.”

Um, Gabby? P3 period, is worth it lol

“lol I mean REALLY worth buying a third time.”

For me, 5th.

“I know they’ve said there won’t be a P4:FES, but I fucking want a P4P after this!”

XD

But yeah, I bought vanilla P3, three times. One copy to play, one which is STILL in the shrink-wrap, and one as a gift.

“I…too bought it three times. Once for myself, then traded it in and re-bought it later when it had dropped to like…14.99 used, and the other as a gift.”

And FES once.

“I bought FES twice. Once on day 1 and then a replacement copy, which I bought because I lent my initial copy to a friend and was afraid I wasn’t going to get it back. He then bought that copy off of me.”

So, P3P will be your 6th… Wow.

2010.01.23
Plz Atlus, Spoil us http://playstation.joystiq.com/2009/09/21/persona-3-portable-dx-bundle-bonuses-revealed/

“I know, right?! That shirt is 100% cottony sex.”

lol Yeah.

“Even though the year will be half over by the time it comes out, I’ll even take the damn calendar!”

Same here!

“I could feasibly only see them giving us, if anything out of that bunch, the mini-posters, which I’ll also gladly take.”

They could probably feasibly give us the shirts too. I mean, while not Spoils, they did have P4 shirts…

“True.”

[Later that night, I go over what I'd written with her.] “As we are living in an age where information is easily obtainable thanks to the Internet, she and I have been keeping a watchful eye on Atlus’ releases on both sides of the Pacific. So when the news broke, last August, that there would be a PSP version of one of our favorite RPGs, Gabby and I started guessing when Atlus USA would bring it over.”

I said ‘one of’ because I think P4 outranks 3 in your books.

“It indeed does. Like…they’re equal for different reasons. But in terms of comparing the two, I just prefer 4‘s storyline, and a few of the minor adjustments they made to it in comparison to 3, ie: your options for furthering Social Links (S. Links).”

P4 = MUCH more human.

“Very much so. Everything was so much more believable. And they didn’t leave a lot of holes in the storyline.”

More opportunities to further your S. Links too.

“Yeah. I liked the ‘make lunch for your friends’ aspect, because it allowed you to boost the S. Link within its level without taking up your whole day.”

Yeah.

“You could boost the link so that when you did see that person next, you could level up and still do a different SL after school if you wanted.”

“With P3, you had one shot during that day.”

Yeah.

“I also find it entertaining that if you max out a S. Link with a girl in 4, she will still come and cockblock your date with another girl.”

YES!!

Yukiko and Rise rolled up on so many of my dates with Ai. Ayane even showed up for one. Completely screwed my night.”

That’s funny as hell!

“It was. She was so mad! And Rise was mad! And Ai was mad! And Yosuke was there, but there was nothing he could do.”

lol
—————————-

We’re back with part 2 of this little series of mine, The Gamer Conversations. Right now, it’s just me and my friend, Gabrielle, but I’m hoping to talk to other people in the future. As this is currently only me and my friend, I’d like to reiterate that these comments are purely observation and opinion.

A few weeks back, I got an email from Xbox telling me I had a month of Gold membership left and to renew it. As I’m getting evermore aggravated with 360, I told Gabrielle about it. The following ensued (As with last time, my replies are in bold, while hers are in quotes. I’m still trying to figure out a format):

Dear [GamerTag removed for obvious reasons],

Blah blah blah screw you. I really am tired of this bullshit.

“Fucking Live.”

Bullshit rip-off.

“Exactly. It’s just eating up all your money. People are all like ‘Well, it’s worth it…’”

OMG…

“HOW? WHERE? Show me where it’s worth it.”

IT IS NOT!

“It’s not! Because I get the SAME THING from Sony that 360 people are paying for. For free.”

YES!! …Well minus Twitter

“360 people want to bitch about ‘connectivity issues’ that are completely unfounded today. Sure things were shaky starting out…”

But Facebook? Free.

“Exactly! Automatically updates my trophies in a status update?! That’s made me a trophy whore lately!”

XD

Online multiplayer? FREE! Messages? FUCKING FREE!

“That tripped me out — when I found out Silver folk couldn’t send messages.”

I was hot about it.

“Like… That’s the most basic thing there is!”

Exactly!

“And you’re telling me the lower-tier folk can’t even send a message to a friend? That’s gouging like a motherfucker. Why does Silver even exist then? At the very lowest, you’re paying $50 a year, at the highest, close to $100. An average of $80 a year, more or less for the people who buy four 3-month cards”

From my console article: Later this year (or early next year, I’m not sure), 360 is getting Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm, but they will not be available for free (”Silver”) members, save for a trial period. Not to mention, when you’re Silver, you can’t even send messages to your friends. The fact that Microsoft is seemingly ostracizing their Silver users doesn’t bode well for neither Microsoft nor its gamers, because sooner or later, gamers are going to say “I have to pay to send messages? Fuck you. I’m switching [to PS3].” Another problem for 360 users is the console’s notorious failure/RRoD (Red Ring of Death) rate, which is an alarming 54.2%, as opposed to 10.6% for the PS3, and 6.8% for the Wii.

“Yep. I’ve seen the [PS3's] Yellow Light of Death 1 time. Once in the three years the console has been out.”

One whose PS3?

“Some dude who was trading it in for a new one. It was one of the backwards-compatible 80GB models.”

“Meanwhile, I’ve had 3 E-74 or whatever they are in the last month.”

OH GOD! E-74… That is a bitch.

“Yeah. Mirror’s Edge froze up while I was playing it to test it out, and when I forced a restart, it just popped up that error message on the spot.”

I got mine (E-74) November of ’08.

“I think [E-74] is more of a bitch than the RRoD”

Oh yes, yes it is.

“The RRoD is kind of a party-stopper. But I’ve had machines that E-74 and then seem to forget that they did and play for another month before they do it again.”

Funny thing is I got my first 360, January 2008. 10 months later, bam! E-74. Sent in for repairs 10 fucking months after I bought it!

“*Shakes head*”

That’s sad.

“It is.”

My time is coming up [for my 360 to crap out again]. Watch this, I’ll get an E-74 at the final boss in Tales of Vesperia (ToV).

“Awwww…”

My luck, I will. Which if we do get ToV PS3, is fine.

“We’d better.”

Next time i get my [release] lists, I’m gonna look at 360. If I see there’s not shit coming out, bye-bye 360.?

“There isn’t. Only exclusives I see are Splinter Cell, Alan Wake and Halo Reach. And Natal stuff.”

Blah, horror movie blah, blah, and hmm… (I’m not interested in Splinter Cell, Alan Wake or Halo Reach, but Proje?ct Natal does look intereseting.)

Back in 1993, a TV show known as Mighty Morphin Power Rangers premiered on Fox Kids. Little did anyone expect that it would explode into one of the biggest TV phenomenons of the 20th century. Now 17 years, 15 series and a metric ass-ton of merchandising later, the current holders of the Power Rangers rights, Disney/ABC, are airing the original series, newly “remastered” with visual and sound effects on ABC Kids.

Like most of my peers, I loved the show as a kid, and all I can say about this new “revision” is…

WHAT THE FUCK!?

I mean, I’m all for remastering things that need to remastered, but what’s up with the comic-book-inspired graphics and such!? The original was just fine without them!

There goes another part of my childhood killed off. First Dragon Ball, then G.I. Joe (original), now Power Rangers…

“Why do I even have a 360?”

This is a question my friend, Gabrielle, asked herself earlier this year (and later ditched the 360), and one I’m currently asking myself. I always enjoy talking to her, Because she and I think A LOT alike, and we have the same taste in games for the most part. In addition, she knows her stuff as she works at a GameStop in Michigan. This is the answer that she came up with (The following is mostly opinion and observation.) *My replies are in bold, while hers are in quotes*:

“You have one because of what MIGHT come out on it.”

But still, is it even worth everything – The Gold membership, the Microsoft Points, the Red Ring of Doom (RRoD)?

“Gold is a ripoff. The points…eh. It’s the same as Sony’s prepaid cards. The RRoD is some bullshit.”

[Given this - Let’s get the Wii out of the way first. The price cut from $249, to $199 was a good move on Nintendo’s part, because in theory, it might make the Wii the Christmas Killer the second year in a row. Even so, I think that for most, this motion-controlled console’s gimmicks have worn off, and quite frankly, that’s all it is — a gimmicky machine. In order for it to be more successful, the Wii needs better graphics, a hard drive, DVD playback, and better games. Someone on GameTrailers called it “My First Game Console” (as in kids’ “My First…”), and that’s pretty much what it is.] “I agree completely about the Wii, especially since 1) a good portion of the games don’t even use motion controls and 2) Sony’s SIXAXIS is comparable to the most minimal degree of motion control used in the average game. In New Super Mario Bros Wii (NSMB), the motion controls are restricted to jerking the Wiimote up or holding a button and shaking it.”

Um, ok, why? lol

“Dumb stuff lol. Like, the jerk-up I can understand and cosign on, but the holding of a button and the shaking is to pick something up, and most of the time, I don’t get it right. It’s more complicated than it needs to be”

“For the most part, our generation has just grown out of Nintendo. There’s nothing for us on Nintendo consoles anymore. The games aren’t classic anymore. Like, stupid controller shaking aside, I love NSMB, just because it has that feel. It reminds me of Mario 3 and Mario World rolled into one.”

[Referring to the comments in the above post] “Why do you say there are no such things as console-exclusives?”

Because, in reality, there’s not. Take for example… Tales of Vesperia. Not a console-exclusive. Nor are Star Ocean 4 or Final Fantasy XIII.

“There are some, though.”

Yes, like Heavy Rain. …Okay, I wasn’t thinking when I posted that comment. Halo… Mass Effect…

“Stuff like Gears of War and Killzone are never gonna cross over.”

Speaking of Gears and such, I have a question. Not counting “presents,” do you notice higher percentage of a gender purchasing a specific console? Or is it fairly equal?

“I actually don’t get very many women purchasing consoles for themselves. They’re either buying one for their boyfriend, or their family. When I do, it’s usually actually the DS, followed by the Wii, 360, PS2, PS3, and finally the PSP. The PS3 is not a friend of the women around here.”

Hmm, ok. Not trying to be sexist, but to me the 360 feels like more of a male console.

“See, I feel the opposite. I think the PS3 feels more masculine, but they’re trying to change that. 2010 is gonna be the year that masculine persona crumbles.”

“For the longest time, the main things on PS3 were shooters and sports games.”

While on 360…?

[360 had a] “Myriad. Shooters, sports, RPGs. Like…both are probably more equally represented on each system than I’m making them seem, but I’m talking in terms of ‘exclusives.’”

“RPG-wise, PS3 had Disgaea, Valkriya Chronicles, and Cross Edge, while 360 had Tales of Vesperia, Last Remnant, Blue Dragon, Infinite Undiscovery, Magna Carta 2, Culdcept Saga, Spectral Force, and Operation Darkness.”

Truthfully, Gab. As a male gamer, even I want the masculine persona to crumble.

“As do I. I’m looking forward to the variation of games coming out on the PS3 this year. Still I don’t think the system can be completely blamed, though. I think the proportions of ‘hardcore’ to ‘casual’ female gamers are extremely offset. A lot of women who come in want to play the things that are on the Wii. They look at the PS3 and 360 and are intimidated by and ignorant as to the things that are on it. They want platformers and trivia games because they feel like that’s all they can play.”

“Of all the women who come in my store and buy DS games, only one comes to mind who might be considered hardcore. She comes in and gets the RPGs. She bought Moon. And she plays these games to completion, on each difficulty. Goes back and collects everything and when she’s done, she trades them in and gets something else.”

“There’s a couple of women who have PS2s. Older women with husbands who will sit and play SOCOM with them,”

o_O …whut.

“And a young couple around my age with a 360 and a Wii and they play Star Ocean, Dragon Quest, Metroid, Lost Odyssey. So there are some around here, but none I’ve seen yet with PS3s besides me.”

“I’ve definitely noticed a positive shift for the PS3 since the price drop. We sell through them faster, we sell more of them, and we sell more games for it. WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010 and Call of Duty (CoD): Modern Warfare 2 were the first indicators of that — Their reserves for each system were nearly equal, and that never happened before.”

CoD was a given, but why WWE?

“lol. Well, that has a lot to do with our particular demographic, I think, along with the timing that WWE came out. Around here, I’ve noticed a really high proportion of black men own PS3s. It’s always been like that, even before the [price-]drop. Not sure why. But a disproportionate amount of black men compared to white men had PS3s. When the drop happened at the middle-end of August, we sold more. It was an affordable option for families wanting to buy a system for their kids and so we sold more PS3s”

o_O;;; Around here [in Buffalo], I’ve noticed more black men with 360s.

“lol. It’s a weird statistic to notice.”

“More teenagers got PS3s, simply put, everybody got a PS3 besides rabid Microsoft fanboys. Even last gen, out of my friends, only one had an Xbox. Everybody had a PS2. It created brand loyalty — like me: I got used to the controls of the PS2. I had an Xbox, it was nice because there was no other option at the time. But when I got my PS3, it was like…perfect. Like reuniting with an old friend; I’m used to Sony.”

“I think that’s what it is around here. People were used to Sony. Some of them settled for the 360. But the minute they could get the PS3, they did.”

Like me.

“And truthfully, for people who have a choice as to what system they want a game on, if it’s not something they intend to play online with lots of friends like CoD, I notice they’ll pick it up on PS3.”

Because of the familiarity.

“Exactly. Fighting games are usually picked up on PS3 because people who don’t love Microsoft can admit fault and hate with their analogs.”

Oh God… Exactly. Fighters on the 360 controller… *Shudders*

“Multi-platform people, the only reason they’ll pick up a game on 360 is 1) it’s exclusive or 2) they have more friends on XBL to play multiplayer with.”

“Problem is 1) more people are getting PS3s, so that multiplayer reason for buying 360 games is fading, 2) I’m seeing a lot of people getting fed up with RRoD and trading in busted systems while not replacing them. So I’m wondering if this evening of the systems is just going to be temporary.”

I’m with #2 — Fed up with the RRoD BS. But about that, I think most people are unaware that if you’ve had a RRoD within 3 years from purchase, the repairs are free and your warranty is extended another 3.

“Right.”

Even so, my next RRoD, I’m tempted to just say fuck it.

It’s already been a decade… Hard to believe. I’ve played so many games over the years, some of which I forgot, that this list was hard to come up with. (And before anyone brings them up, no I have not played Ico or Shadow of the Colossus. Yes both most likely should be in the top 5, but I’ve not played them, so…) But I’m happy to present you with my Top Ten Video Games of the Decade list. Biased? Maybe, but meh… So without further ado:

Honorable Mention/11. Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- (PSP – 2008)

Prequel to the critically-acclaimed 1997 PS1 title, the game takes place years before the original with the central character being Zack Fair. A part of The Compilation of Final Fantasy VII (along with Last Order, Final Fantasy VII, Advent Children, and Dirge of Cerberus), we see how things are connected throughout the titles, like what really led up to Sephiroth’s psychosis and corruption. Even though the ending is already known, it still makes me cry. Not to mention GACKTGenesis.

10. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3 – 2008)

My first true MGS. I tried MGS3: Snake Eater, but because of control issues… yeah, no. But thanks to the Access Controller, I can play MGS4 and I dare say it lives up to the hype. I don’t care for stealth or shooting games, but I do like MGS4. The aim-assist is a huge help for me too. “MGS4 has received widespread critical acclaim, garnering perfect reviews and Game of the Year awards from several major gaming publications, including GameSpot, which hailed the game as technically flawless. It is also considered by many critics to be one of the greatest games of this or any generation.” ~Wikipedia

9. Demon’s Souls (PS3 – 2009)

Welcome to the kingdom of Boletaria in this action game unlike any you’ve played before. You will die in this game, A LOT, but if you can deal with that, you will love this game. With the most engaging combat system ever, the game is skill based, not grind based (There are players who’ve beaten the game at Soul Level 1). It lacks story, but the game is driven by giving the player a purpose to fulfill. While it’s “Shit happened, fix it” as per usual, it’s more bare bones in this case.

8. Okami (PS2 – 2006/Wii – 2008)

Combining a distinct sumi-e-inspired cel-shaded visual style, Japanese myths, legends and folklore, Okami tells the story of how the land was saved from darkness by the Shinto sun goddess, Amaterasu, who took the form of a white wolf. “Unique to Okami is the Celestial Brush. Players can bring the game to a pause and call up a canvas, where the player can draw onto the screen. This feature is used in combat, puzzles and as general gameplay. For example, the player can create strong wind by drawing a loop, cut enemies by drawing a line through them or create bridges by painting one, amongst many other abilities.” ~Wikipedia

7. Bujingai: The Forsaken City (PS2 – 2004)

I originally got this game because of GACKT, but soon fell in love with its fast-paced sword-swinging gameplay. It’s easy to pull off 50+ hit combos. The game is relatively short, but I enjoy it very much. I once beat the final boss in roughly 45 seconds. GACKT assisted in the development of this stylistically Wuxia-film-inspired game by providing the voice of its main character, Lau Wong, motion capture, and fleshing out the setting and story.

6. Zone of the Enders (PS2: Part 1 – 2001/Part 2 – 2003)


Hideo Kojima of MGS fame brings us quite possibly two of the best mecha/giant robot games (besides Virtual-On). Everything about this game just feels right. Not to mention it gives a new meaning to the term “cockpit.” “Zone of the Enders, the first game in the series, details the story of a boy named Leo Stenbuck, a colonist from Jupiter who accidentally finds himself piloting the Orbital Frame Jehuty. In Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner (known as Anubis: Zone of the Enders in Japan), a new pilot, Dingo Egret, finds Jehuty on the Moon of Callisto two years after the events of the first game and travels to the superweapon Aumaan in order to defeat Colonel Nohman of the BAHRAM army, who pilots Jehuty’s sister craft, Anubis.” ~Wikipedia

5. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (PS2 – 2004)

The game that overthrew Final Fantasy as the top RPG in my book, and made me an Atlus Faithful. Nocturne was surprisingly darker (no pun intended) than any RPG I had played previously, the cel-shaded characters were (and still are) a refreshing change from the typical ones, and the music blew me away. The battle system also takes Pokemon‘s weakness mechanic a huge step forward (You wanna fight fire with fire? Fine, go ahead and HEAL THE ENEMY), and while not quite as influential as it is in Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy or Heavy Rain, every decision you choose (outside of battle) affects the game’s outcome.

4. Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier (NDS – 2009)

We never got Namco X Capcom, State-side, but this game is the next best thing. With a similar battle system as NxC, you have to practice and try different move combinations to see just how much damage you can dish out in a certain number of attacks without letting the opponent hit the floor. Not to mention the jigging… Oh god the beautiful jiggling! *_*

3. Namco X Capcom (PS2 – 2005)

While it did flop in Japan, I really enjoyed this game a lot. The combination of Namco and Capcom characters, with an unique battle system where timing is everything. Gathered by an anomaly, Namco and Capcom characters have to save–well, you know the rest. The character combinations, attacks and interactions with one another are something to behold. King and Felicia? What the… Whoa, they actually fit together.

2. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 – (PS2 – 2008)

Truthfully tied for #1, a dead tie. P4 is much more human than 3 (one of the main characters question their own sexuality), and gives even more freedom. Set a year after its predecessor’s events, P4 sees you again assuming the role of Japanese high school student, this time living in rural Japan with his uncle and cousin. At school, rumor has begun to spread that watching a switched-off television set on rainy midnights will reveal a person’s soulmate. However, days after the player’s first viewing, unexplained murders begin to take place in the small town, where bodies are found dangling from television antennas and their cause of death unknown. You soon discover you can enter the TV. What will you find?

1. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES (PS2: P3 – 2007/P3FES – 2008)

If you know me, you know just how much I love this game, and it’s not just me, it’s the RPG of 2007. In other RPGs, you just control the main character at certain times throughout the day, whereas in P3 and FES, you control him, pretty much the whole day. You go to school, can attend clubs, make friends and girlfriends, and explore dungeons. Hell, you can even pee! In fact, peeing, studying and hanging out with friends help level the main character. A teenager who was orphaned as a young boy returns to the city of his childhood. Shortly after transferring to Gekkoukan High School, he is attacked by Shadows— creatures that feed on the minds of their victims. He soon discovers that he shares a special ability with other students at his new school. From them, he learns of the “Dark Hour,” a hidden time that exists between one day and the next, swarming with Shadows. He joins the Special Extracurricular Execute Sector (SEES), and with his new friends, confronts the threat of the Shadows.

A fansub (short for fan-subtitled) is a version of a foreign film or TV program which has been translated by fans and subtitled into a language other than that of the original. As Tanya stated, fansubbing can be illegal according to copyright laws in various countries. Even so, it doesn’t stop people from doing it for as long as they can. Most cease fansubbing a series once it’s licensed for release in their language.

Fansubs originated during the explosion of anime production in Japan during the 1980s. At the time, relatively few titles were licensed for distribution outside of Japan, and as a result it was difficult for anime fans to obtain new titles. Thus, some fans, generally those with some Japanese language experience, began producing amateur subtitled copies of new anime programs so that they could share them with their fellow fans who did not understand Japanese.

In the beginning, fansubbed material was distributed on VHS tapes. These copies were notoriously low quality, time consuming to make, expensive to produce and difficult to find. However, with the technological advancements over the years, the original process has largely been abandoned in favor of digital fansubbing and online distribution. This has allowed fansubbing to transform from a slow and tedious task that generates a low quality result to a cheap, easy, and quick way to create a high quality and easily available alternatives to official releases.

Much like file sharing, fansubs are the source of controversy, not only from the companies, but between fans as well. Since last year, I’ve noticed a split within the fan-base regarding the attitude towards fansubs. Some who download fansubs will still support the companies and buy the official releases when they’re out. Others side with Japanese and North American anime studios and distribution companies, saying fansubs are drawing a large amount of profit away from them.

The Yale Economic Review’s recent research has called the latter conclusion into serious question though, as it’s shown that people who download movies are no less likely to buy movies than those who do not.

There have also been a number of shows that were overlooked for US distribution at first, only to be picked up later when fansubs helped create a buzz about them. One example of this was Azumanga Daioh, now released by ADV Films. In the summer of 2005, one of the founders of ADV admitted that they initially thought the series would not be popular in America. Additionally, Kadokawa Pictures USA and Bandai Entertainment specifically thanked the fansub community in the promotional video announcing the American license of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. That was the first instance of a Japanese company admitting and accepting (but not necessarily supporting) the well-intended piracy among fans.

Even so, anime studios in both North America and Japan have decided to see just how far they can go. They’re licensing as much as they can, and in some cases, working out simulcasting deals with the original studios and/or streaming websites. Simulcasting results in much less wait time for fans overseas and it benefits the studios much more than any amount of fansubbing could do.

In April of 2008, two series produced by Gonzo Digital Holding (The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk and Blassreiter) began free, subtitled simulcasts with their Japanese TV-airing counterparts on streaming websites YouTube, Crunchyroll, and BOST. North American companies Viz Media and Funimation have also began simulcasts (Inuyasha: The Final Act, and Shikabane Hime: Aka and its direct sequel Kuro respectively) streaming on Hulu.

Also in 2008, Crunchyroll began striking legal distribution agreements with companies, including Gonzo, Sunrise and TV Tokyo, for an increasing number of titles. In addition, viewers may pay for the membership plan of their choice that lets them receive early access to the shows, and an “exclusive” higher-quality stream. As of November 2009, a large number of new anime are being distributed using this model through Crunchyroll.

The general reaction to this from the fansub community has been to not do these shows, though in certain cases the streams are released days after the Japanese airing and in subpar quality, causing fansubs to still be done of such shows. That said, the Japanese animation studios’ increasing support for Crunchyroll’s model suggests that it’s working quite well. The number of fansubbing groups has also decreased, because many people don’t feel the need for fansubs when they can stream these shows legally.