Brian Ashcraft

Yoko Taro Thinks Nier Violates Square Enix’s Own Guidelines For Fan Creations

Square Enix has published Japanese-language guidelines for derivative fan creations. These guidelines cover Nier Replicant, Nier Gestalt, Nier: Automata, Nier Re[in]carnation, and Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139… In short, all the Nier games! As noted on Inside, these guidelines are broken down into several points, prohibiting things like payment for fan work, the use of Nier assets…

This Violin-Playing Cosplayer Is The Hero We Need

Meet the Violin Samurai. The YouTuber dresses up as iconic characters in ramshackle costumes and then plays video game music. If only he could see half the time! In the clip below, for example, he spends the first section trying to get his costume (and the music) right. The actual performance is about three minutes…

Track: Tokyo Midnight feat. Botani | Artist: Niko Niko Tan Tan | Album: Tokyo Midnight (single)  

Sony Is Doing Great, But Making More PS5s Is Difficult

Today, Sony released its financials for the three-month period ending on December 31, 2020. Even with the pandemic and supply issues, it sold 4.5 million PlayStation 5s. The hardware is a big hit! But at this time, making more of them sounds hard. Let’s break down the numbers. During the previous quarter, which ended on…

Studio Ghibli Is Building A Real-Life Howl’s Moving Castle

The already cool-sounding Studio Ghibli theme park now sounds even better. Aichi Prefecture, where it will be located, revealed that a real-life Howl’s Moving Castle will also be built on the grounds. Sadly the castle won’t move and will be smaller than the one in the movie. However, as Tokyo Shimbun notes, it will be…

Track: Hikouki Gumo | Artist: Yumi Matsutoya | Album: Yumi Arai The Concert with Old Friends

After PS5 Chaos, Japanese Retailer Cracks Down

This weekend, a mob of PS5 shoppers caused chaos at the Yodobashi Camera retailer in Tokyo’s Akihabara. The police were called and sales were halted. Famitsu now reports that the retailer has instituted new requirements to purchase the Sony console. According to Famitsu, it’s necessary to have the store’s gold point plus Visa card and…

Why Studio Ghibli Turned To CG Animation For Its Latest Movie

It was bound to happen. And it shouldn’t be a complete surprise. The latest Studio Ghibli film, Earwig in the Witch, is a CG animated feature film. Last month, director Goro Miyazaki told Kotaku how that happened. Earwig and the Witch isn’t Studio Ghibli’s first foray into CG animation. Hayao Miyazaki, Goro’s father, released a 14-minute…

Track: Let Forever Be | Artist: The Chemical Brothers | Album: Surrender 

Earwig And The Witch, Studio Ghibli’s Debut CG Feature, Is A Good First Effort

Earwig and the Witch opens with a familiar scene. An old Citroën races down the road, immediately invoking Hayao Miyazaki’s 1979 anime The Castle of Cagliostro. But here, the Citroën 2CV is yellow and in hot pursuit, with its grill turning into needle-like teeth, barreling towards a woman with curly red hair escaping on a…

Well, Nintendo Is Still Doing Incredible

Today, Nintendo released its financials for the nine-month period ending December 31, 2019. Once again, the company posted some truly staggering figures. Net sales were up 37.3 percent year on year, while operating profit increased an eye-watering 98.2 percent, doubling last year’s results and reaching nearly $5 billion. During the same period, Nintendo sold 24.1…

Complete Chaos At Tokyo Retailer Over PS5 Sales

The PlayStation 5 launched last November, but months later, it’s still hard to snag one, especially in Japan. Early today, the Yodobashi Camera electrics megastore in Akihabara, one of the biggest in the country, sold a huge shipment of PS5. All hell broke loose. People began shoving and pushing, descending on a Yodobashi clerk who…

Yakuza Producer Leaving Sega’s Board Of Directors, But Staying At Company

Today, Sega announced that Yakuza executive director and producer Toshihiro Nagoshi will be stepping down from the corporate board of directors. He will, however, remain at Sega. As reported on Game Biz, Nagoshi will leave the board as of April 1, when the new Japanese financial year starts. He will step down as Sega’s Chief…

Jeanette Maus, Actor For Resident Evil Village, Dies At 39

Jeanette Maus, who lent her talents to Resident Evil Village, died this weekend. She was 39. “We here at Capcom R&D 1 are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Jeanette Maus, the talented actress who helped bring several different characters, including our witches to the world in Resident Evil Village,” Capcom wrote on…

Rare Magic The Gathering Card Goes For Over $500,000

This week, an ultra-rare Magic The Gathering Alpha Black Lotus card with a signature by artist Christopher Rush sold for $511,100.00. Online auction seller PWCC called the gem mint card, graded at perfect PSA 10, “the single finest” Alpha Black Lotus it had ever brokered for sale. “The fragile black periphery is free of common…

Fake Hollywood Movie Trailers Of Anime Adaptations

YouTuber Fake Eiga FMT has been creating phony trailers of Hollywood live-action versions of popular anime. These trailers are faux harbingers of just how Hollywood could leave its distinctive mark on beloved source material. The trailers included footage taken from real movies and shows, such as Pacific Rim or Game of Thrones, but with some…

Track: Suki, Suki, Suki (London) | Artist: Sadistic Mika Band | Album: Live in London 

Japan Now Has A Super Nintendo World Train

Starting today, the JR Yumesaki train line in Osaka is covered in Mario and friends to celebrate Super Nintendo World, which was supposed to open February 4. However, it has since been delayed. Again. Universal Studios Japan visitors will ride the train line to the theme park. Japan is currently under a state of emergency…

Nothing Says Valentine’s Day Like Chocolate Ramen

Do you like chocolate? What about ramen? Well, this Valentine’s Day in Japan, people can eat chocolate ramen. Once again, ramen chain Kourakuen is serving up “chocolate ramen” for a limited time only. The chocolate ramen is made with a shoyu (soy sauce) ramen base, then adding cacao oil and a chocolate bar. This isn’t a…

In Japan, The Nintendo Switch Covers Itself In Monster Hunter

To mark the release of Monster Hunter Rise this March, Nintendo is releasing a special emblazoned Switch in Japan. Update January 27 – 7:08 AM: Nintendo UK has also announced this bundle. The hardware is tastefully covered in Monster Hunter motifs. Priced at 38,400 yen ($370), it also comes with Monster Hunter Rise preinstalled and…