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Kotaku EastThe Japanese PS2’s Last Game Gets A Release Date
A couple of months ago, I wrote about how the Japanese PlayStation 2 has one unreleased game left. For the longest time, this title, Final Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin, had been simply labeled as “Release date: 2013.” Now, at last, it has an official release date. Seekers of Adoulin is in fact the first…
By Toshi Nakamura Published December 27, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Here’s What Solo Gameplay Is Like in Lightning Returns: FFXIII
By now, most fans have seen the trailer for Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII and are at least partly aware of the new game system that will involve a limited time of 13 days in which Lightning must save the world. Video from the trailer shows Lightning in her new outfit running, fighting, climbing and…
By Toshi Nakamura Published December 27, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Sony’s DVR System Goes Portable On The Vita… Only In Japan
“Torne?” “Nasne?” If you’re wondering what the Hell these terms are, don’t worry. Sony’s PS3 compatible DVR systems currently have no announced release outside of Japan. Just for an overview, torne (pronounced “TOR-neh”) and nasne (pronounced “NAS-neh”) are Sony’s digital recording systems to record HD TV. torne is the name of the interface software, while…
By Toshi Nakamura Published December 27, 2012 -
Kotaku East
The 3DS Remake Of Dragon Quest VII Looks Pretty Solid So Far
While at Jump Festa 2013 this weekend, I had the chance to check out the 3DS remake of Dragon Quest VII. This is a remake of the seventh Dragon Quest game—which was originally released for the PlayStation back in 2000—seems to fit the console’s format very naturally. The graphical upgrade is very pretty and allows…
By Toshi Nakamura Published December 22, 2012 -
Kotaku East
The New Dynasty Warriors… It’s Fun For Guys And Girls Alike
Jump Festa is a yearly event hosted by Shueisha, the publishers of the Jump line of comics, where Jump-related paraphernalia and games are put on display as well as stage events and announcements. It’s also a good event for companies that have Jump-related things out to display some of their own non-Jump-related things. Tecmo Koei,…
By Toshi Nakamura Published December 22, 2012 -
Kotaku East
One Piece Pirate Warriors 2 Looks To Be More Upgrade Than Sequel (Not That That’s A Bad Thing)
I guess you could say that I’m a fan of One Piece. I don’t follow the magazine on a week to week basis in Shonen Jump, but I’ve read all of the manga books. I haven’t seen much of the anime, but I’ve watched a good deal of the movies, including the latest one. I…
By Toshi Nakamura Published December 22, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Don’t Worry. It Looks Like Dark Souls 2 Will Be As Hard As Its Predecessors
Dark Souls II, the sequel to the notoriously difficult action RPG, Dark Souls (which was a sequel to the phonetically tongue twisting Demon’s Souls) has been announced for the PS3, the Xbox 360, and the PC. One of the more shocking announcements to fans of the previous games was that director Hidetaka Miyazaki would be…
By Toshi Nakamura Published December 20, 2012 -
Kotaku East
I Never Expected A Character Story From One Piece Film: Z
If something is popular enough, you’ll inevitably find a movie version or spinoff of it. More often than not, it’s because some executive is trying to make a quick buck by using the name value to bring people in to see whatever movie they’re selling. While every now and then you’ll find a diamond in…
By Toshi Nakamura Published December 20, 2012 -
Kotaku East
The Wii U Isn’t Just A Large Scale DS In Function, It’s One In Spirit As Well
Nintendo’s Wii U is out, and say what you will about the innovative new controller or long loading times, it’s definitely making its mark on the gaming world. In a recent interview on Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun, Shigesato Itoi, creator of the Earthbound series, sat down with the president of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata, and executive…
By Toshi Nakamura Published December 20, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Two Similar Franchises Become Even More Similar With Simultaneously Announced “Charge” Weapons
Monster Hunter, the franchise that breathed life into the PSP, and arguably one of the biggest reasons that the 3DS outsells the DS in Japan. In the latest incarnation of the series, Monster Hunter 4 players will be able to wield not just one, but two new weapons with which to combat giant predators: The…
By Toshi Nakamura Published December 13, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Japanese Textbook Gives Sega The Cold Shoulder
Sega. Founded in 1940, the company has come a long way from its origins as a jukebox and slot machine maintenance firm. Until the boom of the PlayStation console, Sega stood alongside Nintendo as one of the Big Two video game console manufacturers. Long after its retreat from the console market back in 2001, Sega…
By Toshi Nakamura Published December 13, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Here’s What Japanese Gamers Suggest for Holiday Gifts
The Christmas season is upon us once again (as was frightfully apparent from the Christmas songs that started playing sometime around, oh, November 1st… (seriously, at least wait for Thanksgiving to be over)), and soon gifts will be piled under the Christmas tree for all to see and wonder at what goodies are contained within.…
By Toshi Nakamura Published December 13, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Japanese Anime Fans Are Growing Tired Of These Tropes
The anime industry, while not as strong as it was back in 2004-2006, is still booming. During any given week, there will be between 30 to 50 series airing (not counting reruns) on TV, generally during the late hours of night. Most series run for about 11-13 episodes (A few will go between 24-26 episodes).…
By Toshi Nakamura Published December 6, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Developers Of These Free Games Aren’t Looking for Quick, Easy Cash
Free to play. Free. To. Play. Sounds good, but watch the fine print. With most games these days, when something is free, you tend to get what you pay for. Generally, you’ll end up getting a fraction of the actual game with the rest being either unattainable or incredibly hard to get to without pulling…
By Toshi Nakamura Published December 6, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Welcome To A House Of Horrors (I Don’t Think This Is How You’re Supposed To Play Animal Crossing…)
So, I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m a bit of an Animal Crossing addict. The game continues to be a smash hit in Japan. So much so that even now, almost a month after its initial release, most stores are still sold out with only the download version available. Players clock into…
By Toshi Nakamura Published December 6, 2012 -
Kotaku EastHere’s Why The New Evangelion Movie Is Surprisingly Realistic
For those of you who saw the first 6 minutes and 38 seconds of the new Evangelion movie, you were treated to scenes of a space battle involving giant biological humanoid… things (the creators at Gainax have emphatically stated that Evas are NOT robots or mechs and should not be called as such). The whole…
By Toshi Nakamura Published November 29, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Yakuza 5 Is The Most User-Friendly Yakuza Yet
Yakuza 5 is scheduled for release in Japan next week and the developers at Sega are in full PR mode. Executive producer Toshihiro Nagoshi and producer Masayoshi Yokoyama spoke to Weekly Famitsu in a pre-release interview to talk about the latest in the Yakuza franchise. As the 5th numbered Yakuza game, the development has had…
By Toshi Nakamura Published November 29, 2012 -
Kotaku East
This Gundam Model Looks Right Out Of The Anime. Literally.
Model making is a hobby for all ages. In Japan, the most prominent genre of models is Gundam models, otherwise known in Japan as Gunpla (GUNdam + PLAstic models). Most model builders usually try to make their creations as realistic as possible, sometimes complete with realistic environments to create fantastic dioramas. Others sometimes go the…
By Toshi Nakamura Published November 29, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Animal Crossing: New Leaf Doesn’t Seem Like Digital Heroin. But It Is.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf is currently one of the most popular 3DS games in Japan. It hit the shelves on November 8th, and as of the 18th, the game has sold 893,344 copies (not including the download version) and is well on its way to being a million seller hit. The game sells itself as…
By Toshi Nakamura Published November 23, 2012 -
Reviews
This Is Not The Dark Knight, But It’s Damn Close
Following up my review for the Hot Toys Avengers Hawkeye figure, I was surprised to find my order of the Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece The Dark Knight Rises 1/6th scale figure Batman arrive in the mail. Granted it was one month late, but the Hong Kong collectible company is both notoriously and understandably late in…
By Toshi Nakamura Published November 22, 2012
Toshi Nakamura
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