Black Lagoon Manga vol 1 Impression

Kidnapped by modern day pirates, Rokuro Okajima finds himself in a much different world than the day-to-day business grind he is used to. While being held by the crew of the Black Lagoon Rokuro quickly finds out that company loyalty is vastly overrated as his destruction along with the data he carries is much more important than one employees life. Faced with the new choice the newly dubbed Rock joins the crew of the Black Lagoon in their gun for hire contracts. Dutch is the brawn and the man with the contacts, Benny the brainy one and Revy Two Hand the gun-toting bad ass who is one lady that always seems to be in a pissed off mood. How’s Rock fit in, not that well but when faced with dying for his company or living on his own terms he shows to be a quick learner.

Facing off with mercenaries hired by his former company is just the beginning of this tale as the crew of the Black Lagoon takes on jobs from the Russian Mafia (one of their main clients and allies) including kidnapping a young boy with quite a bodyguard. The body count goes through the roof and the Black Lagoon through an attack chopper in this first volume of Black Lagoon from Viz.

With story and art by Rei Hiroe, Black Lagoon volume 1 delivers the same action and most of the storyline seen in the anime (from ADV, now FUNimation). This is a modern day pirate meets merc adventure that has been compared to Cowboy Bebop, which just is not fair. Due to the modern day setting Cowboy is not a great comparison, but the action does live up to that series. The crew of the Black Lagoon is an interesting mish-match of brain, brawn, sexiness, goofiness and everything in-between and around. The action is fast paced, worthy of any Hollywood script from the flying boats, girl-on-girl fights (could be featured on UFC) to the Russian mafia, Black Lagoon packs it in. The story is fun and leaves you wondering about each character past, pieces of which get revealed as you go, but not too fast to make you lose interest. Each character offers up something different and can be stereotyped, but these characters are done well. Revy of course is the headliner with her Daisy Duke jeans, ultra violent streak and looks to kill (much better looking in the manga than anime).

Speaking of looks, the art is solid with well crafted vehicles that are realistic, action that is believable and all the fun characters you’d expect from a pirate, merc, mafia manga. Hiroe has done well as the characters shine so much better on the printed page than on screen, there just seems to be more emotion in these characters. At its core the manga is what the anime is, a fast paced thrill ride with interesting characters with tons of action and no fluffy stuff. It’s this simple, like the anime, get the manga. Like action, get the manga. Like tons of shooting, get the manga. Looking for the next Cowboy Bebop, rewatch Cowboy Bebop. Black Lagoon is not Cowboy Bebop, it’s an excellent series whose manga blows away Cowboy Bebop’s manga, and stands as its own beast that you need to domesticate.

Darker Than Black Promo Images

Darker Than Black, coming soon from FUNimation. So I know the first DVD will hit on November 25th, but what else do I know? Well, FUNimation unveiled the voice cast as the 2008 New York Anime Festival.

Darker Than Black is the tale of covert agents, 'contractors,' who not only wield their own spy abilities but also powers. From the above announcement we have a bit more info, such as Hei (BK201, Black Reaper, Li, Hei) who is a electricity manipulation contractor who is employed by a (duh) mysterious syndicate ... and he wears a mast which is also mysterious. There is a young lady on Hei's team named Yin, she's a medium who uses water to communicated anywhere. Other series characters include Mao, Huang, Misaki Kirihara (Public Security Division), Yasuke Saito, Yutaka Kono, M16agent November 11, April, July, Amber and Nishijima. Yeah, all I've got is names right now, but actually I also have some sweet pics. check em out and wait for more on Darker Than Black.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed PS3 Impression

A young boy watches as his father is stricken down by Darth Vader only to himself draw the dark lords attention, and learn there are things worth than death. Vader sees power, raw power in this child hidden on Kashyyyk that can be used, crafted to destroy and usurp the Emperor, but secrecy and time will be needed. As the time approaches the young apprentice embarks on a mission from Vader, to destroy one of the few remaining Jedi, Master Rahm Kota. As he departs with his pilot, Juno Eclipse, and his holo-droid Proxy, a series of events begin to unfold that sees Sith betrayal, the formation of a Rebellion and a bridge between two classic trilogies.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed from LucasArts is not a cheap cash-in on one of the most memorable trilogies and its prequels, it’s a unique entertainment experience that goes beyond gaming and lives within the official canon of the Star Wars universe. The secret apprentice hunts down the Jedi General Kota as well as the last council Master Shaak Ti to prove his worth to a master who cares nothing for his mental or physical health nor his appearance or comfort. His identity is kept hidden, known only to Vader, his droid Proxy and sultry pilot Juno Eclipse. There is deep conflict in this young one, neither a Jedi nor a true Sith. He wields the force with power not often seen as he embraces both the dark and eventually light side of the force.

The story is this games strongpoint, and one that should not be ruined. There are many pieces that mirror what Luke’s goes through, his conflict with being at his fathers side, desire to save his father, be by his side, unfortunate Vader does not see the apprentice as his son, but just a tool. The beginnings of the Rebellion, end of the old Jedi order and a not Jar-Jar’ish sidekick are all encountered. It’s a truly special game for fans of Star Wars, but for gamers looking for an action adventure worth the dime … well it’s a mixed bag.

Graphics are solid next-gen, but not the best seen on the system. For the first LucasArts title on next-gen it’s a good effort. Utilizing the Havok physics engine along with DMM (Digital Molecular Matter) and euphoria has helped LucasArts craft a fun to play in game world. Havok does, well physics, DMM handles the environmental physics while euphoria handles the acts, movements and emotions of the characters. What’s it mean, the apprentice can be a badass and all the objects and people who get in the way will react how they should. Moving and using a lightsaber has never, never, felt this good and natural and the button placement of force powers (Push, Grip, Repulse, and Lightning) works really well. There are tons of combos to master, but most won’t be needed. The gamer truly feels like a force wrecking ball as LucasArts mentioned in the past. The only hang-up, sometimes the camera gets lost in the action and it’s quite possible to get lost in a corner, force grip the wrong item, little things but pains when you die. Voice action actually fits well with Episodes I-III as it’s overacted at times; feels forced as the relationships (apprentice, Juno) never get the back-story they deserve.

Summary; while not a classic action game, this is a classic Star Wars game. Gamers will enjoy the Force powers and physics controls, Star Wars fans will eat up the story and LucasArts execs will be thrilled because they’ve crafted not only a solid game, but a story worthy of the big screen, and if the Clone Wars can make it there, why not a conflicted apprentice?

Naruto The Movie: Legend of the Stone of Gelel DVD Impression

When a simple mission to recover and return a runaway ferret turns into a life or death struggle then Naruto has to be involved. Accompanied by Shikamaru and Sakura, Naruto finds himself in a struggle against a knight, Temujin, from across the sea looking to create a utopia, but at a high price not even Temujin understands. Led by the charismatic Haido this mysterious group is searching for the Stone of Gelel, a power that will bring out Haido’s version of Utopia. Paths cross with old enemies turned allies and unique foes are encountered as Naruto encounters another version, a shadow, of himself in Temujin and his mysterious past.

Naruto’s second movie here in the states, Naruto The Movie 2: Legend of the Stone of Gelel, carries with it the same excellent voice the Naruto series is becoming known for and an upgraded animation seen in movie specials. The animation does not shine as much as Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow, but it’s still sharp and levels above the day-to-day series. The animation, the action, is fast and furious from the beginning battle and does not stop even as the ships sail at the end; it really is all the action a good ninja movie should deliver. The character design for the usual suspects is, well it’s the same. The new characters, Temujin, Haido, three female knights Fugai, Kamira and Ranke are all solid, but not memorable. The snow ninja with their chakra gear stand out, but these knights, even as they transform into other forms, just don’t stick. Basic armor, personalities that are forgettable and limited background all hurt the bad guy’s du-jour, but thankfully out nine-tail hero helps to bring it all together, and here’s how.

Temujin is a tool, one used by Haido. The intention is to get the Stone of Gelel, which would end the world, if not destroy a few nations. Temujin was alone, the lone survivor of his village, he relates like some many before, to Naruto. This point is emphasized, in the background, with the appearance of Gaara and Kankuro, who assist Naruto and team, a duo bent on destroying the Leaf Village, but here now working with Naruto. Discovering Temujin’s origins, ties to Haido, Haido’s true origins, well that’s the fun of the movie I won’t’ ruin, but the story overall is solid. It is a drop from the first movie, something I blame more on certain missing team members and their sweet jutsu, but it’s a great addition to any Naruto fans collection.

In summary what we have is a Naruto movie that does not require too much background to enjoy that utilizes great character design (usual suspects at least), great voice work, an engaging, sometimes forgettable, but overall solid story and fast paced animation any action fan will and should enjoy. If you can only get one Naruto movie, get the first one, but if you have the duckets, pick up this DVD and enjoy solid Naruto action and you too will see what all the hype is about.

Persona 4 Character Images

The heroes of Persona 4 have as much style as Persona 3 (duh, same designer). I purchased Persona 3 for two reasons, the music and character design, yup no gameplay worried about here even if it was solid. So now we meet our main heroes from the small town of Inaba as they unravel the mysterious murders plauging their town. Just who do we have here ... Altus tells us in it's official press release ...


Protagonist - The main character of Persona 4. He recently moved to the countryside to live with his uncle and cousin. After awakening to his potential as a Persona user, he opens the door to a mysterious world.


Chie Satonaka - A classmate of the Protagonist’s who was born and raised in Inaba. She is a cheerful, energetic girl, but what dark burden does she bear within herself? And what could her talents as a Persona-user be?


Yosuke Hanamura - The Protagonist’s classmate at Yasogami High School. He has an amicable personality and is adept at reading social situations. He, too, awakens as a Persona user, but what triggers his awakening?


Yukiko Amaga - Yukiko’s days are occupied with helping her family run the historic Amagi Inn. She joins the group of Persona users, but how is she involved in the murder case?


Teddie - A mysterious creature that the Protagonist and his friends encounter inside the TV. It seems to have some power in the other world, but is it friend or foe?

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia Gameplay Trailer

Konami has released a new trailer for Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia on the Nintendo DS. This series has not made the greatest jump, or even step to 3D and next-gen glory, but thanks to the DS entries, Dawn of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin, the franchise is going strong. While the game looks very similar to it's predecessors Konami is touting head-to-head gameplay, online selling of items, multiple endings and a new Glyph attack system. The other items mentioned sound cool, but it's teh Glyph system that will bear keeping an eye on. Watch each attack in this trailer, they contain different monster traits. This could be very cool if done correct, time will tell. So check out the trailer and chime in on what you think.

Viz Anime on Joost.com

First FUNimation, now Viz ... it's good to be an online anime fan! Few days ago Viz Media announced they will be working with Joost to provide Naruto, Bleach and Death Note free, online, streamed and not all pirated like some of the crap out there (last part my words not theirs). Now I'm not familiar with Joost yet, but I'm getting there and fast thanks to this announcement. So I'll have more 2 cent comments on this as I do some watching, but for now here are some snippets from the presser ...

"San Francisco, CA, SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 — VIZ Media, LLC. (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies has announced that Joost™, the world's first broadcast-quality internet television service, will carry the original Uncut (Japanese version/English subtitled) episodes of the hit animated series NARUTO, DEATH NOTE and BLEACH (coming soon) in the United States.

Episodes will be made available for free at www.joost.com with new installments being added regularly. With Joost, NARUTO, BLEACH and DEATH NOTE fans will be able to watch these shows in their web browser while interacting with others in the Joost community. Whether they join or form fan groups around their favorite characters, or add their own comments to their favorite shows, Joost’s unique social features help a larger audience find and discover these hit shows.

“Joost recognizes a truly diverse community for content and has developed an interactive vehicle that will help build an even larger audience for NARUTO, BLEACH and DEATH NOTE,” Ken Sasaki, Sr. Vice President of Strategy & Business Development, VIZ Media. “VIZ Media shares a vision to use the latest web technologies to make compelling animated content easily accessible in a legal, secure and high-quality format. We look forward to fans sharing their favorite episodes of NARUTO, BLEACH and DEATH NOTE on Joost and taking advantage of its social features to discuss and trade commentary individual episodes and expand the global momentum behind these properties.”

Danny Passman, global head of programming for Joost, said, “Our goal is to be the leading online destination for premium, legal anime – and VIZ Media is a key partner in this objective. NARUTO, BLEACH and DEATH NOTE have great fan bases because of their amazing artistry and compelling storylines, and with Joost’s social features, these shows will be introduced to an even larger audience.”

These are some pretty popular series to say the least and Viz is puting their best foot forward right off the bat. Will it pay off ... yeah, I think so after all content is out there in pirate form, why not hook up some official content and get those 1-2 or more extra fans to buy the manga, music, gear and whatnot.

The Spectacular Spider-Man: Attack of the Lizard! DVD Impression

Peter Parker, just your average high-school nerd. All brains, no brawn and picked on by jocks … until a radioactive spider bites him, gives him powers, a new outlook and cool new identity as The Spectacular Spider-Man, which so happens to be the name on the DVD box. With clips pulled from the new KidsWB show of the same name the DVD release of The Spectacular Spider-Man: Attack of the Lizard is a treat for Spidey fans new and old.

Skipping ahead to Parker already having his powers the story follows encounters with three major villains and does an excellent job of telling their creation, origin for Parker and the basics of the franchise. It definitely assumes anyone watching will know the finer story points, history of the franchise, so the angle it takes works really well. We have the creation of Electro, Vulture seeking revenge against Osborn and Dr. Connors transformation into the Lizard. Each story is tied to each other and for a clip-show it works very well. If you want more meat, tune into KidsWB for the much more fleshed out action, but if you are like me this DVD is perfect and a great distraction, very, very enjoyable.

The animation reminds me of Ben 10, simple yet holding a level of detail that really allows the action to flow. The transformation of the Lizard and his feral look will leave many a young audience double-checking under their bed. Bright colors and simple settings pulled from the Big Apple help this show come to life for fans of the series and everything feels very intimate and familiar for series fans. Voice work is also a notch above most kiddy shows, a nice plus.

With Stan Lee as the Executive Producer you know the story will be accurate, which it is. The animation is nice, not on par with Justice League or Batman, but very nice. Voice acting is solid and the return to a younger Spidey, 16 years old, is refreshing. Fans of Spider-Man should give this movie a spin, even if you don’t like the new series. It’s a good combination of action and story that works really well and does not feel pieced together. Good stuff indeed.

Buso Renkin DVD Box Set Impression

Buso Renkin DVD Set 1. Meet Kazuki Muto, an average high school student who happens to help those in need, a nice trait, but one which gets him killed, in the first episode. Enter Tokiko Tsumura, the damsel he tried to save who in turn grants Kazuki a second chance at life by replacing his pierced heart with a kakugane, an alchemistic device tied to a secret war of homunculi and enhanced warriors. Besides granting him another chance at life the kakugane also grants power, power that comes from within the bearer and the kakugane itself. As Kazuki learns about the monsters, the homunculi that stalk humans as prey he pushes Tokiko to train him so that he too may become and Alchemistic Warrior and protect the innocent. The homunculi are usually animals that have been transformed but can also be human. They thirst for humans and feast on them and are in turn hunted by the warriors.

Tokiko takes on Kazuki as she is still hunting down one particular group of Homunculi and he is also trained by another warrior, the very cool looking, cheesy Captain Bravo. His training leads to a confrontation with one sick and twisted student who becomes the Papillion Mask, is killed by Kazuki to be reborn by his long thought dead grandfather who himself is trying to revive the fallen one and has an army of his own human homunculi and familiars including twin school mates of Kazuki. With his lance in hand Kazuki takes the fight to any who will challenge him, all for the chance to protect the innocent, his sister, friends and all of humanity.

A box set, 13 episodes and a lot of story to cover. Here is how it goes. Boy dies, gets revived by a mysterious girl, gains powers that are greater than they should be (his resolve?) battles low level baddies, gets stronger, beats and creates rival, fights stronger bad guys, learns about secret society and bad guys, fights stronger baddies who become friends and continues to grow in strength, and he has a sister and school mates he wants to protect. Nope, not Bleach, its Buso Renkin, but dang if Bleach will pop into your head often while watching. Kazuki wields a lance that he powers up in various ways and where Bleach had everyone with swords (Soul Reapers at least) Buso Renkin shows that each kakugane is unique. The story progresses at a steady pace with enough challenge not to kill our hero but to make him train harder. Is there hope, yes, because there are plenty of unique characters and unknowns to make this series worth watching, especially when you factor in its 13 episodes at once.

The animation and character design will remind of Rurouni Kenshin, same with the action, it is after all from the same creator, Nobuhiro Watsuki. His reputation is the only reason I don’t pass this off as a Bleach hack, the man has experience and a great track record. Each character is unique, no template anime guys and gals here, and kudos to such an interesting villain in Papillion Mask, butterflies, daring! The flow of the series is very standard for a Shonen (boy) action series and reminds of Naruto mixed with Bleach. Good and bad comparison as Buso Renkin is a notch below these titles. The opening theme is catchy and now on my iPod, but the voice acting is such a mixed bag. Kazuki hits his notes on target, Bravo is the cream of the crop, cheesy and heroic but Tokiko kills me. She is so drab, dull and just boring. Having attitude just to look cool does not work and her voice work it just makes me want to splatter my guts, which is also her key battle cry (god it just hurts to listen to her).

So what we’ve got here is a summary of a series that packs in the action, good character design, some solid voice work (some bad) and a story that is not fresh or new, but fun to watch. Fun is the best way to summarize Buso Renkin, not memorable, catchy, flashy; just fun. It’s fun to watch, fun to anticipate, fun to borrow, but with Naruto and Bleach on the market there are better choices.

FUNimation Blu-Ray Roundup, Sept 08

As great as Blu-Ray is there is not a ton for us anime fans to enjoy. The major bright spot for anime fans is FUNimation who has a very nice Blu-Ray line of features. Right now we are getting mainly re-released movies and one-shot series with hopes that the future will bring full series on Blu-Ray, it will happen. For now what I would like to do is give you an opinion, all I can give you, based on my experience and viewing with a few titles, ones I’ve watched in their original forms and now one Blu-Ray. So without waiting here is my first FUNimation Blu-Ray Roundup.

Afro Samurai
The story of a samurai out for vengeance against the man who shot his father down. A simple sounding concept, but when you mix in hip hop, crazy technology and oodles of style wrapped about voice acting by Samuel L. Jackson and Ron Perlman what you get is one of the most stylish, flashy, just plain bad ass anime to come along in a very, very long time. It’s violent, stylish and on a level the goes above anime, its pop culture that will suck in new fans as Ninja Scroll did so many years ago. As with many Blu-Ray you get more scenes, endings and a picture that would make Mona Lisa show teeth with joy. If there is a copy of Afro in your collection already you will not be wasting money by picking up this edition. This is what anime in HD is supposed to be, this is what anime fans want.

Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles
Where Afro is a classic, Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles is following up a classic, on which introduced current anime fans to the genre. The original Robotech, mashed-up as it was of three separate series, holds a special place in many a fans heart, mine included. The Shadow Chronicles was met with much trepidation, but it delivers. It meshes the previous series with updated animation and new mech designs that keep with our favorite valkyrie designs. The animation is solid, mixing in computer CGI and voice acting from Mark ‘I’m More Than Luke’ Hamill this is a worthy beginning to the continuation of the Robotech legacy, one that picks up in 2044 with the retaking of Earth, loss of Admiral Hunter and appearance of a new enemy. While note a deep as Afro, if you don’t have this title yet then pick it up. Otherwise don’t bother as the animation looks good, but I would hold out until the full series, whenever it hits, comes out and you can revisit this movie again. Solid, but just below classic.

Dragon Ball Z Bardock/Trunks Double Feature
An oldie but a goodie. Released in special edition DVD, VHS, DVD … and now Blu-Ray this double-shot of The History of Trunks and Bardock: The Father of Goku stands the test of time as the whole DBZ saga does. By now you either love Goku and gang or hate them so no need to sell this established series. I will say if you have the special edition DVD then pass on the Blu-Ray. The picture quality even on 1080p is not that different, more the fault of the series age, but if you have any other version of these features then go out and buy. For the price, two features, it’s solid, and as we’ve seen with Brolly features and a few other movies, DBZ is hitting HD in the right manner. The history of Trunks and story of Bardock bring back fond memories and make watching the series over again all the more pleasurable, and a great way for new fans to get into the series. A solid purchase for DBZ collectors.

Listen, the anime industry is settling down. The boom was here, claimed a few victims, but not all is lost. FUNimation, Bandai, Viz, to name a few, are still producing great titles but as fans we need to get behind their efforts, like these Blu-Ray features. The more we support, the more we will get in new anime, new DVD, new Blu-Ray. Last time I checked there are no Blu-Ray fan-subs.

Tricia Helfer Black Cat Images and Video

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, Activisions upcoming Spidey game, just got sexy! Tricia Helfer of Battlestar Galactica fame will voice the sultry Black Cat in Web of Shadows. While voice talent, Hollywood level, is nothing new to the gaming industry it's rare that the voice matches the character so perfectly. Black Cat is sexy, dangerous and so much more, and Tricia ... duh! So check out some screenshots and the interview below where Tricia talks about the game, experience and more. My personal interest in the game just grew a bit but I've long had an eye on Web of Shadows as Spidey games have been very solid since the big screen Spider-Man a few years back. It's one comic to video game franchise that works and works well. I hope to bring you more on Web of Shadows as we get closer, for now check out the site, the images and video below and chime in on what you think.

Soul Eater

Plot Summary:

Set in the Shinigami technical school for weapon meisters, the series revolves around 3 groups of each a weapon meister and a human weapon. Trying to make the latter a "Death Scythe" and thus fit for use by the Shinigami, they must collect the souls of 99 evil humans and 1 witch.

Soul Eater is an anime that centers around meisters and their weapons and their mission to collect 99 evil souls and 1 witch soul. Upon doing that the meister's weapons will become a Deathscythe, which is the highest title for a weapon. Maka, Soul Eater, Black Star, Tsubaki, Death the Kid, and Patty and Liz Thompson are the characters Soul Eater revolves around. Besides taking the time to gather souls these students of Shibusen defend Death City from some of the most powerful of creatures while still attending school and trying to become stronger.

Download:

http://rapidshare.com/files/145553675/soul-eater01.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/145555401/soul-eater02.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/145614453/soul-eater03.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/145608340/soul-eater04.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/145771214/soul-eater05.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/145802327/soul-eater06.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/145783058/soul-eater07.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/145794899/soul-eater08.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/145805847/soul-eater09.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/145812415/soul-eater10.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/146097690/soul-eater11.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/146104785/soul-eater12.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/146304301/soul-eater13.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/146310551/soul-eater14.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/146387944/soul-eater15.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/146395743/soul-eater16.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/146403446/soul-eater17.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/146411157/soul-eater18.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/146678592/soul-eater19.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/146682804/soul-eater20.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/146692437/soul-eater21.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/146694773/soul-eater22.rmvb

http://rapidshare.com/files/147676838/Soul-Eater23.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/147819830/Soul-Eater24.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/153748609/soul-eater25.rmvb

http://rapidshare.com/files/164973039/soul-eater29.rmvb

http://rapidshare.com/files/178140370/soul-eater36.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/177885511/soul-eater37.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/177706047/soul-eater38.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/191045507/soul-eater39.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/191030855/soul-eater40.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/191022653/soul-eater41.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/211465977/soul-eater42.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/211474107/soul-eater43.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/211716245/soul-eater44.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/211722156/Soul-Eater45.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/212522304/soul-eater46.rmvb
http://rapidshare.com/files/212523092/Soul-Eater_47.rmvb

Mirror Link from anime sensei :

Download the Episodes:
Episode 01 | Episode 02 | Episode 03 | Episode 04 | Episode 05
Episode 06 | Episode 07 | Episode 08 | Episode 09 | Episode 10
Episode 11 | Episode 12 | Episode 13 | Episode 14 | Episode 15
Episode 16 | Episode 17 | Episode 18 | Episode 19 | Episode 20
Episode 21 | Episode 22 | Episode 23 | Episode 24 | Episode 25
Episode 26 | Episode 27 | Episode 28 | Episode 29 | Episode 30
Episode 31 | Episode 32 | Episode 33 | Episode 34 | Episode 35
Episode 36 | Episode 37 | Episode 38 | Episode 39 | Episode 40
Episode 41 | Episode 42 | Episode 43 | Episode 44 | Episode 45
Episode 46

Download the Theme songs:
Opening 01
Ending 01 | Ending 02

Sweet Gaming Swag

Is it wrong to buy a game just for the swag? That is the quesiton I'm asking myself about three Atlus and one Namco Bandai title. Each of these titles hooks you up a manner only the Japanese see on a regular basis, but which American gamers are getting more and more. Usually with triple-a titles like Halo or Madden this trend is also hitting some niche titles. Ok, so Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm is a triple-a title the other three on this list are not. Namco Bandai is not know for special editions, but what they are doing with Naruto is so money. The colectors tin showing off the ultimate battle faces, the trading cards, bonus disc and screen is a fans dream and one I do not want to wake up from (finally, hot swag for a hot anime title). There there is Atlus filling the void Working Designs left and that NIS often fills in with music CD's. I don't know much about Eternal Poison but I do know the art is hot and it comes with the soundtrack. Character cards, also money. I passed on the first Luminous Arc, mainly due to Square Enix games in my DS, but I'll not pass on Luminous Arc 2 thanks in large part to the addictive art book and bonus music CD. The ultimate collection for me, on par with Naruto ... that would be Persona 4. Bonus DVD, art cards and soundtrack. The reason I got Persona 3 besides the game itself was the bonus content. I still have Lunar I and II special editions and any time I can get free swag I usually make a pre-order. These four games will be part of my collection as will their music, bonus content and other swag. I waited years for anime here in the states, got it, now I finally get my sweet, sweet swag!

Bleach DVD vol. 11 Impression

New battles and new revelations erupt in Bleach volume 11 from Viz. Uryu defends Orihime as he faces off with Squad 12 Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi, the same captain who experimented on and killed many an quincy, including Uryu’s grandfather. Ultimate power is unleashed and the battle comes to an end, but not to the liking of Uryu. Meanwhile Yoruichi reveals her true form and former standing in the Soul Society and steals away Ichigo to a very familiar looking training ground to confrong his Zan-pak-to and unleash his Bankai in only a few days. The training begins and countdown begins to new power and new levels of descrution.

Ah, the training DVD, sort of. Learning that our favorite little kitty is in fact one attractive former captain is neat, and that she has some pretty aggressive training for our main hero it’s the revelations about Mayuri and what he did to Uryu and the Quincy clan that sets this DVD up as money in the bank. The action mixed with revelations of the past meshes so well with neither dragging on too long as seen in other anime. I’ve said this with Bleach before, the pacing is excellent and the story does not feel old or tired. Viewers want more, I want more, I want two ... no three of these DVD’s at once. Yeah, I know I won’t get it, so I’ll sit back, wait, watch a few more times and get ready to touch on new battles and revelations in the future while waiting for more, a wait that is well worth it. Wish there was more to add, but the excellent charcter designs overlay an action packed, and sometimes deep story mixed with excellent voice acting perfect from character to character. Viz has a winner only overshadowed (a weeee bit) by Naruto.

Dynasty Warriors Gundam 2 Preview

Made for fans using a very established formula the original Dynasty Warriors Gundam was met with mixed reviews. It was not traditional Gundam (it's fun and engaging) and not traditional Dynasty Warriors (no big robots in Chinese history). What is was is a mash-up that worked and we are getting more. With so much source material, so many various series to choose from along with characters and mobile suits I can see this series going for a while, but I ain't complaing, I'm pre-ordering. Lets take a look at some early pics ...

From the press release ... "DYNASTY WARRIORS: GUNDAM 2 combines the devastating power of the Mobile Suit, the rich legacy of the GUNDAM universe and the furious Tactical Action game play of the DYNASTY WARRIORS series. The game will thrust players into incredible battles against legions of enemy Mobile Suits on distant planetary surfaces and in the far reaches of outer space. For the first time, DYNASTY WARRIORS: GUNDAM 2 will let players engage in melee battles against colossal enemies such as the Psycho Gundam. The massive Psycho Gundam can quickly reconfigure their bodies into titanic mobile fortresses which can move with remarkable speed. However, highly-trained pilots can utilize their own Mobile Suit’s speed, agility, and of course firepower to defeat these deadly juggernauts.

DYNASTY WARRIORS: GUNDAM 2 will also include new stories featuring mecha from the latest Gundam anime, plus mecha from Char’s Counter Attack and more. With mecha parts collected throughout the course of the game, players will be able to adapt a Mobile Suit which can be piloted into combat."

LEGO Batman Video Game Trailers

Batman is one of the most brooding, dark charcters in comic history so seeing him in all his LEGO glory is a bit ... intersting. Having played LEGO Star Wars and LEGO Indiana Jones there is no doubt this game is going to be great fun, and I've got the trailers to prove it. Alfred servers up drinks and cans of whoop-ass while our heroes show off some of the vehicles in the game. Enjoy.

Disgaea DS Prinny Trailer

WHAT THE HELL!!! I posted this trailer a week ago and it's only been watched 16 times. I know Disgaea is niche, but really, Disgaea DS is a true hardcore game coming to the DS and the installed fanbase needs to get happy and excited. Yes it's Disgaea, yes it's the same game on the DS, but damn folks, lets get happy.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Three Sanin Images

I'm in the process of watching the particular box set where the three Sanin face off (more on that later) so seeing these newish images for Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm just get me more and more fired up to play some next-gen PS3 Naruto. While I'm on the subject the uncut box sets are so money, no commercials, and watching the manga episodes (not filler stuff folks), it's just glorious. I'm a guy who could watch DBZ over and over (still do) and Naruto is the same for me. I always had a feeling that anime would be recreated perfectly one day from DBZ titles to .hack// and now Naruto with Ultimate Ninja Storm and Rise of a Ninja ... these games just keep getting better and better and oh so close to the source material.