The picture says it all

PSotD - Dark Shame

Title: Dark Shame

Artist: Granrodeo
Year: 2012

Notes: OP for Code:Breaker.
Another catchy rock tune.
My favourite characters: Toki, Yuuki, Yukihina, Heike, Hitomi, Prince.

DDL: here.

Which anime fansub groups should I use?

A quick search for an anime title in your favourite anime download site will generally return with bundles of results from various fansub groups. One major dilemma is to decide which group should I choose?

Does it even matter which fansub group to use in the first place? I'm a very picky person, so yes. It bugs me so much when I find typos, grammatical errors and even translation errors in fansubbed anime. So for me, it is important that I choose the "best" available subs.

Because we don't speak 'cow'

What factors should one consider when looking for the 'best' available subs? For example,

• the quality of the translations - how accurate are they, do they troll the audience, have the scripts been proofread;
• the quality of the anime file - did they tamper with the colours, what type of encoding is used, the size of the anime file;
• the typesetting and presentation - do the fonts look nice, are the text aligned, is the timing correct;
• karaoke - do they bother translating the OP and EDs, do they adjust the translations once the music is officially released with lyrics.

To decide which fansub group to use, I usually do a quick check in anime forums for the highly recommended groups. Another method is to physically compare screenshots of the same anime that are subbed by different fansub groups. The following site has been created to help anime fans do exactly that. 

However, at the end of the day, all we want to do is just sit back, relax and enjoy our dose of animation. Don't forget, we need to be thankful to all fansub groups. After all, they are offering their time and sweat to us for free. So make sure you drop a 'thank you' on their websites for their hard work!

Louis Vuitton Designs Hatsune Miku's Costume for Opera

For THE END opera that will be held on December 1 and 2 at the Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media in Yamaguchi City, director Toshiki Okada and digital music artist Keiichirō Shibuya decided to collaborate with French fashion brand Louis Vuitton. Louis Vuitton artistic director Marc Jacobs is designing the outfits that Vocaloid idol character Hatsune Miku will wear onstage.

No humans will appear onstage during the opera, even to play the instruments. Instead, Vocaloids will take their place, taking over every aria and recitative. The "actors'" onstage images are designed by artist YKBX (also known as Masaki Yokobe), who is known for his video "amazarashi." Shohei Shigematsu, an architect and a partner of OMA New York, is designing the stage.

The clothes Hatsune Miku will wear are clothes based off of Mark Jacobs' spring/summer 2013 collection that were altered in order to fit the virtual singer's body type and unique style. As this is the very first time that outfits from Louis Vuitton will lack the label's signature monogram symbol, the outfits will instead be using a pattern similar to theLouis Vuitton's familiar diamond pattern. The purses have been altered from the standardLouis Vuitton bag into cubical and square shapes to accentuate to the geometric themes.

Tickets were available for pre-order for 3,000 yen (about US$37), but were sold out as of November 14.

Louis Vuitton also collaborated with modern artist Takashi Murakami on his Superflat Monogram and Superflat First Love anime.

Source: Natalie via 0takomu, ANN

Vocaloid x V-rock Collection

Earlier this year, around July, an album of Vocaloids covering popular Visual Kei songs, titled I LOVE Visualizm feat. Miku Hatsune, was released by Machigerita. The relationship between Vocaloids and Visual Kei music soon became a two-way relationship when an album of famous Visual Kei bands covering popular Vocaloid songs was released in September of the same year. This album is titled Vocaloid x V-rock Collection. You can try a sample of it here.

Let us know your thoughts about this album after you've sampled it. 

Overall, I enjoyed this album and I think the bands put in obvious effort to make the songs sound good. It's difficult to make a direct comparison of this adaptation to the original songs. The VK bands added some of their unique twists to the original songs which I thought was an interesting perspective. However, I still just as enjoy listening to the original versions sung by our beloved Vocaloids.

Pumpkin's Palette: Mayuri Shiina

Mayuri Shiina from Steins;Gate

A little project I attempted today. I need to find a hole puncher so I can turn it into a keychain.
(Disclaimer: I don't own the original chibi artwork design. This is my imitation.)

Pumpkin's Palette: Kise Ryouta

Kise Ryouta from Kuroko no Basuke.

Commissioned for Alexis Ng.

Time: 2 hours. 

The colour didn't come out too well, but I like the overall final product.

After learning how to use a drawing tablet, my control of lines using a pencil has improved.

Currently taking in fanart requests! 

Comment below or give a shout in the chat box of your desired character.

Don't Get Too Excited, But... First "Steins;Gate" Movie Promo!

The footage isn't too shockingly new, and the music is a bit familiar too, but hey, it's exciting just to get a first promo for Spring 2013's long promised Steins;Gate Fuka Ryoiki no déjà-vu.

Charms offered with ticket purchase starting this weekend...

Second set of charms, offered with purchase at New Year's

After a website launched, MAGES president Shikura Chiyomaru tweeted that the anime features an original story with a new conclusion to the time travel mystery. 

Storyboard artist Kanji Wakabayashi steps up to direct the feature, with Jukki Hanada returning to write. TV series directors Hiroshi Hamasaki and Takuya Sato are on board as chief directors.

Source: cruchyroll

PSotD - KINGS

Title: KINGS

Artist: angela
Year: 2012

Notes: OP for the anime K (or K-project).
One of my favourite opening songs from this seasons' animes. K got more exciting this week. We now know more about the bonds of the people in HOMRA. In particular, Tatsuka, the one murdered by the colourless king.  Ah Kaji Yuki (the seiyuu for Tasuka) has such a wonderful singing voice - he sang the ED this week.

DDL: here. 

PSotD - Pokemon Theme Song (First)

Title: Pokemon Theme Song (First)

Artist: Jason Paige
Year: 1998

Notes: A walk down memory lane. Such good times.

DDL: 

PSotD - Time to Rock and Roll

Title: Time to Rock and Roll

Artist: Taku Iwasaki
Year: 2012

Notes: Track 2 from the Jormungand OST.

DDL: here

Pumpkin's Palette: Tomoe chibi ver.

Tomoe chibi version from Kamisama Hajimemashita

One of my latest works with my tablet.
Estimated working time: roughly 4 hours.
Program used was Opencanvas Lite.
The downside of working with a tablet are two strained wrists and a painful neck.
I feel like getting back to traditional art for my next project.

Good Smile Company Reveals Weird Nendoroid "Miku Dayo"

After three months since introducing the prototype at Wonder Festival in August, Good Smile Company's Mika-tan blog finally revealed the finished model of Nendoroid Miku Dayo. Miku Dayo is originally the name of the human-sized character suit of Hatsune Miku modeled after the first Nendoroid Miku. The fans often affectionately called her "Dayo-san." Mika-tan's quick summary is;

(1) Sega made the ‘Project mirai’ game, featuring Nendoroid Vocaloids!

(2) A life-size Nendoroid Miku costume was made to promote the game!

(3) Everyone felt the costume didn’t quite feel like the real Miku!

(4) The costume Miku became her own character, Miku Dayo!

(5) Miku Dayo is made into a Nendoroid, completing the cycle!

Got it? The pre-order for the Miku Dayo Nendoroid will be opened soon.

Studio Ghibli Finally Finishing Long Rumored "Tale of the Bamboo Cutter?"

As far back as 2009, the talks was that Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata's (Grave of the Fireflies, Pomo Poko) first movie since his water color style adaptation of family comic strip My Neighbors the Yamadas would be a retelling of 10th century Japanese folktale Taketori Monogatari (The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter) - the story of moon princess Kaguya-hime, discovered as a baby inside the stalk of a glowing bamboo plant. The story figured into many other anime, from Oh! Edo Rocket to to Leiji Matsumoto's Queen Millennia to Sailor Moon.

In November 2011, Studio Ghibli's site posted job listings to recruit assistant directors and production assistants for an Isao Takahata directed movie, scheduled to be completed in summer 2013.

While there's been little hard news, the time frame and project seem to be lining up to suggest that a Bamboo Cutter from Ghibli movie might be happening soon.

This week, the studio's distributor, Toho registered the KAGUYAHIME-MONOGATARI.JP domain. 

Source: cruchyroll

Egoist 3rd Single: “Namae no nai Kaibutsu” out on December 5

Egoist composed of Producer: Ryo of supercell and vocalist Chelly (who provided the singing voice of Inori Yuzuriha) following their release of Extra terrestrial Biological Entities just this September 19, will be releasing their 3rd Single Namae no nai Kaibutsu (Monster with no name) on December 5 2012.

The CD+DVD set will retail for 1680 Yen while the CD only will be 1223 Yen (tax included for both). The single will be featuring a total of 7 songs, 2 new ones a with their instrumental and tv versions. The DVD bundle will include the music video of Namae no nai Kaibutsu plus the credit-less ending of PSYCHO-PASS.

【Disc1 / CD】

01．prelude

02．名前のない怪物 (Namae no nai Kaibutsu)

03．カナデナル (Kanadenaru)

04．名前のない怪物 (TV Edit 92s ver)

05．名前のない怪物 -Instrumental-

06．カナデナル -Instrumental-

07．名前のない怪物 (TV Edit 92s ver) -Instrumental-

【Disc2 / DVD】

01.「名前のない怪物」Music Video

02.「PSYCHO-PASS サイコパス」Ending ノンクレジットムービー

03.「PSYCHO-PASS サイコパス」Ending ノンクレジットムービー

pre-orders are up on sonymusic.co.jp

source: egoist-inori.jp

Source: sgcafe

Final Fantasy Type-0 scenario director Hajime Tabata: English release plans “a clean slate”

In an interview with GameSpot, Final Fantasy Type-0 (PSP) scenario director Hajime Tabata says that Square Enix has taken “a clean slate” in terms of localising the game for US and European gamers. Type-0 was released in Japan October 2011.

Will FF Type-0 be localized for North America and Europe? If so, when?

"Due to market reasons, we are taking a clean slate in terms of our plans. We feel strongly about bringing this title to the fans in North America and Europe, so if an opportunity arises that can become a conclusive factor, we are prepared to go into consideration right away."

Depending on your perspective, that localisation plans on the title are a clean slate for now could be a good or bad thing. On the positive side of things, it could mean that Square Enix may be considering to remaster the game for the PlayStation Vita (which would take a considerable amount of work given that the game in its released form used assets and graphical engines designed for the lower specs on the PSP).

On the other hand, you could also take the statement to mean that an English version of the game is not going to be announced any time soon. Certainly not before “an opportunity arises that can become a conclusive factor”, whatever that might mean.

In the meantime, the Japanese version of Type-0 can be purchased digitally via the Japanese and Asian PlayStation Store (it might just be Hong Kong for Asia; I’m not sure if it’s on the Singapore store) and played on your Vita through that route (if only Square Enix would localise and release the title for US and Europe directly through the PlayStation Store…).

Final Fantasy Type-0 first started life as a mobile phone game when it was announced way back in 2006, under the title “Final Fantasy Agito XIII”. The platform for the game was eventually shifted to the PSP, but the concept of Type-0 remained the same: it would be one of several games under Square Enix’s Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy project, which would tie all of the titles released under this series with a common mythos (although each game would have its own world and characters).

Final Fantasy XIII, XIII-2, Versus XIII, and Lightning Returns are the four other games in the Fabula Nova Crystallis series.

Source: sgcafe

Shonen Jump to Launch 3 New Manga Series in November

This year's 49th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine is announcing on Monday that three new series will debut in the magazine in its next three issues.

Yūki Tabata will debut the Hungry Joker manga series (pictured at right) in the magazine's 50th issue on November 12. The new manga's tagline is "The trump card to the future is... science!!"

Masahiro Hirakata will debut the Shinmai Fukei Kiruko-san "hilarious comedy" manga series in the magazine's 51st issue on November 19, and Shun Saeki and Yuuto Tsukuda will debut the Shokugeki no Souma cooking manga series in the magazine's 52nd issue on November 26.

Source: ANN

Reborn Spinoff Manga Vongola GP Kuru! Ends

Toshinori Takayama ended his Reborn! manga spinoff Vongola GP (Grand Prix) Kuru!in the December issue of Shueisha's Saikyō Jump magazine on Friday. The manga debuted in the inaugural issue of the magazine last December. Shueisha will publish the third compiled volume of the manga on December 4.

Source: ANN

SID unveils PV for new single “V.I.P”

Visual kei band SID has unveiled the PV for their upcoming single, "V.I.P"!

“V.I.P” currently serves as the theme song for the anime series, 'Magi'. It will be released on November 21st in 4 different versions.

Check out the PV below!

Source: tokyohive

GRANRODEO to release their 18th single

Rock band GRANRODEO will be releasing their 18th single, “DARK SHAME“, on November 7th.

The band just released their 5th album, “CRACK STAR FLASH“, on October 10th. Their upcoming single already serves as the ending theme for the tv anime, ‘Code: Breaker‘.

The single will be released in both regular and limited editions. The limited edition DVD will contain the video clip for “DARK SHAME”. Additionally, the first press editions will come with details on GRANRODEO’s first arena concerts which will be held on April 20th and 21st of next year.

Furthermore, GRANRODEO will be kicking off their nationwide tour ‘GRANRODEO LIVE TOUR 2012-2013: CRACK STAR TOURS‘ in December.

Source: tokyohive

UVERworld to release new album, “THE ONE”

It’s been revealed that UVERworld will be releasing a new album on November 28!

“THE ONE“ is UVERworld’s 7th original album. The members came up with the title because they feel that “our fans and people become ‘one’, and as a team, each and every person’s unique personalities become interwoven.” They also stated, “After being active for 12 years, we’ve finally arrived at stage 1.”

The album will contain “REVERSI“, which will serve as the theme song for the upcoming ‘Ao no Exorcist‘ movie (December 28th release) as well as “THE OVER“, which was used as the theme song for the drama series ‘Kuro no Onna Kyoshi‘.

The DVD for the limited edition will come with footage from ‘LIVE at Avaco Studio‘ and music videos. It will also enclose a 24-page special booklet.

Limited Edition

Regular Edition

Source: tokyohive

SID to launch 10th anniversary project

Visual kei band SID will be launching an anniversary project to commemorate their 10th year anniversary in 2013.

SID just wrapped up their nationwide tour, "TOUR 2012 ‘M&W’ no Saishu Kouen", on October 31st. For their anniversary project, the band has 10 things in store for their fans.

The first will be the release of SID’s 1st best-of album, "SID 10th Anniversary BEST", on January 16th, and also the release of “TOUR 2012 ‘M&W’” on DVD sometime in March. They have also announced that they will hold a 10th year anniversary tour in spring.

Source: tokyohive

PSotD - Hard drive music

Title: Hard drive music

Artist: Taku Iwasaki
Year: 2012

Notes: Track 5 from the Jormungand OST.
A catchy, electro, dub-style tune.

DDL: here

Scene it: Little Busters!

Yet another Miku cameo appearance?
This time it's from Little Busters! It's quite an enjoyable slice-of-life anime which involves a group of close knit friends trying to form a baseball club.

Hatsune Miku Puts Her Windows 8 Problems to Song

A key feature of Windows 8 is that it's designed to worked seamlessly with touch screens. In a new hobonichiP song, Hatsune Miku waited patiently in one of those Akihabara lines, picked up a copy of the new OS, followed the instructions diligently and found "Even though I installed Windows 8, my screen won't become a touch panel."

"Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn" Clip Creates Characters

Square Enix's latest look at Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn—the retooled version of their FFMMO—focuses on character customization. Races currently available in the alpha build include Hyur (Midlander - Male) and Miqo'te (Seeker of the Sun - Female), with class selection covering Archer, Lancer, or Conjurer. See some of the creation options in action below.

Source: Crunchyroll

FOOL’S MATE Ceases Publication

In the latest issue of FOOL’S MATE, one of the most known Japanese Visual Kei magazines, you can find a note from the editor saying that after 35 years the magazine will cease publication. They didn’t give a specific reasons for not continuing the production.

The first issue of FOOL’S MATE was printed in 1977, the last issue will be published in December 2012.

Source: jpopasia

Pumpkin's first encounter with her drawing tablet

Kise Ryouta from Kuroko no Basuke

Tablet: Wacom Bamboo Manga
Time: <2.5 hours

Q: Was it difficult trying to get used to drawing with a tablet?

A: It wasn't as hard as I expected, I got the hang of it after 10 minutes of messing around and configuring the tablet.

Q: How does drawing on tablet compare with pencil?

A: Well obviously the major difference is that you have to stare at the computer screen to see what you are drawing rather than looking down at your piece of paper. In this aspect, it wasn't hard to adjust at all. For colouring, it definitely feels different trying to colour with a tablet versus shading with colouring pencils. I guess the feeling from your hands is different. With shading with pencils, you have to constantly shift the angle of the tip to get the type of lines you want to draw, but with a tablet you just adjust the option bars to get the desired thickness/angle etc.

Q: Was buying a tablet worth it?

A: Definitely. It's a totally different drawing experience. My only problem is that my neck hurts from using the computer too long.

Q: What program did you use to colour?

A: I used the program that came with the tablet called OpenCanvas Lite. It has the basic functions similar to Photoshop and Gimp. It took me a while to navigate around the buttons, but again, it was just a matter of getting used to it.

Q: What's next?

A: I want to keep honing my colouring skills. More bishies fanart. And if my motivation doesn't lose out, my own manga.

Know Your Meme: Cicada Block (蝉ドン- Semi Don)

Alibaba and Mor from Magi.

From Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!

Lately, there has been an spam influx of (fan)artworks on the net of similar nature to the pictures displayed above. The style of the pictures consists of a person trapped in the corner of two walls by another who pushes against the walls using all their limbs.

Crunchyroll gives an explanation of this meme:

Cicada Block, known as “Semi-Don” (Japanese: 蝉ドン, lit. Cicada Bam) in Japan, is the physical act of trapping someone in a corner by pressing one’s hands and feet against the adjacent walls to form a one-man barricade, mimicking a perched cicada insect.

The block was first introduced on Twitter and later spread to the Japanese artist community pixiv and Tumblr, where it spawned a series of crossover fanart featuring other well-known video game and anime characters.

Origin

“Semi-Don” is originally a mere joke for a typical moe situation like these images below, which are mostly shown in Japanese comics for girls. And around September 2012, this situation became to be called as “Kabe-Don” (壁ドン, lit. Wall Bam) on the Japanese web, which is a connected word of Kabe, a wall, and Don (Bam), the sound of wildly putting hands or feet on it.

The first appearance of the phrase “Semi-don” was a 4 paned picture in a tweet posted by a Japanese user named Naruse, Hatoh (成瀬ハトゥ) in October 13th, 2012.

成瀬ハトゥ@Maki0046

①スタンダード壁ドン②ちょっとワイルド壁ドン③やさしく包みこむよ系壁ドン④蝉（せみ）ドン　　私の友人は④がいいらしいpic.twitter.com/1QptUzKj

13 Oct 12

Transcript:

1. Standard Kabe-Don
2. Kinda Wild Kabe-Don
3. Tender Kabe-Don
4. Semi-Don
A friend of mine said he/she liked 4.

This funny maneuver wasn’t her original invention because the same pose was appeared in an other online gag comic in 2008.[2] However, this tweet had scored 24000+ retweets and 8500+ favorites within its first week due to her very catchy naming to this pose “Semi-Don”.

A quick Google search will give you many results of this style of meme for your favourite anime/manga characters. Alternatively, feel free to explore picture gallery sites such as Pixiv or Zerochan for more pictures.

Hatsune Miku's 1st Official Costume Set Offered

Japanese cosplay maker Cospa began taking pre-orders for an official Hatsune Miku costume set.

The costume set includes a sleeveless jacket, pleated skirt, an adjustable tie, arm sleeves with printed icons, boot covers, headset, and rubber hair ornaments. Most of the outfit is polyester with emerald green accents except for the boot covers, which are 95% polyester and 5% polyurethane. The costume comes in ladies sizes small, medium, and large and retails for 13,440 yen (about US$170).

The set is slated to arrive in mid-December.

Scientists found guilty for earthquake deaths

Disaster ... an aerial view of L'Aquila after the 2009 earthquake that killed more than 300 people. Photo: AP

Six Italian scientists and a government official have been found guilty of multiple manslaughter for underestimating the risks of a killer earthquake in L'Aquila in 2009.

They were sentenced to six years in jail in a case that has provoked outrage among scientists worldwide.

We cannot call this a victory. It's a tragedy, whatever way you look at it. 

The experts were also ordered to pay more than €9 million ($11.5 million) in damages to survivors and inhabitants. Under the Italian justice system, the seven will remain free until they have exhausted two chances to appeal against the verdict.

3 Arrested in Japan for Uploading Games via WinMX

Fukuoka Police arrested three individuals on Tuesday on suspicion of uploading game software illegally onto the peer-to-peer file sharing program WinMX.

Those arrested include 41-year-old office worker Takao Ishii of Ebisu, Shibuya; 32-year-old part-time worker Yūsuke Suzuki of Iwata, Shizuoka; and 25-year-old Hijiyama, Hiroshima resident Nozomi Hattori.

Each suspect allegedly used personal computers to share 19 to 22 copyrighted games (including WarioWare: Touched!, Another Code: Two Memories, F-Zero Maximum Velocity, Mega Man Battle Network, and Mr. Driller 2) from July to August. According to the authorities, all three admitted to the charges and had been distributing games on WinMX for the past seven to 10 years.

Source: Mainichi, Association of Copyright for Computer Software via My Game News Flash, ANN

Kuroko's Basketball Creator Received Threat Notes With Powder, Liquid

The alma mater of Kuroko's Basketball manga creator Tadatoshi Fujimaki and other locations linked to the author were sent threat letters with an unknown powder and other substances earlier this month. According to the police, the Toyama High School in Tokyo's Shibuya ward received a threat letter with the powder on Tuesday. Sophia University received a hydrogen sulfide-like liquid and a letter last Friday.

In addition, a publisher in Tokyo's Suginami ward received powdered barium and a threat letter on Saturday. The letter warned about Kuroko's Basketball, saying, "If you do not stop the parody manga, you will get hydrogen sulfide" and other similar threats.

FNN posted a video report on the incidents.

Source: FNN via Uri-Sure Matome+, ANN

K-On! and Hello Kitty are part of NTT DoCoMo’s answer to iPhone’s Siri in Japan

Want to have long, endearing conversations with the gals from Kyoto Animation’s hit TV series K-On!? No problemo! All you’ve got to do is go to Japan and buy a new phone from NTT DoCoMo.

Japan’s leading telco NTT DoCoMo announced today that it’s giving its cloud-based voice-command concierge service, Shabette-Concier, a major upgrade for the Winter 2012 season: more functions, more apps supported, and the addition of over 30 interactive avatars, including K-On! characters.

A partial list of these interactive avatars can be found at NTT DoCoMo’s official website over here. Besides the K-On! girls, other licensed avatars include Chibi Maruko-chan, Hello Kitty, and Snoopy & His Friends.

Shabette-Concier works similar to Siri, in that upon activation of the app, a voice will playback on your phone prompting you for a query. The service was first launched in Japan in March of this year, and has since been updated periodically to support more questions and applications over the months.

The new version of Shabette-Concier is free to all NTT DoCoMo customers who’ve subscribed to the sp-mode Internet connection service, and will come pre-installed in smartphones and tablets (well, tablet) announced today under the telco’s Winter 2012 line-up, some of which will begin going on sale in Japan from November.

All of the devices in the line-up are Androids; NTT DoCoMo is the only carrier in Japan to not offer Apple’s iPhone products.

Source: SGcafe, 2012冬モデルの主な特長 : 新サービスの特長 : ドコモ クラウド しゃべってコンシェル | 製品 | NTTドコモ

Teen Arrested for Stabbing Teacher With Pen for Confiscating Manga

Police in Gamagōri, Aichi arrested a 14-year-old middle school boy on suspicion of stabbing a teacher with a ballpoint pen during class. The suspect allegedly stabbed a 30-year-old female teacher over 10 times in both of her shoulders around 12:30 p.m. on October 1. The teacher sustained minor injuries that lasted about a week.

The teacher had warned the suspect about reading manga in class and had then confiscated the manga when the suspect continued reading. According to reports, the student said "Give it back!" and in a fury, stabbed her with a pen from her desk. The teacher filed a report on October 2 and has yet to return to teaching the class.

Source: Sports Nippon, ANN

New Madoka Magica Android Game Stars Kyōko, Sayaka With Baseball Bat

The ANIMATE store chain's production company Frontier Works released the third Madoka Magica "third-person shooter," Puella Magi Madoka Magica TPS Featuring Sayaka Miki & Sakura Kyōko, on Yahoo! Japan's market for Android apps on Tuesday. As in the previous Madoka Magica TPS games, the player assumes the role of magical girls to clear stages. This time, Sayaka and Kyōko are the stars with voice actresses Eri Kitamura and Ai Nonaka reprising their respective roles with some exclusive voice samples.

The game begins with Sayaka before she becomes a magical girl, so she is armed only with her baseball bat to bash enemies. Stage 2 has Sayaka after her magical girl transformation, with a saber. After that, the game switches player characters to Kyōko, who begins with a three-section staff (sansetsukon) before upgrading.

Players can pick up items to restore their health and purify their Soul Gem, which they can tap to perform magic. The game has three difficulty levels, and as the player defeats each stage boss, images from notable anime scenes will be unlocked in the game's gallery page.

The game costs 630 yen (about US$8).

Source: 4Gamer via Siliconera, ANN

Magi Manga Print Circulation Doubles in 4 Months After Anime Announcement

The number of volumes of Shinobu Ohtaka's Magi manga in circulation has more than doubled in the nearly four months since the anime adaptation of the series was officially announced on June 24.

Before the anime adaptation was announced, approximately 3 million copies of the first 12 volumes of the manga had been printed. As of October 10, approximately 6.5 million copies of the first 14 volumes are now in print. Before the anime was announced, 250,000 copies of the first volume had been printed, but now the number has doubled to more than 500,000 copies.

The 15th compiled volume in the series will ship in November. Ohtaka has been serializing the manga in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine since 2009. The story re-imagines tales from the classic story One Thousand and One Nights (also known as Arabian Nights).

Crunchyroll and Hulu are streaming the television anime adaptation in various countries outside of Japan as it airs, and Aniplex of America announced last weekend that it has licensed the series for release on home video.

Source: ANN