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VIDEO GAME: The Unfinished Swan Review

2012-11-05T12:26:00.002+07:00

The Unfinished Swan begins with a blank, white, featureless screen. When the player eventually hits the correct button on their PS3 controller, however, their first-person avatar launches a series of black paintballs, which splatter on any surface they make contact with, revealing the world on the fly. It’s an ingenious mechanic—smart, addictive, and beautiful—and sits at the heart of the game.

Essentially, The Unfinished Swan is an interactive fairy tale. It concerns a little boy chasing a swan that has escaped a painting given to him by his deceased mother. The swan leads him on a wild adventure through a bizarre, unique world. Most interestingly, this world was one constructed by a proud, lonely king whose imagination has run wild. It’s full of over-the-top architecture and red herrings, and most of all it’s strangely incomplete.

The game involves no shooting or killing, and no enemies whatsoever. Instead, the experience is all about solving puzzles, traversing the world and soaking in the story it has to tell you through sound, vision and incidental detail. Like many fairly tales, it’s fairly short—from start to finish only a few hours long—but it’s one you’ll likely replay several times.

Hint: Find all the balloons and you’ll get the power of a sniper rifle.

by Devon Santos

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/1217

EVENT: NYCC 2012 Recap!

2012-11-03T09:21:00.004+07:00

NYCC is officially getting too big for its britches! This year was super-crowded, as you can see by the picture. In fact, it got so big at one point they stopped letting people in for a bit. But that didn’t stop fans from having a blast!

The SJ Fan Meet-Up was held at the NY Kinokuniya Bookstore near Times Square, and we took over the store SJ Alpha style! In fact, the very first SJ Fan Meet-Up ever took place in NY just one year earlier!

We gave out tons of free loot and launched the special NYCC edition of the SJ Alpha Yearbook! The free Yearbook was a huge hit, and the good news is if you’re a subscriber, you’ll get your special member’s edition in December 2012!

But the big draw of the event was the Masakazu Katsura ( I”s, Video Girl Ai, Tiger & Bunny character designer) signing! Fans waited out in the cold just to have the SJ Alpha Yearbook or a Katsura Sensei manga signed.

And of course, there was plenty of hanging out and talking up all things SJ-related with the fans. Always a good feeling to see old fans and new ones brought together by the power of SHONEN JUMP! In fact, some of these guys went to the first-ever SJ Fan Meet-Up last year!

And after the SJ Fan Meet-Up, Katsura Sensei agreed to do an exclusive interview and sketches for SJ Alpha! We'll have more on that later!

With Katsura Sensei as our special guest of honor, the panel was a hit! We broke news, talked up the SJA Yearbook, and discussed the things we, the editorial team, love about Katsura Sensei’s manga.

Thanks to everyone who came to the SJ Fan Meet-Up this year!

by Urian Brown

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/NYCC-2012-recap

CARDS: YU-GI-OH! TCG Swarming

2012-11-02T17:21:00.001+07:00

Do you never draw a monster when you need it most? Do you wish that your Field would fill up faster? If so, then try the “Swarm” strategy. Swarming Decks (like Six Samurai Decks) fill up your Monster-Card Zones quickly to catch your slowpoke opponents off-guard and keep them away from your precious Life Points.

Warning: Swarming contains no vitamins and may include such side-effects as screams of fury and foaming at the mouth in your foes. Read on to find out if the Swarm is right for you!

A Swarm Welcome

In lay-Duelists’ terms, to swarm is to fill your Field with Monsters as quickly as possible. Maybe you want to keep your opponent at a distance. Maybe you want to overwhelm them with superior numbers. Or maybe you just want to amass Tributes to summon your star beastie. Certain swarm-friendly cards even have inter-dependent Effects, while others just get stronger if there’s a full Field. You can even skew your swarm toward a specific Level, making them excellent fodder for Xyz’s and Synchros.

A Turn of The Screw

Some of the best Swarm-friendly monsters to date are Wind-Ups. Like many of their predecessors, such as the Six Samurai and Lightsworns, Wind-Ups’ effects play off of one another. Many involve Special Summoning more Wind-Ups to the field or some other type of advantage. Also, while most of their effects are one-shots, even a small number can grant you control while Wind-Up Factory ensures there’s always more coming down the pipeline.

Needs of the Many

Here are a few cards to consider if you’re planning to get in on the Swarm action:

Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon

Banish a Dragon-type monster to Special Summon Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon. As long as it’s around, you can Special Summon any Dragon from your Hand or Graveyard once per turn!

The Tricky

Discard one card to Special Summon this guy from your hand. Quick, easy and deadly.

United We Stand

Give any monster 800 ATK for every Monster on your Field, including itself. Awesome Equip Spell? Or the awesomest Equip Spell?

by Chris Turner

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/1173

VIDEO GAME: Dishonored

2012-11-02T17:06:00.001+07:00

Unlike most big-budget, contemporary adventure games, Dishonored is set in a strange world—a unique combination of Victorian and modern-day England, with characters that look like they escaped from an Edward Gorey illustration. The focus isn’t on shooting. Instead, it’s about creative, strategic thinking in the vein of games like Deus Ex, Thief and BioShock, and includes many of the best aspects of each.

You play as Corvo, a royal bodyguard framed for murder in the whaling city of Dunwall. In order to prove your innocence and/or exact revenge, you must traverse the city’s open, elaborately imagined environments. A series of powers are made available, which allow you to deal with almost any situation in a multitude of different ways: the Blink power, for instance, lets you perform short-range teleportation. You can also combine them to create new effects. For example, it’s possible to stop time and knock a bunch of junk off of a table to get a guard’s attention, and then book it in the other direction to make your escape. Alternatively, you might choose to summon a swarm of rats to attack a guard, and then possess one of said rats and escape in the ensuing chaos. There are guns, but they’re far from the only road to success.

There are narrative missteps here and there, and the game can be a bit overwhelming for those looking for a straight-ahead action experience. But Dishonored is an incredibly ambitious game, and is clearly one of the year’s deepest, most life-engulfing titles.

Hint: Don’t forget about your lean mechanic—leaning around corners allows Corvo to see (as well as aim) without risk of being seen.

by Devin Santos

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/1194

MANGA: PSYREN vol.7 Review

2012-11-02T16:49:00.003+07:00

Ageha Yoshina is a trouble-making high school student who is unsatisfied with his average life. However, all that changes when he reacquaints himself with a childhood friend Sakurako Amamimya, who was once an outgoing popular girl, but is now a recluse who shuns her classmates.

One day Sakurako mysteriously disappears, and while looking for his missing friend, Ageha gets sucked into the unknown Psyren world where he must face malignant monsters, known as Taboo, and members of W.I.S.E., the dark mysterious clan that are responsible for the dystopic world of Psyren.

“May good fortune befall the Psyren drifters as you traverse time with Nemesis Q and undertake a journey to change the future!” This message was written on the telephone card that sparked Ageha’s journey to the Psyren. Change the future…does that mean the Psyren world is what Japan is destined to become? And who is Nemesis Q? More clues are given with each volume, and this one is no exception!

Ageha and the Elmore Wood Gang confront three powerful Psionists in order to rescue the kidnapped Kagetora. The head of the villainous Psionists, Kiyotada Inui, reveals shocking truths about his identity and motivations. They also learn that Amagi Miroku, the leader of W.I.S.E., has had Inui under hypnosis this whole time! Now the question is, who is Amagi Miroku?

Later, Ageha and friends discover that the contents of the DVD that previously showed what led to the creation of Psyren has completely changed. The future is being modified due to Ageha’s actions!

by Karen Fukuhara

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/1195

VIDEO GAME: Incoming! (October 15-October 31)

2012-10-16T23:57:00.002+07:00

Assassin's Creed III
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft Sofia > Publisher: Ubisoft Entertainment > Systems: PS3, Xbox 360, Vita > Rating: M > Release Date: October 30

You waged a one-man crusade in the first one, and the second sparked a stealth-action renaissance, but this third game promises to be truly revolutionary.

Mugen SoulsDeveloper: Compile Heart Co. > Publisher: NIS America > System: PS3 > Rating: T > Release Date: October 16

Cartoonish cutie Chou Chou overcomes cultural incongruities and a cast of quirky characters, on her quest to conquer the seven singular planets of a far-off galaxy.

Ragnarok OdysseyDeveloper: Game Arts Co. > Publisher: Xseed Games > System: Vita > Rating: T > Release Date: October 16

The end of the world as we know it? Ragnarok and roll out with portable combat action inspired by the online RPG -- you'll feel fine.

Skylanders Giants (Starter Pack/Portal Owners Pack)Developer: Toys for Bob > Publisher: Activision > Systems: 3DS, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360 > Rating: E10+ > Release Date: October 21

Looks like Spyro's cross-console adventure-collection game is going big with its first expansion pack. It figures.

Medal of Honor: WarfighterDeveloper: Danger Close Games > Publisher: Electronic Arts > Systems: PC, PS3, Xbox 360 > Rating: M > Release Date: October 23

EA's decorated FPS franchise re-enlists for an international campaign of Tier 1 anti-terrorist operations and online multiplayer battle.

Zero's Escape: Virtue's Last RewardDeveloper: ChunSoft Co. > Publisher: Aksys Games Localization > Systems: 3DS, Vita > Rating: M > Release Date: October 23

If you've counted down through Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, you might be ready for the twisted mysteries of Zero Escape.

LEGO The Lord of the RingsDeveloper: Traveller's Tales > Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment > Systems: All Systems > Rating: E10+ > Release Date: October 30

There are an awful lot of bricks to bust, studs to collect, monsters to bash, and characters to unlock, between here and Mount Doom....

by T.J. Deci

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/1144

Review : Gigant Thor Axe

2012-10-15T21:45:00.000+07:00

it's been 3 years since One Piece : Strong World has been release. the movie itself tell about 20 years past that collide with present and brought a disaster to Straw Hat' Pirates and Pirate Era. it's called Shiki, a friend and rival from "Pirate King", Gold D Roger that want Roger join his crew. But, Roger doesn't want and they involved in great war in sea with result Shiki Pirate lost. After that Shiki make a plan to take over the world with his "20 years plan"

in present, Straw Hat Pirate got their way into next island, and they saw a floating island and their meet Shiki. Shiki come to Straw Hat ship and kidnapped Nami. After that Straw Hat get a new Adventure to floating island that control by Shiki' Fuwa Fuwa no Mi.

in the last scene, Shiki' plan not work because Nami and other succeed sabotage floating island with bomb. and Luffy got to finish him and he using a new technique call "Gigant Thor Axe"

this technique start with Usopp' Tenryuu Boshi, is electric bullet like-dragon that Usopp shot to the clouds. Then Luffy use Gear 3rd to make his leg big and get suck by clouds.

this is the strongest combe that Luffy had with Usopp. when use Gear 3rd, make energy on Tenryuu Boshi can flow more into his leg. Then, with all his power, Luffy smash Shiki with this technique and destroyed the land.

for me, this is a powerfull simultan technique because this technique don't need a long time to prepared. Tenryuu Boshi make a power from Gear 3rd more and add "element" in this attack. because electric can't flow in rubber, that make this technique only can use by Luffy.

ANIME: Neon Alley is Coming to your PS3!

2012-10-15T09:47:00.004+07:00

Neon Alley is a new subscription-based anime service for the PS3. A variety of English-dubbed anime and martial arts movies will be streamed 24 hours a day! Plus, they'll have exclusive premieres of never-before-seen anime movies and shows! Naturally, there will be plenty of SJ anime in the mix!

In fact, you'll be able to see exclusive world premiere English-dubbed episodes of Blue Exorcist and Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan every week!

The other SJ anime include: Buso Renkin, Death Note, Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, and One Piece!

Shown uncut, English dubbed and from the very beginning!

To find out what's playing each week, just go to go to NeonAlley .com and check out the Electronic Program Guide!

You can get a free one week trial when Neon Alley launches 10/02/12!

NEON ALLEY is a trademark or service mark of VIZ Media, LLC

One Piece: Pirate Warriors Review

2012-10-15T09:36:00.005+07:00

If there’s a video game franchise and an anime franchise that would seem like a match made in heaven, it’s One Piece and the Musou (Dynasty Warriors style game) series. One Piece is full of characters with varied powers and fighting styles that go on adventures and fight lots of bad guys. The Musou games are filled with characters with varied powers and fighting styles that go on adventures and fight lots of bad guys. So do they mesh well?

Yes they do! Aside from some minor complaints, the two come together wonderfully.

The story in the game is told through the Straw Hats recounting their early adventures together. From there, an animated comic with a narrator fills players in on the details of each saga to set up the levels. This could have easily been handled with a paragraph of text, but it’s nice that the developers went the extra step. In fact, the whole game has great production values that go above and beyond the typical anime game.

The levels are your usual Musou affair: You run around beating up wave after wave of bad guy, then fight a boss. It’s a style of gameplay that some consider mindless, but others embrace. I’ve played my share of Dynasty Warriors games (including the first, a two-person fighting game!), and these games lull me into a kind of enjoyable zen state. That being said, this game is a bit livelier than most Musou games because of the character’s super-crazy fighting moves, the fun colorful settings and wacky bad guys.

The boss fights in the game are nearly as wild as they are in the manga or anime. The boss fight patterns are fairly standard—wait for the boss to attack, dodge and counter attack. But sometimes there's a bit of a twist, like in Wapol's fight where you have to lead him in a path that causes him to eat too much and become vulnerable. While the boss fights are for the most part fun, I did encounter some camera issues that made the battles harder than they should have been. But there’s plenty of meat around to replenish your health, and you can always lower the difficulty if you’re having a hard time.

There are also some platformer gameplay elements that break up the crowd-fighting and boss battles. For instance, Luffy can use his super-stretchy arms to slingshot him into new areas. Sometimes this works wonderfully, like when you have to dodge obstacles midair or smash through them, but other times, like when you’re spinning in the air trying to aim your control stick at the next grab point, it feels awkward.

The game also features a coin-based stat-boosting feature that lets you choose which stats you want to boost by placing coins won from battles or found. And if you assign specific coins together, like a Luffy, Nami and Sanji coin combo, you can get an extra boost.

There’s a fair amount of replay value, since you can go back and replay previous chapters with new characters or play online with other people. There’s also a challenge mode where you can only win by fulfilling a specific set of goals.

Some people may balk at the thought of a $50 download-only game, but it is a hefty game coming in at 11 gigs. You’re getting a full game here, make no doubt, so you’ll wanna give yourself plenty o' time to download this baby. Like, overnight, basically.

The real magic of the game is seeing the amazing One Piece characters 3D rendered. The colors are so bright, the character models look great, and seeing them in action makes them truly come to life in a new way. The screenshots do not do it justice!

Without a doubt, this game is a must-have for One Piece fans. We haven’t had a One Piece game in years, and we’ve never had one with this level of production values or on this scale. Though some elements of gameplay are a little wonky, the core gameplay is solid and, more importantly, a whole lot of fun. So One Piece fans, get your Straw Hat on!!!

by Urian Brown

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/1146

VIDEO GAME: Tokyo Jungle Review

2012-10-15T09:25:00.002+07:00

Tokyo Jungle could very well be the weirdest game you play this year, but it’s not just weird—it’s actually a great game, too. Full of exploration, combat and, most importantly, animals of every stripe. It’s basically Grand Theft Auto meets We Bought a Zoo, in the best way possible.

Here’s the nutshell: Humanity has been wiped out, while pets and zoo animals run wild in the streets. You play as range of creatures—dogs, lions, elephants, bears, DINOSAURS, and many more—which you use to explore the game’s post-apocalyptic world. You chase other animals, fight other animals, eat other animals, have sex with other animals, and empty your bladder on checkpoints to mark your turf.

Survival mode is where the action is at. You can beef up your animal’s skills by dressing them in an array of accessories, ranging from onesies to sunglasses to all other manner of ridiculousness. It feels very much like an RPG: you win fights to grow stronger, which allows you to take on bigger animals and unlock new playable creatures.

Tokyo Jungle feels like a game out of its time. Like the game’s dinosaurs, graphics and technology seem virtually prehistoric, and you’ll wonder if the game is running on a PS2. But it’s no matter, as this is one of the most fun games of the year, and an amazing bargain (only 15 bucks!) at PSN.

by Devin Santos

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/1145

The Fourth SJ ALPHA Promo Card!

2012-10-15T09:18:00.002+07:00

Announcing Our FOURTH YU-GI-OH! TCG Promo Card of the Year—Number 40: Gimmick Puppet of Strings!
Become an SJ Alpha member today to qualify to receive this card. This card will be packaged inside our SJ Alpha Yearbook, due out to members by the end of this year!

Number 40: Gimmick Puppet of Strings

[Machine/Xyz/Effect]
STATS: ATK/3000 DEF/2000
REQUIREMENTS: 2 Level 8 Monsters
EFFECT: Once per turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; place 1 String Counter on each face-up monster on the field, except this card. If you do, during your opponent's next End Phase: Destroy the monsters with String Counters, and if you do, inflict 500 damage to your opponent for each monster destroyed.

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/1165

VIDEO GAME: One Piece: Pirate Warriors Boss Guide

2012-10-03T13:33:00.000+07:00

Video games! The only place where fights with bosses can be fun! This boss guide will make getting through some of the early boss battles in One Piece: Pirate Warriors a little easier!

Episode Zero: Pacifista

Attack the marines with basic combos to full up your meter while avoiding Pacifista's laser attack. When your meter is full, attack Pacifista with Gum Gum Elephant Gun for huge damage. Pacifista is vulnerable after his laser attack—that's when you want to hit him!

Episode One: Buggy

Use Gum Gum Balloon to reflect the cannonballs shot at you, but take out any pirates that appear first to make this easier. Hit Buggy with a reflected cannonball to do big damage and make him fall down to you. A "shock mark" will appear on Buggy's head when he throws knives. Attack him immediately to clown the fool!

Episode Two: Don Krieg

Don Krieg attacks with various weapons, so be sure to adjust how you attack accordingly. When he uses a spear, try to attack Krieg just after he swings it. Pirates will appear when Krieg's health is lowered to the second bar, and he will begin using gun attacks. Attack the pirates to build up your special attack gauge, then attack Krieg with special moves. Krieg will use poison gas attacks when his health is lowered to one bar. Be sure to stay clear of the gas!

Episode Three: Hatchan and Arlong

When Hatchan charges forward, dodge to the side and get behind him to attack. A "shock mark" will appear when Hatchan uses certain attacks. Time your attacks accordingly to take advantage. When Arlong has two remaining bars of health, he will begin attacking with a large sword. Pay attention to his movements and avoid his sword attacks. Wait for the "shock mark" to appear above his head, then filet this Fish-Man!

Episode Five: Wapol

Battle One: Wapol will dive under the ground, but he is vulnurable when he rises back up. Aim to attack him when the "shock mark" appears.

Battle Two: You will change to controlling Chopper when Wapol has two life bars left. Focus on taking out Wapol's subordinates to build your special move gauge. When the subordinates are taken out, Wapol will come down from the balcony. Attack him with special moves for big damage. Use "Guard Point" to reflect bazooka fire back at his subordinates.

Battle Three: When Wapol has one bar of life remaining, control will return to Luffy. Wapol will chase you around the arena. Lead him into objects so that he eats them. This will actually cause him to power up. However, after he eats too much, he will collapse from overeating. He is vulnerable at this time. Use this chance to dispose of this hungry despot!

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/1099

VIDEO GAMES: Incoming! (September 15–September 30)

2012-09-20T11:04:00.002+07:00

One Piece: Pirate Warriors
Developer: TECMO KOEI GAMES > Publisher: Namco Bandai Games America > System:PS3 > Rating: T > Release Date: September 25

Have fun using the Straw Hats to battle through a dynasty of warriors! All we are saying, is giveOne Piece: Pirate Warriors a chance!

© EIICHIRO ODA/SHUEISHA, TOEI ANIMATION
License coordinated by FUNimation(r) Productions, Ltd.
Game © 2012 NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc., Developed by TECMO KOEI GAMES CO., LTD.

Borderlands 2
Developer: Gearbox Software > Publisher: 2K Games > Systems: PC, PS3, Xbox 360 >Rating: M > Release Date: September 18

The next chapter opens on Gearbox's Pandora, as we uncover the ugly truth about a villain called Handsome Jack. "Role" out with a few brothers-in-arms and make another run (-and-gun) for the border.

End of Nations
Developer: Petroglyph > Publisher: Trion Worlds > System: PC > Rating: T > Release Date: September 18

The makers of Universe at War start up an always-online real-time strategy, set in a persistent world where the battles never end.

Angry Birds Trilogy
Developer: Housemarque > Publisher: Activision > Systems: 3DS, PS3, X360 > Rating: E >Release Date: September 25

The phone-friendly, physics-based, pop-culture phenomenon finally takes flight on your favorite HD console (and three-dee handheld). We hope it is a smashing success.

Dead or Alive 5
Developer: Team Ninja > Publisher: Tecmo Koei > Systems: PS3, X360 > Rating: M >Release Date: September 25

"Five" comes alive in unprecedented detail, with new fighting moves, interactive environments, and guest characters, for those of us who get our kicks from Kasumi & Co.

LittleBigPlanet PSVita
Developer: Double Eleven > Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment > System: Vita > Rating: E > Release Date: September 25

BigPlanet sacks the small screens of Sony's super-connected handheld, to put players back in touch with their creative sides.

World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment > Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment > Systems: PC, Mac >Rating: T > Release Date: September 25

Will your new panda warrior roll with the Alliance or monk around with the Horde? WoW! Maybe it's not all so black-and white.

by T.J. Deci

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/1083

CARDS: YU-GI-OH!! Golden Age

2012-06-22T14:16:00.000+07:00

Gold Series: Haunted Mine contains some of the most over-the-top crazy powerful monsters in Dueling history. They aren’t always the easiest monsters to Summon, but they are the coolest. Here are three of our favorites from the 55-card Gold Series set!

Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X “Bureido”

It’s a pain to to say its name out loud, but it brings the pain every time you Synchro Summon it! Bureido’s a giant robot shogun. His armor has enough spikes to single-handedly deflate the balloon industry. But the most impressive things about Bureido are its 2800 Attack Points and its two special abilities. First, it brings along a vassal when Summoned. And second, it lets you draw an extra card every turn after one of your Karakuri monsters changes its battle position.

There are lots of Karakuri Tuners out there, so Bureido also sets you up to Summon more copies of him, which allows you to Summon more Karakuri and lets you draw more cards that'll help you win Duels. And did we mention the “giant robot shogun covered in spikes” bit?

Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World

If you look up “metal” in the dictionary, you’ll likely find a picture of Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World. And if you don’t, he’ll set your dictionary on fire and replace it with a new one that does have his photo! Not only does he have horns coming out of practically everywhere, he also has auxiliary horns made out of skulls!

Grapha’s also pretty bad at the whole “dying” thing. HIs deal is that it’s incredibly difficult to get rid of him for good. He just rises back out of the Graveyard to dish out several doses of pain…as long as you have a Dark World monster on your side of the field to return to your hand.

Sephylon, the Ultimate Timelord

Call us crazy, but a 4000 ATK and DEF monster that you can Special Summon for free, that also makes more 4000 ATK monsters every turn, strikes us as really freaking cool. And it has a giant face where it’s chest should be, almost like the monster is just a window that an all-powerful extra-dimensional being is using to look into and manipulate our world. If that’s not cool, I don’t know what is!

Look for these cool cards in Gold Series: Haunted Mine at your local game store!

Source : shonenjump.viz.com/node/782

CARDS: YU-GI-OH! Gold Series: Haunted Mine

2012-06-14T20:28:00.000+07:00

Legends never die...they just become Ghost/Gold Rare hybrid cards! Six of Dueling’s most famous cards are reborn in Gold Series: Haunted Mine with 3D-Holographic Ghost Rare technology combined with the ever-popular Gold Rare technology. They’re really a sight to see, and you'll get one of the six in every box along with two regular Gold Rares and 22 “Haunted Mine”-themed common cards (think Raiders, Marauders, Zombies, and Traps). Here are our favorite cards that got the Ghost/Gold treatment!

Blue-Eyes White Dragon
Let’s be serious. If it weren’t for Blue-Eyes White Dragon, there’s a good chance that you wouldn’t be reading this right now. Heck, Dueling might not even exist! First seen in chapter nine of the original Yu-Gi-Oh! manga, it set the story of Duel Monsters in motion, which would later become the focus of the whole story starting in Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist volume one.

Solemn Judgment
Dueling is practically defined by its epic turnarounds and comebacks, and no card has ever played a greater role in them than Solemn Judgment. Whether it’s pushing your ace monster past Mirror Force or blocking your opponent from Summoning his own ace monster, Solemn Judgment has never let Duelists down, even if their Life Points are just barely above 0. This is also the first time a Trap Card has ever appeared with Ghost Rare technology, which is pretty cool!

Herald of Perfection
Another first for the game: a Ritual Monster now appears with Gold Rare technology, and honestly, it looks pretty darn nice! The Herald’s ability to negate the activation of any effect, regardless of source, has terrorized Duelists since its release more than two years ago. Its crippling negation haunts Duelists to this day, and its success in tournaments was undeniable, making it the perfect candidate for the Ghost/Gold Rare treatment.

Be on the lookout! Gold Series: Haunted Mine launches on June 12.

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/759

EVENT: E3 Final Day!

2012-06-10T10:33:00.000+07:00

E3 2012 is officially over. A lot of noise, a lot of girls, sweaty nerds and some electronic entertainment. After some investigative journalism (a.k.a. talking to people), I have discovered why this year seems a bit off—it’s a transitional year. It’s that strange year between the current gen consoles and the next gen consoles. Which means, there are games being developed for the “PS4” and the “Xbox720,” but those systems aren’t announced, so the companies are squeezing the last bit of life out of the current systems and secretly working on the good stuff. Oddly enough, a good year for crazy floor displays. This thing is huge!

I spent most of the last day at the Nintendo booth, checking out their Wii U wares. For the most part, they're games we’ve already seen for the Wii, but with a bit of a twist. The twist being, one of the Wii-remotes is now a Wii U controller, which is more or less a tablet with analog sticks and buttons. I didn’t really feel that there were many games on the floor that utilized this new concept in an interesting way, but the system is still in its infancy.

But, before I get on the Nintendo bashing bandwagon, I will say this—at least they’re trying something new! I don’t think either Sony or Microsoft would be willing to try an interface so unique. And there were a few games that really stood out. Zombie Wii-U sounds insanely generic, but consistently had a long line all day. And the Wii-U game of the show for me was Platinum Game’s P-100 (working title). A crazy crowd control game, where you herd a group of civilians turned heroes through isometric landscapes and fight crazy robot aliens with giant guns, swords, and whatnot. Really fun, really spirited, and more impressive—a new IP!

And for the many people who have never attended E3, but have wondered what it's like going there as a "high-profile" journalist, let me tell you what you’re missing. First off, imagine standing in line for 3 hours to get a 20-minute preview of a highly anticipated game and maybe even getting a T-shirt for your troubles. Fun! And if you’re really cool, you get to go into the luxurious E3 Media Lounge--a place with free sandwiches and unbelievably slow Internet. But you can't beat this carpet! So geometric! So brown and green!

I finally got to play the Dragon Ball Z Kinect game! If you’re a fan of DBZ, this game will be a lot of fun. It’s pretty much the closest thing to a Saiyan simulator that’s been created. I got a chance to interview the producer and should have that up soon.

I actually managed to sneak back into the Rockstar booth and get a sneak peek at their new Grand Theft Auto console! It looks so fun!

Actually, that wacky contraption was from a Video Game History Museum, which had a wonderful display, with many strange obscure games and consoles.

Welp, that’s pretty much it. Nothing super amazing this year, but there were a few cool things here or there. And the show seems to be heading back to the super crazy level it was back in its heyday before it blew apart. Very little to report in terms of new games or ideas, but we will be having our E3 SJ Awards ceremony online next week, which isn’t a ceremony, but is online and will have awards. Virtual awards. Pretty cool stuff. And that's E3 2012, folks!

Look for the interviews and awards sometime next week! Thanks for reading!

by Urian Brown

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/739

MANGA: TORIKO vol.10 REVIEW

2012-06-08T20:08:00.002+07:00

Toriko is a Gourmet Hunter—a person that tracks down the toughest, most sought-after animals, fruits, and other culinary delicacies the world has to offer. He wrestles giant alligators and treks through the most dangerous landscapes, all for his greatest passion—food!

While Komatsu is underground searching for the Century Soup, Toriko’s group takes on the nefarious members of Gourmet Corp.! Takimaru the Gourmet Knight uses his deadly Bottle Opener—a technique that dislocates his target’s spine—but his opponent Bogie Woods has 4,000 bones in his body, and he can rearrange them to his liking! Can Takimaru find a way to overcome such a flexible enemy?

Meanwhile Match, the Gourmet Mafia lieutenant, takes on the tank-like Barry Gamon! With his body covered in ultra-resilient Crush Turtle armor and his skin secreting antifreeze to keep bullets sliding off his hulking frame, Match will have a tough time scoring a hit!

Finally the main event—Toriko and Tommyrod’s brawl explodes as knives, forks and insects fly between the Gourmet Hunter and Gourmet Corp. Vice-Chef! All the bugs Tommyrod has let out of his body are biting, stinging,and tearing at Toriko, but with all his powerful Gourmet Cells, Toriko might just have a fighting chance!

by Stephan Massih

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/732

EVENT: E3 2012 Day Two

2012-06-08T10:32:00.003+07:00

The second day of E3 is over, and while it was a fun day, I still can’t shake the feeling this year was a bit of a dud. Aside from the fact that there were no real major announcements yesterday, there weren’t that many games on the floor that blew me away. Despite all that, the show was as bombastic as ever, and there was plenty of stuff to see and do

What E3 lacked in games it made up in showmanship. Numerous booths had all manner of giant statues and crazy picture opportunities that con goers could get in on. You’d never guess it’s a down year overall, and especially for some publishers like Sega, who has undergone a massive restructuring. Hopefully, things will turn around for them. They had some great games at their booth like Aliens: Colonial Marines and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed which was kind of like a Sega-fied version of Diddy Kong Racing.

The Sony booth was pretty hopping as usual, with plenty of PS Vita games on display. Based on the fact that it had virtually no presence, it seems like they’ve pretty much given up on the Sony Move. There was a new God of War game, but I don’t think that game has the pull it used to have, as the lines for it weren’t as insane as they used to be. Though lots of Vita games were out on the floor, the only one that really stood out was Gravity Rush, a stylistic action game where you propel your character by literally changing the direction of gravity. Oh and there was a Hatsune Miku rhythm game on the floor! I never thought any of her games would come to the States!

Microsoft was still pushing the Kinect as hard as ever. There were plenty of games on the floor with lots of people flailing their arms about in the pursuit of fun. While it hasn’t gone the way of the Move, it’s definitely lost some of its wow factor. Last year there were entire crowds of people getting down to Dance Central, but this year the paid dancers had to practically beg people to go up on stage, which I did but only because they begged me. The other game they seem to be pushing is a little game you may of heard of called Halo 4, which looked more Halo-ey than ever.

As far as I can tell from the show floor, Ubisoft won E3. And Assassin’s Creed III is the game of the show. It’s everything a great sequel should be—a game that takes the series in a new direction and makes it feel fresh again. It’s amazing how many sequels are more or less just more levels with a few gameplay twists. Also, Rayman gets another game! Rayman Legends is a direct sequel to Rayman: Origins and looks just as amazing. It’s wonderful to see Ubisoft showing so much attention to one of their best properties after neglecting it for so many years. Congratulations, Ubisoft, you’ve won E3 this year!

And that’s it for now! I’ll be checking out the Nintendo booth in more detail tomorrow for my final report.

by Urian Brown

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/738

EVENT: E3 2012 Day One

2012-06-07T10:32:00.000+07:00

Well, for all intents and purposes, this year’s E3 is a bit of a bust. All three of the major companies' press events were forgetful. Nobody dropped any bombs. And there was more sequel-itis than ever. And no new consoles announced! Making matters worse, most the games for the Wii U were old Nintendo standbys. Despite all this, I managed to run around like a nutter and see some cool stuff.

Covering E3 by yourself is a real challenge. There are just too many games to see in three days. It’d be like asking a guy to count all the grains of sand on the beach during a windstorm. But it still gives you a pretty good idea of what next year's big titles will be.

I will say E3’s a lot more fun if you dress like a crazy guy. I decided to dress up this year and wore a mushroom hat and a cape. I thought I’d get a few picture requests here and there, but people went nuts! I couldn’t go more than 10 feet without someone asking for a picture. And I got called a lot of interesting things like: Mario, Mr. Mario, Mushroom King, Mushroom Head and more. And a hot chick winked at me and said, “I’ll be your princess.” At least I think that’s what happened. She may have had something in her eye. Kinda dusty in there...

I spent most of my day at the Namco Bandai booth checking out their offerings. I got some hands-on time with the new Studio Ghibli anime RPG, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Developed by Level 5 (Rogue Galaxy, Dragon Quest VIII), this game is absolutely dripping with charm—super-cute characters with silly names fighting adorable monsters in a neat little world. The DBZ Kinect game was also on display, and there were a variety of would-be Saiyans trying their hands at a Kamehameha or two. But the game I was really looking forward to playing was One Piece: Pirate Warriors. And I gotta say, the game didn’t disappoint one bit! The crazy crowd-based combat of Dynasty Warriors and the over-the-top moves in One Piece are a perfect match. I also got to interview the producers of the One Piece game and the Dragon Ball Z Kinect, so look for that in the next week or so.

I’m always interested to see which of the big three—Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft—has the best booth each year. And this year Nintendo won hands down. Sony’s seemed very similar to last year, and although it’s nice and modern, it is a little cold. Microsoft’s was really big, open, and green, but felt a little empty. Nintendo’s was just plain fun. Nice pastel colors, big cool structures that made you want to walk around and explore. You can knock Nintendo all you want, but they have a great sense of design and know how to impress.

It’s pretty apparent this year that E3 is growing back to its old super-insane level. Not sure if this is a good thing, as it got so large in the past it imploded on itself. But I’m always happy to see booth babes, and there’s no shortage of them this year. And they seem to like men in giant mushroom hats! Take note, future game journalists!

More to come tomorrow!

by Urian Brown

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/734

NEW SERIES: BARRAGE

2012-06-02T10:13:00.002+07:00

Brand-New Sci-Fi Series Invades SJ Alpha!

Fresh from its debut in Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan, Barrage, by up-and-coming manga creator Kouhei Horikoshi, is the newest series to join the already bonkers Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha line-up.

In Barrage, the planet of Industria is in a state of chaos. Aliens have taken over most of the planet and now the planet's fate lies in the hands of Astro, a kid from the slums! Find out what happens to Astro every week in SJ Alpha, starting with the 06-04-2012 issue!

Read Barrage by becoming an SJ Alpha member!

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/718

MANGA: BLEACH vol.40 Preview

2012-06-02T10:06:00.004+07:00

Ichigo Kurosaki never asked for the ability to see ghosts—he was born with the gift (or curse, depending on your viewpoint). When his family was attacked by one of the malevolent spirits known as Hollows, the powers of a Soul Reaper awakened within him and he became dedicated to protecting the world of the living and helping all tortured spirits find peace!

As the Soul Reaper Captains and their underlings take on Aizen and his army of Hollows, Ichigo continues his battle with the fourth strongest Arrancar, Ulquiorra Schiffer!

While the two of them clash violently, they are suddenly interrupted by the return of Ulquiorra’s partner, the gigantic Yammy Llargo! His attempts to turn the tide in Ulquiorra’s favor are thwarted, however, as the Quincy Uryû Ishida appears to lend a hand against the massive Arrancar!

And when they leave the white stronghold of Aizen’s base of operations, Las Noches, to continue their fight under the black sky of Hueco Mundo, Ulquiorra finally releases his sword to reveal his Resurrección! Will Ichigo’s own Hollowfied powers be enough against Ulquiorra’s immense power?

The ghost-on-ghost action reaches new heights in Bleach volume 40, on sale June 5!

by Stephan Massih

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/715

CARDS: YU-GI-OH! Sealed Play Secrets Pt.2

2012-06-02T10:00:00.000+07:00

Battle Pack: Epic Dawn is now in stores, and we’ve got a couple Sealed Play Secrets to share that'll help you have a blast while blasting your opponents!

FLIP is Hip
Battle Pack: Epic Dawn is loaded with monsters with FLIP Effects or effects that are similar to FLIP Effects. These tend to be extremely powerful and should always be in the back of your mind when you’re building your Deck or Dueling. If you suspect that your opponent has a FLIP Effect monster Set, your best bet is to attack it. By attacking your opponent’s monster, you force its effect to activate right away. Plus there's always the added incentive of destroying it, giving you the first chance to change the course of the Duel instead of your opponent and depriving them of a monster.

Know Thy Enemy
Unlike regular Dueling, there are only so many possibilities for what cards your opponent might have in Sealed Play. Once you learn all of the cards that are in Battle Pack: Epic Dawn, you’ll have a much better grasp on what monsters or Traps your opponent might have at any given time, which gives you an edge in battle. Spells are a little harder to predict. Because they’re usually held in the hand, there’s less information to go on when you’re trying to divine their identity.

Have Fun!
One of the best parts of Sealed Play is getting to play with cards you’ve never seen before, or cards that you haven’t used in a long time. Battle Pack: Epic Dawn is full of cards that are an absolute blast to play with, so try out everything you get!

Pick up Battle Pack: Epic Dawn today and get started on your Sealed-Play adventure!

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/706

CARDS: YU-GI-OH! Gimme SHOCK Treatment!

2012-05-27T12:49:00.002+07:00

Attention all SJ Alpha members! Your first Yu-Gi-Oh! promo card, the Xyz Monster Number 16: Shock Master, will be arriving sometime late-May. If you want to get some ideas on how to use this literal powerhouse to his fullest, then we invite you to read on!

Shocked Up For The Night
Getting three Level 4 Monsters out isn’t easy, but stick to your guns...er, cards! Number 16: Shock Master nixes out all Monster, Spell, or Trap effects until your next turn. If that doesn’t sound awesome, then think for a moment. Two turns without your opponent’s Traps. No Spells until your next move. All Effect Monsters momentarily de-fanged. Any of these could leave your opponent wide open, especially if he’s favoring one type. Sounds a bit more awesome now, huh?

Lightning Strike Three - You’re Out!
Remember that like most Xyz Monsters, Shock Master loses a Material monster to activate its effect. You also can’t activate it more than once per turn. Conserve your ammo for when you need it, but don’t hold back when the time comes. If you can, try to get a second (or even third!) out onto the field to cripple your opponent completely.

Backup Cards

Daybreaker
Shock Master could use a blazing knight to light the path. Daybreaker lets you Summon another of its name when Special Summoned. Combine with Photon Lead to do just that, and try to get all three into your hand for a triple sunlight smackdown!

Eradicator Epidemic Virus
Double-dip with Eradicator Epidemic Virus, offering up one 2500 DARK Monster to remove all of your opponent’s Spells or Traps for their next three turns. Feel a sneeze building?

Green, Red and Yellow Gadgets
Your hand low on Level 4 monsters? Behold the power of Gadget teamwork! Summon one colored Gadget to get another into your hand. Material, ahoy!

by Chris Turner

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/669

MANGA: BAKUMAN vol. 11 Preview!

2012-05-26T05:03:00.000+07:00

School classmates Akito Takagi and Moritaka Mashiro team up to fulfill their dream of creating a hit manga in Bakuman! With their new series, the tentatively-titled Perfect Crime Club, getting the go-ahead for serialization, Ashirogi Muto must now work through New Year’s to get all the details right for its upcoming launch!

They work themselves to the bone to come up with the most engaging characters and clever names, but will their new series about young students pulling off intricate "crimes" be able to top Nizuma Eiji’s popular sci-fi manga +Natural in the rankings?

In volume 11, Mashiro’s childhood crush Azuki Miho is up for a big role in an anime, but there’s a twist—it’s the adaptation of Eiji’s +Natural! Despite Ashirogi Muto’s rivalry with Eiji, will she pounce on the big break or pass to spare Mashiro’s feelings?

A few months after their new series’ serialization begins, Takagi and Mashiro learn that if they can't compete with Eiji Nizuma by their 25th chapter, they’ll be cancelled! They decide to go for broke with a 5-chapter arc, but can their story pack enough punch to beat Eiji?

by Stephan Massih

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/640

VIDEO GAMES: Incoming! (June 1-June 15)

2012-05-26T04:53:00.002+07:00

Gravity Rush
Developer: SCE Japan Studio > Publisher: Sony > System: Vita > Rating: T > Release Date: June 12

With accelerometer-enabled bump-and-slide action, the world revolves around you.

Gungnir
Developer: Sting > Publisher: Atlus > System: PSP > Rating: T > Release Date: June 12

Animated strategy role-playing with a Norse-inspired Sting? You bet your Asgard!

Inversion
Developer: Saber Interactive > Publisher: Namco Bandai > System: PS3, X360 > Rating: M > Release Date: June 5

You'll come to appreciate the gravity of the situation in this version of third-person shooter combat.

Lollipop Chainsaw
Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture > Publisher: Warner Bros. > System: PS3, X360 > Rating: M > Release Date: June 12

Three cheers for high-school zombie massacre!

Madagascar 3: The Video Game
Developer: Monkey Bar Games, Torus Games > Publisher: D3 Publisher of America > System: 3DS, DS, PS3, Vita Wii, X360 > Rating: E > Release Date: June 5

African animals from New York tour European capitals in circus-themed mini-games.

Rayman Origins
Developer: Ubisoft Casablanca > Publisher: Ubisoft > System: 3DS > Rating: E10+ > Release Date: June 5

Another look back on the Limbless Leaper—this time in stereoscopic 3D.

by T.J. Deci

Source : http://shonenjump.viz.com/node/660