Macross F Zentora Prime Blu Ray Box Set

Amazon JP has a limited time special Macross Frontier BD box set! The Macross F Zentora Prime BD set is only available from 12/23/13 till 12/24/14! It includes 

Contents: 25 digitally remastered episodes + Extras (5 BD discs)

Extras (First Pressing):

-All-new drama CD

-New, high-quality booklet (100 pages)

-Special Illustration booklet (72 pages)

-OP storyboard booklet.

-4 music videos using footage from Pachinko/Pachislot footage.

-5 music clips from Joysound karaoke.

-Macross Fufonia shorts (20 episodes + 3 new episodes).

-All That VF footage (2 clips)

-New special program featuring staff and cast.

-Seikan hikou dance along clip.

-Promotional videos for Banpresto’s ichiban kuji and prize figures.

-Pre-broadcast promotional footage.

-Commercial collection.

-Clean OP & ED

-Newly recorded audio commentaries.

-Re-recorded audio commentaries from previous BD/DVD release (9 eps)

-Deculture and Yack Deculture versions of Episode 1

-Box art by Risa Ebata. Cover art by Risa Ebata and Shoji Kawamori.

amazon.co.jp

XBO PS4 comparison chart and deep thoughts about the future of video games and consoles

I am as guilty as the next gamer when it comes to taking sides when new consoles launch....I've been doing it since the Sega/ Nintendo console wars. 

Last Gen I remember being completely turned off when I was in a GS and overheard an employee singing high praise about the Xbox360 to some guy who was obviously a casual gamer, the dude had no clue and took the sales person's word for it. I walked out wondering if Microsoft had made some back room deal with GS to promote the 360. Anyway I held off for the first year and finally bough my PS3 the second holiday season. It was a very rough start for the PS3 as the 360 dominated the market the majority of this generation. But just like the story of the tortoise and the hare the PS3 FINALLY caught up and in my opinion crossed the finish line stronger than the Xbox360.

I've been watching all the announcements from Sony and Microsoft and it appears Sony's price point along with their used game policy has put them in a much more favorable light compared to Microsoft.

Yesterday I watched the Angry Joe interview with Microsoft's Major Nelson....my personal feelings aside, it got me thinking about one thing.....the future. 

The music industry, and to a lesser extent the movie industry has been moving away from the physical and towards a digital format, who buys CD's these days aside from old people? Even my mother has bought music from iTunes! 

So when Major Nelson asked Angry Joe if he wanted to join him in the future it really got me thinking. Blu Ray disks may be the last bastion of physical media, and if that's the case this might be the last generation of video game consoles as we know it. 

My friend Krogenar has mentioned this exact scenario with me and it looks like the XBone might be offering us a glimpse of gaming's future...

I've purchased games via the PS Store, for example Okami HD, so I've platinum'd the game, it has no multiplayer and there's really no incentive for me to replay it.....what now?

I can't give it to my friends, I can't trade it in to the PS Store for credit....but at least I know that if nostalgia kicks in or if my son wants to play it when he's old enough that I'll still have it sitting there on my BC PS3 500GB HDD.

Food for thought gamers.....

Prometheus has landed......on Blu Ray today

Prometheus has landed... on Blu Ray....today. I know i am of the minority because I enjoyed the movie. I also understand people's reasons for disliking the movie, I agree with them! My review can be found here: Movie review: Prometheus
I'm glad Fox has green lit the sequel, I'm hoping some of the original writer's vision finds it way into the sequel!




 Oh and there's also this jem of honesty I found from screen Junkies!

Movie Review: Batman Year One

Got a chance to watch Batman Year One yesterday, Warner Bro's animation studios did a great job realizing Frank Millers graphic novel. The movie starts with Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham and Lt. James Gordon starting his career over in Gotham after being transferred from Chicago PD, the two quickly realize just how corrupt Gotham is. Gordon meets his new partner, Detective Arnold Flass, Flass tells Gordon how things "work around here". Gordon realizes he's got his work cut out for him.
Like the saying goes "there's nothing more dangerous than an honest cop."
Gordon begins to go against the grain when he saves a bunch of child hostages from an Arkham Asylum escapee single handedly without the help of Gotham's SWAT team lead by LT Brenan. Meanwhile Bruce Wayne struggles to find the persona that will strike fear into the fear mongers of Gotham, but after a street fight with a pimp, his ho and Selina Kyle, Bruce Wayne barely manages to escape and make his way back to stately Wayne manor. It's there that the Dark Knight is born and soon word of the Batman makes it's way to Commissioner Gillian Loeb's office. Batman crashes Carmine Falcone's dinner party where he promises to all the crime bosses and crooked politicians that they will be brought to justice.
Commissioner Loeb puts Gordon in charge of a special task force to bring Batman to "justice" this is where James Gordons career against crime in Gotham becomes intertwined with Batman's ...

Batman Year One is a fantastic movie that is as entertaining as Batman Begins, with many of the same elements and characters seen in Nolan's films. Wether you're a fan of Nolan's series or not, this animated movie should be seen! The story is so well written and the characters are perfectly developed, I never knew Jim Gordon was such a bad ass cop! And the little fan service sprinkled throughout is a nice touch, Scarface in Loeb's office!
The movie deals with very adult theme's and I don't recommend it for younger viewers under 7, but if you're mature enough this is a great movie that stands on it's own and compliments Christopher Nolan's films very nicely! Any fan of the Dark Knight owes to themselves to check this out!
B+

Star War Saga coming to Blu Ray

I hate you George Lucas! I bought the original unedited starwars trilogy on VHS back in the early 90's, then I bought the "digitally remastered" version of the OT with the "lost Jabba scene" in the ESB in the late 90's

Then I bought TPM, AotC and RotS. I swore I was done, I was free from Lucas Arts commercial tractor beam, but apparently the hyper drive on my wallet was never fixed....

At celebration V this weekend Lucas Arts announced the Star Wars Saga is coming to Blu Ray....and of course there's more "recovered footage" that will show up in this version. See below.

I'm a bit skeptical about this "recently discovered" footage, honestly you can't tell that's Luke Skywalker visually, it's just shadows and I don't recall him having such a large cleft in his chin...

Free Swim's 8 PS3 titles in '08

2007 was a tough year for those of you who owned a PS3, but it's a new year and things are only gonna get better in 08! To start PS3 sales skyrocketed over this holiday season, and more recently the announcement at CES that Warner Bros. has become Blu Ray exclusive and that M$ execs have openly stated that

"The fate of HD-DVD is not critical to the success of the
Xbox 360, according to
senior Microsoft officials, who have noted that the
company would consider
supporting rival technology Blu-ray if it were
victorious in the high-definition
format war."

I'll be glad to have this pointless format war over so I can get back to buying movies without the hesitation of doubt that many consumers have had these last few years.

Another positive aspect for PS3 owners in 08 is the upcoming tsunami of A titles coming! Here is a list of the 8 titles (get it? 8 for 08 >.<) Free Swim is most looking forward to.

8. SSFIITHDR: FINALLY, we get to trully be World Warriors when Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD remix launches on the PS store! Capcom's flagship fighter gets a 1080p facelift with the help of Udon artists.

7.Gran Turismo 5: Polyphony Digital's Real Driving Simulator is back and if you thought GT4 was visually perfect GT5 will trully have old folks saying "that's a game!?" And online racing will happen this time!

6. GTA IV: Rockstar North is returning to Liberty City, so if you never got into the GTA series on PS2 nows your chance. This game looks sick!

5. Killzone 2: So Killzone 1 wasn't the Halo killer it was touted to be, but Guerilla is working hard to make KZ2 the PS3's exclusive FPS to envy. Fingers crossed.

4. Socom Confrontation: Opta Gonaffle Hafla meng! HD Socom going back to basics Desert Glory, Cross Roads and more in 1080p glory. Slant Six is working on the online only HD remake of the PS2's #1 online frachise. Some new features include customizable facial and physical aspects and additional themed DLable content post release.

3. Street Fighter IV: Capcom is resurecting video games most prolific fighting game. With a new art direction and a stunning new visual style will Street Fighter IV re capture the magic of Street Fighter II? I certainly hope so! HADOKEN!

2. Final Fantasy XIII: Square Enix brings the 13th chapter of it's multi-million dollar RPG frachise back exclusively to the PS3. Shiva transforms into a motorcycle O.o >gulp<

1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots / MGO: Bust out the Geritol and call your friends on the Jitterbug, Snake is returning for what might be his final mission and he's OLD! Looks like Naomi's Foxdie is kicking in and Snake reunites with Meryl Silverburg and Otacon to save the world once again from the threat of nuclear armageddon. This is a must have title and probably the best reason to own a PS3!

There you have it, Free Swims top 8 of '08, agree, disagree? Sound off, drop a comment and share your thoughts!