All posts by Frederick Linsmeyer

A regular pop-drinking, hockey-watching, snow-shovelling Canadian, Frederick, aka Nephrus, loves his anime. Born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Frederick runs amok between his hometown and the states of Illinois and Texas, spending time with friends, at anime conventions and looking for some good burgers or sashimi.
The Otaku Culture

Adidas working on Naruto sneaker collaboration

June 30, 2019 • • Post a commment

Fresh off the heels with their Dragon Ball Z footwear collaboration, Adidas is moving on to the next Shonen Jump series: Naruto Shippuden. While not too many details are available at the moment, there are a few images of the first pair which is themed on Sakura Haruno.

Naruto x Adidas T-7 Sakura Sneaker

Naruto x Adidas T-7 Sakura Sneaker

Using the familiar styrofoam-like Boost sole, Adidas based the T-7 design on Sakura’s red outfit and pink hair without anything overly announcing that this pair is styled off an anime character. The only real giveaway is that there’s an image of Sakura from Naruto Shippuden on the left insole.

No date for release or information on any other pairs was made available.

Source: SneakerNews.com

Anime, Local

VIFF to host first ever Anime Day

June 27, 2019 • • Post a commment

The Vancouver International Film Festival is hosting their first ever Anime Day this Sunday, June 30th, 2019 with four films at the Vancity Theatre in downtown Vancouver.

These four films are Penguin Highway, Made in Abyss: Journey’s Dawn, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Millennium Actress.

In Penguin Highway, penguins start to materialize in Aoyama’s home town, causing confusion among the locals. While Aoyama works to find out from where and why the penguins have come, he finds that involves a local dental assistant… Penguin Highway is based on a novel by Tomihiko Morimi.

From a manga series by Akihito Tsukushi, Made In Abyss: Journey’s Dawn follows young orphan Riko as she journeys down through a massive volcano. Joining Riko is a small robotic boy that she has named after her lost dog, Reg.

Mamoru Hosoda’s popular film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time returns to the big screen. Finding that she can go back in time to events in her past, Makoto Konno takes advantage of this ability, but it’s not without consequences. Her friends and family become affected by these leaps into her past, Makoto must undo the damage shes done before she loses everyone she loves.

Millennium Actress is the second film by Satoshi Kon where a reporter infatuated with actress Chiyoko Fujiwara, who lives out of the public eye. Granting this reporter a single chance to interview her, Fujiwara’s storytelling begins to blend fact and fiction into an incredible tale, one that combines her on screen presence and personal life together.

Tickets are available online, including a day pass for viewing all four films at $30 CAD.

Source: VIFF

Gaming

Crunchyroll reveals new mobile game based on RWBY

June 24, 2019 • • Post a commment

Crunchyroll Games has partnered up with EGLS Technology to bring a new game based on RWBY Chibi to mobile devices called RWBY: Crystal Quest. This free-to-play jewel puzzle game launches in late summer 2019 and fans in Canada are invited to pre-register.

RWBY: Crystal Quest features the series main characters Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang in a match-three format with all the attacks, battles and pacing that fans have fallen in love with from the RWBY series.

RWBY: Crystal Quest will be available on both Android and iOS devices.

Crunchyroll Games also offers titles based on other franchises, including Bungo Stray Dogs: Tales of the Lost, Grand Summoners and Attack on Titan: TACTICS which launches in fall 2019.

Local

Canada Day events for 2019

June 23, 2019 • • Post a commment

Canada Day 2018 at Canada Place

Communities around Metro Vancouver are hosting celebrations for Canada’s 152nd birthday this Monday, July 1st, 2019. There’s plenty of fun with food, parades, music, festivals and yes, fireworks! Bonne fête Canada!

These are just some of the events happening around Metro Vancouver. Check your local community’s event calendar for hours and locations.

Anime

Crunchyroll offers postcards from The Rising of the Shield Hero

June 21, 2019 • • Post a commment

Canadian fans of The Rising of the Shield Hero anime can send themed postcards from the series to their friends or family courtesy of Crunchyroll and Postable.

There are four designs to choose from, featuring characters from The Rising of the Shield Hero: Naofumi, Raphtalia, Filo or Melty. Each card also includes a message and autograph from the English voice cast of the series, including Billy Kametz (Naofumi), Erica Mendez (Raphtalia), Brianna Knickerbocker (Filo) and Jackie Lastra (Melty). There is a limit of one free postcard per person while supplies last.

Upon selecting a postcard, there’s an option to add a personalized message on the back. Crunchyroll handles the printing and postage for the cards.

The Rising of the Shield Hero is available on Crunchyroll, with the season finale airing on Wednesday, June 26th, 2019.

The Rising of the Shield Hero Postcard 4 The Rising of the Shield Hero Postcard 3
The Rising of the Shield Hero Postcard 2 The Rising of the Shield Hero Postcard 1

Anime

Naruto Shippuden DVD box set 38

June 13, 2019 • • Post a commment
Naruto Shippuden DVD box set 38

Naruto Shippuden DVD box set 38

While Naruto Shippuden ended in 2017, Viz Media was still releasing DVD box sets of the animated series which has now concluded with the release of the 38th and final DVD box set.

These closing episodes delve into the childhoods of Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, Gaara, Shikamaru, Jiraiya and Kakashi, before moving onto the present day where missing villagers are transformed into human bombs. And, after all these years, a familiar face makes the decision to return home. But of course that can’t top the last few episodes dedicated to the wedding of Naruto and Hinata.

The box set contains two DVDs with both Japanese and English voice casts for episodes 487 thru 500. Also included are interviews with the English voice actors for Naruto and Boruto: Maile Flanagan and Amanda C. Miller.

Naruto Shippuden DVD box set 38 became available for purchase on June 11th, 2019.

Source: Viz Media

Gaming, Videos

Nintendo announces new Smash Bros. DLC, Animal Crossing, and other titles for E3 2019

June 11, 2019 • • Post a commment

Nintendo held their live-streaming Nintendo Direct presentation this morning at 9:00 am PDT as this year’s E3 kicked off. The event included plenty of announcements and surprises for new and existing titles on the Nintendo Switch.

Two new fighters were revealed for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Hero from Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age and much requested Banjo and Kazooie from the Banjo and Kazooie franchise. Hero becomes available in the summer, with Banjo and Kazooie in the fall of 2019.

Luigi and his friends take a much needed vacation at a fancy hotel, but this hotel caters to a specific type of ghastly guest. Infested with ghosts, Luigi dusts of his trusty Poltergust in search of his friends and to rid the resort of its renegade creatures in Luigi’s Mansion 3. This title will be available later in 2019.

Luigi's Mansion 3 E3 2019

Luigi is caught off-guard by King Boo in Luigi’s Mansion 3.

More visuals for the remastered The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening were unveiled, including the ability to create custom dungeons to explore and acquire new items from. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is available on September 20th, 2019.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening E3 2019

Link climbs the steps to the Wind Fish’s egg in The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.

While Animal Crossing: New Horizons won’t be available until March 20th, 2020, the preview was enough to turn everything about the series upside down. Taking place on a deserted island, the player must build themselves up from nothing and take advantage of the services the crafty Tom Nook provides (and charges for). Players can now place items outside, build paths, create tools, and more.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons E3 2019

You can now place objects outside of your home in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

No new information was released regarding Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, as there was a Pokémon Direct video held last week. The Pokéball Plus accessory is compatible, however it won’t function as a controller, but can hold a Pokémon when travelling, or going on a walk.

Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield E3 2019

Trainers battle a Gyarados with Dynamax in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield.

At the very end, a brief clip revealed a follow up to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is in the works.

Other titles and franchises mentioned during the live-stream include:

  • ASTRAL CHAIN – August 30, 2019
  • Cadence of Hyrule~ Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda~ – June 13, 2019
  • DAEMON X MACHINA
  • Dragon Quest Builders 2 – July 12, 2019
  • DRAGON QUEST XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition – September 27, 2019
  • Fire Emblem: Three Houses – July 26, 2019
  • MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: The Black Order – July 19, 2019
  • Super Mario Maker 2 – June 28, 2019
  • Alien: Isolation – TBA 2019
  • CONTRA ROGUE CORPS – September 24, 2019
  • Dauntless – Late 2019
  • Dead By Daylight – September 24, 2019
  • Empire of Sin – Spring 2020
  • Hollow Knight: Silksong – TBA
  • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – November 2019
  • New Super Lucky’s Tale – Fall 2019
  • Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – September 20, 2019
  • No More Heroes 3 – TBA 2020
  • Panzer Dragoon: Remake – Winter 2019
  • Resident Evil 5 – Fall 2019
  • Resident Evil 6 – Fall 2019
  • Spyro Reignited Trilogy
  • The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics – TBA 2019
  • The Elder Scrolls: Blades – Fall 2019
  • The Sinking City – Fall 2019
  • The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Complete Edition – TBA 2019
  • TRIALS OF MANA – Early 2020
  • Wolfenstein: Youngblood – July 26, 2019

If you missed the event this morning, you can watch it below.

Source: Nintendo

Gaming, Videos

Sequel to Breath of the Wild announced at E3 2019

June 11, 2019 • • Post a commment

At the end of the Nintendo presentation at this year’s E3, the gaming company revealed one more title under development: a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

In the short clip, Princess Zelda and Link are exploring and underground crypt, while a mysterious green energy manifests itself around a desiccated corpse deep within the ruins. Cut to the end, where once again, Hyrule Castle is targeted by the forces of evil.

The follow up to the The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is in progress, but nothing was said how far long and when it would be released. This new title will be available on the Nintendo Switch.

Source: YouTube

The Otaku Culture

Uniqlo releases for manga themed t-shirts just in time for Summer

June 10, 2019 • • Post a commment
Uniqlo My Hero Academia t-shirt

Uniqlo My Hero Academia t-shirt with All Might, Bakugo, Deku and Todoroki.

Calling all anime and manga fans! Uniqlo has released a new round of manga themed t-shirts as part of their UT line.

This year, shonen series including Gintama, Naruto, Bleach, My Hero Academia, Haikyuu!!, Kuroko’s Basketball, Hunter x Hunter, Yu Yu Hakusho and Prince of Tennis are given the t-shirt treatment in a variety of colour and styles. Each shirt retails at $14.90 CAD.

Last year, Uniqlo also had a line of shirts to celebrate Weekly Shonen Jump’s 50th anniversary.

These shirts are available in-store and online.

Gaming, Videos

Final Fantasy VII Remake to launch March 3, 2020

June 9, 2019 • • Post a commment

Even though this year’s E3 has yet to officially start, there has been no shortage of trailers and announcements. Probably one of the largest is the highly anticipated Final Fantasy VII Remake teaser which also includes a worldwide launch of the title: March 3rd, 2020.

The video focuses on the opening stages of the game, set in the dystopian metropolis of Midgar, where members of the group AVALANCHE target the city’s mako reactors with explosives. Members of the group, Cloud, Barret, Jessie, Biggs and Wedge are seen in the aftermath of their handiwork, while a distraught Aerith pleads for help from Cloud.

Final Fantasy VII Remake will be available only on the PlayStation 4.

Source: YouTube

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