October 2013 | Otaku No Culture

Evaluating The Yoda Chronicles Trilogy, DVD Review & More

When news of Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles (TYC) was first announced, some fans of this licensed property were particularly excited. Details were scant about whether or not this will become a TV series or a series of original video animations. After the release of “The Phantom Clone,” its direction has become all too clear. Only a handful of episodes will get made.

Sadly, after the airing of “Menace of the Sith,” the studios dispassionately released the DVD on October 15 and did not take into account when the final episode would get aired. Only two of the three videos are included and that can leave fans disappointed, hoping for a compilation release. The third episode, “Attack of the Jedi” aired on October 7th on Cartoon Network. Hopefully the next video release will include “The Padawan Menace” (TPM) and “The Empire Strikes Out” (TESO) to restore fans’ faith in the Force (i.e. studio planning). These shorts were far more brilliant and witty than TYC. Even the cut scenes from TT Games products had a beautiful tongue in cheek attitude that more or less started this craze.

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Shakespeare & Star Wars Doth Not Necessarily Mix & Sequel News

With better dialogue in this film, maybe the Shakespearean treatment Verily A New Hope will not be as bad.

Just how easy is it to rewrite Star Wars into a Shakespearean play? To read the dialogue in iambic pentameter is one thing but to hear it is another. Until Disney (and George Lucas) authorizes Adam Long, one of the founding members of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, to release a DVD of his stage production of Star Wars Shortened, fans will have to make do with Ian Doescher’s take of William Shakespeare’s Star Wars: Verily A New Hope. At least the performance is super fun to watch and the other an undistinguished read.

The idea of getting Luke, Obi-Wan or Vader speaking in old Elizabethan English is more of a novelty than compelling reading. Most of the dialogue is required to stay in canon within the screenplay Lucas wrote for A New Hope. When possible, Doescher makes use of a few lines better known from Shakespere’s other plays and includes them in his book. Bits of familiar dialogue from the tragedy Hamlet and the romance Romeo & Juliet will be recognized.

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Great Places To Shop: Aberdeen Centre in Richmond

Here in Aberdeen Centre. they have Beard Papa’s, Frappé Bliss, Leung Kee Cantonese Food (my favourite), Ajijiman (Ed’s Favourite) and more!

Aberdeen

Aberdeen Centre
4400 Hazelbridge Way
Richmond, British Columbia
Canada

James Shaw: Ed had this cybernetic glint in his eye. He wanted a new gaming keyboard from NCIX but to me it’s just a keyboard.

You should see how old my computer is. But Ed is the type who likes to keep in touch with new technology. He wrote articles about current and future tech trends for Nexus Newspaper when he was in college, JTM Games currently, and he occasionally contributes to a host of other nerdy websites. But my interest was piqued when he brought me to this fabulous Asian indoor mall in Richmond called Aberdeen Centre.

Ed Sum: Well, let’s simply call James an Aberdeen virgin. He’s never been here before so everything he saw was new to him. I’ve been far and wide; I’ve visited Metrotown in Burnaby, West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, and the “Death Star” of all shopping meccas, The Cube, in Kyoto.

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YouTube: The Ultima-te Video

My role in Ultima Online was what can best be described as an addict.

Somewhere around the year of 1997 or 1998 I discovered a massive online game called Ultima Online. It was a huge hit at the time but I’m hard pressed today to find anyone of the new gaming generation who knows what I’m talking about.

Based off the Ultima series of PC games, Ultima Online was the creation of an eccentric nerd by the name of Richard Garriott, Lord British to his friends. Garriott went on to bigger and better things after the creation of Ultima but we’re not here to give his life story.

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Akihabara Featured in PS3 Release

akiba3 If you can’t afford to go to Akihabara in real life then I guess the next best thing is being there digitally. And that is what is possible with an upcoming PS3 release.

Akiba’s Trip 2 is an adventure game sequel from the original Playstation Portable (PSP) release of 2011. In this sequel, much as the original, the protagonist has to save Tokyo from blood sucking demons. The demons appear as normal people but only the player’s special cell phone, called Mirror Snap, can let you tell the evil beings from the innocents. akiba2

Once revealed the player will have to engage in close combat until the demon in question is weakened. And the only way to truly kill a blood sucking demon is by stripping them of their clothes, exposing them to sunlight and killing them.

We learn from recent reports that real Akihabara stores such as Karaoke Adores, Tsukumo, Dear Stage, Sutadonya and Go Go Curry are featured in the game.

Akiba’s Trip 2 will be released in Japan on November 7, 2013 for the PS Vita and PS3.

Source(s): YouTube user AcquireVideoOfficial, GadgetFreak, Giant Bomb and Gematsu.

A Dragon Fan’s Commentary: Finding more than a Human in a Race to Fireworm Island

But the key defining detail in Race to Fireworm Island is in further showing what Snotlout’s relationship is like with his dad, Spitelout.

Hiccup & Snotlout Not since “Thawfest” has there been another episode that looks at the home life of Snotlout Jorgenson, Berk’s most egotistical dragon rider. In “Race to Fireworm Island,” his demeanor is explored. His rivalry and hostility towards Hiccup came to a head in the episode “Defiant One” and there were times where he tried to prove himself to be better than the boy who will one day be king. Snotlout’s candor is less than noble. Quite often, he just wants recognition for his achievements but what he gets is not quite what he’s hoping for.

For the most part, maybe his attitude is simply a show. Interestingly, he does have affection for his dragon companion. When Hookfang shows signs of being worn out, everyone immediately takes notice but him. But when he finally shows that he has a kind heart, perhaps the surprise is in what kind of sacrifices he’s willing to make to keep his comrade alive.

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