Fate Stay Night- Unlimited Blade Works

It isn't hard to tell that Kenji is a dedicated Saber fan so I thought I'd report on the progress on the movie that is going to be released next year. For the time being the Unlimited Blade Works site has released a trailer for quite some time which really just looks like rehash of the original television series although they do claim it is an original piece for the cinema. For the time being I can tell that the character designs have been slightly redesigned. Referring to the material that has been circulating in the lead up for the movie's premiere on 23/1/10 Saber may make a costume change in the movie!

This movie seems to add more emphasis on Shiro than the Holy Grail War which was the focus of the TV series. As seen by the constant dueling between Shiro and Archer. For those that had missed out here is the trailer that was released a few months back.

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn Premiere Date

The anime version of Unicorn has been confirmed it will air on the 20th February 2010. Thats exciting because I'm after some new anime to satisfy my cravings. At the moment I am just rewatching some old titles like Witchblade. By the way since we are on the topic of Unicorn the recently announced SD Unicorn model (covered previously) seems to be very promising because it states, "Transformable even in SD!"

SD Exia R2- The final model

I recently made the decision to stop building gundam models, presenting my last model (at least not until a fair while later depending if I give into temptation). The SD Exia R2. The R2 is quite an interesting design apart from being a blantant attempt on Ban Dai's behalf to release another model! I've built better before this model was really rushed I just lost interest in building but I do like looking at releases and pretty box art though!

Since I took up model building in 2005 I've built quite a few models of which the best ones have already been showcased in an earlier blog entry. What I have to say about building Gunpla is can get very addictive and expensive so if you ever considered building Gunpla be prepared to spend LOTS of money on kits, paints and supplies.

If any of our readers have any questions about kits, building and what not though please feel free to drop comments and I will answer you as soon as possible!

French Connection Transformers Fashion!

Alot of places that I went to lately have been offering an array of superhero inspired fashion lines. Its reassuring to know that geekiness is seen as chic and fashionable. A regular contender that markets this kind of T shirt is Roger David. The funniest print I've seen to date is Iron Man using his palm mounted cannons to spin vinyl like a DJ.

Today I went shopping with my cousin and stopped by French Connection among the smartass prints like

No fcuking worries
Born to love, love to fcuk

I saw a rather geeky but appealing t shirt. Its a "limited edition" Transformers movie piece with a print of Optimus Prime in metallic silver lining. Its comfortable to wear and the fabrics pretty good for a $50 t shirt.

Hiroki's garage

Well not a real garage. I'm a keen enthusiast when it comes to sports automobiles! Although I can't exactly afford any of the models that I collect it is still good to sit back and daydream. I have been exposed to 1:43 scale model cars since 1998 when my cousin began to produce scale replicas in his factory. Overtime he developed the IXO business which is now a sizeable player in the market.

I started to collect seriously this year and I have to say i'm hooked. I don't exactly have any preference for brand loyalty though I just buy what I like. Okay lets get on to business and show our viewers a few of the favourites in my collection!

Project D double ace cars

Aston Martin DBS (This is official Bond Merchandise)

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

Audi R8

Nissan GTR R35

Lotus Elise

Hiroki says yes to the return of the 1:1 Gundam

The 1:1 scale Gundam constructed for the Gundam 30th Anniversary is set to return for a longer stint. The 18m tall statue is set to have a temporary home in Shizuoka in front of the JR Higashi-Shizuoka Station. it will be there from July 2010 to May 2011 after that it is set to return to the Gundam Hobby Center.

The dates are rather tempting hmmmm a trip to Japan after my final university exams sounds like a plan!

James Cameron's Avatar Review

Kenji and I went to see James Cameron's Avatar in  3D today. If you dont mind the spoilers Avatar was an absolutely stunning film lets say that it is a rather interesting cowboys and Indians portrayal. A majestic ancient tribe called the Na'Vi are under threat from the remnants of the decaying planet we live on known as Earth. They are heavily armed with sophisticated weapons. An Avatar is a shell made from the Na'Vi genetic make up which is used by humans to walk indirectly alongside the Na'Vi. This is made possible via a neuro link similar to that found in the Matrix trilogy.

The main character Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) experiences life in the Na'Vi tribe and does amazing things like scaling trees at blinding speeds, sharing a bond with beautiful flying dragon and falling in love with the Princess of the tribe Neitiri (Zoe Saldana). Jake finds that his place is with the Na'Vi and defies his superiors to protect the interests of his true allegiance.

This movie was visually stunning, a fantastic piece of theatrical mastery expected of James Cameron. I find that an excellent movie differs from a good movie by encompassing an extra factor that involves the audience. If a film is able to capitvate the viewer to feel as the character's feel its a success. In this film a large percentage of the audience were cheering for Jake whenever he performed a heroic deed and at the end the cinema broke out in applause. Avatar is a truly facinating film that would leave a deep impression to the viewer a must see!

And................................... as an ending note let me present a picture of myself with my nerdy 3D glasses which I took as a momento.

Gundam 00 Movie Update 4- Line Art

The line art for the 4 main gundams have been released, I got to say some of the designs werent thought through properly it seems to me like they just wanted to spin more cash from the franchise.

Firstly Gundam Qanta looks like a rip off of Exia Repair especially how the shield parts hang on the left shoulder. Instead of having an oversized unit this machine would have had look fascinating if the arsenal was split over two small bindings similar to the 00 Raiser.

Gundam Zabanya

I dont know how wrong this design can get. It spells death for the proud heritage of Dynames and Cherudim. That "waist pack" which I guess would be some kind of sophisticated GN Bit array is UGLY. It is safe to assume that by the way the line art was drawn with pistol in hand that Zabanya operates using Lyle's preference for side arms. Hopefully this isn't the end of the sniper rifle which was the trait of its predecessors.

Gundam Harute

Actually this is the only one I am not complaining about it looks sharp and mean.It has everything about the Kyrios/Arios lineage that the fans love. From the look of things its not a double unit similar to the Archer Arios. Its looks heavy though I wonder how fast it can fly?

Gundam Raphael

This just says wrong written all over it. A slim unit with an overbearing cannon mount. Come on I believe Bandai/Sunrise can do much better. Apart from having heavy beam weapons it bears no resemblance to the Virtue/Seravee line. I believe that as an alternative from having a unit piloted directly by Tieria's concious in Veda it would have been better having an original Gundam unit for Maree or even Saji to pilot.

Macross releases... I dig!

Bandai are still making the most of the Macross Frontier franchise with the recent announcement of new movies and a continous string of figures.

First of all is a figure of Sheryl Nome its a 1/8 Emotion Style which is a Bandai release. Im not in a rush to buy it but if I see it at Animania I might get tempted because its still very nice!

Next up is the DX Chougokin Tornado Messiah which is coming out next year. I quite like the Tornado Pack (quite obvious by now) its packed to the teeth with weaponary but doesnt look overbearing like the Armoured and Super Packs.

DX Chougokin VF-27F Lucifer the sexiest valkyrie in the series

Though I dont build anymore Im started to be tempted by these highly ariculated and detailed models though they don't compare to my hand crafted modelling they are still an alternative to consider.

Miku announces the arrival of ODU's 200th unique visitor

Hi Everyone, all of us here at Otaku down under would like to congratulate and thank all our readers for helping us reach the big 200 hit count, which we couldn't have done without all of you. Now I am sure some of you are wondering where did i pop up from, since there was only Hiroki and Kenji. Well recently when I was helping my friends Hiroki and Kenji add a female perspective to their story, they were both kind enough to invite me to join them. But don't worry boys I won't try to turn the story into a modern version of Romeo and Juliet. So please leave your comments and hopefully we will reach 300 in the near future.

2009 Gundam 30th Anniversary Reflections

As hardcore Gundam fans know the Gundam meta series has been around for thirty years. Bandai/Sunrise have made it clear that they want Gundam to continue on for future generations (Not that I am complaining)by heavily promoting the franchise throughout the whole year. Most remarkably would be constructing the 1:1 scale RX-78 (2) Gundam at Odaiba Park. This video is quite interesting it details all the main machines from the Gundam timeline offering support to Amuro Ray's Core Fighter to join up to form the Gundam. These machines even include Unicorn which is next years release.

Code Geass Shikkoku no Renya update

After some snooping around I have found the plot for Shikkoku no Renya or otherwise known as Renya of the Darkness if we are following the Lelouch of the Rebellion prefix. Renya's story is based in Edo Japan and is considered by the production staff to be canon. The manga series also follows the same timeline as the one from the Code Geass anime.

Renya is a boy aged 17 with a mechanical left arm and uses shurikens as his weapon of choice, CC known as Renfu CC at the time was looking for a new contract partner and they happen to meet. At the same time a guy that looks like Lelouch with unknown intentions appears.

Okay what do I think of this setting.... I'm not exactly convinced because Renya already looks like Lelouch and we got another character looking like the Geass golden boy showing up! Man I hope this wont stuff up the Geass franchise. Anyhow when the first manga volume gets published I will buy it from Kinokuniya and give it a fair go like a true Aussie!

Kenji's Toy Collection

I was telling Hiroki that I will be modifying my room a little bit in terms of what I'll have on display. So on Sunday during my weekly routine of tidying things around the place, I took the opportunity to put away some of my Gundam collection (leaving the few that I like) and replace it with my anime figurines.

Some of these figurines has already graced the pages of ODU, whereas some have not. At the same time some haven't been unboxed since I purchased them, and that has been two years now.

The figures are from some well known anime such as Code Geass, Fate Stay Night, Clannad and of course Gundam Seed.

There will be more to come I'm sure since Animania is fast approaching, and if there are anything that I happen to find on other websites that tickles my fancy chances are I'll have a serious think as to buy or not to buy...

Uplark 1/8 Akiyama Mio

K On's diva as voted by the fans Akiyama Mio has once again pulled in the interest of yet another figure manufacturer this time Uplark. Scheduled for a March release this figure is quite impressive. To be honest I havent heard of Uplark as yet but their details seem to be comparable if not better than brands that I am familiar with like Alter and Good Smile.

This figure is presented with the costume Mio was wearing when the band performed Fuwa Fuwa Time for the first time. I got to say its quite nice. As aforementioned this release is scheduled for March release and would be retailing at 8190 yen. My final comment is that I prefer this one compared to the original costume "slime" base one by Movic which I posted earlier on!

Code Geass: Shikkoku no Renya

The new project mentioned by Kenji has been investigated into. Unfortunately it isn't about Lelouch or a third anime season (yet). The new main character's name is Renya and no matter how I look at it Renya looks like Lelouch with Suzaku's eyes to be honest the style is a bit wierd to say the least but hey its Geass its bound to be good!

Renya's story will be a manga serial published in Shonen Ace and I guess if it has a cult following it will be transitioned into anime. For the time being I shall stay on alert and see if there are any more developments. Stay on ODU for the latest Geass information!

Final Fantasy VII - Advent Children Master Piece: Sephiroth 1/4 Statue

Final Fantasy 7 is one of Square Enix's most profitable lines. The games cult following has been followed ever since its release in the late 90's. FF7 success not comes from its visually stunning effects for its time but the epic storyline which offered a host of charismatic and believable characters which have been cosplayed to death by fans from all over the world. Even today you will see definitely see a few people dreessed as a character from FF7 at an anime convention.

 As the antagonist of this series Sephiroth has a greater following due to his unique appearance, weapon and most of all a charismatic presence which  makes all people think he is the bomb!!! Square Enix has capitalised on the success of Advent Children and its Blu Ray edition Advent Children Complete to offer a limited figure for their fans.

Introducing the Advent Children Master Piece: Sephiroth 1/4 Statue, a stunning creation directly released by Square Enix. The figure is the tallest Sephiroth figure to date standing at an amazing 54cm and is a cold cast sculpture. Due to the limited nature of this figure I bet that it would be fairly expensive... This figure is due late this year.

Code Geass S3

My daily routine of reading news on Sankaku Complex netted a very surprise but well received catch.

CODE GEASS S3 will be be coming in 2010.

Yeap, Hiroki will love this and I'm sure many other Geass fans will too. I'm one of them.

Possible face for Otakun's civilian identity

Tenno Tsurugi (Sword from Heaven's Path) works as a legal aid in Utopia's central business district. As a student studying law/engineering he sees that Utopia is twisted with corruption and hopes for it to be more like the neighbouring city Eden. However powerless to do anything he can only sit and face reality.

On a chance encounter Tsurugi finds a note certifying the lab results for a material known as X Weave a composite material far more resistant than traditional kevlar. Little did he know that this amazing material was only a lining for a set of indestructible armour codenamed Otakun.

As Otakun, Tsurugi reveals himself as a hero needed in desperate times.

Possible face for Otaknyan's civilian identity

Otaknyan is a feline like vigilante operating in the moon lit streets of Utopia. Her real name is Kouzuki Persia (pronounced Paajia) standing for the Persian of the red moon. The persian cat is known for its majectic appearance and prideful nature hence making it a good name for our heroine.

Persia is an unparalled beauty with maroon hair and piercing green eyes with a stateusque body comparible to that found in legends. Persia took up combat training since early childhood and works as a body combat personal trainer for her daily living expenses since her university fees were covered under an academic scholarship.

The render was created in the character creation menu inside the game Aion.

Indulgence- Dr Dre Beats Monster Tour

Okay I went to improve my fair nation's GDP today! I guess the T shirts wont attract much interest here but they were two awesome Armani Exchange ones if you are interested in fashion. Anyhoo for a bit of indulgence I decided to totally upgrade my headphones to something even more powerful than my set of Senheiser CX-500 headphones which is the company's equivalent to Bose in-ear headphones (which I've also used the Senheisers had a better build quality).

My new replacement pair is......................... The Dr Dre Beats Monster Tour

 They have a higher response than the Senheiser and a higher decibel count which means it can produce louder sound and being rather padantic about the way how my music sounds these headphones are amazing they delivered the clearest sound and heaviest bass I ever heard in an in-ear type headphone. they are perfect for music like Akon, Basshunter, MOVE etc. The noise isolation is also a cut above the Senheisers but they are rather pricey I paid $215 for them.

For a pair of headphones in that price tag the styling is quite nice. Its the first time I've seen tangle free wire presented in a flat pasta shape and the casing it comes with is just pure class. For the time being I dont see myself getting replacements any time soon.

BB Senshi SD 360 has been confirmed to be Unicorn Gundam!

Unicorn's design is quite unique, iconic and has not been forseen. Recently an attractive announcement has been made our "horned horse" its getting the chibi SD treatment! Perfectly timed for the anime version thats slated for release next year. The thing that makes Unicorn so appealing is the fact that its colour scheme is so plain and boring but how on Earth does it look so sexy! The Destroy Mode just looks hot when the armour plating slides open to reveal the Gundam face and exposed Psycho Frame parts.

This one is definitely worth getting and its got me in a pinch because Im supposed to be retired and not touch these things... Ban Dai is an evil company that knows what attracts me to spend my cash.

Otaknyan cellshade

First of all I'd like to extend a kind welcome to my friend Kangan Dara who has agreed to help us as a creatives ideas consultant. Last night I showed Kangan the first concept sketch of Otaknyan and immediately she came up with many ideas design and story wise. We were up to 2am discussing ideas! Which is pretty embarassing because the main character Otakun is nowhere as developed now. I guess we have to pull of another one of these sessions don't you think Kangan?

This morning I got straight into it and redesigned the Otaknyan suit and photoshopped it the shade took 7 hours to complete and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it!

AFP Messiah has been renamed Tornado Messiah

Earlier on we posted the first shots of Alto's custom assault pack at the production planning stage it was still called AFP now it has been renamed Tornado Messiah needless to say I don't get sick of looking at it the design is HOT!

SIC Kamen Rider Kabuto

After mentioning Kabuto so many times in my posts I'm actually started to download it. I originally streamed it on Youtube now I'm downloading high quality avi files. Now after keeping a close eye on the progress I am glad to announce that the pre production shots of the SIC Kamen Rider Kabuto are out! Though I am not a big fan of articulated figures this one has got me tossing over getting it now or waiting for the chibi sized Deforide to come out... If it comes out.

My mate Kenny raised a very valid point recently SIC stands for Super Imaginateive Chugokin. Chogokin in kanji 超合金 stands for super alloy but we regularly see that the Chogokin figure line have close to no metal on them at all.... Where did the alloy go!

Anyhoo enough with the dribbling lets get down to business the SIC Kamen Rider Kabuto

Rider Form- Cast Off... change beetle!

Hyper Mode with the Perfect Zecter... Hyper cast off!

Hyper Clock Up

This figure would have been perfect if it also had Masked Form

Though I have to admit Kabuto's Masked Form isnt as hot as Kamen Rider Gattack's Masked Form (from the same series)

Otaknyan!

Presenting the first concept sketch of Otaknyan! This is the first of our ideas Kenji is to design a suit as well!

Some more of Otaknyan's story! Otaknyan shares a much different view about justice than Otakun. While Otakun views himself as a hero and feels he has a moral obligation to act as lawfully as possible, Otaknyan is the opposite. She believes that justice can only be served if the penalty suits the crime. Due to the corruption of the system Otaknyan will not hesitate to break laws in order to bring justice to her prey. In the end she does rid Utopia of its vermin but she doesn't view herself as a hero but a vigilante. A vigilante has more freedom and isnt bound by moral codes which suits her preferred style of stealth activity and ambushing.

Aion Expansion??

About 2 months ago, NCsoft released Aion to the international community.

Now, NCsoft has treated us with another jaw dropping video of Atreia. This could just be a teaser to a possible expansion in the near future. If you haven't already started playing, perhaps you might want to consider getting yourself a copy, as it promises to be an exhilerating experience.

In terms of graphics and visuals, many are agreeing that WoW got KO-ed. I am not going to say anything if you have made a mess after watching this video, oh and be sure to pick up your jaw from the floor when you go and grab that tissue box.

Environmental Setting and Otaknyan!

Plot setting,

Utopia city is an environment far from its namesake. Multibillion corporate conglomerates have banded together into three factions taking control over the city's underworld. Criminals have gained unprecedented cybertronic enhancements and sophisticated weapons. The enforcement agencies are powerless to stop the worrying trend of crime, corruption and felony.

In these times the demand for heroic manga and anime has declined. The normal people have given up on the idea that a selfless warrior will come to their aid. Worried that their favourite manga series will be cut from the shelves, weapons developers Dr Watanabe and Dr Misemono believed that powerful suits like those found in tokusatsu series can become a reality. Two armoured suits were created, codenamed Otakun and Otaknyan respectively. The hero and heroine will share the same namesake as their suits.

 However for reasons unknown half way throughout the development process Dr Misemono suddenly disappeared with the Otaknyan suit.

Otaknyan

Concept art to be posted

Otaknyan wears the red MTF armour with the same namesake. Otaknyan's key cosmetic features are the feline stripes and the cat ears which are the highlight of Otaknyan's helmet.

Otaknyan's abilities

Quantum bending technology called ChameleonTech allows the red suit to turn black on activation. Otakunyan is a master of stealth and infiltration. instead of having X Weave layer under the MTF armour a custom thermal blanket completely hides Otaknyan's heat signature.

To compensate for the lack of embedded bulletproofing five independant power generators of the ankles, wrists and helmet enable Otaknyan to deploy "Airshields" for protection. When ChameleonTech and the Airshield System is activated simultaenously Otaknyan becomes invisible even on camera.

Otaknyan is armed with two plasma pistols which are housed in recharge racks in the suit's air compression unit backpack. Like Otakun, Otaknyan also has two beam batons which are stored on a hip mounted recharge rack for quick access. However due to the swift nature and specific field of Otaknyan's capabilities the red MTF doesnt have the anchorage points needed to mount additional assault platform parts.

The Adventures of Otakun

At ODU we recognise that what we have a unique attribute compared to more popular blogs that post similiar content to us like Ngee Khiong, this "competive advantage" is that we have a mascot, Otakun. After some discussion between Kenji and I it is decided that we are going to develop a net novel based on the Otakun character along with art of key scenes portrayed in the text. Each chapter will be presented individually via seperate posts but all the chapters will be easily assessed via an "Otakun" label.

I went back to the drawing board last night and redrew a detailed sketch of Otakun. As always ideas flow through my head so lets reintroduce the man in the blue armour. I believe that whilst developing a story it is vital to have a undisputed understanding of the attributes of your characters. For the time being Otakun's civilian identity hasnt been decided yet but the majority of his suit's armamants have already been decided between us.

The suit has been named MTF Armour standing for Malleable Titanium Fabric. The MTF Armour is made from an extremely flexible and sturdy titanium alloy which is inpenetrable and resistant to any operational environment including fire. An advanced lining under the titanium alloy called X Wieve offers an additional layer of comfort and protective padding. X Wieve is a composite material lighter and more protective than kevlar so not only is the suit indestructible it is also bulletproof. The final and most devestating feature of the MTF Armour is that it is adaptable and has anchorage points which enable connection to specific tactics option parts to further enhance Otakun's performance.

The CommandView helmet is made from MTF alloy in its solid block form. It is rigid and also lined with X Wieve which offers unsurpassed cranial protection. The visor comprises of a single piece anti flash lens that houses a transparent monitor screen where battle data and target seeking options are directly viewed by Otakun. The helmet also houses a secure communications unit to contact allies like Dr Watanabe.

The chest plating connects to a back pack which includes a storage bay and a micro twin variable nozzle air compression unit which enables Otakun to "jump" at high speeds, altitudes and long distances in rapid sucession. However the limitation of this device is that only one nozzle can be used at a single time. when each leap is made one of the two compression units recharges whilst the other is activated. The storage bay comprises of two hidden compartments. Bay one houses Otakun's plasma cannon which rests in a designated recharge rack when not in use The plasma cannon is a high output beam weapon capable of releasing variable amounts of raw energy. three settings enable Otakun to fire small single shots, rapid fire rounds and an extremely powerful wide area damage burst which expenses all energy stored in the cannon.  The second compartment includes a fastened laptop which is used for cyber espionage.

Two melee beam batons also connect to the recharge battery inside the backpack. In blade mode the handle is capable of generating a super heated shaft of electrical energy which enables Otakun to cut through most materials as if it was butter. In baton mode less energy is required but can be used as a taser baton the unit can also expel small electrical bolts.

So thats some of our ideas that we have been brainstorming for the timebeing feel free to leave comments!

X Box 360 epic fail at Myer

Today was my birthday so having a day from work and university exams I went out for a brief shopping trip to get some stuff together for the work Christmas party. Stopping at the Myer in the CBD I took a quick peep at the games section. I got to say the DS sure is taking up a considerable market share! The "lounge" where they were displaying the Nintendo DSi had these really comfortable seats for you to play with the console. They were white, low and padded I really wanted to take one home for my guitar room!

Anyhoo back on topic the opposite section was where they had the X Box 360 on display. I got to say how embarassing can you get to display a games console in a funky "hi-tech" bubble but to have it not functioning at all. The red rings were out meaning that the console was done for. Talk about epic fail hahaha!

Gundam VS Gundam Next Plus

I haven't been hyped up about a PSP game in ages! Gundam vs Gundam Next Plus has got me for sure this time I want it ummmm... really bad hehe. I've played Gundam versus games since the first Zeta series AEUG vs Titans  and played every game in between. Having been trained by a good mate Henry who is among the arcade elites I can pull off a few stunts on my own too hehe.

So why buy this game you may ask? I think the obvious reason is the choice of using my all time favourite Gundam the rather sleek Strike Freedom. Strike Freedom is the final boss in the game. Kira comes out decked with the Meteor Unit and you need to kill him once to destroy the meteor before he comes back to haunt you with a permanant seed mode.

Not from actual gameplay haha

In addition to Strike Freedom the miracle engineers at Bandai Namco have upped the ante to include

1. 00 Raiser

2. Reborns Gundam

3. Endless Waltz Wing Zero

4. Deathscythe Hell

5. Virtue

6. Unicorn

7. Gundam XX

There's more new machines than that but I'm too lazy to post them all I just added the big names! I'm full on pumped to give this one a go will get it as soon as humanly possible this one is due for a December release.

Hiroki wants Megahouse to make a Deforide Kabuto!

I'm really digging Megahouse's Deforide (Deformed Ride) line. This product line involves turning the main protagonists from the long running tokusatsu series Kamen Rider into chibi proportions.

555

Ryuki

Decade

The Deforide line up to date

Being a big fan of Kabuto I sure wish that they come up with something soon. Just for the hell of it I shall wrap up my random thoughts with an awesome pic of Kabuto with a squadron of Zect Troopers. CAST OFF!