| HOME | PODCAST | FAN SERVICE | CONTACT |
Igarashi Natsumi as Aisaka Taiga
Unfortunately, I don’t know much about Igarashi Natsumi, but she fits Toradora!‘s palmtop tiger like a glove. Aisaka is a difficult character to accurately cosplay, since she has a very specific look: Youthful, petite, and spunky. Natsumi, in these photos, has this nailed.
Earlier this week, two of Final Fantasy XIII‘s developers, Yoshinori Kitase and Motomu Toriyama, were interviewed over at Tech Digest. Along with questions about FFXIII and the current RPG market, the two were asked the eternal question of the possibility of a remake of Final Fantasy VII. The two had both worked on FFVII, so few could better offer insight on Square-Enix’s interest in the idea.
Yoshinori Kitase offered these words of discouragement:
If it were possible that we had all the right facilities and the right environment to be able to make and prepare a Final Fantasy VII remake within a year, we’d very much like a go at it! But even Final Fantasy XIII has taken over three and a half years to create. If we were to recreate Final Fantasy VII with the same level of graphical detail as you see in Final Fantasy XIII, we’d imagine that that would take as much as three or four times longer than the three and a half years it has taken to put this Final Fantasy together! So it’s looking pretty unrealistic! But if any such situation came about by any remote chance, then yes, we’d do it!
This is an excellent point…at first. There is no argument that each installment of Final Fantasy’s canon should continue to uphold the highest possible standard in graphical quality. However, the same need not be said of remakes or spin-offs.
Many fans of FFVII would like to have a remake of the game that is a heavy competitor for its current-gen cousins. But what they (or I should say “we”) want is a reasonable revamp of the original blocky polygons and incongruous cut scenes. The level of graphic quality from PS3 launch titles would be welcomed with open wallets. The FFVII tech demo–nearly 5 years old now–exhibits an impressive graphical facelift that could easily be applied with current development technology.
My suggestion would be to use the same visual style as Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core or Final Fantasy: Dissidia. While not photo-realistic, it has a beauty that is both captivating and appropriate to that world.
There’s an undeniable market for Final Fantasy VII that Square-Enix is foolishly reluctant to tap. Since its release, the PSN port of the original FFVII has held strong at the top of the charts (with only a brief decline around the release of the PSP version of Little Big Planet). In fact, with graphics that are properly rationed, a FFVII remake could be available for download on either PSP or PS3 platforms. It could be the perfect incentive for gamers to more openly adopt Sony’s otherwise fruitless PSP Go.
There would always be fans that nitpick and the game’s developers may not be as artistically satisfied, but the game would sell like crazy. And isn’t that what this business is all about?
Feedback? Send an email!
In the Method to Madness podcast, I’m joined with my good friend Kevin “The Business” Gray to discuss great anime and video games that you should be watching as well as ones you should feel ashamed you are watching.
This episode, we discuss…
Kevin and I are currently swamped by work… Thus, there’s a slight break in the show schedule. To make up for it, we present another bonus episode of the podcast. Kevin and I decided to just keep talking while the mics were still hot. These are the things that we discuss; a raw sample of our totally-not-gay bromance.
Some voice actors (like Tara Strong) are also SUPER HOT.
Hezachan as Faye Valentine
Hezachan, now world famous by her Longcat scarf, has recently completed her latest cosplay jewel: Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop. As you’d expect, the most challenging piece of any Faye Valentine costume it her vest, since in order to attractively conform to her body, it requires forces that are more mystical than mechanical.
Fortunately, Hezachan is quite magical.
Feedback? Send an email!
In the Method to Madness podcast, I’m joined with my good friend Kevin “The Business” Gray to discuss great anime and video games that you should be watching as well as ones you should feel ashamed you are watching.
This episode, we discuss…
Natsuki Crisis is the crest that I wear on my shield against the currently-popular misogynist fan service anime. This short OVA tells the valiant story of two teen femininjas discovering the meaning of friendship and showing strength against male chauvinism…with karate.
This anime only lasted two episodes and has never been licensed outside Japan. Is it because it’s based on an obscure Street Fighter II wanna-be on the Super Famicom? Maybe. Or perhaps in a time pre-dating the Joss Whedon boom, neither East nor West could handle this much genuine female empowerment.
This is not acceptable, Japan.
Yaya Han in Yakuza Bodypaint
Holy hot sauce! Yaya Han may have outdone herself in one of her most recent photo shoots. She isn’t dressed as any specific character; she is simply a Yakuza tattoo girl.
Okay, it may be inappropriate to use the term “dressed” in this case. Aside from the robe, the only thing between Yaya’s skin and the open air is a layer of body paint. The design and application is by Nick Wolfe, who will now be referred as Lucky Ass McMoFo.
Did you notice: Her hair pins are butterflies.
Feedback? Send an email!
In the Method to Madness podcast, I’m joined with my good friend Kevin “The Business” Gray to discuss great anime and video games that you should be watching as well as ones you should feel ashamed you are watching.
This episode, we discuss…
Neeeeeerds!!!
We hate to turn on our own, but something needs to be said of (or rather, to) our less-seasoned ilk. Years of anime clubs, conventions, and miscellaneous encounters with fandom gremlins have left Kevin and I jaded. In order to vent our frustrations and perhaps enlighten those in earshot, we spend this episode telling stories of our favorite dorks.
Look to your left. Look to your right. Look in the mirror. One of these poor bastards is probably described in this podcast.
I apologize for the poor audio quality of this episode. There’s some kind of interference that occasionally creates a buzzy sound. I cleaned it up as best as I could; hope it’s still enjoyable.
Omi Gibson as Poison from 'Final Fight'
I know that there’s a popular theory regarding Poison’s…”politics”. However I maintain–in defiance of canon–that Poison was born a woman and has remained as such.
However, when brought to life by the lovely Omi Gibson, I may be more open to overlooking these minor details.
Final Fight is also a fun game. Just ask our podcast.
Let's not forget Poison's friend Roxy.
Feedback? Send an email!
In the Method to Madness podcast, I’m joined with my good friend Kevin “The Business” Gray to discuss great anime and video games that you should be watching as well as ones you should feel ashamed you are watching.
This episode, we discuss…
Eve no Jikan, aka Time of Eve, is currently available on Crunchyroll for free. It’s free, it’s short, and it has robots. You should watch it.
Each episode of Time of Eve is a brief vignette set in the not-too-distant future exploring the foggy border between humanity and machine. These are the final days of peace between our kind before they revolt and become our synthetic masters.
Toys from the 1980s... Recognize!
You are currently browsing the The Grey Ghost – Method to Madness weblog archives for February, 2010.