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Turn Me On- Kaze No Stigma

After being defeated by Ayano Kannagi, Kazuma was disowned by his family for his inability to use fire magic.  Finally returning to Japan after a self exile of several years, Kazuma is back to prove himself to his old man.  With a chip on his shoulder and the new ability to wield powerful wind magic magic, he lending his powers out for hire. With the defeat of Kazuma,  Ayano is the next head of the Kannagi family.  Wielding the legendary sword Enraiha, she is one of the most powerful fire magic users in the world.  Spending her after school hours cleansing evil spirits, Ayano has become a brash young lady.  When members of the Kannagi family are being found dead due to the result of wind magic, it’s only a matter of time before Ayano and Kazuma butt heads.

Kaze No Stigma is an action filled anime of modern day swords and sorcery.  Forced to pair up as an investigation team, Kazuma and Ayano work as opposites.  Taking on the role of the mentor, Kazuma offers a smug and intelligent point of vue.  As quick to anger as the firey redhead she portrays, Ayano is as subtle as a hammer looking to kill first and ask questions later.  After proving Kazuma’s innocents in the murders, it’s up to this pair to solve the magical murder mystery….if they don’t kill each other first.  Sprinkle in some infighting with the rest of the Kannagi family and not to mention the face off with Kazuma’s father, there is a virtual powder keg waiting to explode.  Can Japan survive their encounter? If that wasn’t enough to spark your interest, remember the old adage ,  opposites attract.   All things are fair in love and war and Ayano’s father wants Kazuma’s power for the family.  With the aid of Ayano’s friends and Kazuma’s younger brother. the traps have been set for romantic encounters. With high quality animation and a story that will keep you hooked. 

The only true flaw in this anime like so many others like it is the ending.  We find out why Kazuma has returned, how he got his new powers, and we get to see him confront his father.  However, in the last story arc we get a resolution to the problem at hand, but not a definite ending to the encounter.  Left lingering in the air like a stale fart, I was forced to choke it down with my mouths wide open and clearly confused as my head tilted to the side.  Perhaps looking at the ending sideways would offer a second chance for comprehension.  Unless there is more Kaze No Stigma on the way,  I’ll have to accept it for what it was.

Ending woes aside, there are only a few flaws that keep me from falling in love with this anime.  I can honestly say that the series is worth a chuckle and a small investment to get the complete series.

Special thanks to Funimation for supplying this review material. 

Animation:A
Story:B
Soundtrack:B
Ending:C

Overall Score: B

Score Rating Suggestions:

A- A must have. Well worth the price of admission
B- Good. Worth owning if you can get it relatively inexpensive. Netflix this for sure.
C- Meh. Watch it if it’s free and you have NOTHING better to do
D- Trash. Not even worth having on as background noise.

Roll the Dice: Crappy Birthday

At Gen Con Indy, I was able to see the newest offering from the folks at North Star Games.  I even had a chance to play a sample game at the convention.  I won in about 10 minutes.  After the jump, I will explain game play and my thoughts as well.

Follow here to read the rest of Roll the Dice: Crappy Birthday

Turn Me On: Eureka

As mentioned a few days ago on this site, we believe that Eureka is one of the best offerings on the SyFy Network.  Over the past week we have seen some unsettling moves from the former network known as SciFi Channel.  Wil Wheaton and Felicia Day had begun guest stints on the series.

Follow here to read the rest of Turn Me On: Eureka

The Digital Matrix Review: Catherine

 

Vincent is trapped in a nightmare. His girlfriend, Katherine, is pressing him into marriage. His situation becomes more desperate when he wakes in bed with another woman whom is also named Catherine.  If that wasn’t enough, a series of strange murders are happening every night and it looks like Vincent could be next.  Life, love, and death.  Your choices bring forth the outcome.  How will your story end?  Check out the review here.

Gen Con Indy 2011

“The Best Four Days in Gaming” took place at Gen Con 2011 in Indianapolis on August 4th-7th.  I was able to attend and cover the con this year for Fist Full of Comics and Games.  Look beyond the jump to see my thoughts about this years convention

Follow here to read the rest of Gen Con Indy 2011

Turn Me On: Eureka

One of the best offerings on Syfy has to be Eureka. In it’s fourth season, Eureka still manages to surprise and and entertain. Only on Eureka could they get away with a total reboot and not anger the fans. Follow here to read the rest of Turn Me On: Eureka

The Toxbox: Classic Predator Action Figure

Hot Toys is proud to present the 1/6th scale Classic Predator Collectible Figure from the Predators movie. The movie-accurate Classic Predator collectible is specially crafted based on his image in the movie, highlighting the newly developed head and body sculpt, highly detailed body armor, weapons and accessories, as well as detachable light-up mask. Follow here to read the rest of The Toxbox: Classic Predator Action Figure

The Digital Matrix: King of Fighters XIII

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA — JULY 29, 2011 — ATLUS today unveiled a tremendous offer for fans who pre-order their copy of THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII, the latest entry in the legendary fighting franchise, for PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system (PS3™) and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.
At participating retailers while supplies last, fans who reserve KOF XIII will receive a 4-CD soundtrack compilation with music spanning the 15+ year history of the famed series, certain to be one of the best collectible extras in franchise history.  Fans are strongly advised to reserve their copy as soon as possible at participating retailers to guarantee themselves the bonus soundtrack compilation! MORE DETAILS AT THE DIGITAL MATRIX

The Digital Matrix News: Shin Megami Tensei Persona 2

It’s Official.  Shin Megami Tensei’s Persona 2: Innocent Sin is finally coming to the United States this fall for the Sony PlayStation Portable. Like all of the Persona games, you will be playing a high school student attending the Seven Sisters High School. 

 Strange things are happening and rumor has it that a curse has been unleashed.  Upon finding out you have the ability to summon a Persona, you decide to go out and investigate for the truth as well as face your own personal demons! More details at THE DIGITAL MATRIX!

The Toybox: Sucker Punch 1/6th scale Baby Doll Figure

Hot Toys is proud to present the 1/6th scale Babydoll Collectible Figure from the Sucker Punch movie directed by Zack Snyder. The movie-accurate collectible is specially crafted based on the image of Emily Browning as Babydoll in the movie, highlighting the newly developed head sculpt and body, highly detailed costume, accessories and weapons. Follow here to read the rest of The Toybox: Sucker Punch 1/6th scale Baby Doll Figure

Turn Me On: Rick Hoffman Interview

You may not recognize the name Rick Hoffman right away but you would know him if you saw him. Hoffman has made a career out of being the, well lets just say, the not so nice guy in pretty much everything he has done. Hoffman is just the opposite. He comes across as a nice guy with a great sense of humor.

During a visit to the set of the new USA Network show, Suits, Hoffman was able to answer a few questions between takes and share with our group his views on his latest character, Louis Litt. Follow here to read the rest of Turn Me On: Rick Hoffman Interview

Turn Me On: Doug Liman Interview

Doug Liman the director of such great films as Swingers and The Bourne Identity recently spoke to a group of reporters from the sets of two of his USA Network shows; Covert Affairs and the recently premiered, Suits.

Doug talked not only about his work in both television and movies and how he brought Brad and Angie together but how he flew his private plane to the interview and parked it outside. Follow here to read the rest of Turn Me On: Doug Liman Interview

Gen Con Indy 2011

Gen Con Indy will take place in beautiful downtown Indianapolis, IN on Aug. 4 – 7.  Check after the break to see more about this year’s convention and what you can expect from Fist Full of Comics and Games this year.

Follow here to read the rest of Gen Con Indy 2011

The Digital Matrix News: Star Wars The Old Republic Beta Access

EA Unveils Special Editions of Star Wars: The Old Republic — Available for Pre-Order Starting Today

Early Game Access and Exclusive In-Game Content Announced for Highly Anticipated MMO with all Pre-Orders Beginning Today

Star Wars: The Old Republic Beta Test Weekends to Start this September

AUSTIN, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The start of your personal Star Wars™ saga grows nearer! BioWare, a division of Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) today revealed three editions of Star Wars™: The Old Republic, each custom-designed to delight RPG and Star Wars fans worldwide. The Star Wars: The Old Republic Collector’s Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition and Standard Edition are available for pre-order today at participating retailers*, with digital versions available exclusively at Origin™ (http://preorder.origin.com). Upon pre-order, players will be granted a redemption code that will unlock early game access** as well as an in-game color stone to change your weapon effect. Pre-order quantities are limited and Early Game Access will only be available to those who pre-order the game and redeem their code before the game’s official release.

“We are targeting Star Wars: The Old Republic to be one of the biggest launches of holiday 2011”

Star Wars: The Old Republic has been honored with over 95 industry awards and accolades from game critics worldwide and continues to be one of the most anticipated launches of 2011. The game innovates and advances the MMO genre by emphasizing story as a key pillar of the experience – a proven strength of BioWare and Lucasfilm. As anticipation grows, BioWare also proudly announced today that Star Wars: The Old Republic will open “Beta Test Weekends” starting this September. These weekend play sessions will be open to selected players worldwide and create an opportunity for fans to get a sneak peek of the epic stories, worlds, quests, battles and characters in the game. Please visit www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com to register for game testing and to stay tuned throughout the summer for more details as they become available.

“We are targeting Star Wars: The Old Republic to be one of the biggest launches of holiday 2011,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Group General Manager and Co-Founder, BioWare and Senior Vice President, Electronic Arts. “Our teams at BioWare and EA, along with our partners at LucasArts, are laser-focused on creating a high quality game, but just as importantly, they are resolute in delivering a high quality service. We are taking all of the necessary steps to make sure The Old Republic has a thriving community built on a stable online foundation from day one, including limiting supply at launch to ensure that players easily transition into the servers. So whether you’re waiting to join the Empire or the Republic, pre-order now to ensure you can enter the galaxy at launch!”

The three editions of Star Wars: The Old Republic are:

  • Star Wars: The Old Republic Collector’s Edition – The Collector’s Edition includes a host of virtual in-game and physical items for the ultimate Star Wars fan. Physical items include a Darth Malgus Statue from Gentle Giant, the journal of Jedi Master Gnost Dural from Chronicle Books, The Music of The Old Republic soundtrack, a security key and a map of the in-game Star Wars galaxy. Virtual items include a Flare Gun, Training Droid, personal HoloDancer, HoloCam, the STAP vehicle and access to the Collector’s Store, an in-game store with new in-game items exclusively for owners of the Collector’s Edition. The Collector’s Edition will also include 30 days of game time and has an MSRP of $149.99 (USD) at participating retailers.
  • Star Wars: The Old Republic Digital Deluxe Edition – The Digital Deluxe Edition has an MSRP of $79.99 (USD) and includes 30 days of game time and five virtual items, including the Flare Gun, Training Droid, personal HoloDancer, HoloCam and the STAP vehicle.
  • Star Wars: The Old Republic Standard Edition – The base edition of the game is available at retailers and online for an MSRP of $59.99 (USD) and includes 30 days of game time.

Star Wars: The Old Republic has been lauded for breaking new ground in the genre by building on traditional MMO gameplay pillars of combat, exploration and character progression, and adding a fourth dimension to the experience – story. The Old Republic is set thousands of years before the rise of Darth Vader, when the galaxy is in the midst of a cold war. Players will be asked to join forces with either the Galactic Republic or Sith Empire and choose one of eight iconic Star Wars characters: Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler, Trooper, Bounty Hunter, Imperial Agent, Sith Inquisitor and Sith Warrior. Every player’s story will unfold based on meaningful choices made throughout the game, enabling them to becomethe hero of their own personal Star Wars saga. Along their journey players will encounter companion characters with which players can build or break meaningful relationships as they join in your journeys and fight at your side. Throughout their adventures, players will be immersed in a vibrant galaxy of planets, engage in heroic battles and experience visceral Star Wars combat.

For more information on Star Wars: The Old Republic, pre-order details and special editions, please visit www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com/pre-order, follow the game on Twitter at http://twitter.com/swtor or “Like” Star Wars: The Old Republic on Facebook at http://facebook.com/starwarstheoldrepublic.

sweeet

The Digital Matrix: Catherine-Unboxed

The official unboxing of Catherine from Atlus that his the street in a few weeks on July 26, 2011. PR Manager Aram Jabbari unbox the limited edition “Love Is Over” deluxe set of Catherine.  So sit back and check out the video here.  If Catherine looks interesting to you, don’t forget, the DEMO is up and available for download right now on the Playstation Network and on Xbox live.