Beginner’s Guide to… Macross

Throughout its relatively short lifespan, there are remarkably few names that are roundly perceived to be amongst the most important in the history of anime. While there are many titles that are considered classics, many more that have become firm favourites, and many more still that are popular all over the world, there are not many that can claim to have influenced a whole generation of anime fans and creators. There are even fewer that can claim to be all of the above.

Macross is one of them. Ever since it first aired in 1982, the Macross saga has captured the imaginations of people across the globe. With its epic story of intergalactic war, romance and giant robots, Macross helped ignite the anime industry like few before it. It was also instrumental in giving Japanese animation a foothold in the west, as one of the first true anime series aired on US television, albeit under a new guise.

However, the long road has not been an easy one, and the Macross name has taken a few knocks along the way. Many legal battles have raged for years, and the complexity of just who exactly owns what is staggering. There have been many different Macross stories released over the years, and newcomers to the franchise may not know where to begin. In this guide, I will attempt to explain all (or the basics, at the very least), hopefully alleviating any confusion and answering and questions. And where better to begin than at the beginning?

Super Dimension Fortress Macross
36-episode TV, 1982

In 1999, a large alien spaceship crashlands on a small island on the Pacific. Ten years later, and humanity has rebuilt it and is about to send it back into space. But when another alien race called the Zentradi begin a surprise attack on the Macross, the ship is sent to the far end of the solar system. Now, rookie pilot Hikaru Ichijyo, his commander Roy Focker and the other Valkyrie pilots must defend the Macross -and the thousands of civilians accidentally transported with them, including singer Lynn Minmay- as they make their way back to Earth.

While Mobile Suit Gundam is often seen as the origin of the 'real-robot' genre, Macross is seen as the series that popularised it. Originally concieved as a parody of existing mecha series, with the development name "Macbeth," Macross was eventually made into a serious war-time space opera (although not without a sense of humour: many subtle little jokes made their way into the production). Taking the modern fighter jet and giving it the ability to transform into a giant robot resulted in one of the most iconic mecha designs in anime history; the Valkyrie. It is also seen as the main cause for the explosion of transforming robot shows during the eighties; after Macross, everything seemed to have something that transformed. Even Gundam followed suit, as many of the Mobile Suits in Zeta Gundam had multiple modes.

Macross is also notable for creating the first anime idol. Music was a core theme in the series, and Lynn Minmay proved popular enough to warrant the release of her songs on an album, creating a whole new subgenre of Japan's music industry. It could be argued that were it not for the success of Macross and Minmay, anime soundtracks, theme songs, and seiyuu albums would not exist in their current form. Indeed, Minmay's seiyuu, Mari Iijima, originally took the role to help boost her music career; ironically, and much to her chagrin, it was Minmay that became the more popular.

The original, unedited, remastered subbed version of Super Dimension Fortress Macross was available in the US from AnimEigo until last year. A new version with an all-new dub is slated for release in the US in 2006 by ADV. With any luck, a UK version shouldn't be too far behind.

Macross: Do You Remember Love?
Theatrical Movie, 1984

A condensed retelling of the events of the series, DYRL is widely regarded as one of the best anime movies ever to be released theatrically. Made with completely new animation that continues to impress today, the movie also featured a number of aesthetic and design changes -such as the distinctive striped shoulder pads- that have since stuck with the series in its later incarnations. Fans used to debate endlessly as to which version of events was the 'official' one, as DYRL had some rather large changes to the continuity. It has since been described as a historical movie within the Macross universe, similar to Braveheart or the Dambusters, putting an end to such discussions.

DYRL was released on VHS in the UK, subbed and uncut, by Kiseki films - but as it has been out of print for so long, good luck finding it. Another version, Clash of the Bionoids was dubbed and edited, and released in both the UK and US. Those that have seen it warn to stay away. A third version, Super Space Fortress Macross was an uncut dubbed version released in the US by the same company responsible for Clash. Although Kiseki's rights will have long since expired, ADV are rumoured to have picked them up for a DVD release. It would be very welcome indeed; Macross: Do You Remember Love? is one of the best-loved anime films ever made.

Macross Flashback 2012
1-part OAV, 1987

A one-off special featuring Minmay's farewell concert, Flashback is essentially a thirty-minute long AMV, with many of her best songs performed over scenes from the series and movie. A special 'thank you' to Macross fans, it also had some new animation, showing the launching of the new colony vessel the Megaroad-01, commanded by Misa. This also represents the last time, continuity-wise, that we see Misa and Hikaru. The colony ship is lost in space, presumably because the creators wished to let them ride off into the sunset.

Macross II: Lovers Again
6-part OAV, 1992

Set eighty years after the original series, Macross II follows rookie reporter Hibiki Kanzaki as war breaks out with a mysterious new enemy. A chance encounter with a strange girl has far reaching implications, and the pair soon find themselves in the middle of the battlefield.

Attempting to recreate what made the original Macross so special, many of the same themes can be found in this sequel, with a love triangle, massive space battles and lots of singing. While the animation is of a good quality, the songs and story lack much of the charm that made the original so popular. It was not well received in Japan, and it was almost cancelled after episode four. It was only due to interest in America, where it had been released almost simultaneously, that it was finished. Of course, many consider its very existence a blessing in disguise; had it not performed so poorly, original Macross co-creator Shojii Kawamori would not have created newer -and better- continuations of the Macross saga. Because it was created by Big West who owned the rights to the original series, and without the permission of Studio Nue, Macross II has since been relegated to "alternate universe" status.

Macross II was released in the US by Manga in both episodic and condensed movie format. The movie appeared on the Sci-Fi Channel over here several times back when they used to show anime. In the last few years it has made its way onto DVD in the States, but a UK release has yet to be announced.

Macross Plus
4-part OAV, 1994

Thirty years after the war, humans and Zentradi live side by side throughout the universe. On the planet Eden, a competition to design a new variable fighter brings together two childhood friends -Isamu and Guld, now bitter rivals- on opposing teams. Matters are only complicated when old flame Myung also appears, touring as manager of the AI pop star Sharon Apple. Tensions flare, feelings boil and old secrets threaten to surface as the three.

Arguably the single most popular Macross story across the world, Macross Plus is often thought as one of the finest examples of anime in general. Boasting a great story, impressive animation, and a wonderful soundtrack by Yoko Kanno (yes, that Yoko Kanno), this is one title that gets pretty much everything right. A movie version was also released, with a few changes and some new animation.

Macross Plus has been out on DVD here for a few years now, in a box set with all four episodes and the movie. If you still haven't seen it, you really have no excuse. Do yourself a favour, go get it - now.

Macross 7
49-episode TV Series, 1994

Macross 7 takes place thirty-five years after the events of SDF Macross, aboard the colony ship City 7. Nekki Basara is a guitarist who wants his music to be heard by everyone, and with his group Fire Bomber, tries to write music that everybody will appreciate. When the city comes under attack, he flies out in his red Valkyrie to play his music, hoping to move both enemy and ally with his songs.

The only other Macross TV series, Macross 7 has received something of a frosty reaction from long-term Macross fans. Many found the seriousness of the original series missing, while others thought that the whole story was rather contrived. At the same time, many newcomers to the franchise loved it, and Macross found a new generation of fans. As a result, the series did well in Japan, resulting in a couple of spin-offs and sequels.

Although the series is very music-oriented, virtually no original music was prepared, instead using songs by the real Fire Bomber as well as music from previous Macross soundtracks. Similarly, few songs were performed by the seiyuu, resulting in a noticeable change of voice when a character begins to sing. Of course, because the different Macross incarnations were licensed to different companies, there exist a number of barriers in attaining the rights to all the music, which goes some way to explaining why Macross 7 has not seen a release in the west.

Macross 7 Encore
3-episode OAV, 1994
Macross 7 the Movie - The Galaxy's Calling Me
Movie, 1995
Macross Dynamite 7
4-part OAV, 1997

Macross 7 proved popular enought to warrant two OAVs and a movie. Macross 7 Encore was made up of three episodes of the series that were not aired during the original broadcast, with one episode shedding some new light on how Fire Bomber was formed. Macross 7 - The Galaxy's Calling Me was a theatrical movie that hit Japanese cinemas in 1995. Macross Dynamite 7, released in 1997, was a four-part OAV that followed Basara after his departure from Fire Bomber.

Although it fared reasonably well on the fansub circuit in the days before broadband, Macross 7 finds surprisingly few fans still loyal. Given its age and relative unpopularity -and the difficulties in securing rights to the soundtrack- it's unlikely that Macross 7 will ever be given a domestic release.

Macross Zero
5-part OAV, 2002

Macross Zero takes place during the final days of the UN War. Ace pilot Shin is shot down over an isolated island, where the local legends tell of a Bird-man. Soon after, one of the UN's new experimental variable fighters appears on the scene. As the war spills onto this isolated island, cultures and beleifs clash, and Shin finds himself protecting thoe same people that saved him.

The most recent return to Macross universe, this OAV is also a step backwards. Set before the events of the original series, it tells the story of the. Making heavy use of cutting-edge computer animation, this is a series that both looks and sounds gorgeous. The arial combat sequences are breathtaking, and Roy Focker is still one of the coolest anime characters ever. Although the story loses some of its momentum towards the end, it remains essential viewing for fans of mecha and Macross alike, and everyone else could do a lot worse, too.

Surprisingly it hasn't yet been picked up for released in the west, although the possibility that Macross Zero will find its way on to shop shelves remains pretty good. We probably won't have to wait too long.

Robotech
85-episode TV, 1984

Robotech is the name of an American-produced series that combined three entirely separate anime series (Super Dimension Fortess Macross, Genesis Climber Mospeada and Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross) and edited and reworked them into a single coherent storyline to fit US TV’s length requirements. Producer Carl Macek was the man behind the creation of Robotech, and while he still firmly believes that this approach was a smart move, many purists will disagree. Indeed, a good many anime fans still decry the massive butchering of the series; names were americanised, stories merged together or skipped, key scenes rewritten, and characters often took on very different personalities. Much of the changes made
wouldn't even be considered in todays market for fear of such a massive backlash from fans. Robotech got away with it because it was the eighties, and no-one knew any better.

As infamous as this series may be, there is no doubting it's importance. For many in the west, Robotech was the first foray into the world of anime, with a sense of scale and seriousness not found in other TV shows at the time, let alone cartoons, and is still one of the most fondly remembered sci-fi series ever made. Indeed, Robotech was among the first anime series to gain a solid fanbase in the west, and was fundamental in helping anime get where it is today.

Even today, the Robotech brand name still carries some weight, particularly in the US, where comics continue to be published. There have been a number of sequels announced, although most didn't even pass the pre-production stage. Ideas for these sequels were later integrated into some of the Robotech novels and comic books. A new sequel, Robotech: Shadow Chronicles, is currently in production, and is reported to fill the continuing story of the Macross characters. Harmony Gold's old bedfellows Tatsunoko are behind the animation production.

Robotech is currently being released on DVD in the UK by Manga. 'Remixed and remastered,' it has digitally restored footage and audio, as well as some scenes that were dropped from the original broadcast. One of the driving forces behind the anime explosion of the west, if you want to see what all the fuss is about there's no better place to start.

How Many Lawyers Can you Fit in a Valkyrie?

Oh, what a horribly complex and tangled web we have here. The intricacies of the whole Macross legal mess would warrant a whole new article, so I'll keep it relatively simple here. In many ways, Macross has become a victim of its own success. With so many companies involved in the creation of the original series, there were many people wanting a piece of the pie. It seems that everyone had a different idea of what to do with that piece, too: the mecha designs for Macross have found their way into at least three completely different franchises.

Each of the main parties involved in the production of Super Dimension Fortress Macross got rights to different things. Studio Nue was responsible for story and development, and both they and financial backer Big West got the character and mecha designs, while animation company Tatsunoko Productions kept the original animation. Meanwhile, Bandai had acquired the rights to make toys and models based on Macross. The complications begin to arise when these companies decided to do different things with these elements.

Bandai sold the rights for the Valkyrie toy to Hasbro for inclusion in its Transformers line of toys. The model became known as Jetfire, but was never included in the TV series (likely due to Robotech hitting the airwaves (in his stead was 'Skyfire,' who didn't look like a Valkyrie). At the same time, Bandai also gave Revell the rights for model kits of the Valkyrie as part of their 'Robotech Defenders' range. The name of Revell's model line is not a coincidence - they entered into a partnership with Harmony Gold as the latter needed a name for a new series...

Shortly after, Tatsunoko licensed the Macross series to Harmony Gold for distribution in the US. After also picking up the US rights for Mospeada and Southern Cross, Harmony Gold began to sell Robotech to US TV stations. Robotech proved to be so popular in the US that Harmony Gold has often tried to stop anything Macross-related from being released stateside. It is only in the last few years, and after numerous lengthy legal battles, that the original Macross series is finding its way on to store shelves - and Harmony Gold still have a hand in that, too.

Further adding to the confusion, a number of Macross mecha (as well as designs from Fang of the Sun Dougram and Crusher Joe) appeared in early versions of FASA's Battletech board game. While FASA maintains they had permission from the various Japanese companies to use these mecha designs, Harmony Gold will argue that they did not. After a bit of legal action, FASA decided to settle and removed the Macoss designs from the game. The Dougram and Crusher Joe mecha soon followed, and were all completely written out of Battletech's storyline.

Macross in the Future

A recent promotional film has confirmed that Macross will indeed continue, something that a good many fans around the world will be glad to hear. Now that some of the nastier lawsuits are out of the way, there is plenty of room to play with. So where does one of the most influential anime titles of all time go from here?

For years there has been rumour upon rumour about new Macross projects. Among them are sequels, prequels, live-action adaptations and more, and while it's safe to assume that most of these projects will now never see the light of day (most of the dates for these projects have long since passed), it does show that there are people still thinking about it. It's surely only a matter of time before plans for the next Macross are revealed. Some have already lost faith, believing that more recent offerings have failed to capture the spirit of the original.

Personally, I can't wait.

Thanks to Ork_dreadnought for his contributions to this article.

Stranger in A Strange Town

If anyone reads this often enough to care, they may have noticed a severe lack of content over the past month. There is a very simple explanation for this:

I have a job!

Yeah, I got the job in London. I am now a Software Tester for Electronic Arts, which is all levels of cool. So of course I had to move all the way down from sunny Edinburgh to London. But because of rather short notice, I had some difficulty in finding a place to live, so had to spend a coupe of weeks in some B&Bs. It's wierd, in the past month I have stayed in about four entirely seperate towns. I have also had no internet, TV, or computer for that time - yes, the nights have been pretty boring, but what the hey. I'm working! I am getting paid actual currency to play games all day. It ain't all bad :)

In other news, I gotta make a big shout out to my friends Ben and Michelle. In what has been widely seen as little more than an insane publicity stunt and fundraising event, they tied the knot the other week. Ben, Michelle - you're insane, but I wish you the best.

So other than that, there is little to report. I have been severely out of the loop for weeks. Right now I'm coming to you Live! from a coffee shop in Staines, so limited is my internet access. But I will pop on when I can. Until next time!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

I am now an international jetsetter.

I flew down to London for an interview today, which was very cool. It may not sound like such a big deal, but it's still a new thing to me, to be able to get from one capital city to another in a little over an hour. I love to fly, but it's been years since I last took to the skies. There's something about giving nature the finger and defying gravity in a giant metal tube that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. My dad decided to come to. He told me that he wanted to wish me luck. I think he just wanted to have another go on a plane. Once at Heathrow, we had to get a bus to Feltham, where we could catch a train to Chertsey. We then decided to walk to where my interview was held.
The main thing we noticed about down south was how much warmer it is: it's danmed hot. I mean El Scorchio hot. We're Scotsmen, born and bred in the pissin rain - we're not built for glorious sunshine. To decide to walk a mile in sunshine that would shame the Sahara must have seemed like a good idea on the train, while we were still protected from the deadly UV rays, but honestly, what the hell were we thinking? Summer in Scotland means maybe a day or two of some sun struggling to come out from behind the clouds - down there it means summer.
Anyway, the whole interview seemed to go well, and I should probably hear back pretty soon. I remain cautiously optimistic, but at the same time I'm hoping I don't get a repeat of what happened last time I went for this kind of job - three days later the company declared bankruptcy. W00t.

EIEF Impressions

The second Edinburgh Interactive Entertainment Festival (EIEF) has been underway for a couple of days now, but today was the first day it was open to the public. On the whole, it was pretty good; I got my hands on a few titles I've been looking forward to, saw some other cool stuff, and took part in a Burnout tournament (and lost horribly). So here's my quick rundown of my highlights.

Nintendo

Nintendo were out in force, showing off quite a few of their upcoming titles. The new Zelda and Nintendogs took centre stage, naturally, but there were a number of DS's showing off various other titles. Most of which I didn't get to play because all the batteries had drained - some great organisational skills on display there, boys. So I didn't get a shot of Sonic Rush, the new Super Mario Bros game, Mario Kart DS or Viewtiful Joe DS, all of which I was looking forward to. I was also disappointed that neither Meteos or Advance Wars DS were on display, as well as the lack of any other new Cube titles.

I'm now completely sold on Nintendogs. I've had an interest in this one for some time, so getting my grubby mitts on it was quite excitng. I must've spent half an hour just sitting on the giant bone, playing with the demo. It's one of the most innovative games of recent memory, and one of the first to really take advantage of the DS's unique features. The puppies were so lifelike it almost made me want one of my own. It made me smile like no other game on display could.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is also shaping up nicely. There's no doubt the graphics are gorgeous, as I'm sure you're aware, but for me the important thing was the gameplay: I'm happy to say, it's pure Zelda. There were four different demos, each showing off a different aspect of the game, with a village, a dungeon, a horseriding section, and a boss fight. Each were rather impressive and showed off the different elements of the game nicely. Minigames seem to be more prominent than before, with activities ranging from herding goats on horseback to grabbing raging animals. One thing that did annoy me slightly was the slight pause after striking an enemy; while it was in previous 3D Zelda games, it seems to be slightly more noticeable this time. There also seemed to be a couple of very minor glitches, mostly with the controls and collision detection, but I expect these issues to be ironed out for the final game. This is another one I'm really looking forward to now.

EA

EA made their presence known with a fairly large display showing off two whole games. Tiger Woods 2006 failed in impress; it certainly looks very pretty, but I'm sure it's not much different from Tiger Woods 2005. Similarly, Burnout seems to be the latest vicitm of EA's "endless squels" policy. It hasn't been all that long since we had one, and yet here comes Burnout Vengeance, due out in a couple of weeks. From what I played of it, it was little more than a slightly shinier version of the last game. I have no doubt it'll sell well, but I hope they don't make a habit of this.

Microsoft

While 360 logos were everywhere, not one was on display. Hardly a shock, but slightly disappointing. Instead, they had a nice little setup where 12 people could try out a couple of different Live games, with Far Cry Instincts and Halo 2 amongst those on display. I wasn't all that impressed with Instincts; the deathmatch game I played seemed far too formulaic, and got the impression the weapon balancing still needed some tweaking.

Sony

Sony were nowhere to be found, which I found both disappointing and surprising, especially considering the PSP's launch is three weeks away. Given the amount of attention this event is getting, and the number of people turning up, it seems foolish that Sony would ignore this chance to get some more publicity. Personally, I see it as yet another slap to the face of UK gamers as Sony once again proves they really don't care about us. Clearly they're too busy taking importers to court than promote their own product. Sorry, Sony - you missed your chance; I'm getting a DS.

Talk, Talk, Talk

I also attended a couple of seminars. In the first, Eidos' Creative Director Ian Livingston talked about how games have integrated themselves into modern culture, and took us on a whirlwind tour of the industy's history, from Pong to Space Invaders to Lemmings to Tomb Raider. While it's perhaps unsurprising a lot of his focus was on Lara Croft -a character he helped create- her importance in the helping video game industry shed it's geeky image and becoming more mainstream can't be denied. All in all, it was a pretty good look back over the years, and while I may have known most of what was covered, I'm sure many others in the audience didn't. It was certainly interesting getting such an influential person's take on the industry's past and what we can look forward to in the future.

The second was a look at EyeToy Kinetic, which I found much more interesting. A new game from the same team that brought us EyeToy: Play, the focus of this game was to help players keep fit. It's not as daft as it sounds, as anyone who has played a dancing game will agree. Developer Tom Holmes talked us through the devlopment process, describing the relationship with Nike MotionWorks, some of the goals of the project and how they overcame certain barriers. This is certainly one I'm going to be keeping an eye on (pun fully intended) when it comes out later this year.

In Review

Overall, the show was pretty small, but that's to be expected for something in only its second year. It was pretty busy, too, with attendees ranging from kids dragging their parents around to veteran gamers nearing their thirties. There were a couple of technical problems with some of the displays; about four of the 16 demo PCs weren't working properly, and Nintendo's failure to provide most of their DS's with mains power was a big letdown. Having said that, I left pretty satisfied with what I had seen and played. I hope that next year's show will be even bigger and attract even more attention.

Sir Haggis' Guide to Gundam

After what has seemed like an eternity, Bandai has finally begun to make one of its most popular and longest-running franchises available here in the UK. Yes, Gundam is slowly being made available for those of us who prefer DVDs to fansubs and local releases to importing. It's about time - the franchise is more than twenty-five years old. In many respects, it could be said that Gundam is Japan's Star Trek. It's not an unfair statement; as well as cosmetic similarities between them, both were cancelled early, and yet have gained large fanbases all over the world, with new series and many spinoff books, model kits and other merchandise keeping interest alive.

The Gundam franchise is indeed massive, and can often be a little daunting for anyone new to the scene. So, to celebrate the first of what I hope to be many releases, here is a brief guide to the various series and how they relate to one another.

Gundam series are generally divided into two groups: UC and AU.
UC series take place in what is known as the Universal Century timeline. Mobile Suit Gundam takes place in the year UC0079, while the events told in Char's Counterattack happen later in 0093. Listed below are the various series in chronological order, and although this is generally considered the best way to watch them, it's not at all necessary.

Mobile Suit Gundam (43-ep TV, 1979)
Mobile Suit Gundam Movie Trilogy (1981)
While there had been giant robot shows before, MS Gundam was one of the first to try to make them seem more "real" than super robots, by building a believeable universe around them. It tells the story of Amuro Ray as he reluctantly becomes a pilot aboard the Earth Federation's White Base, fighting against the Duchy of Zeon and masked ace pilot Char Aznable (one of the single best anime characters ever, in my opinion) during the One Year War. Like so many classic series, however, low initial ratings led to its cancellation. It was only through repeats and the release of three complilation movies that its popularity soared, and was given a new lease of life.
Chances of getting it here: Relatively slim, at least for the TV series. The recent US DVD versions proved to be unpopular, as they were dub-only (the official reason is that the quality of the original Japanese recordings was too poor to transfer, and the death of a major character's seiyuu means that lines cannot be rerecorded). Having said that, the compilation movies are being released here in all their subbed, remastered glory, so if you want to get into Gundam, they would be the best place to start.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (12-ep OAV, 1996)
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team - Miller's Report (Compilation movie, 1998)
A more recent return to the UC timeline, 08th is probably Gundam at it's most realistic, and focuses on the story on ground troops during the One Year War. The 08th's rookie commander, Shiro Amada, leads his team on a guerilla campaign through the jungles of southeast Asia, in a gritty, personal tale of love and war. At the same time, the compilation movie is an example of how to do one properly, as it can be taken as a stand-alone feature. Taking the form of a military report, it focuses on a single person's actions and the consequences for those actions.
Chances of getting it here: Good. 08th is one of the more recent Gundam spinoffs, and has proven to be relatively popular following its release in the US. I remain cautiously optimistic, as it's one of my favourite Gundam series.

Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (6-ep OAV, 1989)
Telling the story of a skirmish through the eyes of a child, Gundam 0080 focuses slightly more on the characters than you might expect from a giant robot franchise. It's no bad thing, though; you do get rather attatched to them. But don't worry, the mecha do still get their share of the spotlight. Veteran anime fans may also recognise Megumi Hayashibara as Christina Mackenzie.
Chances of getting it here: Actually pretty good. It's short and to the point, but can stand entirely on its own with little or no knowledge of the UC Gundam universe.

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (13-ep OAV, 1991)
Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Last Blitz of Zeon (compilation movie, 1992)
A few years after the One Year War, the remnants of Zeon steal one of the new experimental Gundam units - that just happens to be armed with a nuclear warhead. It's up to rookie test pilot Kou Uraki and the Albion to track it down before they get the chance to use it. It's also home to some of my favourite Gundam mecha designs.
Chances of getting it here: Entirely reasonable. It's relatively short, and has all the hallmarks of a Gundam series without requiring all the foreknowledge. I would avoid the movie, however; it feels rushed, has a number of holes and omits rather a lot of development.

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (50-ep TV, 1985)
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Movie Trilogy (2005)
Zeta is widely regarded as one of the best Gundam series, and has recently seen a sucessful box set release in the US. In 0087, it follows fledgling newtype Camille Bidan (yes, it's a guy) as he joins some familiar faces to fight a new evil. Because it came out in the wake of other shows like Macross, transforming was the 'in' thing to do, and is why just about every mobile suit transforms, even when here's really no need to.
Chances of getting it here: We may not see the series for a while, if ever, but we may see the trilogy of remastered movies, currently doing the rounds in Japanese theatres, in a few years time. Hopefully.

Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (47-ep TV, 1986)
Immediately after Zeta's conclusion, salvager Judau Ashta decides to steal the Zeta Gundam and take it for a spin. Series director Yoshiyuki Tomino thought that Zeta depressed people, and so made ZZ much more lighthearted. However, this did not sit well with many fans, who preferred the grim war story of Zeta to the fun and games of ZZ. As a result, ZZ is another series that doesn't get much attention.
Chances of getting it here: Entirely dependant on the fate of Zeta. If that gets a domestic release, and proves to be popular, then this may have a chance. I wouldn't hold my breath though.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Couterattack (Movie, 1988)
The final chapter in the story of Amuro and Char, this movie should not be watched without having seen at least the original series or movies first, as it relies heavily on your familiarity with the characters. The movie itself is a visual treat - well animated, with some great battle sequences and mecha designs - but the story is no let down either, and finishes with quite a bang.
Chances of getting it here: Because of it's one-off nature, releasing this movie effectively tests the water to gague potential interest in the Gundam franchise. Due for release in September.

Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (Movie, 1991)
I was rather surprised when I learned that this movie recieved a limited thatrical release in the US, as I had long thought Bandai had tried to bury it. Originally planned as a 50-episode TV series, it was first changed to a 13-ep OAV, and then condensed to make a 2 hour movie. As you might expect, this results in an extremely fast-paced story that allows little time for character or plot development. Having said that, it is one of the best-animated Gundam titles, and the whole thing looks and sounds great.
Chances of getting it here: Another relatively low-risk release, it's due out in September

Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (51-ep TV, 1993)
Sixty years after the events of Char's Counterattack, a new war has broken out. Cue young boy taking a new Gundam out and participating in said war, and do little to change an unbroken formula. Apparently, Tomino was going through something of a mid-life crisis during the production of V, and I have heard that he was deliberately trying to get his own show cancelled for whatever reason. It would certainly explain some of the mecha designs at any rate...
Chances of getting it here: Virtually non-existant. V was a relatively unpopular series, and its commercial failure ultimately led to Bandai's takeover of Sunrise.

That's just the Universal Century series! Bandai's aquisition of Sunrise led to the creation of new stories and timelines, called Alternate Universes (AU). These series have no relation to any other Gundam series, and can be seen entirely on their own.

Mobile Fighter G Gundam (49-ep TV, 1994)
Taking a complete 180-turn from the direction of the original series, G Gundam was more of a super robot show. Pilots shout out their attacks, the Gundams pull all manner of poses, and generally the whole thing is played for laughs. The cheese factor is too much for some fans, however, and opinion of the show is generally polarised. It enjoyed some sucess on America's Cartoon Network a couple of years ago.
Chances of getting it here: It's looking increasingly unlikely. If they were going to do it, they probably would have done it before now.

New Mobile Report Gundam W (49-ep TV, 1995)
New Mobile Report Gundam W: Endless Waltz (3-ep OAV/Movie, 1997)
More commonly known as Gundam Wing, up to now this was the only Gundam series available in the UK. Probably the most widely known Gundam series, it has proven to be popular even in circles where mecha shows aren't generally accepted; a significant portion of it's fanbase are girls. And while this is another series that is either loved or hated, I must confess a soft spot for it; it was my introduction to Gundam, and is home to some of my favourite mobile suits designs.
Chances of getting it here: It's been available here for some time. Odds are, that if you have any interest in Gundam, you will have already seen at least some of it.

After War Gundam X (39-ep TV, 1996)
Another Gundam series that was cut short because of poor ratings (and pushing it to a 6AM Saturday morning slot didn't help matters), but still one that many fans regard this as one of the best. Taking place in apost-apocalyptic world, the Newtype element was taken from the original series and given a new twist. Additionally, X manages to have a strong, likeably cast, and one of the best Gundam lead pairings. And even though the ending was significantly rewritten, Gundam X thankfully wraps itself up nicely.
Chances of getting it here: Slim at best. This is one that Bandai has tried to forget, despite fairly strong demand from fans.

∀ (Turn A) Gundam (50-ep TV, 2000)
∀ Gundam movies (2 compilation movies, 2001)
Probably the most un-Gundam Gundam series, TAG is a dramatic change of direction. Set while the world is on the verge of the industial revolution, the people living on the moon have decided to return to earth, bringing with them strange and wonderful technologies. War breaks out, with the people of earth challenging the mobile suits of the moon with little more than biplanes and rifles. While supposedly Tomino's attempt to consolidate all Gundam universes into the one, many fans regard it as just another AU series.
Chances of getting it here: Even less than those of X. TAG didn't fare too well in Japan, and there is little reason to see it doing otherwise anywhere else. Fansubbers recently completed it, however, so that may be the only way to see it.

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (50-ep TV, 2002)
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Special Editions (3 compilation DVDs, 2003)
SEED is effectively an updating of the original series for a new generation, taking the story and changing a few names and places here and there, while retaining enough originality to entertain Gundam veterans. One of Bandai's flagship titles, SEED was cleverly marketed to appeal to a wide young audience (even to the extent of having a character switch sides because the sales for his Gundam models were low) who had never seen a Gundam show before. The Special Editions are essentially SEED's version of the movie trilogy, compressing the whole story into three DVD releases, with a some extra footage.
Chances of getting it here: The first volumes are out, and seem to be doing well. Recommended.

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (50-ep TV, 2004)
The first direct TV sequel to an AU series, Destiny has already proven to be wildly popular. Long term fans will probably recognise many bits and pieces from older series, as Destiny pays a number of subtle - and not-so-subtle - homages to its heritage.
Chances of getting it here: Very good. Should SEED prove to be popular enough, I don't see why Bandai wouldn't release this too.

There are a few other bits and pieces, which will probably never see the light of day over here:

• SD Gundam - A parody of the original Gundam, it's very funny for those who know the subject matter, and complete gibberish to everyone else. Probably a bit *too* niche.
  
• Mobile Suit Gundam: EVOLVE - A series of impressive CG shorts promoting various model kits.
  
• G-Saviour - By all accounts an abysmal American-produced live-action production. The less said about this the better.
• Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO - A six-part, entirely CG production that was first shown at the Bandai Museum in Japan, as part of Gundam's 25th anniversary.
  
• Mobile Suit Gundam SEED MSV Astray - Based on the manga side stories, both of these five-minute promotional shorts have been fansubbed. There is a chance that they may find their way onto a SEED SE DVD, but it's highly unlikely.
• Superior Defender Gundam Force - Another American-led production, the SD Gundam Force TV series was a return to the wackiness of the earlier parodies. It had the lowest ratings ever for a Gundam show. It's not very popular in either Japan or the US, and I doubt Cartoon Network will be airing it here any time soon.
  

There is also a metric ton of canon manga, model kits, side stories and video games, some of which can be found in specialist stores around the country. If we're lucky, perhaps Toonami will pick up Gundam SEED, as it has been enjoying a good run stateside. Hell, maybe Bandai will even be good enough to release a few more games now.

For more information, I recommend the following:

• GundamOfficial - the official US site, with information on all the series released there
  
• MAHQ - your one and only stop for technical information on virtually every mobile suit ever featured in Gundam. Ever.
• Gunota Headlines - a blog that features the most up-to-date Gundam news around
• Wikipedia's Gundam article - Gundam in more depth than I could cover here
  
• Mobile Suit Gundam: High Frontier - if you need to know more about the UC universe, this site has detailed desriptions on pretty much everything
• Gundam Mad - this is one of the few UK-based companies that sells Gunpla model kits and imported DVDs
• Anime News Network - details cast and crew for all Gundam series
  
• Google - when all else fails
  

If you are new to Gundam, I hope this has cleared some of the confusion up. If it's only confounded matters, or if I have made a mistake, drop a line and let me know

America's Bravest Lone Crusader

I must grudgingly admit I have some level of respect for Jack Thompson. It's not every day you hear about someone willing to stand up to giant corporations for what they believe in. And yet, here we have a modern day crusader, seemingly determined to set right everyone's moral compass, in an effort to protect the youth of America.

I'm not exactly sure what he thinks he's protecting them from. It seems than nothing can escape his wrath. Less than a week after the "Hot Coffee" scandal, he named his new target. Next in his firing line, is the immensely popular The Sims 2. Yes, he's decided to take on Electronic Arts. Good luck with that.

Is he somehow unaware that EA are the biggest games publishers on the planet? Their turnover last year was in excess of $3 billion. The Sims franchise makes a healthy contribution to that figure, so EA are going to want to defend it. I don't care how much of a hotshot lawyer you think you are, Mr Thompson, EA can afford ten of you.

His case doesn't exactly make the most sense either. He insists that The Sims 2 contains full-frontal nudity, including "nipples, penises, labia, and pubic hair", and citing his sources as "video game news sites". He even goes sofar as to state "pedophiles around the globe... can rehearse, in virtual reality, for their abuse" - a lit powderkeg of a statement, perfectly worded to catch the attention of child protection agencies.

I'd love to know what version of The Sims 2 he played, if any, and exactly which "game news sites" he visited to get his information. The Sims 2 features the kind of blur you'd see on any reality TV show, and while a cheat code can be entered to disable the blur, all you'd be looking at are Barbie and Ken-style bodies (click here for hot uncensored action). (It begs the question, is Mattel next? They make Barbie, so they must also be responsible for the tainting of chilrdrens minds, right?) And although it is possible to download and install 3rd party skins, which may include rather more graphic detail, they are not the responsibility of either EA or Maxis, because they are not part of the shipped code. So ultimately, who exactly is Mr Thompson saying he thinks are responsible, and for what? Unfortunately, I was unable to find a complete copy of his letter, as he only forwards it to certain news outlets - such as Gamespot. I was surprised they even received a copy, as he has said before, it's not the gamers he's trying to reach [Edit: someone tried again ].

He's no doubt feeling high from his 'victory' against Rockstar and Take Two last week. There's no other reason he'd even think about taking on such a goliath as EA. Nevermind the fact that the results of which likely had far more to do with certain politicians throwing their self-righteous weight around than he'd care to admit. His open letter to the ESA -which is more of a personal attack on head of ESA Doug Lowenstein than anything else- was perfectly timed to coincide with Hilary Clinton's assault on the San Andreas "Hot Coffee" mess. In the same letter, he makes it clear that he's a Christian. Nothing wrong with that, you may think - but when you consider some of the graphic content of the Bible, I have to wonder whether he even realises he's sounding a touch hypocritical.

Part of the problem stems from the stigma that video games are soley for kids. Politicians, activists and evangelists can't seem to grasp the concept that this is no longer true. The generation that first played Pacman and Space Invaders in the '70s and '80s has grown up. They still play actively games, and make for a significant portion of todays market. Why should they not have games made for them? If every single book was a Dr Seuss, people would stop reading, and if every single film made was a Disney cartoon, people would stop watching movies. The Godfather is ranked the No.1 film of all time. Does this mean these people would allow their 10 year old son to watch it?

The whole "Hot Coffee" case has illustrated certain faults with the American rating system, while making me thankful of the systems we have in place here in the UK - the differences between BBFC classifications are much less ambiguous than the ESRB's, and are enforced by the law. At the same time, it shines an even greater light on the attitude of parents as a whole. Instead of taking an active role in monitoring what their kids see and play, many seem content to sit back, watch some TV, and then cry foul to their lawyers after little Johnny commits some immoral, unAmerican act of indecency.

It never ceases to amaze me how such people will blindly accuse wildly and point fingers, without any thought of the technical aspect of the production of games. Perhaps Rockstar North was indeed going to include the "Hot Coffee" section in the final product, but then pulled it - not because it was no fun, but for fear of exactly this sort of outcry. The last thing a programmer wants - particularly when already pressured by looming deadlines- is to have to waste time and effort on removing something completely, when it was no doubt much easier and quicker (and thus cheaper) to simply comment out the code and break any links to it. At the end of the day, Rockstar is a business, with an eye for the bottom line. And what could be more American?

Rockstar has been accused of everything from outright lying about the origins of the mod ( which they never actually did - their statement was very carefully worded) to deliberately circumventing legislation ( even though publisher Take Two probably had no idea the code even existed). Again, it seems there is a overcrowded bandwagon barrelling straight towards Congress, with ever more politicians eager for the moral vote, so-called 'concerned parents', and attention seekers desperate for a few more minutes in the media spotlight, all trying to jump on at every opportunity.

So, maybe Rockstar did make a mistake in leaving the code in the game. Surely someone there should have realised that as soon as the PC version was released, modders around the world would diessect and splice the game, and it was only a matter of time before the dead content was found? Nevertheless, the long-term implications for the modding community are far-reaching. While even those such as Valve and Sims creator Will Wright actively encouraging the creative thinking and skills to create custom content, I wonder how long it will take before developers start completely locking down their games - a move that will only hurt the industry. Anyone trying to develop skills, either to enter the industry or just for fun, will find themselves without a canvas for creative outlet, and increased protection will only make crackers more determined.

What I also don't understand, is the fact that such people are essentially saying that violence is fine -almost encouraged- while anything regarding sex must be sent back to the very depths of the hells from whence it came. Which is going to be more damaging for future genarations?

February's EGM had this article, in which Mr Thompson gives some wonderful answers:

EGM: You once compared Doug Lowenstein, president of the Entertainment Software Association, to Saddam Hussein.

JT: If I did, I want to apologize to Saddam Hussein. Doug is a propagandist to whom the facts don't matter. He's paid to lie and he does it very well. Doug is paid a handsome salary, probably seven figures, to say there are no studies that indicate [violent games have] an effect on anyone. If this is true, why is the military using them to create killing simulators?

In a pefrect example of irony at it's finest, this Miami lawyer accuses someone he seems to have a personal grudge against of lying and manipulating statisitcs to his own advantage for money. Incredible.

The problem is, people like Mr Thompson have made a carreer out of lies, chichanery and misinformation, and he's becoming rather good at it. And while I don't believe he has actually won any of the lawsuits he's filed, he does have the attention of a number of powerful individuals and groups. It seems that he's no longer the lone, tiny little naysayer at the back of the room. I'm not worried. Every entertainment medium has been attacked at one point or another, from TV to music to comics. Video games are no different.

Here we go again...

Hey folks, it's that time again. Time to point fingers, jump on bandwagons and try to shift the blame of all the worlds evils onto the video game industry. I suppose it was about due, with about nine months since the whole Manhunt furor. This week it's the turn of Eidos' 25 to Life to take the flack - despite the fact it hasn't even been released yet.

Firing off the first salvo on Monday was New York Senator Charles E. Schumer. In the press release, he asks stores not to stock the game, and calls upon both Sony and Microsoft to refuse to allow the game to be released on their systems - to which Microsoft quickly said 'No'. Amongst those responding was Press the Buttons, and Penny Arcade and - both of whom have a much better idea of what it is they're talking about.

Never one to miss a bandwagon, CNN had the follow-up attack ready in the form of Tuesday's Nancy Grace (it's near the bottom). Reading through, the phrase 'media circus' kept popping into my mind, especially when you consider the 'panel'. Veteran anti-game laywer Jack Thompson (whos contempt for gamers is well documented), Michael Jackson's parents attourney, another random lawyer, and a pyschotherapist - whos only contribution to the whole thing actually raises a valid argument, but the focus is hurriedly shifted away. Gamepolitcs, Game Girl Advance, Press the Buttons and Cathode Tan all have good counters that essentially destroy any credibility the program may have had. Which, if we're being honest here, wasn't too much to begin with, the sensationalism of American news TV being what it is.

What Sen. Shumcer and Nancy Grace failed (or refused) to acknowledge is that 25 to Life actually allows you to play as a cop, letting the player take down criminals the good ol' American way. Part of the problem may in fact stem from America's gun culture. It may be a constitutional right to keep a gun in your house, but increasingly it seems people are unwilling to take responsibility for their child taking that gun and unloading it into someone, preferring instead to find a scapegoat to try to get money from.

What the whole thing boils down to is that parents are refusing to accept responsibility for the upbringing of their children, instead using the TV and game console as surrogates. It doesn't help matters when research shows exactly what us gamers have know for years - that parents don't care. I was in a game shop a few weeks ago, when a dad was looking at games with his son, who couldn't have been more than six or seven years old. As the boy looked over the shiney cases with the pretty pictures, struggling to read some of the titles, he soon saw one he recognised. "Daddy look, it's Grand Feft Auto!"

Games like Grand Theft Auto and Manhunt are given age ratings for a reason - big, prominent symbols, often now on the front of the box - although it seems some still don't look hard enough. While the system here in the UK is enforced by the law, in the US (Illinous notwithstanding) the ESRB's guidelines are voluntary. Surely the whole point of having these ratings is to limit the sale of adult-oriented games to adults? And if it's not going to be enforced, by either the parents or retailers, you have to ask, why bother? Of course this has all been said before, most recently and elloquently by Brian Clevinger of 8-bit Theatre (scroll down a bit from the comic to see).

Another thing that this new report confirms, is that sticking an 18 certificate on the cover of a game is only going to make it more desireable. It's to be expected - it's human nature. The more you can't have something, the more you want it - the complete sellout of Manhunt days after it was pulled from various store shelves is testament to this. I know the feeling - I played the original GTA when it first came out, when I was about 14. Knowing you're playing something you're not supposed to adds an element of danger to an otherwise mundane game, with the fear that you could be discovered and the whole thing taken away.

The irony is, that it doesn't matter how good or bad 25 to Life is when it sees daylight. It's going to sell like hotcakes. People now know the name, and will give it that bit more attention. It's a sad, strange state of affairs, and I can't see it getting much better.

The wanderer returns... after taking the scenic route and getting lost on the way to pick up a pint of milk...

Well now... it's been a while, hasn't it? I'm sure all my regular readers (both of you) have been getting worried about my extended leave of absence. Well, perhaps 'worried' isn't the most accurate term to use.. but maybe you'd like to know why I seemingly abandoned the place.

For a kick off, I've been so busy the past few weeks it's untrue. I don't think I've ever been this busy in my life. Birthdays, barbecues, family gatherings, nights out on the town, Episode III... for a while there, I believe I may actually have had a social life :)

You know the old movie cliche, when someone's sitting, staring blankly at a piece of paper? They know what they want to say, but don't know how to say it? That's what I've been having. Every time I start something, I only manage to get so far before the whole thing becomes an intangible mess of thoughts and ideas, and it's usually not long before I decide to come back to it later.
I've got a couple of half-finished posts sitting waiting to be be published, but every time I go back to round them off I either realise I have no idea what I was trying to say before, or find that what I was talking about is now old news, and no longer has any real relevance (and it doesn't help when I try to update right when the blogger systems are down for maintenence either).

I have a few other 'projects' on the go as well, stories and characters etched out in my head, with what I think is enough of a framework to start writing something. And then, as soon as I start setting it out in something slightly more tangible and rather less eratic than my own mind, new ideas spring forth and force me to rethink. It's driving me nutty.

There are a couple of other contributing factors, but I won't go into them here, lest I start to sound like a whingy git. And nobody wants that now, do they?. I'm gonna try and get back into the habit and actually update this thing. Maybe do more 'random thoughts' bits. Til next time...

Anime in the UK

In recent years the anime market in the UK seems to have exploded. The DVD scene is more alive than ever, there's merchandise aplenty, manga is going strong, there's a dedicated magazine going - there's even special hair products (!). So, what's all the fuss about?

I think part of the appeal of anime is that it presents stories that otherwise could not be told. If something like Cowboy Bebop was instead a live-action TV series, the budget would have been astronomically higher, and so much of its visual style would have been lost. Similarly, the world of Last Exile would be virtually impossible to recreate on the small screen without losing much of it's charm. Perfect Blue was initially going to be a live-action production, but for budget (and to a lesser extent, artistic) reasons it was decided that it should instead be animated. I'm glad, because we got one of the best anime psycho-thrillers out of it. There are some scenes that could not be shot in live action and retain the visual impact, such as the images of the idol Mima skipping through crowds and over streetlights.

The industry still seems to be having a hard time shaking off the image that it is little more than cartoon porn, a result of the now-infamous Urotsukidoji. It's no secret than hentai is an unshakable part of Japanese animation -and, indeed, culture- but all too often the media will focus on this aspect. It doesn't help when anime is still percieved as simple cartoons for kids, and the easily-offended and ill-informed begin to attack whatever happens to be the latest scapegoat. I would invite such people to sit and watch something like Perfect Blue or Ghost in the Shell, and see how they react. Certainly, these titles are not for kids, but they're proof that anime can be more than just big-breasted chicks with guns (on second thought, better not show the GitS, eh?).

On TV

A lot of anime's popularity can be attributed directly to Pokemon and Dragonball Z- they were the two franchises that gained the most attention, and if we're honest, really got the ball rolling. As soon as Pokemon proved to be a sucess, TV companies around the Western world were clamouring over one another to jump on the bandwagon, picking up anime shows left and right. Even the Sci-Fi Channel, previously the only place to see anime, made an effort to get in on the action, with the high-profile afternoon programme Saiko Exciting!, featuring Neon Genesis Evangelion and Martian Successor Nadesico. I think they made a grave mistake of trying to go head-to-head with Cartoon Network for the 5pm timeslot. Unsurprisingly, they lost; Saiko Exciting! was soon canned, and anime was pushed further towards the graveyard slot before ultimately disappearing from Sci-Fi's listings altogether.

Hopes were revived with CNX, Turner's channel aimed at 15-30 males. Essentially a more mature Cartoon Network, it had uncut Cowboy Bebop and Outlaw Star on at a reasonable hour. It was great - until it was canned nine months later. The Toonami section during the day was more popular, and Turner ultimately shed the grown-up stuff and relaunched the channel under the new name.

Now, it seems as though TV companies are unwilling to take the risks currently associated with anime. It's hardly surprising - of all the shows snatched up, how many were truly popular? Most were simple quick cash-ins, and I wouldn't be surprised if company execs felt the anime bubble had burst. There are still some shows willing to air anime - Jetix still has a healthy selection in it's lineup, but they're aimed squarely at kids. There isn't much that isn't there simply to sell the toyline (but this is hardly a new development - it was the reason for the existence of Transformers and He-Man, back in the day).

Maybe this is the perfect time to put fresh new shows for more mature audiences. When Neo magazine put out a call for what anime fans wanted to see on TV, many spoke up . When they put up a poll of the most popular picks and present the results to Toonami, maybe. This provides an interesing and rare opportunity for fans to have their say. Maybe, just maybe, we'll get to see our own version of Adult Swim. You never know, maybe Turner have learned from CNX and won't take as big a gamble.

On DVD

There are advantages to living in a smaller English-speaking country; all the translation and dubbing work has already been done for the US market, and while the selection here may not be as large, it's usually only the most popular, proven titles that make it over. We get the best, even if it does mean we have to go without the odd underated classic or niche title.

It's not all good news, however. The US market may be starting to show the signs of saturation, with some companies closing studios, merging or even staggering releases over more DVDs. There is just far too much being released far too quickly, and anime distibutors are struggling to get shelf space. Competition for A-grade titles is also driving costs up to unprecetended levels - just look at how long it took for Naruto to get licsenced. Naturally, anything that affects the US market is bound to have an impact on the UK's.

Nothing Changes

In the end, it doesn't look like anime's going anywhere just yet. There've been quiet spells before, and we're back on track with one of the strongest DVD lineups in memory. Even if the industry is going through a bit of a slump, it'll be back. We're not going anywhere.

The State of Things: Take Europe Seriously

I'm not sure how many times it's happened now. Too many to count, certainly. A promising new title appears on the horizon, word begins to spread that it's going to be the next big thing. As new details and images appear, you realise you'd really like to play this game. It's released across the sea to rapturous critical acclaim. People play the game, they tell their friends how good it is, those friends go out and buy the game. And pretty soon everyone's talking about it.

And then you find out it's not going to be released in your territory.

Well, bugger.

The most recent kick to the teeth was Katamari Damacy, a quirky little game from Namco that quickly made a lot fans on both sides of the Pacific. The momentum gathered on the internet by pretty much every US-based gaming site has led to surprisingly strong sales. And yet we'll probably never know how good it really is. Namco have been reported as citing "techical problems" to be the reasons behind the lack of a European launch - although I'm inclined that there is a far simpler reason - money.

Because there's more than one language to translate the game to, it makes it that bit more expensive to localise. Instead of releasing it in one country, you release it in a dozen. Each country needs its own marketing and promotion - the numbers all add up. And because Katamari's success was never garunteed, released at a competitively low price in the US, Namco's European division probably decided that they didnt want to take the risk with it - never mind the fact the game all but sold out a week after its US launch.

Well, we'll get the sequel at least, but only because the first performed so well stateside. I can't help but wonder if it's little more than an attempt at a peace offering... But Namco will have to do better than that to get back into my good books - we're still missing Xenosaga, to name but one, and it's a fair bet we'll never see upcoming crossover RPG Namco X Capcom or Gundam: the One Year War (which would be huge missed opportunity, as the movie trilogy it's based on is set to be released in the UK later this year). All the while we're subjected to the same substandard sequels - which nobody buys. So Namco end up with less money, which means they're afraid to take risks, which means no Katamari. A vicious cycle that shows no sign of stopping any time soon.

Namco are not the only ones guilty of this, however. Too many times have the European branches of Japanese companies decided not to release titles in this territory, despite relative success in others. Capcom haven't yet brought over the Megaman Anniversary Collection, although we've had the majority of Megaman games to date (thirty and counting).

In my eyes the worst offenders have to be Square. It took them until the seventh game in the series to release a Final Fantasy over here (excluding Mystic Quest, which doesn't count), and while we did get Secret of Mana, we have missed out on many others now considered classics. Legend of Mana, Chrono Cross, Xenogears and Einhander, to name but a few. And even when they did take the hint and begin releasing the classic Final Fantasy games on the PS1 (or were desperate to make some quick bucks after the whole Spirits Within mess), they still
managed to botch it. So while we did get FF1&2 and FFIV&V in double packs, VI was released on its own - and what is probably my favorite game ever, Chrono Trigger, was completely ignored It's especially unforgiveabe when t it was released as a double pack with FFIV in the States, with V&VI going together... They didn't even follow other companies leads and rerelease their old games on a system better suited for them - the GBA. Capcom revamped the first two Breath of Fires and released them for the GBA, and they sold pretty well. While the first two FF games are available for the GBA - and they have sold very strongly, as anything called Final Fantasy will - I can't help but feel it's another attempt at quick money - these games have been rehashed already on the Wonderswan Color and the PS1. Come on, Square, is it really that difficult to convert a couple more old games that are guarunteed suceesses, especially considering the huge fan following they have gained already?

It's not that I can't understand their reasoning. The market in Europe for the RPGs Square are famous is smaller than in other territories. Recent numbers for the sales of the new Star Ocean game indicate sales in Europe are just under a third of those in the US. But however much of a minorty such fans may be, they are no less fanatical for it. Those that we do get are usually snapped up very quickly, and become some of the most sought-after titles for any system. Just you try finding a copy of Paper Mario for the N64 - or worse, Panzer Dragoon Saga for the Saturn - without playing an arm and a leg.

Okay, so I've gone off track a bit, but my point still stands. Europe is usually last to get anything, although it's not all bad news, and sometimes this can even work to our advantage. The wait for Metal Gear Solid 3 resulted in a number of new features that the US and Japanese gamers have to wait for an updated version - and the Japanese will get their "special edition" or "director's cut", and happily devour it, as they always have. We also occasionally get the odd surprise that the US doesnt - Sony released Vib Ribbon here (no sign of the sequel as yet, but here's hopin).

Sega have had the right idea for a while. They have the nerve - or the financial power - to release titles that may be a little bit niche. We did see Space Channel 5 released here, we got Sega Bass Fishing, with the rod accessory, we got Bangai-O. Hell, we even got Samba de Amigo, complete with maracas - you don't get much more niche than that . The fact that we got Shenmue II while the US had to wait until the X-box release still brings a smile to my face (yes, I'm a bitter, resentful person), as does the fact that we got Rez (they had to wait for the PS2 version to see what all the fuss was all about). Minor victories, to be sure, but they do exist.

Nintendo have also been getting better in recent years. There was a time I was convinced we'd never see a PAL version of Donkey Konga, and yet there it is, one of the surprise hits of last year. And despite delays of well over a year, we've now got The Legend of Zelda: The Four Swords and Animal Crossing. We even got Zelda: The Minish Cap months before it ever surfaced stateside. Is this simply due to the fact that they need all the titles they can get for their system, though? The Gamecube has never been the most popular console in Europe - almost criminal when you consider the sheer number of quality titles in its arsenal.

Katamari is but the most recent of a long line of disappointments. I can't count the number of times a game has failed to materialise on this side of the ocean, which has then gone on to become one of the most talked-about titles stateside. It all gets a bit frustrating after a while. In the end, there are few options for European games gettin to play such games. Importing them is an expensive and often difficult practice, with few shops carrying them. And even if you do get the games, there's still the matter of getting to play them. Importing the console can be expensive, but is perfectly legitimate way of doing it. The cheaper option is to have your console mod-chipped - although doing so can have all sorts of implications, ethical and legal. Having a console chipped will usually mean not only the region locking is disabled, enabling play of imported titles, but also the copy protection. So, with the right equipment and a little know-how, anyone can download or copy console games. Sometimes though, this can be the only way to play such games, particularly for those with limited funds.

The other option is emulation, if the system is old enough. There's a whole wealth of gems for older systems that are undiscovered by most gamers, either because they didn't get a domestic release, didn't get enough publicity, or the gamer was too young to appreciate it (I know this was the case for me, and I let a good many games pass me by in my early years). This is how games like Chrono Trigger are often discovered - if you know how to find them. There are even groups dedicated to translating games that would otherwise never have been heard of - Seiken Densetsu 3 and Front Mission are but two examples of excellent games never released outside of Japan, but through the efforts of enthusiasts, they have found a whole new lease of life. But the moral and legal implications of such practices are another article in itself.

In the end, it doesn't look like such practices are going to stop any time soon. As long as companies see money over creativity, we're going to keep seeing more sequels to the same tired old games. If we're honest, they wouldnt be much of a company if they didn't put profit first, would they? But what I'm saying is that there should be room for both. As Europe is usually last to get everything of Japanese origin, they could at least use America as a testing ground. See which games sell and which don't. There can't be that much of a difference in market tastes (I sometimes wonder if the UK is little more than a mini-America). Even if they wanted to cut costs and release an english-only version for the whole of Europe, there are enough English speakers on the continent to warrant such a release, and all the work would have been done already by the US team. Just an idea..

As it stands, though, Europe will continue to be last to get all the good stuff. It's just the way it always has been, frustrating as it may be. So what do I see in store for the next year? Sega and Ninty will continue to release as many of their titles as possible in every territory, because frankly, they can't afford not to. The biggest release from Squenix this year is likely to be the Fullmetal Alchemist media onslaught, and possibly a Dragon Quest, if they feel nice enough. Capcom will continue more or less the way they have done, by rehashing the same old characters time and time again. Namco.. well, Soul Calibur 3 had better be good, to make up for recent transgressions.

I want my Katamai...

Post-Mortem: Zone Of the Enders: The 2nd Runner

Zone Of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
PS2, 2003

The first Zone Of the Enders game was one of the first titles available for the shiny new PS2. Directed by Hideo Kojima, the legend behind the Metal Gear Solid games, it was a solid enough mech action game, with fast-paced action, great visuals and spot-on controls. It also did pretty well commerically, although it's likely that the limited software library available for the PS2 at the time - and the fact that it came bundled with a demo of Metal Gear Solid 2 - had more to do with it's success than the game itself. In many respects, it was Kojima-san's "other" project, and suffered as a result - the ending was abrupt, the game short and borderline repetitive, and had little in the way of replay value. While I am a huge fan of anime and mecha, I must admit the game did leave me, in all honesty, feeling a little bit cheated.

So it's no bad thing The 2nd Runner is probably the epitome of the term "sequel". It takes the original and improves on pretty much everything. The story is more complete, the action is tighter, there is more variety. This is the game the first one should have been.

Set a few years after the first game, the story this time follows Dingo Egret, a war veteran now living as a miner on Callisto. He discovers a mysterious container abandoned on the surface. Inside is the Orbital Frame (giant robot) Jehuty, from the first game, which he promptly comandeers to protect his friends from the evil Bahram forces. From there the plot takes several twists and turns through a combination of anime cutscenes and conversations from the cockpit, which flesh out the various characters and make them that bit more human. Dingo, the soldier who's seen it all before, is seen to become attatched to those he would call "allies" through a series of loose bonds formed more through nessecity than anything else. Ken, the woman who "hires" Dingo, is not at all what she initially appears to be, and her motivations and feelings become clear as the game progresses. An older and marginally less whiny Leo makes a comeback from the first game, as does another - whos return is both a suprising and, thankfully, an reasonably explained one. Jehuty's AI, ADA, even becomes something of a thematic centrepiece to the story as it searches to define what "life" is, and whether or not ADA is in fact "alive". It's pretty engaging, and all the characters are well voiced - even if they do have to read some of the most laughable dialogue since Megaman started talking.

The actual gameplay is thick and fast, often with dozens of enemies to face at the same time. Jehuty is capable of a surprising number of maneuvers, all of which are easy to pull off thanks to an incredibly intuitive control system. You can fire single or multiple shots, launch a huge ball of energy or use one of a number of subweapons you gain access to as you progress through the game. Or you can close in and slash at the enemy with the sword attatched to it's arm. You can even pick up objects or grab enemies, and either use them as a weapon or shield, or throw them against other enemies or a nearby wall. The lock-on system is well implemented, and you can target and fire on dozens of enemies at the same time, while the camera follows the main target. Sometimes, though you can't seem to target the thing you want, or the camera can get a bit too close to Jehuty, especially in enclosed areas. On the whole though, it works well enough to only be a slight nusiance, and even then only an occasional one.

One of the problems with the first game was that it was all set on the same colony, and as a result the majority of areas were a variation on the urban theme, which began to blend together and feel a bit samey after a while. This, too, has been addressed. ZOE2 has a much broader set of locales, ranging from the ice-covered canyons of Callisto to the rocky red surface of Mars, while making stops inside massive battleships, in high in the sky, as well as the familiar cities. It all looks great though, with a vibrant graphical style that borders on cell-shading and a diverse pallete of colours. The animation is also top-notch, with fluid movement and surprisingly human characteristics to the orbital frames.

Acompanying the action is a soundtrack that always perfectly complements what's happening on screen. Although leaning towards a techno beat, there are a suprisingly diverese selection of other styles used. Frenzied melodies accompany boss fights, quiet piano pieces are played during emotional exchanges between characters, the J-pop theme song is redone as a bombastic arrangement during a mission to shoot down several massive battleships. There are even a few themes remixed from the original, as well as a theme from Gradius when you encounter the Vic Viper, the ship from that game. During battle, Dingo may pass the odd comment - and someone may even respond - but there are enough samples that they don't get repetitive or feel overused. It all works extremely well, and helps to solidify the feeling that you are in fact playing through a giant robot anime.

It's not without its faults, however. Somewhere along the line the idea of being able to choose which area to go to next was ditched in favour of a more linear approach. While this may suit the story a little better, I did miss feeling like I was the one controlling events, deciding whether or not to try and save some civlilians. The main campain is still rather short, with only around seven hours worth of play. Having said that, the fact that there are a ton of extra missions that can be unlocked by collecting items in the main campaign means there is ample reason to keep coming back.

When all is said and done, this is a fine action title that perfectly captures the feel of mecha anime. It has been announced that Kojima-san will not be working on the new MGS game, so I can't help finding myself hopeful that his new project will be a new ZOE game (wishful thinking, I know, but leave me alone). Now, if only Bandai could make a Gundam game like this...

Games You've Never Played: Rez

In the first of what may or may not be a long running feature, I take a look at some of the best games that you may never have heard of, let alone played. Which is a great shame, as these are some of the most revered and sought-after games out there. Although by no means a complete list, each of the games here is worth playing. Some defy convention and classification, others break down an established formula to its purest level, and some build on something familiar and put so much love and care into it that the end result is

So, without any further ado, here is todays pick of the most undeservedly ignored games..

Rez
Dreamcast, 2001
PS2, 2002

The first impression of Rez is usually something along the lines of "trippy". To say Rez is abstract would be like saying Monet did a couple of paintings. Perfectly true, but missing the point entirely and a huge understatement. It is usually categorised as a shooter, and sometimes as a music game, but it strips away many of the conventions you may be used to and creates a game based around pure sensation.

Anyone who's played the Panzer Dragoon games will be familiar with the basic setup - your character flies along a predetermined path, you hold down a button while targeting enemies, release to fire. There is some semblance of a story to the game, something about you being a hacker and going around a computer system to free some naked chick, but it's all secondary to the experience. The aim of the game is the good old-fashioned high score, something that has been sadly forgotten in many recent titles. Also worthy of mention are the boss fights, where the player is pitched against massive entities in prolonged battles of endurance.

Graphically the game is unlike anything else, using a palette of bright and vibrant colours instead of fancy textures, and with simple, blocky models for enemies and wireframes for backgrounds. This overly simplistic approach is hugely effective, however, as it causes the player to focus less on what they're looking at and more on what's going on.

Holding the package together is a great dance-style soundtrack that adapts to what's happening on screen, and gets increasingly intense as the player progresses through the level. Sounds play whenever the player fires at enemies, and whenever something is destroyed, but they come over in such a way as they are not truly noticed, again to help absorb the player into the whole experience.

Rez really is one of those things you have to see for yourself. One of those games that was developed to explore the possibilities of the medium, instead of to simply turn a profit. The director, Testuya Mizaguchi, has worked on a number of classic Sega titles, including Sega Rally and Space Channel 5. Citing his inspiration for Rez as Kandinsky, Mizaguchi-san's aim was snyaesthesia - a unifcation of the senses. As such, Rez interacts with as many senses as possible - you see it, you hear it and you feel it - and becomes almost hypnotic. It all comes together in a magnificent fusion of sight, sound and feeling.

Sadly, Rez did not do well commercially, as is often the case with such games that break the mould in such a manner. This undoubtably is because the game was just too "weird" for the average consumer (or because it wasn't based on a movie, wasn't a sports title and didnt have a famous face on the box - but that's entirely another rant for another time). It is also, in part, down to the fact that the Dreamcast version was released in only Japan and Europe, . The PS2 release did not fare much better, despite also being released in the US. Proof, if ever it were needed, that the truly innovative titles will always slip under the radar of most buyers.

It has now developed something of a cult status, and earned the title "sleeper hit". Those that did pick it up were impressed enough to keep a hold of it, making it quite hard to find. Even rarer is the PS2 version released in Japan with the trance vibrator included, a device that plugs into the USB port and vibrates to the music, which can have some unusal applications. If you do happen to see a copy, snap it up. You're not gonna see another game like this for a while.