Mobile Rabbit Roundtable 0080: Rabbits in the Pocket

DEATH TO GUNDAM.

funny_bunny: Hey hey, everyone! It's Chief Funbuns!

prettyprophet: And the Prophet.

Lavie Rhap: And I, Lavie.

funny_bunny: Lavie's a PROTECTOR.

prettyprophet: Ok, so we were talking today about CLASS OF HEROES. I'm really looking forward to this, even though I didn't care for Etrian all too much.

Lavie Rhap: Is it because of the school setting?

prettyprophet: Exactly, it IS because of the school setting.

funny_bunny: So! In our GLORIOUS ARROGANCE...we felt that since we, the Thousand Rabbits, always place ourselves in such games...OUR READERS SHOULD LEARN HOW TO MAKE US!

prettyprophet: Hell yes, we are just that narcissistic!

Lavie Rhap: It's actually somewhat of a strange phenomenon.

funny_bunny: It's SAME ALPHA WAVELENGTHS.

prettyprophet: Alright, people have no idea what we're talking about. A few years back, when the first Etrian Odyssey came out, Pat was playing it hardcore. I didn't give a shit. One day, Funny goes to her, "Oh, you're playing Etrian. How's that?" And Pat, she just starts gushing on and on like usual but adds, "Prophet (well, my real name) just took down so and so!" I'm like, "Huh, someone's got my name? That's rare." "Oh no, I put all of you guys in my game! Look, you're all so kawaii~~^_^"

And that's that story.

Lavie Rhap: From then on, whenever any of us play games that allow character customization, we try to fit in as many of our friends as possible. Interestingly enough, our choices in classes and characters are nearly identical.

prettyprophet: It's not THAT surprising since we know how everyone plays. But dear readers, we are going to tell YOU how to make the Thousand Rabbits when Class of Heroes comes out. Well maybe not, since...has anyone taken into account race? Because I just focus on class thanks to Etrian and Disgaea.

Lavie Rhap: We'll all be exploring new ground together.

funny_bunny: No worries! Etrian will be our template! DIDI DIDI DIDI.

prettyprophet: Giving you two classes per character and predicated race. Note: Pat was the one who got everything done pretty accurately so we're using her guidelines for this, which was base characters not on usefulness but on closeness to physical appearances and personality. Refer to Etrian Oddity.

nde



Main: Ranger/back-line attacker - something distant
Secondary: Samurai - something stoic from the Orient
Probable Race: Elf - "They prefer softer sounds, as the ancient Elf language is very poetic."

prophet sez: Pick the most depressed looking character for nde. Withdrawn, inattentive, small, and weak. You'd think Hexer, right? Nah, that's the creepy class; Nyx got that in Pat's and I think Funny gave it to holstein in his.

Prophet



Main: Warrior/front-line fighter - in your FACE
Secondary: Alchemist/back-line attacker - heavy attack, no magic shit
Probable Race: Elf - "They are a highly intelligent and pious race, and thus are well suited for spell-casting majors."

Lavie sez: Though Pat gave Prophet the Alchemist class in Etrian, that was mainly due to Prophet's major at the time (Chemistry). Choose an aggressive class that acts as the vanguard. Since her brother would be of the Elf race, she would have to be one as well, though I don't believe she would like that.

Lavie



Main: PALADIN'S ARE MALE ONLY IN CLASS OF HEROES/front-line defense - TANK
Secondary: Cleric/back-line healer - heel plz
Probable Race: Celestian - "A race with the blood of the heavens."

Funny sez: Lavie's supposed to be PROTECTOR OF US ALL and I gave her a Protector figure as a gift and it's AWESOME. But in Class of Heroes only GUYS can be Paladins and that's DETRIMENTAL to the FEMININE CAUSE. BOLLOCKS, SAYS I. So she can be Valkyrie instead.

Patty



Main: Thief/Troubadour/some sort of support - She's a Japanophile
Secondary: Gunner/back-line attacker - She's a slut
Probable Race: Halfling - "Even after coming of age, a member of this race is only about as tall as a human child."

prophet sez: Pat loves the most useless classes but in this case, thieves and whatnot will probably be necessary. Just pick the most energetic looking portrait. Why does she get halfling when she's as tall as I am? Because she's a goddamn CHILD.

Ed



Main: Doesn't matter/attacker - ATTACK
Secondary: Doesn't matter/attacker - ATTACK
Probable Race: Diablon - "Being of demon origin, they tend to be avoided by other races."

Lavie sez: I feel bad doing Ed's...(prophet: SHUT UP AND DO IT) Ed's class does not actually matter...we simply choose the most evil looking class. In Etrian, it was one Dark Hunter that looked quite like him, only with blue instead of red hair. He also dislikes any defense, preferring offensive capabilities all the time.

Ink



Main: Psychicer/back-line magic caster - STOIC
Secondary: Anyone that looks Indian (as in, India) - BRAHMAN
Probable Race: Dwarf - "They are as pious as they are strong, causing many of them to enter priestly fields as well."

Funny sez: WHY DID PAT GIVE HIM LANDSNECHT? Oh yes, because he was selling his soul at the time, fufufufu! INK, YOU SELLOUT BASTARD. Anyways anyways anyways, a classy class will suit Ink just fine. A little mystic BUT NOT TOO MYSTIQUE. He gets dwarf because that is as dark as Class of Heroes gets! And he's SHORT.

Funny



Main: Devout/front-back-whatever - crazy classes
Secondary: Any sort of healing thing - Funny loves healing, the freak
Probable Race: Sprites - "They are also small, but some theories suggest they use illusions to make them appear so."

prophet sez: Ah, the medic. Funny had Pat remake her medic into the lolipop one and name it after him (Pat already made him the male medic). But for Class of Heroes, who knows, Lavie'll probably take the healer slot if Paladins are out. Just pick someone who's like a sprite. You know, someone from the SPRITE race.

++++++++

prettyprophet: I have my own classes already set for a bunch of friends:

Mori = Wizard, Erdgeist
Nyx = Evoker, Diablon
Peking Duck = Kunoichi, Felpier
trev = Monk, Drake
Trojan = Samurai, Human
Whopper = Paladin, Drake
Emily = Ninja, Felpier

funny_bunny: Here's mine! BUT NOT ALL.

Honey = Wizard, Celestian
holstein = Monk, Diablon
-_- = Evoker, Human
7672359440 = Samurai, Felpier
Aerith’s Bitch = Alchemist, Halfling
Barbarossa = Paladin, Celestian

Lavie Rhap: I don't have a PSP so...I sadly will not be able to join in the school of heroic deeds.

prettyprophet: Man, I gotta write about why I love school-based games one day.

funny_bunny: DO IT NOW.

prettyprophet: Fuck off, I'm playing some ROTK XI.

funny_bunny: SO! Games the Rabbits can be lovingly placed into: Nippon Ichi stuff like Disgaea! Etrian Odyssey! Romance of the Three Kingdoms! Soul Calibur IV! Sins of a Solar Empire! Old skool RPGS! CLASS OF HEROES.

Lavie Rhap: Games that allow customization but has canon names don't count.

prettyprophet: Yeah, like I can name everyone in FF7 "Cunt" but we all know Cloud's name is Cloud. Cloud Strife. Because it's the opposite of Zack. Zack Fair.

Lavie Rhap: You'll never get over that, will you?

prettyprophet: No. I can honestly say that I am totally 100% positive that the sheer fucking stupidness of the reasoning behind those names CANNOT be defended by the fanbase.

funny_bunny: EASY EASY PROPHET, surely we can forgive Final Fantasy when we have such wonderful things like the love between Squall Leonhart and Rinoa Heartilly!

prettyprophet: Funny...you just HAD to put their last names in.

funny_bunny: CLASS OF 2009!

Lavie Rhap: Heroes, created by Tim Kring.

prettyprophet: Save the cheerleader, save the PSP.

Rabbit Roundtable: Valkyria Profile ~ On the DLC Front

VALKYRIA DLC ATTACKS.

prettyprophet: It fucking rocks. If you have Valkyria, get it. If you don't, get a PS3, get Valkyria, then download it.

nde: They should probably beat it first.

prettyprophet: Yeah, probably. So I've got a final tomorrow...fuck that, I played Selvaria's AND Edy's DLC. They're both awesome. I know, $5, that's a little steep...but it's Valkyria. And if this encourages Sega to make more (SKIES OF MOTHERFUCKING ARCADIA), I'm gonna toss 'em bones. SHUT IT YOU CUNTS, I did study, I'll be fine, SHUT IT FUNNY, KEEP CLEANING ACONY, YOU'RE DONE, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY EXCUSES.

nde: I bought the Edy Detachment DLC. Prophet bought Selvaria's.

prettyprophet: I was iffy on Edy since it's only one map compared to Selvaria's...maps. I don't want to spoil anything, so whatever. Anyways, nde wanted to chip in on VC stuff since I was the one who paid for the whole game; I was going to buy Selvaria regardless. You get a MG if you A-rank all of her's...nothing if you A-rank Edy.

nde: For Edy, different endings for different ranks.

prettyprophet: Technically both DLC's are fanservice filled...but Edy's is total fanservice. I'm not talking upskirt shit; just clean fun. So if you like Edy (minor spoilers), Homer, Lynn, Susie, Jann, and Marina, you'll love this DLC. Homer and Marina. They're great. Jann? Japanese makeup-wearing bears? Little too obvious.

nde: Homer has subtlety, then?

prettyprophet: Hold up, I can't believe we haven't talked about this yet: Rabbits in Valkyria, who would we be? Actually fuck that, we could just be ourselves.

nde: No, Lavie talked about this.

prettyprophet: When the hell was that?

nde: Some time ago.



prettyprophet: We need to get Funny to draw some shit. Too bad it'll suck. [funny edit: nonsense, IT'LL BE FANTASTIC. I can be Hans!]

nde: He's busy working on this thing.

prettyprophet: Usagiten?

nde: This other thing.

prettyprophet: Oh god. Ok, let's talk about the Edy scenario itself. Basically your squad of six is on its own and you have to defend a town. Simple as that.

nde: If any enemy enters your base area, you lose.

prettyprophet: No retreat, no redeploy, no medics, no orders. Just what you got.

nde: I think default equipment and levels are transferred over from the main game.

prettyprophet: Yeah, I think so too, since I tried to give Lynn the badass machinegun but it didn't work. What we mean by default is whatever your levels are as of playing the DLC. Like, we'd cleared the game twice over, so we're maxed out...Edy's DLC wasn't as challenging as it may be for others thanks to that. Then again, I watched nde B-rank it first, so I figured out how to A-rank on my turn.

nde: As for Selvaria's...

prettyprophet: I used a guide for the second map. I was like, "Fuck, I'll just A-rank it first, get the machinegun."

nde: Somewhat somber. Melancholy.

prettyprophet: Hey, not with that one scene. Huh, wink, nudge?

nde: Hm?

prettyprophet: Don't tell me you missed that.

nde: Missed what?



prettyprophet: I'll show you later. If you're a Selvaria fan, download this. I kinda am; the whole "oh I love you Max but I know you're just using me" is meh but fuck that, she's awesome. Really wish her boobs weren't designed for horndogs. And for our readers, nde just gave me one of his "you-have-no-idea-what-the-fuck-I'm-thinking" looks because he thinks I'm about to go off on Valkyria's female character designs. I'm not. They're very fucking impractical. That's all I'm gonna say. That's all I have to say. Kid, shut the fuck up.

nde: I haven't played "Behind Her Blue Flames" yet. I watched.

prettyprophet: Think you'll A-rank?

nde: Maybe. Usually the easiest. But tactically unsound.

prettyprophet: And how. So that's nde and Prophet, giving you impressions on two of Valkyria Chronicles's DLC packs: "Enter the Edy Detachment" and "Behind Her Blue Flames". Didn't get the Hard-EX mode because we haven't even touched the hard skirmishes yet. I guess I'll get to that after I finish Absence of Justice.

nde: Maybe when it drops in price.

prettyprophet: They cost $5 a pack. Selvaria's is definitely worth it since it's more than one map and gives you a gun and further characterization...Hard-EX (or Hard-SEX as Funny loves to call it) we don't know about, maybe Funny or Pat bought it [funny edit: NAW SON......Pat's not getting it either because she suxxx at Valkyria! SUCKS FALDIO'S PENIS!] but since it changes up your tactics completely and gives you new weapons to use, it's got the most literal bang for your buck...and Edy, get only if you like those soldiers involved. Otherwise, pray that Sega decides to make more DLC with people you DO like.

nde: That probably depends on how many people buy the DLC though. Sadly.

prettyprophet: What are you complaining about? You got Susie and Marina. Don't try to hide your lust.

nde: Homer?

prettyprophet: I'd do him. But that'd be statutory rape. And he'd love it. Seriously though, Aika and Vyse. Let's get those Skies of Arcadia kids in and maybe Sega'll give us more rocked out RPGs like Nintendo did with Fire Emblem (even though I hate Roy, Marth, and Ike).

nde: I'm going to sleep.

prettyprophet: And I'M going to listen to Olivia's latest single, "Sailing Free", play more Valkyria, and whip Funny into cleaning.

nde: I think he's playing VC as well.

prettyprophet: Vietcong, The Other Side, Love Love Love, close your eyes, we're all under the same sky, you have me, whoever you are, I...love you...

nde: Not studying anymore?

prettyprophet: Hush.


Images from some MU link of the preorder artbook. Hey, send us Valkyria doujinshi. Seriously.

Rabbit Roundtable: Persona 4 - Find Your True Pairing

"Heartbeat, Heartbeat, it keeps on pounding
Heartbreak, Heartbreak, you tell me goodbye
Heartbeat, Heartbeat, it keeps on pounding
Heartbreak, Heartbreak, you tell me goodbye"

We need some more girl protagonists, yo. MASSIVE SPOILERS INSIDE.

Wassup kids, it's Prophet and I am here to finally give you our thoughts on Persona 4. "Whoa, you guys are fucking late to the party. Half-assed Megaten fans you are." First of all, fuck you. As Ed says, "Any Megaten fan that likes Persona is a fake bitch." Therefore, none of us are really Megaten fans at all. Second of all, fuck Ed. The only reason it's taken this long for us (as in, me) to write anything is because we never would have written anything. What can we say? It's Persona 4, it's better than Persona 3 in...lots of levels, and I hope the next Megaten they're doing is part of the core series.

However, because I'm trying to avoid work (both school and Rabbit stuff) I'm going to personally write up some things. Expect random bits of input from random bits of Rabbits (the ones that cleared the game, that is). If for some reason the MASSIVE SPOILERS/TRUE ENDING tag hasn't scared you off and you haven't beat P4 yet...GET THE FUCK OUT.



They're gone? Alright, let's set this off:

Love. That's what we're going to talk about. To be precise...TRUE LOVE. As in, TRUE PAIRINGS. I know, this is kinda obsessive, this thing we have...but pairing people up is just NECESSARY. Don't ask why. But I'm not talking bullshit fan-fantasy pairings, like Koromaru and what's-her-face-teacher-Hermit-arcana. I'm talking actual "this is how it may as well be" ones. P3 was more rigid in this: obviously it was Yukari the Protagonist was supposed to go for; yeah, yeah, everyone fell in love with Mitsuru and Aigis but canon-wise, it's clearly Yukari. P4? Not so much...which is A LOT more fan-fantasy friendly and leaves it to your imagination. That said, I felt P4 was weaker on terms of "let's have a happy couple relationship" not because the Protagonist didn't click with X girl...but because there was someone BETTER for her to be with. Sidenote: we're ignoring most of the secondary characters for sake of focusing on the main ones. Anyways, we're going to get back to me and start off with nde:

nde's Perspective

Hetero
Chie and Yosuke: They meshed well.
Yukiko and Teddie: He'll be taken care of.
Naoto and Kanji: Fitting.
Rise and Protagonist: I ended up choosing this path.

Homo
Teddie and Protagonist: Blatant.

[prophet sez: He actually has some VERY risque things to add as well but he's a coward so he won't say it here. Funny will probably get to it.]



Lavie Rhap's Perspective

For the heterosexual relationships, I felt that the lack of a major plot point involving romances was a detriment, on terms of having a 'love story'. Persona 3's Yukari and Aigis especially stand out; Elizabeth's departure from the Velvet Room also stays with me. Persona 4 was more friendship-based, so I found it difficult to imagine 'proper' romances. Perhaps it was only me, but I saw much of our own interactions; to inexpertly shove a hackneyed 'epic' romance into Persona 4 would be folly. These are only teenagers, after all, within a period spanning one year. But since I am being pressed to provide my own interpretations on what may as well have occurred...

Naoto and Kanji are the most obvious of the pairings and provides the most humorous speculations of what may happen next in such a relationship. Yosuke and Chie's love-hate bickering was most enjoyable; I was reminded of Prophet and Ed (sorry, Pat!). Everything else is...rather open. I personally chose Ai to be with the main character; after all, who doesn't want to express their true self? Blending one's own experiences with gaming do make for a more interesting time. Now, while I can understand the undercurrent of homosexuality, only in Kanji's case does it become pronounced. As I've stated before, friendship takes priority over romance in Persona 4.



Kawaii Pattycakes' Perspective

[prophet sez: She doesn't get anything because she loves them all. ALL (with emphasis on Teddie and the Protagonist). So we'll let Funny handle this too, because as rambling as he can be, I'll make him be brief.

Oh, and she chose Naoto. "Because she's the closest to bish." Go figure.]



edthefucker's Perspective

That cousin and that uncle, where's the hentai for that shit? FUCKIN' A. [prophet/Pat/funny sez: DIE.]



Killer Ink's Perspective

I haven't played it. I'm not going to. [prophet/Pat/funny sez: LOSER.]



funny_bunny's Perspective

I wholeheartedly agree with nde! On the straight dealies, that is. Permit me to elaborate! Ok, see, Rise and the Protagonist are PERFECT for each other because they'll meet again MUCH easier! Yes, absence makes the heart grow fonder, but what of the star-crossed love of a STAR and a COMMONER? But of course, the TRUE LOVE is that between the Protagonist and...IZANAMI.

Fufufu, but can I neglect the HOMOEROTIC FUN? Nay, I shant...for I declare: ALL MALE SOCIAL LINKS ARE FILLED WITH SEXY.



prettyprophet's Perspective

The Protagonist of P4 is a total player. That said, my view on all this is more or less a mix of everyone else's views. Even though the 'love' deal is a pretty big part of this game, it's not; friendship, motherfuckers. Out of everyone, there is no 'this is our destiny' sorta shit. There's just a whole lotta implied and 'up-to-your-imagination'. I'm still going to put P4 above P3 because P3 played more to the stock types: Yukari = normal girl, Mitsuru = regal girl, Fuuka = gentle girl, Aigis = robot girl. Like, face it, P3's social links were all, "The fuck am I doing talking to this guy?" P4 got around this by having fewer non-essentials (Death link I'm not convinced on) and my personal favorite link, the Hanged Man. It wasn't just some random person; Naoki was and will be affected by you, the player. Now I'm not saying the P4 characters weren't all types...but we were technically getting two characters for every one: shadows, yo. Look at Kanji: he's a tough guy and a softie. Or Sayoko, crazy pervert nurse that's actually dedicated to her work. See? I'm not going to declare this the most realistic game since...Cho Aniki, but the characters are at least more believable. I will say this though: this is NOT the second coming of Christ for videogame characters. Just because they have shadow sides doesn't make P4 the equivalent of Godfather; hell, it's not even Fight Club. People have more than just a shadow. A lot more. Remember that shit.



All in all, I was very happy with P4 and I would seriously like to see doujinshi for every single pairing. Again, no bullshit pairings, just actual, 'this is what may as well have happened' pairings, like the Protagonist with...practically everyone. I will disagree with nde, Lavie, Pat, Funny...Chie and Yosuke don't work. Friends yeah, sexing each other up? I can't see it. Besides, we all know that Yosuke's had that thing for Saki, even if she never would've reciprocated. Naoto and Kanji are a given. But Lavie's right, it's all so open. And for the gay POV? Trojan finally got far enough to say something and here are his words of wisdom: "Hey, you know I love Ted...and Daisuke and Kou? Threesome time! But I liked the one with Naoki best. That was pretty sweet." Word up. I don't feel the sexual myself in that one, but I can understand it.

I ended up pairing together Yukiko and the Protagonist because...well, I got to see Naoto's and Rise's thanks to Pat and Funny. No one was doing Yukiko, so I was like, what the fuck, she's cool. I think she's the only girl character where the Protagonist actually gets to spend time alone with in story-related cutscenes...ok, maybe I'm mixing it up with social links, but I figure these two have the most potential for a long-term relationship. But ultimately...I'm going to have to go with Funny and restate the Protagonist x Izanami connection. Well...that's kinda TOO poetic, so fuck it.



So there, that's how we feel about a good number of the P4 relationships. I know, we didn't touch on everything. GO YELL ABOUT IT ON OUR FORUMS AKA THE REVOLUTION. Hey Atlus, next Persona, give us girl protagonists! Don't you think it's our turn to shop for some love? BRING ON THE BOYS.









All images from BE YOUR TRUE MIND.

Rabbit Review: Oxide 2x

Title: Oxide 2x
Artist: Hyung-Tae Kim
ISBN: 4-7577-2095-5
Publisher: Enterbrain
First Published: January 2005
Format: Hardcover, 7.5 x 10.5 inches
Language: Japanese
Pages: 176
Purchase Price: $34 US
Purchased From: Yesasia
Extras: None

In November 2005, Magna Carta: Tears of Blood was released, published by Atlus. It was a spiritual sequel to Magna Carta: Phantom of Avalanche and may have had a successful run in Japan, since a PSP version was created and there have been rumors of an Xbox360 sequel. However, in the Western world, Tears of Blood wasn’t received as such, on the account of the banal graphics and awful voice acting. Ah, if I could stop there…but I continue. The Korean RPG played out like an unholy union of Shadow Hearts and Star Ocean, taking the best features from each series and throwing them out the window. The question we have to ask now is: what was the saving grace? The answer? There wasn’t any. But there was one mitigating factor: the artwork was done by Hyung-Tae Kim.





Recollect the mantra “sex sells”. If sales were based purely on that, anything done by Hyung-Tae Kim would fly off the shelves. It’s impossible to look at his art and not think impure thoughts. Eyes that would make you swoon, a trim figure, and skin-tight clothing that reveals ample thighs…bear in mind, this is the description of Calintz, the male protagonist of Tears of Blood. And as for Kim’s ladies? Voluptuous is the word. Masculinity, femininity, and androgyny; all blended together through the craft of Kim. Characters are poised and posed in the most captivating ways, as if being without flair would cause the collapse of the universe.

And so we have a book from Hyung-Tae Kim, an artist whose talents deserve better treatment than the aforementioned game. Just because a game is bad doesn’t mean all aspects follow suit, no?





Oxide 2x is the Japanese print of Kim’s artwork from 1999-2004. There was previously a Korean release of OXIDE: The Art of Genesis, hence the ‘2x’ in this one’s title. It so happens that the Korean version of Oxide 2x, Oxide 2: Carta Numinous, has less pages than the Japanese since OXIDE covered Kim’s earlier work but contains extra art not seen in Oxide 2x. Slightly confusing, yes? Of course, that’s all irrelevant since the Korean books are no longer in print and the Japanese release is the only one we have before us.





The artwork isn’t in chronological order, with oldest to newest. Rather, it’s the opposite, starting with Magna Carta: Tears of Blood and ending at The War of Genesis III, with sketchwork to close. Magna Carta: Tears of Blood, known in the East as Magna Carta: Crimson Stigmata, totals 43 pages, with each page usually holding a single character. Exceptions would be the illustrations done for cover art, promotion, etc. This is understandably Kim’s most polished work in the book, as it is his latest. A wonderful addition is that for every character, their names, date drawn, resolution, and file size are included.





Chapter Two is 2001’s Magna Carta: The Phantom of Avalanche, released in South Korea and nowhere else. Curious to see how Tears of Blood’s Calintz contrasted Phantom of Avalanche’s. The 37 pages here are just like the preceding chapter, but also squeezing in a brief “How to Paint” guide. By ‘brief’, I mean that it is ‘exceedingly brief’. No words, just a series of small images showing the coloring of the character Chelsea. Not sure how helpful it is since I’m no expert on painting via CG. (funny_bunny: Look at the photo of Kim’s desk! I use the exact same pencil he does!)





Pages 87 to 160, which are the next two chapters, consist of War of Genesis III and War of Genesis III: Part 2. Another series by Softmax; another series that I wouldn’t count on reaching stateside. Several of characters share the same page, possibly due to the amount of them. This is especially evident in the War of Genesis III section. It’s Kim’s most early work, but his technique isn’t all too different, so no worries there. Thankfully, Part 2 is mostly spared from that kind of formatting, as that’s my favored chapter. The remaining chapter, made up of 14 pages, is packed with various rough sketches, most of it from the Phantom of Avalanche section. Interestingly enough, the back cover of Oxide 2x advertises itself as having 50 sketches. I suppose that’s true in the sense that there are 50 individual sketches; they’re just spread out over 14 pages.





Judgement:
Oxide 2x is definitely an artbook to get. With the majority of it rich with Hyung-Tae Kim’s illustrations, what’s not to love? Hardcover, two-paged spreads; all of it very professional and clean. Really, all it boils down to is whether or not you’re fond of Kim’s art. As he’s stated in interviews, he is intentionally sensual and sexual. And I, for one, can applaud that.

Author:
Lavie Rhap is a freelance writer who contributes to a number of sites and zines using multiple pseudonyms. Once thought that Super Smash Bros. was a sequel to Super Mario Bros.

Consultants:
prettyprophet is hot-tempered hellion who is always right. Lead singer in a band that constantly changes names and only does secret shows (mainly because they suck).

Kawaii Pattycakes is a self-admitted otaku with thousands of dollars worth in figures. Bought all of “Planet Blood” because she hoped it would be done by THE Hyung-Tae Kim; was sadly mistaken.

funny_bunny is an aficionado of artbooks and craves sushi. Supplies artbooks and recipes to Lavie for reviewing and cooking.









*Images from forgotten or unknown sources. May have been DGP or Hyung-taekim.org.

Rabbit Review: Shining Tears - Collection of Visual Materials

Title: Shining Tears – Collection of Visual Materials
Artist: Tony Taka
ISBN: 4757722346
Publisher: Enterbrain
Format: Softcover, 8.5 x 11.25 inches
Language: Japanese
Pages: 127
First Published: March 2005
Purchase Price: $28 US
Purchased From: Animebooks
Extras: None

If you can recall, March 2005 had the release of Shining Tears. If you can’t, I don’t fault you; it was an action RPG that has the dubious honor being X-Play’s “3rd Worst PS2 Game Ever”. Perhaps the reason was because of the game’s lineage: the Shining series was beloved for its tactical titles and reviled for its drastic changes in genre. Regardless, the artwork was pleasant enough to catch my eye and I would learn that Tony Taka, or just plain ‘Tony’ was responsible for it. Then I would later learn that he was also responsible for the art of several of Japan’s infamous ‘adult’ games. Yes, that kind of game. Not surprising, considering how many artists dabble in the erotic: Ghost in the Shell’s Masamune Shirow or Growlanser’s Satoshi Urushihara. Even Akira Toriyama of Dragon Quest and Dragonball fame ended up in the adult artbook Bitch’s Life Illustration File.





Tony’s Shining Tears – Collection of Visual Materials is as its name suggests: an artbook containing all things visually related to Shining Tears. His art may have struck a chord with fans of Shining Tears, what with the sequel Shining Wind bearing his touch.

It opens with a gallery of 24 full color images, all illustrations of the Shining Tears cast; the females take up most of those pages. The fact that they seem to have more love invested into them should be expected, given Tony’s background. Following that is a four page interview with the man himself, which then segues into the individual character illustrations. Thirteen pages of character graphics, since there are thirteen principle characters. Then 24 pages of their profiles, containing early sketches and portraits.





At this point, we’re then treated to about 27 pages describing the Shining Force world; not a good thing if you’ve bought this for the art. In this “World” section, there’s also artwork for the landscapes, NPCs, and enemies. This artwork appears to have been done by another artist, as the style varies too greatly and Tony appears to have been billed only for character design.

There’s a second interview with Tony and the storyboards for the opening cinematic, side-by-side with the finished product for comparison. To end the book, we’re provided fifteen pages of linework selected from the gallery section.





I know Visual Materials sounds like it holds a great deal but it’s only 127 pages. Out of that 127, I’d believe 76 are pure art; taking out the fifteen pages of linework, as they’re reiterations of gallery work, brings us down to 61 pages. So if it is quantity you’d like in your artbooks, this one’s lacking. This is not something unexpected; “visual collection” artbooks tend to be a way to make money off fans of the respective games, compared to artbooks that span an artist’s career. Still, there’s a lot of background information of Shining Tears, plus the interviews, so this could be absorbing if you can read Japanese.

Judgement:
Personally, I’m not that big of a Tony fan. His characters edge too close to the cliché for my tastes and the female-to-male ratio is rather unbalanced. However, I can see how his style can be appealing to the senses, given his aesthetically pleasing females. With that said, I find it hard to recommend Shining Tears – Collection of Visual Materials. If you’re a fan of the Shining Force series, chances are you won’t take a liking to Shining Tears and Tony’s art, as charming as it is, probably won’t sway you to buy the artbook. The same applies to anyone who’s simply looking for some fine art; Visual Materials isn’t worth the bother. Now, if you already are a fan of Tony, then by all means, get this. A glossy gallery, interviews, sketches; all wonderful. Just keep in mind that only half of it is actual art, which can be a sore spot for those wanting more.

Author:
Lavie Rhap is a freelance writer who contributes to a number of sites and zines using multiple pseudonyms. When not undertaking research, she enjoys reading classical texts and being the moral compass of the Thousand Rabbits.

Consultants:
Kawaii Pattycakes is a self-admitted otaku with interest only in Asiatic culture. Every cent she earns is put into funding her hobby; it is only through intense efforts of prettyprophet does she experience the rest of the world.

funny_bunny is [CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED] megaten [CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED] artbooks [CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED] cakes.









*Images from Aethereality Gallery and DPG because funny_bunny didn't want to scan his own book.