Now downloading: Galgun demo (this time for real)

The Galgun demo is actually available for download on Xbox Live Marketplace for Xbox Live Silver (read: free) members. As we speak, I am downloading it. It's 1.4 GB in size, so it'll be some time before I can report to you success or failure. Or both, depending. There's also a note on the official site apologizing for long load times on the demo, and promising faster load times on the official release.

If only you accepted dollars...

There's also DLC (downloadable content) available for the newly-released game. First, for 800 Gates Points, there's an "underwater mode" where all the girls are wearing swimsuits and move just a bit slower for you. For 400 GP they'll dress in maid outfits and try to deliver maid cafe items to you (it's a tie-in with a particular maid cafe, Sengoku Maid Cafe and Bar Mononobu). And for 80 GP you can get an icon pack.

(Remember, Gates Points are not interchangeable between regions, so points bought in Europe or the US won't work for Japan or Asia.)

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go out and crack the whip on the bits so they come in faster.

April Fool's Joke Becomes Reality

Famitsu is reporting that Irem's April Fool's Day joke from 2001 will actually be released as a PSP game. To which I say: Oh. Em. Gee.

Back in 2001, this was the talk of April Fool's Day.

The original joke site was amazingly detailed for its day, and included pixel art and data for all 108 heroines, as well as a coffin-sized limited edition box set. That's 2 meters by 1.3 meters by 0.4 meters, or 1040 liters of love-sim greatness.

2011 version's heroine, Haizeru Yuuko. Pic from famitsu.com

The PSP game, on the other hand, appears to be a cosplay simulation. Other details are sparse, but it appears set for an April release. Perhaps on April 1st we'll find out this was all just a dream.

Pretty Rhythm works towards world peace

There's a new idol anime coming to town this April, and it's called Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream. The "super point blank range" seiyuu unit LISP will be voicing the main characters: Asumi Kana as Aira (center, below), Kataoka Azusa as Rizumu (right), and Hara Sayuri as Mion. The three will also be singing the opening theme song.

Is your rhythm pretty?

Avex idol group SUPER☆GiRLS will be providing the ending theme. The other interesting thing about this production is that it's a collaboration between Japanese toymaker Takara Tomy and Korean toy and game company Sonokong. In other words, it's a step towards world peace! Or something.

More details to come, but according to the official website there will be fancy clothes, cute boys, and... ice skating? All righty then.

What are you watching? January 2011 edition

Japanese TV is divided into quarterly seasons, and this January brought us a new one. Kicking off with Rio Rainbow Gate on the 4th, to the most recent Fractale on the 14th, at least 17 new anime shows have premiered so far this month.

So, what are you watching?

If you had one wish, what would you wish for?

Through two and a half weeks, here are my impressions on the new shows (in the order of the premiere date):

New Promo Video: Afterschool Pleiades

The guys and gals at Gainax can't seem to make up their minds whether they want to make cute stuff (like Hanamaru Kindergarten) or weird stuff (like Panty & Stocking), but it looks like Afterschool Pleiades (放課後のプレアデス) will be more like the former than the latter. More proof is in the promo video they released this weekend.

The web anime series will be out exclusively on Youtube starting February 1.

Bakatest TV resumes in summer, OVAs to fill void

Over at bakatest.com, they've announced that season 2 of the heartwarming story of idiots, tests, and summoning will hit the airwaves in summer 2011. Last month they also announced OVAs, due out in February and March of this year. Thanks to these (wholly expected) developments, Bakatest fans will have plenty to laugh about in the coming weeks and months.

What, no Hideyoshi? (pic from bakatest.com)

Tamayura TV announced

Tamayura, the heartwarming story of a girl who loves photography, is graduating from OVA to TV. Also, the main cast from the OVA series will all be coming back for the TV series as well. Air dates and TV stations to be announced at a later time.

Congratulations, indeed. (Pic from tamayura.info)