Tuesday, November 05, 2024

Music News

Music

Kenshi Yonezu Announces First-Ever Tour Across Europe, Asia, and the U.S.

Japanese singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu has announced his first-ever U.S., Asia, and European tour dates. His world tour kicks off with two performances in Shanghai on March 8 and 9, 2025...

Theodore Mak - 09-10-2024

Music

NCT DREAM US Tour Starts this Month

South Korean boy group NCT DREAM, formed by SM Entertainment, will be kicking off the first leg of their US tour this month in Los Angeles, California on September 12...

Theodore Mak - 05-09-2024

Music

Lovebites US Tour Begins Soon

We are almost to the beginning of Lovebites' US tour. This is a long-awaited series of performances, and in a way, it's surprising that it took this long. One of...

Brian Lee - 03-09-2024

Music

SiM PLAYDEAD World Tour in America Begins Soon

SiM, who we last saw live at Crunchyroll Expo in 2022, is embarking on a world tour in support of their latest album, the PLAYDEAD World Tour.  They'll be spanning...

Brian Lee - 10-04-2024

Anime News

Anime News

BEYBLADE X at San Diego Padres Games

BEYBLADE X is going to San Diego, offering fans an opportunity to battle at Petco Park during two San Diego Padres home games. The event will take place on August...

Theodore Mak - 18-08-2024

Anime News

Shion Wakayama AVIOT Talk Show @ Anime Expo 2024

Anime Expo 2024 was brimming with excitement, and one of the standout moments was the talk session at the audio company AVIOT’s booth in the Entertainment Hall featuring the talented...

Administrator - 18-07-2024

Anime News

Warner Bros Anime Expo Panel - Batman Ninja vs Yakuza League and Suicide Squad Isekai

Warner Bros. Animation unveiled the Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League trailer at their recent panel at Anime Expo. This highly anticipated sequel to the 2018 film Batman Ninja gave fans a glimpse of what to look...

Salvador Mateos - 16-07-2024

Anime News

FAKKU Guest Spotlight Q&A: Karasu Chan

NOTE: This article is meant for those 18+. Discretion is advised. For this year, FAKKU's guest is none other than Karasu Chan, an artist from Taiwan. Karasu Chan is well known...

Brian Lee - 14-07-2024

Anime News

Studio Bones Gachiakuta Panel @ Anime Expo 2024 Report

Studio BONES held a panel on July 4th, 2024 at Anime Expo. Hosted by Joey Bizinger (aka The Anime Man), fans got to hear about the upcoming anime adaptation of...

Theodore Mak - 12-07-2024

Gaming News

Gaming News

Dying Light: The Beast Announced - Gamescom 2024

It's been some time since we have heard anything from masterminds over at Techland and what is in store for the Dying Light franchise. During Opening Night Live at Gamescom, Techland...

Ken Dubois - 20-08-2024

Gaming News

Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage Ai Furihata and Mayu Yoshioka Talk About Being Idols In a Game - Anime Expo 2024

I have always been obsessed with rhythm games and Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage has been at the top of my list. At this year's Anime Expo, Sega brought a playable...

Ken Dubois - 04-07-2024

Gaming News

XSEED Games Announces Anime Expo 2024 Lineup and Hidden Title

XSEED Games has unveiled its plans for this upcoming Anime Expo during the 4th of July weekend.

Ken Dubois - 28-06-2024

Gaming News

Life is Strange: Double Exposure Gets a New Trailer Showing Off Gameplay and New Details

Square Enix has released a new Life is Strange: Double Exposure Trailer revealing everything players want to know about its latest entry in the Life is Strange universe.

Ken Dubois - 13-06-2024

 

The MMORPG Industry

This one was short and sweet. Developers from various companies gathered together and talked about where MMORPGs are going. The answer? In strange, crazy new places. Ultimately, as most of you probably know, MMOs are hard to sink money into in the first place, even harder if you're trying to be innovative. Games like Minecraft may not seem like much, but user-created content has repeatedly reared its head as a powerful force within MMOs. Of course, at the end of the panel someone asked how anybody could topple World of Warcraft, and the response was a laugh. Apparently, people used to ask the exact same question about Everquest. Ultimately MMO's probably won't be on their death bed for a long time if ever, but progress and innovation is coming mostly from the smaller studios with less to lose.

 

Marvel: Breaking into Comics the Marvel Way

Yeah, we're a Japanese content industry news site, but comics are comics, right? Even though Japan makes comics in a totally different way, with one mangaka being solely responsible for most of the artwork and all of the story, some of the advice still translates. It comes down to two simple things: be talented, and be lucky. That may sound dismal, but the Marvel guys said that breaking into comics is like breaking out of jail: once someone finds a way out, that path gets covered up and you have to find a new way out. Do not despair, however! The internet, as stated by the Marvel guys, has become such a major way to find new talent that they are constantly hiring artists. If you can produce pencils, colors, or scripts and show them off online, then whoever is looking over your portfolio can go online and find your best work in a nice, neat package. Also, if you can make it down to a convention, do so! Comic book companies are always holding art reviews, so you'll get one on one time with a professional who can critique your stuff. Yes, they will actually work WITH you to set you on the right path. If you can take their advice and fix something up by next convention, well that just shows commitment and perseverance.

 

Evolution of Comics in the Transmedia Space

What the hell does that mean??? It was a panel about how comics are evolving in a world full of iPads, internet, and movie adaptations. The good news is that comics are evolving, and some artists and companies are taking serious steps to branch out like using motion comics and working with musicians to reach a new audience. The bad news, and there is a lot of bad news, is that the major companies, Marvel and DC, are spending more time trying to out do one another and less time focusing on their personal strengths. Furthermore, no one is getting younger people to read. There are no cross promotions between superhero movies and their comics counterparts, nor is anyone making any serious effort to reach out to new readers. It's getting pretty dismal too: comics are selling in the thousands these days whereas about a decade or so ago, an entire series might get canned if numbers dipped below one million. Scar stuff!

 

How to Get into the Video Game Industry

This was the fun one! There were developers from Capcom, Electronic Arts, and Off-Base productions, a company which produces manuals for games. Ultimately video games seem far more hopeful in terms of breaking in than comics. There are a lot more job that require less specialized skills, and the industry serves as a nice mix between casual and corporate. The work you do will carry over one or two companies over, such is the inclusive nature of the industry. As far as breaking in, really its about training yourself in a particular field and the willingness to work hard, work a boring job, and stick with it. A lot of people get in through marketing and QA testing, but keeping up with everything can eventually lead to Producer or other high-rank role. As for the more creative end of things, it again comes down to being talented. If programming or designing is what you really want to do, work hard and be the best!

MORE STORIES

Oct.15

Convention News

Bay Area Anime Impulse/K-Play! Fest/Collectors Expo 2024 Impressions

Returning for its second year in the San Francisco Bay Area, Anime Impulse arrived at the San Mateo County Event Center on October 12-13. If you're unfamiliar with Anime Impulse...

Oct.09

Music

Kenshi Yonezu Announces First-Ever Tour Across Europe, Asia, and the U.S.

Japanese singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu has announced his first-ever U.S., Asia, and European tour dates. His world tour kicks off with two performances in Shanghai on March 8 and 9, 2025...

Sep.05

Music

NCT DREAM US Tour Starts this Month

South Korean boy group NCT DREAM, formed by SM Entertainment, will be kicking off the first leg of their US tour this month in Los Angeles, California on September 12...

Sep.03

Music

Lovebites US Tour Begins Soon

We are almost to the beginning of Lovebites' US tour. This is a long-awaited series of performances, and in a way, it's surprising that it took this long. One of...

Aug.20

Gaming News

Dying Light: The Beast Announced - Gamescom 2024

It's been some time since we have heard anything from masterminds over at Techland and what is in store for the Dying Light franchise. During Opening Night Live at Gamescom, Techland...

Aug.18

Anime News

BEYBLADE X at San Diego Padres Games

BEYBLADE X is going to San Diego, offering fans an opportunity to battle at Petco Park during two San Diego Padres home games. The event will take place on August...

Aug.14

Game Reviews

Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse (PS5) Review

Everyone’s favorite crime-fighting lagomorph and canine duo are back! Originally released in 2010 by Telltale Games, this remaster brings the graphic adventure to the latest generation of consoles/PCs. This release...

Jul.18

Anime News

Shion Wakayama AVIOT Talk Show @ Anime Expo 2024

Anime Expo 2024 was brimming with excitement, and one of the standout moments was the talk session at the audio company AVIOT’s booth in the Entertainment Hall featuring the talented...

Jul.17

K-pop

EVERGLOW Returns to the US for their 2024 Tour - Pulse & Heart

K-pop powerhouse EVERGLOW is set to embark on their 2024 "Pulse & Heart" tour, marking their return to the international stage after a series of successful releases and promotions. The...

Jul.16

Event Reports

Hololive Night at Dodger Stadium Report

The Hololive Night at Dodgers Stadium was a unique collaboration between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Hololive Productions. Popular VTubers Usada Pekora, Hoshimachi Suisei, and Gawr Gura participated in baseball...

Jul.16

Anime News

Warner Bros Anime Expo Panel - Batman Ninja vs Yakuza League and Suicide Squad Isekai

Warner Bros. Animation unveiled the Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League trailer at their recent panel at Anime Expo. This highly anticipated sequel to the 2018 film Batman Ninja gave fans a glimpse of what to look...

Jul.14

Anime News

FAKKU Guest Spotlight Q&A: Karasu Chan

NOTE: This article is meant for those 18+. Discretion is advised. For this year, FAKKU's guest is none other than Karasu Chan, an artist from Taiwan. Karasu Chan is well known...

Jul.12

Anime News

Studio Bones Gachiakuta Panel @ Anime Expo 2024 Report

Studio BONES held a panel on July 4th, 2024 at Anime Expo. Hosted by Joey Bizinger (aka The Anime Man), fans got to hear about the upcoming anime adaptation of...

Jul.10

Anime News

2.5D Seduction Premiere at Anime Expo 2024

As mentioned previously, 2.5D Seduction is a series near and dear to my heart.  There's just something that resonated with me.  It might have been the cosplay bit, maybe the...

Jul.09

Anime News

Oshi no Ko at Anime Expo 2024 - Anniversary Screening and Season Two Premiere

Oshi no Ko should not need any introduction. The white-hot anime has taken both Japan and the world by storm. I happened to read all of the manga's available chapters...