Releases - February 2010

I'm hereby totally ignoring the fact that I haven't updated the blog for months. Usually February is a pretty quite month for releases anyways, due to the passing of the holiday season. But there are a fair number of juicy tidbits floating around in the news.

One Piece fans, this is either really funny or really disturbing. I suppose given the series' very long publishing run it was just a matter of time before AnimeNewsNetwork reported that the ladies of One Piece just officially got their own "3D Breast Mouse Pads" from online retailer Amiami.com.

These were OK'd by the manga publisher for some odd reason and feature Nami, Robin, and Hancock. Personally I'm laughing my head off, I hope Eiichiro Oda is as well. Nothing like your favorite anime adventure series being served up with a little...hmmm...spice?

The award-winning manga Ookiku Furikabutte is getting a second anime season, but unfortunately Funimation won't be picking up the rights for distribution in the US. They released the first season on DVD last fall but are citing "poor sales" and low interest in baseball (if not all sports) anime. (Hello, economy, people...sheesh!) Under the radar, LEVEL5's Inazuma Eleven game series is getting a third anime season, which is boosting hope that a third installment of the popular soccer RPG will be coming to the DS. Nothing has been confirmed so far. Also the tenth One Piece film Strong World and Professor Layton: The Eternal Diva both placed in the top 10 at the Japanese boxoffice since their double debut the week of Dec. 12th.

Also of note, though I can't play it with my current systems, is the independently developed action sidescrolling game The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom, to be released on Xbox Live this upcoming month. This game was developed around the concept of bringing the feel of silent films into the gaming experience, and I'll say that the developers have certainly succeeded. If its one thing the online realms of consoles is good for in this day and age, its the freedom people now have to publish quality material like this. Here's hoping it comes to a system I actually own soon!!


Games

• White Knight International Edition (PS3) - 2/2
• Bioshock 2 (PS3) - 2/9
• Star Ocean: The Last Hope International (PS3) - 2/9
• Ragnarok DS (DS) - 2/16
• The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (Xbox Live) - 2/17
• Major League Baseball 2K10 (All) - 2/28
• Dawn of Heroes (DS) - 3/2

DVDs

• Murder She Wrote: Complete 11th Season - 2/2
• Naruto Uncut Season 2 Boxset #1 - 2/2
• Naruto Shippuden Vol. #6 - 2/9
• Soul Eater Part 1 - 2/9
• Bleach Boxset 4 Part 2 - 2/16
• Case Closed Movie 6 - 2/16
• Claymore Complete Series - 2/16
• Heroic Age Complete Series - 2/16

Books

• Black Butler Vol. 1 - 1/26
• Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles Vol. 25 - 1/26
• Shugo Chara Vol. 8 - 1/26
• Sonic the Hedgehog Archives #12 - 1/27
  
• Naruto Vol. 47 - 2/2
• One Piece Vol. 29-33 - 2/2
• D.Grayman Vol. 16 - 2/2
• Eyeshield 21 Vol. 30 - 2/2
• Kekkaishi Vol. 20 - 2/9
  
• InuYasha Vol. 45 - 2/9
• InuYasha VizBig Edition Vol. 2 - 2/9

Sources: AnimeNewsNetwork, TVShowsOnDVD, GameSpot, Mania, Borders Books & Music