Releases - April 2010

Do you feel the Spring a'coming? Its time for a new major season of television, the start of the second (and more active) quarter of game releases, and the opening games for our Boys of Summer!

Gintama has ended its 5 year run with its 200th episode this past week. In true slapstick style this one featured various interpretations of "Santa Claus" with no real meaning whatsoever. However the series director Shinji Takamatsu has told fans that "Its not over," leaving us to wonder if a "Gintama II" is in the works for the future. The manga is still running. Funimation has confirmed that it will be overseeing the Stateside release of Kuroshitsuji, which is good news for fans of the popular goth-mystery-feel series. A spinoff season, Kuroshitsuji II, is scheduled to start in July as well ensuring that this year will also be a popular one for costumes at Otakon. For Kekkaishi fans, your wait is over! Adult Swim will start airing the series in May in its late-nite timeslot thanks to the timely people of Viz. Finally the longest-running baseball manga in Japan, Major, makes a return to anime with its sixth season starting this month.

In the gaming world, Nintendo's DSi XL hits stores this week promising a bigger, brighter dual screen and better connectivity. Already DSi units are starting to edge into the market with all indications that despite the company's insistence that it won't replace the DS Lite, its going to do so anyways. Also on the edge of rumor are the newest designs Nintendo might have for a handheld console, the 3DS. Reportedly this version will allow game designers to present their media in 3-D without the use of special glasses.