#digimon masters 2022

[pokemonplushgamer]

Digimon Masters Roblox: New Player Guide to Mikemon!

[madhogthymaster]

Madhog’s Top 10 Games of 2022

Do you remember that popular coping mechanism that took root on the Internet in 2016? That time we were all shocked and appalled a Fascist demagogue was elected ruler of the so-called Free World? When some people on the more privileged end of the living spectrum came to the sudden realization that the Neoliberal sociopolitical establishment wasn't as "cool" as they thought it was, that the excesses of Capitalism begot the rise of Fascism, that Life wasn't "fair" under the rule of parasitic billionaires with the intellectual quotient of a 4chan forum? That last part is more of a recent collective realization but the point still stands. 2016 was a turning point for a lot of people, a fundamental shift in the manner by which they beheld the world around, above and below them. It was certainly traumatic to see the facade of Democracy crumble in front of our very eyes as History repeated itself. As such, new ways to deal with this experience had to be created on the spot.

This brings me back to my initial question: do you remember the trend of blaming individual years for how bad things were? This understandable yet profoundly flawed take that all of our deeply rooted societal maladies, the result of decades (if not centuries) of systemic injustices designed to keep the powerful in power, could be magically blamed to just one nasty solar cycle and not, say, literal human greed and widely platformed bigotry? I certainly remember it. I recall when "2016 was the worst year ever" and I remember when "2017 was actually the worst year" and I certainly have not forgotten how 2020 became the "ultimate worstest year" because of that pesky pandemic we all know and loathe. 

Afterwards, the trend just stopped. Its existence became moot as the world never truly left 2020: there was still a pandemic, there were still the same sociopolitical issues, the spectre of all out Authoritarianism still hung above us, more vile and dangerous than ever before, with a new war on the horizon and human rights getting stripped away little by little, piece by piece. It became clear that "X is the Worst Year" wasn't working anymore as a coping mechanism, that the dark times would not suddenly go away at the break of dawn and that every single day felt a little more bleak, a little less hopeful...

So, anyway, 2022 sure was a bad year, uh? It was quite terrible on almost every possible front to the point that the pandemic felt like the least of our troubles - and that is, indeed, saying a lot. However, I will tell you it was actually a great time for videogame releases. I mean, the game industry as a whole is still wretched and dehumanizing as all facets of our corporate-led existence but, purely in terms of interactive videoludic titles we could actually play and enjoy, 2022 was one of the better times. As such, I have endevoured to write my own completely arbitrary, subjective end-of-the-year list of games I have liked the most, according to my own personal sensibilities which do not, in anyway, reflect anyone else's taste and opinions. This ranking shall be only comprised of games I played, not games some of you might have played, and it will not be based on any "objective metrics" taken from "professional review compiling websites" that some people on the Internet take as the Word of God. Essentially, this is my list and I do what I want with it. Is that clear? Splendid!

As an addendum, most entries in this article will come provided with a link to my original set of posts, impressions and sporadic thoughts I compiled on the various subjects in review over at the "Free Speech" website.

-

I am going to start this venture with the obligatory special mentions, titles that were almost good but didn't quite make the cut for different reasons. The "Close But No Cigar" category, if you will.

-

Digimon Survive (Hyde/Bandai Namco)

The disappointment is strong with this one: it stings my skin, envenomates my bloodstream and slowly kills the inner child living inside me, his corpse rotting within the deepest recesses of my blackened soul. Poetic license aside, the latest interactive entry in the classic "Monsters of the Digital Persuasion" franchise is the evident produce of a much troubled history as it very much feels like its narrative is the confounding result of two distinguished directions clashing with one another in a bid to deny each other's existence. 

At its (gameplay) core, Digimon Survive is a perfectly fine, sufficiently engaging Tactical RPG, one that's uncharacteristically easy and accessible for a series usually lacking ease of access for newcomers. The tragic irony is that the meandering, messy, incoherent story of this game is decisively aimed exclusively at veteran Digimon fans: it builds itself off the original anime from 1999 and one's own nostalgia for it as a means to subvert expectations. It establishes all the familiar elements only to pull the rug from under the intended audience, to separate itself from the source material as much as possible, to take the franchise in a more perceived "mature" direction. That, in itself, was not the plot-destroying issue that plagued this game; what actually killed it was its bewildering decision to perform a 180° turn on its rug-pulling antics, place the carpet right back beneath our feet and pretend all of its tonal, thematic and narrative stakes made up to a point didn't matter. The attempted deconstruction of its own legacy effectively defaults to just a dull reconstruction of said legacy, thoughtlessly aping the happenings from the original show sans the necessary context to make any of it work. Whatever vision Digimon Survive might have had was systematically quashed by its unwillingness to commit to the bit. It's the kind of cope-out, faithless writing that I cannot condone. As the intended audience for this game, my heart weeps at the loss of potential.

-

Unhappy Raccoon (XD Inc.)

In many ways, the bizarrely named Unhappy Raccoon is very close to be my favoured Roguelike Action game experience. It is stylish, colourful, fast and approachable in terms of its difficulty. Unfortunately, it's a mobile title what comes with a certain amount of predatory in-game purchases and, as such, I cannot in good faith recommend it to anyone. That is a crying shame for I would have pleasurably shilled money to buy it had it been a release bereft of such unconscionable features. It also would have not hurt being able to play it with an actual controller, I'll tell you that much for free.

-

Sonic Frontiers (Sonic Team/SEGA)

(Link: read from bottom to top)

If I were a sodding believer of quantifying the value of Art through an arbitrary numerical score, then Sonic Team's latest "cute" effort would have been the embodiment of a 6/10 - and I am being generous here. It sports a solid core gameplay that lures you into its world with the promise of free roaming fun but it's ultimately burdened by too many terrible ideas, gimmicks and time-wasting nonsense to properly live up to its promise. My positive first impressions dissipate into unadulterated frustration as I am forced to stop playing a "Sonic" game I enjoy in order to herd a bunch of exploding critters, solve tedious puzzles or beat the world's worst pinball machine in order to earn "The Privilege" of fighting the area boss, all of which being close to unwieldy experiences at the best of times. The so-called plot isn't up to snuff, either. It's a title that feels simultaneously unfinished and overly designed, wrapped in a well-meaning yet misguided attempt to bring "depth" to its characters in a manner I would define as wholly unsatisfying. Its potential was limitless. Its execution, mediocre.

-

Fasten your seatbelts and hold on to your unsolicited opinions, oh dear readers. The real list begins now.

-

10) Lil Gator Game (MegaWobble/Playtonic Games)

(Link: read from bottom to top)

The most precious, adorable little gem with a deceptively clever shine to it. Lil Gator Game is built around a child's imagination as they play-pretend their way into a Zelda-esque adventure, with friends and strangers alike, in an elaborate scheme to convince their busy older sister to join. They waddle around wholesomely in a well-designed sandbox, wholesomely smashing cardboard monsters, talking to wholesome NPCs who are in on the "Lil Game" and generally exuding pure vibes of wholesomeness - with but a tinge of subtextual melancholy as the dreaded "grown up time" looms on the horizon. The strength of the conceit informs the execution of its themes, both mechanically and narratively. 

The core design philosophy aims to break down the formula of its obvious inspirations (classic Nintendo releases from both the past and the present) to their fundamentals, resulting in a title that both plays as a child's idea of a heroic adventure and it's actually about the making of a child-friendly heroic adventure, literally. In other words, it's a videogame about making videogames which is presented through the allegoric lens of the titular gator building their titular game with their many pals, learning how hard yet fun it is to create, and reconnecting with their sibling who inspired them with her own game-making skills. Moreover, it is a celebration of childhood, its fun memories associated with playing (or gaming, if you will) and how they all inspire us to make our dreams a reality as we grow older. It's an utterly delightful experience and I might have wept openly by the end.

-

9) Beacon Pines (Hiding Spot/Fellow Traveller)

(Link: read from bottom to top)

We open on a dimly lit room, a dark and thunderous night, the perfect atmosphere to immerse yourself in suspenseful literature. As Luck would have it, there is a book on the table... The world in the said "book" comes to life, exuding an aesthetic of childlike innocence teetering at the edge of Change (the scary unknown, the adult realm) but still literally confined within the pages of Fate. Also, the animal characters are cute.

Beacon Pines is a branching path narrative game: it is presented as an old fashioned storybook with its setting sprouting into existence in the style of a Winnie the Pooh animation, lending credence to its Choose Your Own Adventure framing. This is, after all, a story about Change - as the narrator helpfully explains. Grounded in its thematic exploration yet increasingly more absurd as the stakes ramp up to eleven, the story does not have a single dull moment. You have yourself a solid Coming of Age tale juxtaposed to a Mid-Western town mystery. A classic recipe for gripping drama and comedy, in other words, enriched by its light choice-based gameplay to drive the point home. Did I mention the cast being cute?

-

8) Evil West (Flying Wild Hog/Focus Entertainment)

(Link: read from bottom to top)

Do you find yourself in the mood for a cheesy yet gratuitously violent action game from fifteen years ago, which was in itself trying to emulate the energy of a Hollywood Summer blockbuster from up to twenty-five years ago? Do you think you would have enjoyed the strategic mayhem of DOOM Eternal more if it had a bigger emphasis on melee combat and it was in third person? Well then, the mad lads responsible for this next title have made a game specifically for you and it's about repelling blood-thirsty vampiric abominations in the old Wild West.

The plot is irrelevant, the writing is lackluster and the characters are flat but none of that is actually important. All that matters is the enticing gameplay, the crunchy action, the surprisingly luscious environments, being able to uppercut a guy into a wall of dynamite and the gallons upon gallons of gore. It's a viscerally good time.

-

7) SIGNALIS (Rose Engine Games/Playism/Humble Games)

(Link: read from bottom to top)

An unrelenting descent into a realm of madness filled with horrors beyond imagination - and a savvy injection of android anime babes, for good measure. SIGNALIS is a queer diegesis of "polygonally scarce" stylized 3D graphics with a coating of pixelated artistry, shaded just right, dragging you down to a figurative (and somewhat literal) Hellscape of the Mind. A morose narrative conveyed through Mood, Atmosphere. The design sensibilities display a subtle understanding of Horror as a genre: instilling a sense of claustrophobia and paranoia onto the player by limiting visibility,  conjuring intrigue by revealing very little of its narrative and by fiddling with the sound design. The imagination is stimulated by the need to fill in the blanks, to find a sense of familiarity within the Unfamiliar, which in turn keeps you in suspense. It's the good old philosophy of "Less is More" competently applied to Survival Horror in ways I've not seen in a long time. I would best describe it as Ghost in the Shell meets Lovecraft in a John Carpenter's nightmare as told by David Lynch, all of which whilst still somehow being a Resident Evil game. 

Now, I wouldn't go as far as to claim this title revolutionized the recipe for both its genre or the concept of metaphorical storytelling but it does add its own flavour to it, one that definitely leaves an aftertaste. You will be plunged into a world of sensorial deprivation that makes you fear the Unknown... and, perhaps, even the Known. SIGNALIS is quite good, indeed, both as a tribute to PS1-era spooky polygons and as a standalone horror diegesis that elevates its source material. Well, except for the obligatory puzzles for they are quite obnoxious, as per tradition. Other than that, it's a gripping tale of terror and the best version of itself. If this prospect appeals to you in any way then I simply cannot recommend it enough.

-

6) Inscryption: Kaycee Mod (Daniel Mullins Games/Revolver Digital)

(Link: read from bottom to top)

Developed by Daniel Mullins (of Pony Island infamy), this title was released last year to much "indie darling" acclaim and it is easy to see why. Mullins has a penchant for messing with the artifice of his medium of choice, deconstructing its foundations with layers upon layers of meta-text, games within games within games, which typically results in something memorable. If you already know what to expect from his creative vision then, in many ways, Inscryption is just more of the same soup: an explicit level of self-awareness, a conceit revolving on a specific gameplay loop that slowly expands and falls apart at the seams the more you explore it, to the point in which the world as we know it is obliterated. Right from the start, as in from the moment the game is booted up, one can tell something nefarious is at play as it coyly gestures towards a larger meta-narrative. You do not start a New Game, you "continue into a pre-existing save file", and that's merely the beginning. Like I alluded, I expected this loosely defined game to play out in a specific manner and, in a sense, I was not proven wrong about it. What's actually remarkable and unquestionably brilliant about it was the aforementioned core design loop, namely the deck building Roguelike experience that represents both the fictional and meta-fictional centrepiece of the entire onion-layered diegesis. 

I'm going to go out on a limb and state with the utmost confidence bestowed upon me by my status as a white man on the Internet that Inscryption's card-based gameplay is more fun and addicting than Slay the Spire's, on the principle that I can actually beat it! Even more impressively, Mullins didn't simply design the best electronic card game imaginable, he went and remade it several more times in the course of the same playthrough. His opus presents some prescient questions about the player's engagement with the interactive medium of videogames, our emotional connection to the text, the escapist and possibly addicting nature of it, how it all reflects back on our psyche. As such, what better way to drive the point home than to create the most engaging, addicting, all-around rewarding core gameplay loop imaginable?

As if to be proven absolutely right, the author released a free DLC titled Kaycee Mod, which is essentially more of the same excellent deck building action but with added features, challenges and unlockable items. The "story" from the main game might have concluded in decisive fashion but that shan't stop us fans from wanting to play it until our eyes bleed and our fingers drop, firmly proving our unhealthy addiction to it. I've got to say, that new mod coming out this year makes for the perfect excuse to include Daniel Mullins' little masterpiece in an article about the best videogames of 2022. I have no shame and I'm technically right. Hurray!

-

5) Cult of the Lamb (Massive Monster/Devolver Digital)

(Link)

A functional, if somewhat uneven mishmash of Roguelike Hack/Slash gameplay with some direct, specific references to The Binding of Isaac and the Survival meets Tycoon Management Sim elements from a generation's worth of indie titles, yet its charm cannot be denied. In this game, you are a small critter tasked by a sinister god with a dubious agenda to take down all the other sinister gods with a dubious agenda, which is something you will only be able to accomplish by founding your own  sinister cult with a dubious agenda - as it was the style at the time. 

Its direction as well as its narrative, defined by the juxtaposition of "kid-friendly" aesthetics and cosmic horror, is evocative of a religious propaganda cartoon aimed at children, framing The Lamb as a heroic figure who fights the "Heretics." It helps contextualize the satire of organized religion, indoctrination, the sociopolitical use of Faith or a given set of beliefs as a means to gain and maintain Power - which can be easily applied to how Society operates at the highest, wealthiest levels. The way the player can "edit" and "upgrade" their respective cult may lead to the formation of a Fascist state controlled by Fear, a Capitalist dystopia, a Charlie Manson's murder hippie family or even a one-to-one recreation of the Catholic Church. Personally, I created a society where everyone is emotionally co-dependent to their beloved leader and are all too happy to work hard, pray and die in my name. When you step back and look at the big picture, the message of this game becomes distressingly poignant. 

None of the little animals recruited in the cult are characters, merely a means to an end, a form of sustenance (literally, in some cases) to be feasted upon in order to endlessly accrue power until the day they perish, or even beyond. Simply put, cult-like mentalities and tactics don't exist merely within factual cults... Anyway, it's a fun game! The Lamb is legitimately adorable. The combat system is solid and the simulation aspects are involved, as described. You should definitely play it.

-

4) The Cruel King and The Great Hero (Nippon Ichi Software)

(Link)

As a more than worthy successor to The Liar Princess and The Blind Prince, this game holds a tight grip on my heart, squeezing it for every ounce of blood and feeling. Unlike the previous game in the "series", which was a snazzy puzzle platformer, The Cruel King and The Great Hero is a classic turn-based RPG with a cute gimmick to it: you take control of Yuu (get it?), a small, enthusiastic child who dreams to become a legendary hero - a real one, mind you, unlike the make-believe flight of fancy in Lil Gator Game. Yuu's parent is a big dragon who secretly checks on her to make sure she's safe and sound whilst adventuring. He even provides special skills to help her in battle once she "unlocks them." This all serves a narrative purpose as well since he's trying to teach her what it means to be a kind warrior but still worries about her wellbeing, understandably. It's the sort of diegetic synergy between gameplay and plot that enhances one's experience with an interactive text, you see... So, anyway, this game is the cutest thing in the universe. 

The deceptive simplicity of the artistic direction communes a deeper study behind the characters' presentation and their environment: a homage to illustrations from Western children's storybooks with its own twist. There is an understated insidiousness to the manner in which these adorable designs, drawn by hand, command such instantaneous affection on my behalf that cannot be expressed with words. Unlike said predecessor, the game has a much more ambitious scope and production but its narrative philosophy remains intact and focused. Cruel King plays around subversively with well-known fairytale tropes in order to craft an enjoyable, wholesome story for children and adults alike; it makes for a sort of "reverse-engineered" take on the Dragon Quest formula, I would say. The superb character drawings, the gorgeous background and overall aesthetics, the engaging plot as well as the gripping soundtrack, all converge together to form an emotionally enriching experience. In short, the game is neat. That's my review.

-

3) Kirby and The Forgotten Land (HAL Laboratory/Nintendo)

(Link)

The experience of playing this game washes over me like a relaxing wave on the beach during a lazy summer day, unexpectedly stirring me up inside with childhood memories that are not mine. That is to say, Kirby and The Forgotten Land is so good it makes me cry tears of joy. I feel particularly drawn to the pink ball's universe due to its deceptive, duplicitous nature as both childlike and horrifying. There is a wondrous, nostalgic feeling juxtaposed to a much darker subtext. Parallel to a personal favourite of mine, Klonoa, it too lures the unsuspecting player with its bubbly cuteness, only to pull the rug from under them when it matters the most. Except, this title doesn't even bother to hide the existential dread beneath the narrative: the setting is literally a "colourful" post-apocalyptic, post-humanity world. The game only goes harder on it as it progresses. By the time you get to the final boss, and then the post-game final boss, and then the super-duper-ultra final FINAL Mega-Boss, the stakes couldn't possibly get more cosmic and the implications more dire. 

I shall now state in the strongest possible terms that Forgotten Land is a close-to-flawless, and long overdue, transliteration of the classic 2D "Kirby" formula into a 3D landscape, oozing with charm, personality and the most fun gameplay I have experienced all year - these were merely my first impressions after beating the first world, mind you! To call this the best, most enriching, most enjoyable 3D platformer I have ever touched would decisively sound like a loaded statement, one burdened by several asterisks. You could theoretically argue this game feels more like a very happy medium between Character Action titles such as Bayonetta and a core Nintendo IP of the precision jumping variety rather than a Platform experience in the "purest" sense but I am not here to indulge into that kind of hair-splitting logic. So, I will just proclaim once more that this is my favourite entry in the genre: the manner of onto-a-league-of-its-own videogame bonanza that leaves me reeling after almost breaking my controller during the last fight. 

It features the tight, polish gameplay and level design one would expect from a (non-Pokemon related) Nintendo release jointed with the darkly charming, unabashedly bizarre creativity HAL Laboratory brings to the table with its adorably gluttonous mascot and its many game-altering power ups. I love this title, sincerely and desperately. It's everything I have ever wanted out of this series but never knew I craved.

-

2) Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (Monolith Soft/Nintendo)

(Link 1; Link 2) 

There is so much to say about Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and yet so very little time, so little light of day. I am going to take a page out of Monolith Soft and categorically refuse to bury the lead: this game is a condemnation of the Military-Industrial Complex, the endless machine of war sustained by the lives of those "who die for a cause." It's exemplified by the premise of genetically-engineered child soldiers made for the purpose of fighting in a senseless conflict which is perennially sustained by the literal life energy of the many people who die in it. War economy in a nutshell. This is not a spoiler as the game slaps you across the face with this commentary pretty much immediately. The second title in the series had the "courtesy" to lure you in with sassy cat girls and anime high jinks before revealing it was actually about Cultural Genocide. You simply do not get the luxury of ignorance with this entry. 

It also unmistakably points its righteous anger towards the sociopolitical establishment, the wealthy conservative elite, that's directly profiting from the Status Quo, keeping the world stuck in an aptly-named “Endless Now.” On that note, the villains of the piece are a gloriously detestable, pretentious and opulent bunch, the kind you just cannot wait to smack around in an epically orchestrated boss battle - which the game is keen to provide with a certain amount of glee. 

Thematic relevancy aside, allow me to emphasize how spectacular the “Xeno eXperience” can be! I am referring to the painstakingly animated, meticulously choreographed, expensively mo-capped action cutscenes that occasionally graced my astounded visage. There is nothing else that looks as slick and bombastic in all the land. The predecessor might have already set the benchmark for quality in that regard but the newest game takes said benchmark, shatters it with one finger and uses the sharp remains to stab God himself! 

As far the gameplay is concerned, it is the most refined and polished the series has seen thus far even if it still requires an inordinate amount of tutorial tips in order to grasp its basics.  A savvy combination of turn-based and real time elements make for both a strategic and high octane romp, one that requires your full concentration.

In essence, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is the rare diegesis that manages to excel at everything it sets out to be: it's a foundationally strong JRPG with a vast, gorgeous world to explore, an emotionally resonating plot, viscerally effective theming, well-written characters and all the big anime fight scenes your heart may desire. It shoots for the Moon and it doesn't just stick the landing, it incinerates several celestial bodies in the process. Under normal circumstance, this would have easily been my GOTY. Alas, circumstances happened to differ a tiny bit in 2022.

-

-

-

1) Klonoa: Phantasy Reverie Series (MONKEYCRAFT/Bandai Namco)

(Link)

It was the year of 2009 and I happened to own a Nintendo Wii. I caught wind of the then freshly released-into-obscurity remake of Klonoa: Door to Phantomile, a title for PS1. I, much like a lot of people, had never heard of such an odd curio but I found myself enticed by its design choices, its 2.5D aesthetics, its peculiar style of side-scrolling platform mixed with original puzzle mechanics and, most importantly, its adorable protagonist. Armed with but a few spare coins and a healthy dose of curiosity, I purchased it on its release day. It changed my life. 

Later on, I hunted down the rare copy of the PS2 sequel Lunatea's Veil, a game that blew me out of every possible body of water on this planet. Several moons down the line, I bought the original first game as a digital download for PS3. Nowadays, I play it on my PSP whenever I'm overcome by a sudden wave of depression and every single time, I cry.  Every variation of these games provided its own unique, emotional experience. They have indelibly coloured my perception of videogames as an art form, what they can bring to the table in terms of narrative and theming. I am incapable of conveying through words how much these games mean to me and how much they have broken and rebuilt me from the ground up with each new playthrough. 

Klonoa is a multi-layered allegory disguised as a cute, Mascot Platformer from the late '90s. It uses genre expectations and its available language to pull the rug from the under the player, conveying a subtler thematic journey. It likens the idea of "gaming" to the idyllic memory of childhood and to the ethereal nature of dreams, which are all linked by their brevity and finality. The first game is about Nostalgia, the reminiscence to a time of childlike innocence inevitably broken by the specter of Change, part of growing up. Depending on one's read, it might also be about Trauma. The sequel takes everything that was established in the first one and builds itself upon it, bringing the journey to a satisfying conclusion. On the surface, it's a new story with new characters but that's, once again, part of the deception. If Door to Phantomile covered Childhood and the bittersweet, possibly traumatic memory of it, Lunatea's Veil is about what comes next: Adolescence, growing up, figuring yourself out and healing. These themes are brilliantly reflected both by the story and the settings themselves. Both games would work well as individual experiences (as they are both fun and engaging) but they truly achieve greatness when viewed as a unified piece, a masterfully made, emotional ride into the Dream of Childhood and onto the Wake of Adulthood. 

And now, you can finally experience them both in the newly released HD collection, Phantasy Reverie Series. This is my game of the year. This was always going to be my game of the year. It was preordained, predetermined, predestined in the moment, the second, its existence was made public in that one legendary Nintendo Direct. It didn't matter whether this was going to be a consistently good or terrible period for game releases, the mere fact that Klonoa was going to be included in the 2022 calendar makes this the best year for gaming by default. That is how much these titles, these stories, mean to me. The world is a slightly less awful place for having the fluffy boy in it. That is my final word on the matter.

-

At long last, here we are: the end of the list, the end of the solar cycle. In spite of everything that's wrong within society, struggling under the thumb of Capitalism, having to endure the abusive aura of hypocritical “Holyday Cheer”, dealing with many blows Life throws at your general direction, you have still made it. You have survived. You are still you. There is still good to be found beneath the apparent hopelessness of it all. Just remember to hold on to what's most dear to you and please, for the Love of God, do not buy the Nazi Potter game. I will find you.

Happy New Year!

[crawlthesky]

DIGIMON ADVENTURE 02: THE BEGINNING Screencaps

source: Webrip resolution: 1920x1080 file type: .jpg (batch-converted from .png) image count / file size: “Trailer” - 308 screencaps / 229MB [download]

♥ Capped a 720p Youtube rip of this before, but recently I managed to find a copy of DigiFes 2022, so here’s a (much nicer) 1080p version. Although labeled as a trailer, this is actually the first six minutes of the movie itself. It’s not a huge amount of content, but if you’re trying to avoid spoilers until the movie exists, probably best to skip this just in case. ♥ Feel free to yell in my inbox if you need other spoiler tags put on this + future posts regarding the movie (although I doubt there will be anything else to screencap until the movie itself exists). ♥ Franchise master post over here. ♥ If you have any problems with the download links, let me know, and I’ll toss you an alternate link or split them smaller or something. ♥ Have fun making a buttload of icons or edits or whatever.

[artful-browniebites]

I posted 103 times in 2022

86 posts created (83%)

17 posts reblogged (17%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@browniefox

@artful-browniebites

@institute-of-the-root

@the-east-art

@the-east-hunter

I tagged 99 of my posts in 2022

Only 4% of my posts had no tags

#ceramics - 44 posts

#pottery - 21 posts

#pokemon - 17 posts

#pkmn - 13 posts

#loz - 8 posts

#au - 8 posts

#wip - 8 posts

#legend of zelda - 7 posts

#digimon - 7 posts

#teapot - 6 posts

Longest Tag: 65 characters

#i think that it'd be neat if zelda finds the miraculous of wisdom

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

See the full post

74 notes - Posted July 19, 2022

#4

Do you think we realized, just what we'd done?

Tore down the canvas that held up the sun.

87 notes - Posted April 15, 2022

#3

The victims of Ghetsis finally healing

91 notes - Posted April 1, 2022

#2

Something about N just makes me want to paint him with watercolors <3

Anyway, some more BW3 N! As previously mentioned, he now works full time rehabilitating pokemon who have been abused by previous trainers, and a couple are here!

Herdier was found abandoned as a lilipup, born without his two front legs. He mostly hops places on his back legs, but when he gets tired there’s a set of wheels he can lie on and push himself around.

Scolipede was abused by her previous trainer, who filed down the stinging spines along her throat so she couldn’t use them. She’d made a lot of progress since then, but she’s still jumpy, and the solution was to put tennis balls on her horns until she stops attacking things that catch her off guard.

The zorua on the other hand is one of many who visit N’s place to practice shifting into humans, a safe place to do so. There’s never more than one at a time.

104 notes - Posted August 15, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Couldn’t figure out his clothes so have two for: The Subway Master!

In an au where battling is a more serious and regulated practice, some in Unova illegally battle in the subway, the effort headed by The Subway Master. Little is known about this mystery man other than that he loves to battle. His battle style changes up constantly! And he must know the subway tunnels better than anyone, because some say they swear he can be in two places at once…

Inspired by a post by @fluorescent-air-fresheners

143 notes - Posted April 21, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[tamersonas]

The tags to use that this event will be tracking are both #Tamersonaweek & #Digidestinedweek

Welcome to Tamersonaweek year 3!

Self-inserts are fun, but they can be a little nerve-wracking to post sometimes. But no worries! We have a full week dedicated to You Yourself and your Digimon!

Not just limited to your self insets, feel free to include canon characters, OCs, any friends, rivals, teammates, all are welcome! ART IS NOT REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE! All types of submissions are welcome so long as they follow the general guidelines of keep it appropriate + ask for permission if using art that isn’t yours, and credit if you do!

Not a fan of the prompts? No worries, find the 2021 & 2020 question list here!

Until then!

❤ Ask ❤FAQ/Master Tag List/Rules ❤

Image text found below the cut

Slide 1:

Tamersona Week Year 3

Nov. 7-13, 2022

Slide 2:

Day 1: Introduce yourself

-Tell is about yourself! Crest? Spirit? Digivice?

Day 2: Introduce your partner(s)

-All about your mon! Their egos? Do they have nicknames? More than one (partner)? How did you meet?

Day 3: Let’s get ready!

-Outfit highlight! Training montage! Snack time, how do you start your day?

Slide 3:

Day 4: Fall traditions

-What’s your favorite part of the season? Any you want to introduce to your Mon? Do you have your Halloween costumes yet? *Note; this was made before the dates was finalized, but Halloween + fall outfits in general are still welcome

Day 5: Roleswap!

- Scenario time! What if YOU became the Digimon? And your partner the Tamer? What do they look like as a human? Does your dynamic change?

Slide 4:

Day 6: What’s Your DIGIsona?

-You’ve heard of a Tamersona, what’s your Digisona? What Digimon would You be?

Day 7: Accomplishments in your journey

It’s been a long year, how did things go for you and your Partnermon? Any new evolutions? Events?

Some notes;

You 100% do not need to follow all of the prompt choices!If you have your own answer/idea/response, go for it!

OCs, Canon Character, Digifakes, and all in between are welcome!

Tamersonaweek is a celebration of YOU and YOURSELF as the protag! Do as you please and have fun with it!

Will be tracking posts, but some have been known to not appear in the tags before, feel free to @tamersonas on every post to be extra sure it pops up

[campdigimonth]

Camp Digimonth Server Master Collection

Happy Odaiba Day to Chosen Children all around the world, of all ages!

The digimon fandom creatives in the Camp Digimonth Server have been making beautiful content all year!  We are so proud and pleased to present the Camp Digimonth Server Master Collection of digimon fanfics on AO3!  The collection includes fics that members of the servers have published in the year 2022!  There are NINTEEN BEAUTIFUL FICS for you to enjoy, made from currently active members of the community :D  Please check all ratings/content warnings before enjoying <3 

We are also so very proud of our artists, gif makers, makeup artists, book binders, image manipulators, cosplayers, and more!  We will try to figure out a way to corral everything for easy sharing in the future <3

With deep thanks to all Chosen Campers...  Let’s continue to support each other and share our brave hearts with our works <3

[tawneybel]

Male Cartoon Clown Characters

Note: Clowns, mimes, jesters, fools, and so forth! All either monsters, ghosts, and/or evil. List of male live-action clown characters. 

Please feel free to suggest more! I’ve liked clowns (and monsters) since I was a little girl and I plan to update this. 

Joker from The Batman

Chucko from Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

Joker from Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

Zombozo from Ben 10

Birthday Bandit from Teamo Supremo (Added 6/16/2022.)

Ulquiorra Cifer from Bleach

Evil Clown from The Brave Little Toaster

Beppi from Cuphead

Quackerjack from Darkwing Dark (Added 6/16/2022.)

Jokermon from Digimon 

Piedmon from Digimon 

Aqua Jester Loupe from Duel Masters

Deis Clown from Duel Masters

Jester Brain from Duel Masters 

clowns from Dumbo (Added 6/16/2022.)

Boppo the Inflatable Punching Clown from Family Guy (“This Little Piggy”)

Jack-in-the-box from Fantasia 2000

Balloon Boy from Five Nights at Freddy’s (Added 6/16/2022.)

Ennard from Five Nights at Freddy’s

Funtime Foxy from Five Nights at Freddy’s (Added 6/16/2022.)

Funtime Freddy from Five Nights at Freddy’s (Added 6/16/2022.)

Nightmare Balloon Boy from Five Nights at Freddy’s (Added 6/16/2022.)

clowns from The Summoning (GO! Cartoons) (Added 1/9/2022.)

papier-mâché clown from The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (“Attack of the Clowns”)

various The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (“Attack of the Clowns”)

Fizzarolli from Helluva Boss

Bomb Voyage from The Incredibles

Elastico from Lilo & Stitch: The Series (Added 6/16/2022.)

Tricky the Clown from Madness Combat

Joker from The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries (“The Dynamic Scooby-Doo Affair”)

Clown with the Tear Away Face from The Nightmare before Christmas

Buggy the Clown from One Piece (Added 6/16/2022.)  

Blacephalon from Pokémon 

Mr. Mime from Pokémon

Mr. Mime from The Powerpuff Girls

Zombo from A Pup Named Scooby-Doo (“Terror, Thy Name Is Zombo”)

clown from Dirty Night Clown (El Radio)

various Looney Landers from Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure 

Mr. Magic Pierrot from Sailor Moon SuperS

Ghost Clown from Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Sideshow Bob from The Simpsons

clown bed from The Simpsons (“Lisa’s First Word”)

Krusty the Klown Doll from The Simpsons (“Treehouse of Terror III”)

Joker from Static Shock (“The Big Leagues”)

Jazz Hands from Totally Spies!

Sweet Tooth from Twisted Metal (Added 6/16/2022.)

Le Mime from Xiaolin Showdown

Countdown Clowns from Yellow Submarine 

Bickuribox from Yu-Gi-Oh!

Clown Zombie from Yu-Gi-Oh!

Crass Clown from Yu-Gi-Oh!

Dream Clown from Yu-Gi-Oh!

Jester Confit from Yu-Gi-Oh!

Jester Lord from Yu-Gi-Oh!

Masked Clown from Yu-Gi-Oh!

Mystic Clown from Yu-Gi-Oh!

Peten the Dark Clown from Yu-Gi-Oh!

Ryu-Kishin Clown from Yu-Gi-Oh!

Saggi the Dark Clown from Yu-Gi-Oh!

Wood Clown from Yu-Gi-Oh!

[higuchimon]

[fanfic] Dads & Fathers

Yamato stared at the long, elegantly crafted sword that hadn’t existed in his hands moments before. It rested right in his hands, and while he hadn’t ever had a lesson in how to use it before, he thought he might be able to do so if he needed to.

He closed his eyes and thought hard; he didn’t want the sword there at all. He didn’t want to be Piemon’s son. He didn’t want to be able to do what he’d slowly been learning that he could do.

But the sword didn’t go anywhere and he hissed under his breath, wishing there was someone that he could talk to about this. Those other Chosen who were part Digimon, like him, none of them were like him. Between he and Jou, Koushiro, and Sora, he was the only one who was an Ultimate level no matter what.

I wish I could talk to Gabumon about this. His partner would understand the level of power he had. But Gabumon remained in the Digital World and he had no idea when, or if, he’d be able to go back there.

A familiar hand rested on his shoulder. “Where’d you get that?” His real dad, the dad who had raised him, asked.

Yamato tensed at the words. He’d been so deep in his own thoughts that he’d never even noticed the other’s arrival.

“It’s mine. Because of Piemon.” Yamato spat the words out. He’d told his dad about what happened once they’d all returned home, not wanting to keep this bubbling under his skin.

Ishida Hiroaki peered at it, then pointed to the Crest embossed on the hilt. “That’s yours, isn’t it? What did you call them? Crests?”

“That’s right.” Yamato eyed it. “The Crest of Friendship.”

Hiroaki nodded slightly, remaining quiet for a few more moments before he continued. “Are you going to need lessons in kendo?”

Yamato shook his head without a hint of hesitation. “I don’t want to learn how to use it.”

“Why not?” Hiroaki asked, voice still quiet and thoughtful. “If it’s yours, then you should know what to do with it.”

Yamato opened his mouth, then closed it again. He guessed that wasn’t entirely wrong but it still didn’t feel quite right, either. He stared down again.

“I don’t want anything to do with him,” he said at last. “It’s like admitting that he’s – part of me.” That made him slightly nauseous just to think about.

He almost expected his dad to say something to the effect of “But he is a part of you”. It would be true; it just wasn’t something he wanted to think about. He didn’t think his dad would say it, but he might.

Hiroaki didn’t. Instead, he rested one hand on the hilt, where the Crest was, and stayed silent for a few minutes before he spoke again. “The only part of him that’s a part of you is what you want. And what matters is how you use it and what you use it for, nothing else. Whatever else, you’re my son more than you’d ever be his. What does he know about you?”

Yamato thought on that one. Truth to tell, he didn’t think Piemon had ever known much about him, nor had he cared to. He knew that Yamato was his son, that he had inherited a great deal of power from him, and anything related to Yamato being a Chosen. He’d never made any effort to learn anything else at all – had never given the impression that he wanted to, or that it mattered in any sense.

But his dad knew his favorite colors and favorite food, had eaten food that Yamato had made himself, made arrangements for him and Takeru to see one another on a regular basis, and worried about him when they were in the Digital World to fight the Dark Masters. He’d easily accepted Gabumon as Yamato’s friend, as well as the other Digimon.

Hiroaki hadn’t even seemed that disturbed or surprised to find out that Yamato wasn’t entirely human. Yamato wanted to ask about that one day, but now wasn’t the time. Now he had his own issues to work through.

“He knows what he wants me to be,” Yamato said at last. “He doesn’t know who I am.” He’d been in the process of working out who he was when all of this got dumped on him in the first place. Being Piemon’s offspring hadn’t made it any easier.

But, now that he thought about it, while the others who were part Digimon might not be as strong as he was, they were still part human, part Digimon. Even Koushiro, in the sense of being a full Digimon but having been raised human. Perhaps talking with them really would help. What did he have to lose from it? They were his friends.

Hiroaki nodded before he patted the sword-hilt again. “Can someone else hold onto this? I know I’ve read about weapons that only the proper user can hold.”

“I don’t know,” Yamato admitted. “No one else has ever tried.” He’d gone out of his way to ensure that the weapons weren’t there for anyone else to try.

“Mind if I try?”

Yamato agreed, though he wasn’t at all sure of what his dad had in mind. Hiroaki picked it up, examined it for a few seconds, then turned the hilt back towards Yamato.

“What are you going to do with this?” Hiroaki asked, and the weight of the question struck Yamato like a blade to the heart.

And at the same time, he already knew the answer.

“I’m going to use it, and anything else I have, to do what he’d never do. Help people. Protect people from the likes of him.” They’d go back to the Digital World one day – they all knew it. They didn’t know when or why, but even for the ones who weren’t like him, who were full human, it was a part of them now. Their partners were there. And he didn’t doubt for a second that there would be trouble that would need to be dealt with.

Hiroaki nodded, before he shifted the hilt closer to Yamato again. Now Yamato took it back, with far more of a feeling that this was now his than it had been before. Not something he’d asked for or wanted, but his all the same, and with it came the same choice that being a Chosen brought – he could do something to help others. But it would always be up to him if he did.

He just had more tools now to do it with.

With a flick of his hand the sword vanished, and he got to his feet. “I’m going to make dinner,” he told his dad, who nodded, anticipation in his eyes. Yamato headed for the kitchen, a soft satisfaction in his chest that hadn’t been there an hour ago.

Piemon might have sired him, but it would always be Ishida Hiroaki who was his dad.

The End

Notes: Yamato, Jou, Sora, Ken, and Daisuke all refer to their Digimon parents as “sire” or something to that effect. They’re not parents, even if they raise them. Miyako and Koushiro don’t have that problem, but that will be addressed later. Also, this will probably be referred to when I get around to rewriting “One of Those Days”.

[ahiddenpath]

My Projects/To-Do List

Chatter about stuff I wanna work on and where I am on the stuff I AM working on :D  More beneath the cut!

Puits d’Amour

There are currently seven remaining written updates for Puits d’Amour.  Of those, I still have two left to edit/complete between chapter updates.  However, I realized I want to add an update after the next one, so I will spend the next month making sure that is ready (I have four weeks before it would be time to post that).  So that’s... eight updates, or sixteen weeks of posting every other week, which takes us out to... early July.

It shouldn’t take me too much longer to finish editing, maybe two months?  But I am also really low on art made during campdigimonth2022, meaning I’ll be drawing a lot in the upcoming weeks.  Part of me is intimidated- I’m not much of an artist- but part of me is excited to draw the entire Adventure/02 cast, plus some characters I haven’t worked with before, like Wallace/Meiko/Osamu.  I can’t wait to make a master list with links to all the art!

So basically, updates will all be Puits d’Amour until July.  This is not the end of the story; it’s just the end of the material I wrote during Nanowrimo2021.  At this point, I’ll have to figure out what I’m doing next.

Ideas for what I’ll post next

A lot will depend on how I’m feeling in July!  I might continue PdA, or I might go back to TIL.  Those are the most likely things.  FY also remains open, but when I launched TIL, I meant to write and post in movie-based chunks.  I left Ketsui unfinished, so I would like to close out that movie before moving on to something else.  Also, as the person hosting Koushiro week 2022, I do want to have something written about him for that, so that’s circling my brain, too.

Other Ideas/Projects

Every now and then, I like to post a laundry list of projects I want to work on.  Here’s what’s in my orbit now:

-Developing the Camp Digimonth Discord and blog

So it turns out that folks enjoyed the Camp Digimonth discord and create-together atmosphere.  I don’t know much about Discord, but apparently most of the servers are based on specific seasons/characters/ships, which means that a lot of people are left out if they aren’t into that specific thing.  There’s special alchemy to combining the following: a place for all digimon content, a creation-oriented environment, and a place where folks generally know one another to some degree via the Tumblr community.

I’ve been trying to think of ways to keep the community content-creation vibe going!  It can’t be an eternal event, because everyone should have a chance for their events.  But if the bulk of goings-on is on discord, then we can avoid stepping on toes on Tumblr.  

That’s where we are now, working together to figure out how to best use the Discord.  For now, it’s limited to the original Campdigimonth crew while we figure out what it is we want to do, but eventually, we will likely offer invites to interested folks! 

-Koushiro Week 2022

I’ve scheduled Koushiro week!  I’d like to have the Tumblr up and the prompts written and available for circulation to Koushiro fans for further suggestions by the end of April.

I’m also considering reserving a single day of Koushiro week for a specific purpose.  Most of us Tumblr content creators are adults, with lots going on.  It’s really difficult to be ready for events.  That’s why I want to reserve a day of Koushiro week for reblogging your own existing Koushiro content (not anyone else’s, just yours).  Another idea is Koushiro recs- a day to recommend your fave Koushiro fics/meta/art!  I’m hoping that everyone can feel included with these days (maybe the same day for both old content and content recs).  Folks shouldn’t be left out because we’re adults with busy lives.  Koushiro for everyone, lol!  (AS IT SHOULD BE).

-Book Binding

Making my first book was so satisfying, I’m hooked!  My next book binding project will be a repeat of After August, but first, I want to read the existing physical book, then ship it off to its new home.

The problem is that I wanna make ALL OF MY FICS books- but I need to edit first, and editing takes more time than the initial drafting!  So this process is going to take literal years.  I really want to make Growing Up with You.  Can you even imagine it, book one with Mitty’s art?!  MY HEART!  I would cry.  No really, I would cry.

But honestly, prepping fics for book binding is more of a project than the actual... book binding part, so don’t expect anything soon.

-Stickers/Prints

I can make stickers and prints now!  I really want to make a sticker of the cover art for TIL! 

-Digimon Tarot

The Chosen as Major Arcana Tarot Cards is one of my all time favorite projects.  Now that I have access to a high end printer, I’ve been thinking more seriously about drawing art for my tarot card selections.  The trouble is that I mainly draw simple hips up portraits, lol!  And 22 illustrations for the Major Arcana is already a lot, and that doesn’t even touch on the remaining 56 cards (although you can substitute for ace through 10 of Cups/Wands/Swords/Pentacles using an ordinary deck of cards, and you also have jack/queen/king, at which point you need to create page or knight cards of each suit, depending on what you decide the jack is).  

I don’t have the skill to make this work, but maybe if I keep practicing drawing...

I love tarot, check out this video I made about my decks!

-Original Stories

Do you remember Tales of REM?  They’re a collection of ideas for stories based on dreams.  I have a lot more that aren’t listed.  

Unfortunately, I’ve more or less decided not to write them as fanfics (although I might toss up the one I’ve already written and have been sitting on for years).  The last time I wrote a story based on a dream, I had the sense that folks were confused/disappointed that it wasn’t like my normal stuff (it was a crackfic, lol).  I think my time would be better spent turning them into original stories.  

I’ve never really considered publishing before, and I’m not saying that I think I can just... put some stuff together and be successful, lol!  But I do think I could write a book.  If it’s just for me, fine.  If I buy an ISBN# and publish it digitally, fine.  In fact, I’m dubious of traditional publishing, because the author loses most of their control over their work via that route.

But, um, as someone who is sitting on...  1.4 million archived words on FFN, uh, yeah.  I can Book.  I am capable of Book, many times over.  What a strange thought!

I honestly think that holding the printed and bound copy of After August kind of... made this concept real to me.  I write books.  I have written actual piles of complete books, they’re just digital and unsuitable for publishing, as fanworks.  

I’m a book witch.  I create on a mysterious digital plane, then conjure those creations into the physical world.

What a thought!  What a power!  What a gift.  I’m in awe of creation, however small.

-Upcoming fanfics

Nothing, except for the rare oneshot/short story for events, particularly Koushiro’s event in October.  I need to complete something first.

That’s what is in my heart and mind!  Are any of these things particularly interesting to you?  I hope you are all well and creating, if that is your jam <3

[newsintheshell]

The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting: svelati cast e staff dell’anime

La commedia slice of life di Tsukiya andrà in onda sulle tv giapponesi nel 2022.

Con l’apertura del sito ufficiale di “Kumicho Musume to Sewagakari” (The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting), sono arrivati nuovi dettagli riguardo alla serie animata, tratta dalla popolare commedia slice of life di Tsukiya, accompagnati da una prima immagine promozionale, che ci dà appuntamento al 2022 per il debutto in tv.

L’anime è diretto da Itsuro Kawasaki (True Cooking Master Boy, Magical Girl Ore) e in produzione presso gli studi FEEL (Hinamatsuri) e GAINA (Il Piano nella Foresta).

La sceneggiatura è curata da Keiichiro Ochi (The Quintessential Quintuplets, Hinamatsuri) e il character design è adattato da Hiromi Ogata (Katana Maidens: Mini Toji, Magic Kaito 1412). Le musiche per la colonna sonora della serie sono, invece, realizzate da Takuro Iga (Tsukigakirei, Slow Loop).

Assieme allo staff sono stati svelati anche i doppiatori dei due protagonisti:

Tooru Kirishima: Yoshimasa Hosoya (Shin in Dorohedoro)

Yaeka Sakuragi: Misaki Watada (Hikari Yagami in Digimon Adventure:)

Kirishima Tooru è uno yakuza molto violento, al punto che si è guadagnato il soprannome di Demone di Sakuragi. Per tenerlo sotto controllo, gli viene improvvisamente affidata una nuova missione direttamente dal capo: fare da babysitter a sua figlia!

Il manga ha fatto il suo debutto online sul sito Comic Ride nel giugno 2018, per poi spostarsi su Comic Elmo. Attualmente l’opera conta sei volumetti pubblicati in Giappone da Micro Magazine.

* NON VUOI PERDERTI NEANCHE UN POST? ENTRA NEL CANALE TELEGRAM! *

Autore: SilenziO)))

[FONTE]

[pokemonplushgamer]

Digimon Masters Roblox Reppamon Quest Guide!

[scsigs]

The Future of Sentai US DVDs (Speculation)

Another of my Reddit posts brought to here.

I posted a post several days ago talking about my speculation on why the Sentai DVDs stopped for over 3 years. If you wanna have that discussion, go to that post.

Now that we're into the full swing of things again with all of the legal BS & whatnot sorted between Shout Factory, Hasbro, eOne, & Toei, time to talk about the future of the Sentai DVDs here in the US.

So, to recap, they started with Zyuranger in 2015, released Dairanger 10 months later. Then in 2016 and '17, we had the next 4 series, 2 a year. Then in 2018, we had 5 series, with the next 4, but also Jetman. Come 2019, we had Hurricaneger, with Bruno from MMPRToys teasing Fiveman in a video soon after, but we heard nothing about the release until Summer 2022, then after it was released, we had the announcement that Abaranger is going to come out in November, which is great news.

What of next year, though? That's my question, as well as I assume a lot of other people's question. Assuming they're licensing these things in batches, as per 1 of my assumptions of what could be happening, or they're continually licensing new series well in advance of when the next ones come out, my assumption is that they may be working on Dekaranger right now, or will be soon, & will announce it soon after Abaranger comes out. Probably for a January or February release is my estimate, but we'll see. Now, will they do Turboranger after that? I've seen someone in the comments of DosmRider's video talking about the Abaranger release announcement point out that so far, the releases for series before Zyuranger going backwards in descending order has been happening every 2 seasons that move after it in ascending order. Assuming this is a pattern they'll repeat in the future, after Dekaranger is probably when we can expect Turboranger, then after Boukenger is when we can expect Liveman. Assuming as well that they do at least 5 series a year like in 2018, we shouldn't have to wait too long in between releases. I kinda hope that they bump that up to 6, though. Imagine if they do. 4 seasons post-Zyuranger a year with 2 pre. A good even number for each and combined.

Now, Blu-Rays. I'm not entirely sure when Sentai went HD. It went widescreen with Boukenger for its 30th anniversary season (remember, you can have widescreen without HD & HD without widescreen). I've read conflicting information. Some people say that the shows from Boukenger on were rereleased on Blu-Ray while it appears that only Shinkenger onwards were, with a remastered collection for the theatrical films from Gorenger to Go-Onger or so being released in the 2010s as well. And, while Toei filmed all of the pre-HD seasons on film (though apparently they switched to something else at some point & I guess transferred those to film?), unless the shows are properly remastered by Toei, we aren't likely to see them released on the format. The only pre-HD & widescreen show, I believe, to receive a BR release is Dekaranger & that was for its 10th anniversary & to promote its 10 years after movie from 2014, I believe. Pretty sure it's also 1 of the more popular seasons in Japan, so that made sense. And, even then, it was an upscale of the previous DVD masters rather than a new transfer from film. Toei's pretty cheap like that. And, I know some people would want Shout to do SD on BR like some other companies are doing, but Shout aren't one of those companies. We're more likely to see DVDs still. However, once they get to seasons shot & aired in HD that have suitable masters, I imagine they'll get those out on Blu-Ray, since by then, Shinkenger will be 15 years old, I imagine they shouldn't have any problems getting permission from Toei for that. Especially since they're releasing Kamen Rider & have released the Digimon Tri films on BR. I think Toei will be ok with it. At worst, they get some people in Japan importing the US release years after they've already have the JP ones out. I also hope Toei doesn't give them somewhat gimped masters like they did Kamen Rider: Zero-One where apparently they had to de-interlace the masters they were given because Toei gave them ones with that issue.

So, going up to the current season (Donbrothers as of this writing), this is what I see as the release schedule going forward, assuming this is the pattern & they do 5-6 sets a year. Also depends on if they don't alter their schedule in any way. If they do 5, just move the last ones in the lists to the next ones, then adjust each year accordingly & add a few more years.

2023: Dekaranger, Turboranger, Magiranger, Gekiranger, Liveman, Go-Onger

2024: Shinkenger (possible start of BR releases for post-Zyuranger), Maskman, Goseiger, Gokaiger, Flashman, Go-Busters (possibly Akibaranger)

2025: Kyoryuger, Changeman, ToQger, Ninninger, Bioman, Zyuohger (Possibly Kyoryuger/Dino Force Brave)

2026: Kyuranger, Dynaman, Lupinranger VS Patoranger, Ryusoulger, Goggle-V, Kiramager

2027: Zenkaiger, Sun Vulcan, Donbrothers, (2023 Sentai Series), Denjiman, (2024 Sentai Series)

2028: (2025 Sentai Series), Battle Fever J, (2026 Sentai Series), (2027 Sentai Series), J.A.K.Q, Gorenger

2029: (possibly the 2028 Sentai Series), start of Sentai movies & specials

2030: (possibly the 2029 Sentai Series), more specials & movies

Yeah, I speculate that after they get done with all the shows, they'll start licensing all of the various movies & specials they can, including theatrical & straight-to-video ones. I have no idea what order, or if they'll group them in sets of the seasons, or if they'll do sets of certain numbers. I also assume they'll be able to give them BR releases like the shows. Though, I'm not sure if Toei will let them do the newer shows or movies until a suitable amount of time has passed since they were released in Japan. My assumption is bundled releases like Toei did, as well as individual releases. It sucks that we most likely won't start getting the movies & specials for at least 6+ years. If they shock us & start licensing them sooner, it'll be great, but I don't see it with how Toei currently licenses their shit (poorly). It'll also be a bit painful waiting until 2024 to get Gokaiger for me, but this is the price we have to pay sometimes to get what we want. I can also see them licensing Akibaranger & releasing it over here, since it's technically a part of the franchise.

If anyone has any info on some of these things, or an alternate theory, please let me know.

[recentanimenews]

Sword Art Online Delivers the Frightening News that Players Can't Return in Progressive Film CM

  Japanese freelance newscaster Chiaki Matsuzawa appeared in a shocking video yesterday reporting the news that players who had entered the Sword Art Online game with the new Full Dive headset cannot return to the real world. Though the news is worrying indeed, the video does note in the corner that it is actually just a commercial for the upcoming Sword Art Online The Movie -Progressive- Aria of a Starless Night anime film, set to hit Japanese theaters on October 30.

    【速報】 ゲームから現実世界へ帰れない人が続出。 (NEW SAO)#sao_anime pic.twitter.com/qtr0DPq1w5

— アニメ ソードアート・オンライン 公式 (@sao_anime) October 25, 2021

    Matsuzawa has appeared as a news reporter on everything from Digimon Adventure tri, My Hero Academia, and even the Shin Megami Tensei series, as well as being an actual newscaster in Japan.

  Sword Art Online The Movie -Progressive- Aria of a Starless Night opens in Japan on October 30, with the film heading internationally on December 3 from Funimation and Aniplex. They describe the film as such:

  This is a tale of the time before “Lightning Flash” and “The Black Swordsman” were known by those names…

  The day that she happened to don the NerveGear, Asuna Yuuki was a third-year middle school student who’d never even touched an online game before.

  On November 6, 2022, the world’s first VRMMORPG, Sword Art Online, is officially launched. But the players, still euphoric over having logged in, suddenly find themselves trapped inside the game when the Game Master deprives them of any way to log out.

  The Game Master then gives them this warning “This may be a game, but it’s not something you play.” If a player dies in-game, they die in the real world.

  Hearing this, all of the players panic, and pandemonium reigns.

  One of those players is Asuna, but despite not yet knowing the rules of this world, she sets off to conquer the floating iron castle, Aincrad, whose peak is too high to be seen.

  As the days go by in this world where death is never very far away, she has a fateful encounter. And then, a parting…

  Though she’s at the mercy of the reality before her eyes, Asuna fights on with all her might, until someone appears before her: the aloof swordsman, Kirito…

  Source: Sword Art Online on Twitter

  ---- 

Daryl Harding is a Japan Correspondent for Crunchyroll News. He also runs a YouTube channel about Japan stuff called TheDoctorDazza, tweets at @DoctorDazza, and posts photos of his travels on Instagram. 

By: Daryl Harding

[pokemonplushgamer]

Digimon Masters Roblox Kudamon Quest Guide!

[higuchimon]

[fanfic] Broken Ties

Sora ran a hand down the side of the egg.  Most of the time she never bothered to come here. There wasn't any need for it.  Her only needs were for blood and to obey her master.  But sometimes - very rarely - she did something merely because it occurred to her to.  Because some vague part of her wanted a tiny flicker of pleasure that couldn't be gained from sinking her fangs into someone and taking everything that she could.

So here she stood in the room that safely kept four eggs away from all harm and tried to remember days long gone.  To remember the touch of the sun on her skin and the voice of her partner.  The last thing she'd ever heard Piyomon say had been her own name.

I'm sorry,  she thought, though she wasn't sure if she was.  If there had been anything human left of her other than her form and memories, she might well have been. She might have been far more than sorry - she would have been devastated at what her own errors had cost herself, her partner, and two worlds. This macabre life hadn’t been what she wanted. 

If she'd not been seen - if Vamdemon hadn't decided to feed on her - then she wouldn't be here now and Piyomon wouldn't be in the egg.  She would be - grown, not sealed into the body of an eleven year old, with the mind of a hunter and some might say without a shred of a soul.  She would be different.  But she would not be herself.  She'd not be part of Vamdemon-sama's pack.  She'd not have people who feared the very fact of her existence, let alone her presence when she went out on the hunt.

I don't know who I'd be.  But it doesn't matter.  These moments came rarely and never stayed long when they did come.  If she tried with all of her effort, she could remember the joy that had filled her when she saw Piyomon evolve for the first time.  To think that such a creature wanted to protect her.

But she didn't need protection now and Piyomon hadn't been able to do it when the most important moment came.  It was because of her own foolishness and Piyomon's lack of strength - the fact that she couldn't evolve farther, Crest or no Crest, and the fact she wasn't capable of loving and never had been that led to where she was now.  She would pay for all of that for the rest of her existence.

Not me.  Gennai.  He's the one who decided I was grunion to be a Chosen Child.  That's what led to this.  She pulled her hand away from the egg, not wanting to harm it. There was very little life in it – she didn’t know if it would ever hatch and doubted it. Once away from the egg, though, her fingers tightened, sharp nails digging into her palms.  There hadn't been any indication from the Digital World that they'd even had more than the barest signs of Gennai, but she knew that would change, sooner or later. 

When it did, there would be so much blood, and the pack would bathe in it until they could do so no more.

But now, more important tasks called for her attention, and she couldn’t stand here all night with useless memories of her past.

The End

Notes: I feel I will enjoy this week. I have Plans! (But don’t I always?)

[higuchimon]

[fanfic] Visits That Never Happen

He didn’t visit the one in the dungeon. He had for a while, after he was freshly turned, but that faded away with time. She didn’t hold any real interest for him, not compared to learning how to be this new thing that he was, and learning how good it felt to obey his master.

He knew where the eggs were kept and that Mimi watched over them, but after the first few cursory visits, leading the pack under his master’s watchful eye became far more interesting. Even more so when rumors of rebels turned up, foolish humans like and unlike him who thought they could throw off the inevitable rule of the master.

Taichi knew better than that. He hadn’t once. He recalled that, and guessed it had something to do with being human. Now that he’d died and returned, none of that seemed to matter anymore. Only feeding and obedience. Not Agumon. Though there were times in the depths of his daytime slumbers when he relived old moments, and saw glimpses of things that he found himself wondering about. Things that hadn’t happened and he would never let happen anymore. The idea of resisting his master crossed his mind – but never for more than a few moments. He’d certainly never fight him, not anymore.

Not Hikari. She was only a prisoner now, kept far underground and out of sight from everyone except the Digimon who guarded her and Vamdemon himself, on occasion. There were fleeting moments when he saw her, but while he remained aware that she’d once been his sister, the human Taichi and the vampire Taichi were so different that they might as well have been – well, different people.

Perhaps he would have cared once. He remembered how angry he’d been when he’d seen Sora’s fangs the first time. How dare Vamdemon do this to one of his friends! Only before he could do anything about it, Sora had Takeru in her arms, floating out of reach, and that meant Yamato couldn’t do anything, despite his rage.

Taichi hadn’t wanted to hesitate, but seeing the fear in Yamato’s eyes held him back for a few precious seconds, that cost everything. Vamdemon seized him from behind, and he’d not even had time for a scream before the bite closed on his neck. The pain couldn’t be described, and he wasn’t sure if it were his pain or Agumon’s.

But then the shadows engulfed him and he’d tasted the sweetness of something on his lips. His old life ebbed away, and all of his old loyalties and convictions vanished. When his eyes opened again later – days later – he wasn’t a Chosen anymore. Agumon wasn’t there anymore – he learned later that the moment he perished, Agumon became an egg.

He had a new life spreading out before him now.  They were Vamdemon's prizes and no mistake - the undead evidence that their master had defeated the Chosen and brought them to their knees.  That he would rule the human world and his long-time ally would rule the Digital World.  Taichi still wasn't sure if he liked or trusted Piemon, but Vamdemon's words were law to him.

A vague hint of humanity remained, Taichi had learned over the years.  Enough of it to be slightly amazed at how those Chosen who remained human aged and those who hadn't - didn't.  Years passed and while he no longer wore the same clothes that he had on that long ago day, he still looked the same.  Perhaps even somewhat better.  Vamdemon insisted on proper grooming for the pack, before and after a hunt.  So his hair was brushed more than it wasn't.

Sometimes he wondered if he didn't always recognize Hikari not merely because he'd changed so much since his turning, but because she had as well.  She didn't grow the way she would have if life had been as it was before.  But she grew all the same, and Vamdemon even kindly provided her with discarded clothing to wear.  She was the Child of Light all along.  That confused him more than a lot ever had over the years.  How had he not guessed? He wasn’t quite sure of how Vamdemon had figured it out. But in the long run, it didn’t make a great deal of difference anymore. She was the only Chosen left who hadn’t pledged themselves to either Vamdemon-sama or Piemon-sama. She didn’t have a partner or a Digivice. She was, in every meaning of the term, useless.

Taichi refused to let himself worry about that for another moment. Perhaps it was time he visited Agumon’s egg again. He didn’t do it often but he did pay at least one visit a year, in memory of all the times that had been. A tiny part of him wished that Agumon could have survived his own turning. Perhaps they could serve Vamdemon together.

He considered that a bit more seriously for a few moments. It was an interesting thought. What would it be like if they could? Was it possible at all? Was that why Vamdemon-sama made sure to keep the eggs? So that one day they would be together again?

Maybe I should ask him that. The more he’d proven his new loyalties, the more Vamdemon favored him. The worst that would happen now was that he would be mildly reprimanded if he stepped out of line.

He had to wonder – how would Agumon evolve now? Could he evolve now? Would he become something else entirely? Or would he become SkullGreymon, just more reliably? Not that Taichi thought there was anything wrong with destroying everything, as long as enough life remained behind for the pack to feed.

He’d figure it out sooner or later. And once that was settled, maybe he’d even try to see if Hikari would start to be more amenable to behaving herself. She could certainly be useful, though not as a member of the pack. Perhaps she should be sent to the Digital World, to see if Piemon-sama had a use for her.

And if she didn’t want to be useful, or there was nothing she could do, then she could remain where she was. In a hundred years, she’d be a pile of bones, the human world would be Vamdemon’s to rule forever, and he would gleefully serve at Vamdemon’s right hand for the rest of his existence.

The End

Notes: The eggs wouldn’t rehatch. Taichi doesn’t know that, though.