#legend of sayuki

[lunaticobscurity]

there's a new post up on the world's greatest obscure videogames review blog, and today's subject is a game that filled a gap in a much-loved franchise's history! go and read about it~!

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[lenkusov]

fuck it, i wrote an Initial D oneshot fic

Minor spoilers for Third Stage warning, also some spoilers for Extra Stage I guess but that was kinda just fanservice anyway. I did use my (objectively correct) headcanon interpretation of Impact Blue and the Night Kids where Mako and Sayuki are a bi-lesbian situationship, while Takeshi and Shingo are absolutely bangin but also deep in the closet. Multiple POVs, no sex, lots of mutual pining and ish though.

The crowd in the trailhead pulloff thrummed with a dozen quiet conversations, occasionally punctuated by a line of RedSuns or a pair of outsiders screaming through the wide turn beyond the guardrail as they made use of the open practice time before the race. The auras of the cars seemed, to Mako at least, a lot more restrained than was usual - most trying to leave space in the oncoming lane for the spectators headed up the mountain.

Sure, they might be practicing, but she knew that as soon as 10pm drew near, the mountain would go still and silent as all the junior racers tried to find any parking spot left with a halfway-decent view. The galleries were packed tonight, fans sitting on every meter of retaining wall and hanging off every section of guardrail, some sitting on the roofs of their cars or even climbing onto the trail's bulletin board shelters to see over the crowds in the pulloffs. Many had given up on even FIDNING parking, hiking up the trails or riding one of the packed buses that grew farther apart as the hours grew later. She and Sayuki had seen Akagi Pass crowded before, but the upcoming battle of legends had drawn numbers that rivaled even professional rally events.

She was just glad that they showed up early, claiming a spot at the wide turn preceding the final hairpin section, the view from here was good and the lot wasn't as crowded as the pulloffs at any of the hairpins, or the lot at the top of the mountain filled with the usual groupies trying to grab the attention of the Rotary Brothers. Naturally, they weren't the ONLY team to have picked this spot either - at the other end of the pulloff, the familiar black outline of the R32 Skyline and the pair leaned against it was hard to miss, despite the way they reflexively stepped away from each other whenever someone looked their direction.

Impact Blue and the Night Kids had hung out a lot over the fall and winter, finding a lot of common ground that DIDN'T involve getting beaten by Akina's eight-six and going on a lot of "double dates" to ski lodges, hot springs, family restaurants, and other things of the sort. Shingo and Takeshi always seemed to be more interested in each other than either of the girls, which was fine by them, except for the awkwardness when Shingo and Sayuki worked behind her back to set her up with some glasses-wearing twink in an MR2 so his parents would stop asking so many tough questions.

Yeah, he was nice and all, but they never did more than hold each other's hands, and he even had the audacity to want her to quit street racing when her biggest dream in life had been to go pro! She'd scared the hell out of him with that run down Usui, even without Sayuki's navigation skills, and she hadn't seen or heard from him since. As much as she was still somewhat hurt about Iketani ghosting her last summer, she figured he would at least understand her dreams instead of trying to tie her down in the name of 'safety'. Miyahara had probably just snap-oversteered in the rain and gotten cold feet or something.

Mako sighed to herself, and leaned back against the Sileighty's fender. Sexuality and street racing were both equally complicated, she figured, but at least racing ONLY came with stigma from people she didn't care about anyway, and she could talk about the intricacies of it with someone besides Sayuki and the Night Kids. During the last winter, after they'd all gotten more comfortable with the other teams' presence and with the help of a couple rounds of hot amazake to shake off the chills, Shingo started getting a bit more handsy with Takeshi than was socially appropriate, which prompted Sayuki to do the same to her, and it turned into a game of gay chicken in the booth at the back of the ski lodge's restaurant.

After Takeshi finally managed to shake a little bit of sense into Shingo, they all adjourned to the upstairs porch of the lodge where there were fewer bystanders to send them dirty looks, talking until well after the sun set about each other's sexual preferences. Turns out, Nakazato and Shouji only maintained their rivalries to keep the more novice drivers from spreading too many rumors about them, neither of them really had more than a platonic attraction to girls but they both kept trying to find someone to be their 'beard' to deflect the heat. Mako and Sayuki's situation was different, they were both bisexual, leaning pretty hard towards some very specific men but they always ended up coming back to each other. After they'd met in high school, they moved in together, and while neither of them would ever say they were anything beyond 'friends' or 'teammates' it wasn't particularly well-hidden that their relationship went deeper.

Eventually, the discussion shifted towards the sexualities of OTHER street racers who they'd never seen with girlfriends, and how all the best drivers seemed like they were probably not straight. Those Emperor dudes all looked like something out of a barazoku magazine, they all drove matching cars, and despite positively reeking of testosterone, none of em ever seemed to have an interest in women unless it was to beat them at street racing - the group all agreed that those Lan-Evos were definitely just trying to draw attention away from the abnormal amount of 'bro hugs' they gave each other.

Takeshi brought up Purple Shadow, a team in a neighboring province who he'd heard rumors of for years. "God Arm" and "God Foot" had been out and public longer than anybody in their group had been alive, and from the amount of gory details on their relationship Mako heard the Night Kids ramble off, she was pretty sure those two's nicknames came from how absolutely shameless they were with their kinks. Their openness kept both of them from going pro, but they still maintained contacts with a lot of professional teams - the teams wanted their skills, but their sponsors wouldn't touch an openly-gay driver with a ten foot pole. Shingo explained that was why they always had to act like rivals in public, any gay rumors would keep both of them from ever getting a spot on a pro team once they graduated college.

It was then that Sayuki brought up the two they were going to be watching race today. Apparently, on their double-date with Iketani and Fujiwara, no matter how much Sayuki tried to get a response out of him - even going down the waterslide with his head in her cleavage - the most he ever gave her was a cute amount of blush and a look of public embarassment. Word on the street was that Takumi had blown his engine trying to beat one of those Emperor jerks on Akagi, nobody really knew why he was racing against the same team AGAIN or why he went to Akagi to do it, but the fact Ryousuke's challege to Fujiwara had been 15 red roses ("forgive me for challenging you") and he'd dressed for the race like he was going on a first date carried a few Implications™ with it. It didn't help either of them's cases that the kid always seemed to get flustered around the elder Takahashi, blushing harder than anything Sayuki had ever managed to achieve with him last summer. Mako hadn't exactly been paying attention to the others that day, but from what she remembered, she had to agree - that kid definitely had a crush on Ryousuke, almost as bad as her own, but it seemed like HIS crush was actually being reciprocated. On the porch that day, they had to agree - if their crushes ended up with each other instead of with them, that'd probably be even hotter than the alternative. And more likely to happen.

Sayuki's fingers snapped in front of her face, jerking her out of thoughts.

"Earth to Mako, get your head outta the clouds before the race starts! It's 9:55, and that guy with the radio said the Eight-Six just started up the hill!"

Before she could say anything back, the squeal of tires and the roar of an unfamiliar engine made the crowd fall silent. It didn't sound like the Eight-Six she remembered racing, not even close - it was smooth yet angry, revving as high as a motorcycle but at a deep, thrumming pitch that belied its larger displacement. Whatever engine that kid had in there, it definitely wasn't road legal, that's for sure.

Headlights appeared at the hairpin opposite their pulloff, and the familiar frog face of the Panda Trueno whipped around, going much faster uphill than a naturally-aspirated eight-six had any right to. It screamed through the wide turn, people scrambling to clear off the guardrail as the rear bumper missed their kneecaps by a few inches. The scream of the engine morphed into a roar as it accelerated off into the night, leaving everyone stunned - none of the races with the new engine had been widely publicized, only the last race against the SW20 had been planned far enough in advance for anyone to videotape it, and even the copy-of-a-copy-of-a-copy bootlegs full of smearing and static were hard to get ahold of, so few had even SEEN the new engine in action. Everyone had still HEARD about it, though - heard of the eight-six FLYING down Iroha like it had wings, trading passes with the SW20 multiple times and winning by a nose at the last possible second. The footage that Takeshi had showed her at his and Shingo's dorm room was even more unbelievable than the rumors.

Even as the wailing and screeching of Akina's Ghost faded up the mountain, the crowd remained near-silent except for a few hushed whispers. Mako took advantage of the crowd's distraction to pull Sayuki down into a passionate, but brief, kiss behind the Sileighty's fender, watching the Night Kids' arms wrap around each other's shoulders from the corner of her eye.

________

From the overlook above, Ryousuke watched those familiar headlights flicker and dance through the trees, tinged lightly green by the spring foliage. He'd waited months for this night to come, counted off the days, coasted on the vivid memories of that passion-fueled night on Akina. He could still smell the burning rubber from their tires, the acrid oil-smoke of his FC blending with the sweet-and-sour exhaust of the eight-six, backed by the green humidity of a late summer's night. The smell of adrenaline sweat and overloaded deodorant wafted off Fujiwara as they stood, barely 3 feet apart on the road shoulder after the race, the kid looking up with those big doe eyes at him and a bright red flush in his cheeks as Ryousuke praised his driving skills, trying to convey to the cutely-oblivious teenager that the racing world's bigger than Akina and his skills are worthy of recognition.

Very few people could get to Ryousuke's heart the way Fujiwara Takumi did. Fujiwara was the only one alive right now, anyway. The thought of Kaori turned his emotions sour for a brief moment, but he pushed the dark thoughts away as quickly as they'd appeared. That Dream was long gone, he'd gotten over it, and it had made him a stronger person and a faster street racer. The fact that Fujiwara showed up out of nowhere one day and inertia drifted into his life, as oblivious to his skill as he was to the effect he had on Ryousuke, made the void in his heart ache in a way he hadn't felt in years. This time, he kept promising to himself, he would put his feelings and greed behind him. This time, his Dream would not become a nightmare.

The headlights disappeared out of view as they approached the final climb to the peak, and Ryousuke composed himself as he strolled back to the parking lot. The RedSuns were keeping the crowds at bay along with the handful of faces he'd recognized from Akina - they'd showed up well in advance, as usual, while Takumi seemed to love making him shiver in anticipation as he showed up at the last minute with dramatic timing. He approached his FC, starting it and checking the gauges, ensuring the temperamental 13B-T rotary was properly warmed up in advance of the race, stepping out as the eight-six pulled up beside him.

Takumi stepped out, dressed as understated as always in his t-shirt and jeans while shrugging out of his blue windbreaker, and stood there staring into his eyes. Ryousuke stared back, his cable-knit turtleneck keeping the chill off for now, but knowing he'd soon be sweating right through it once the race kicked off. The tension in the air was palpable as they exchanged eye contact, waiting for each other to make the first move.

Takumi scratched the back of his neck, the first hint of a blush forming under the streetlights as he broke the silence.

"Uhh, I guess this is it."

Ryousuke let out a brief chuckle. "It sure is, Fujiwara. How do you want to run this race? I seem to recall you asking me to take the lead, so I assume that means we're going to run cat-and-mouse. However, if you pass me on the first run, I'd still like a better look at your driving, so if you're okay with it, I'd like to make at least two runs. After all, if you decide to accept my offer, I would be your team leader and I'd love to see your style up close…" he said, ending with a small smile, never breaking eye contact.

Takumi's blush deepened. "S.. Sure, I'd like that too. To tell you the truth, I don't really care who wins or loses this race, I just wanna… make sure I'm good enough for you, I guess. And I… I wanted to race you again, it felt too much like cheating last time when we raced on Akina and it's been eating me up ever since, cause you've always been nicer to me than any of the other street racers and I feel really guilty about it for some reason… If that makes any sense."

"That's understandable to me, Takumi," he replied, "Your home course always puts you at the advantage in a race. Tell me, why did you want to race me on Akagi this time? If you wanted it to be fair, we could have raced at a different pass, like Usui or Myogi. On Akagi, one of us still has the upper hand, although with that Group A engine under the hood and how much your skills have improved since our last race, the playing field might not be as uneven as it would normally be for me. After all, Sudo Kyoichi is only other person I've raced on Akagi in years out of fairness."

Takumi seemed a bit thrown off. "Wait, how did you know I have a Group A engine? I mean, it does sound different, but nobody except Wataru and some of the guys at the gas station know about it?"

Ryousuke bit back a laugh, ignoring the fact the kid hadn't answered his question. "Takumi, I know a lot more about you than you think I do. An acquaintance of mine in Tokyo, Nakai, was the one who sold the engine to your father a few years ago. When I heard your new engine for the first time I knew exactly what you'd gotten your hands on, and I'm glad you're putting it to good use. They made 5,000 of those engines, but as far as I'm aware, there's only one other person who drives an eight-six with one, and he's racing on the circuit."

While Takumi tried to untangle his tongue and process what he'd just said, Ryousuke stepped forward and placed both hands on his shoulders. "With that engine under the hood of your eight-six, and with as much as you've improved since you raced my brother last summer, I think you've got the potential to do great things. You've already beaten me before, and I have no illusions about being able to beat you tonight. My goal with this race is to show you how much you've grown as a driver, Takumi, and… I also simply want to race with you again. Not to win or lose, but just to drive."

Ryousuke released his shoulders and stepped back to his FC, leaving Fujiwara stunned and blushing at his touch. The slam of his door shook Takumi out of his paralysis, and he hurried into the eight-six to turn around and pull behind the FC.

Fumihiro counted off their start, engines revved, tires squealed, and they flew off down the mountain in perfect lockstep. The sounds of their engines was harmonized, the hiss of the FC's blowoff valve and the pop of the eight-six's exhaust as they clutched in to change gears were like percussion in cadence. The FC carved a perfectly practiced line through every corner, the eight-six flowing along in its wake in a delicate vehicular ballet through every corner. They drifted in parallel through the hairpins, alternating lead positions and driving abreast on the straightaways without a care for who won or lost.

Their cars were extensions of their bodies, and their driving was an intimate dance. The passion for speed, for the roar of engines and the scream of tires, the adrenaline flowing without the stress that usually came with a battle like this, the White Comet of Akagi and the Ghost of Akina soared down from the mountain in pure automotive bliss.

The bottom of the mountain came too quickly for either of their likings as they crossed the finish line neck and neck, whipping their cars into opposing J-turns at the bottom intersection and burning a heart into the pavement in rubber. The trip back to the top was more subdued, neither of their cars being tuned for the hillclimb, but neither wanted to leave the other behind. They whipped their cars around in a heart once again, the eight-six pulling to the front, and didn't even wait for Fumihiro to count them off before they were headed back down again.

________

They lost count of how many runs they'd made, but by the time they threw on their flashers and crept into the pulloff at the bottom, it was well past midnight. Their engines were running on fumes, their tires were worn down to the belts, almost all the spectators had gone home, and they were sweat-drenched and exhausted as they stumbled out of their cars on wobbly legs. They leaned against their respective vehicles in the orange glow of the streetlamp overhead, the fiery passion in their eye contact not dulled in the slightest despite how worn out they both were.

They stood in silence for a while, no sound but the ticking as their engines cooled down and the slowing pants of their tired breathing, before Ryousuke broke out of his trance and reached into the door pocket for a smoke. Before the 3rd run, Ryousuke had slowed down at the top long enough to pull his sweater off, leaving only a thin undershirt clinging to his body with sweat, and Takumi couldn't help but stare as Ryousuke dragged slowly on his cigarette. His own T-shirt was soaked as well, the outline of his racing harness darkened into the fabric. They both looked haggard, but to each other's eyes, it was one of the most beautiful things they'd ever seen.

As Ryousuke blew out another smoke-filled breath, Takumi made his move, stumbling toward the older man and grabbing his waist with both hands as he buried his face into Ryousuke's neck, tears welling in his eyes. The forgotten cigarette dropped to the ground as Ryousuke returned the embrace, wrapping his hands around Takumi's shoulders and half-burying his face in the brunette's hair, one hand coming up to gently card his fingers through it. Neither of them spoke a word as the adrenaline wore off, sweat drying in the cool spring air.

Takumi loosened his grip, and Ryousuke allowed him to pull away. Takumi's hands stayed on Ryousuke's hips, Ryousuke's hands on his shoulders, looking into each other's eyes through the sweat-soaked bangs glued to their foreheads.

"Yes."

"Mmm? Yes to what, exactly?"

"Yes, I'll join your team. If there's any way I can be close to you like this again, I'll do whatever it takes."

Ryousuke cracked a smile. "Takumi, you gave me the best race of my life tonight, you know that, right? I haven't felt this good in years, I wouldn't give you up for the world."

Takumi's arms reached up under the other's shoulders as he stood on his toes, bringing Ryousuke's head down into a kiss. Ryousuke reciprocated, opening his mouth and flicking his tongue against Takumi's lips until they loosened, passion to rival their race flaring up between them, electricity arcing between tongues, bodies pulling tighter as Ryousuke stumbled back against the door of the FC. Takumi dragged one hand out of Ryousuke's hair, rubbing up and down his back, stopping to massage any knots felt in the sore muscles from their races, while Ryousuke pulled one of his hands free to grab Takumi's ass, pulling him up into their kiss. They were only dimly aware of the two cars that stopped in front of them, brakes squeaking and headlights shining through their closed eyelids.

They were rudely jerked out of their reverie by the honking of a car horn.

________

The Sileighty pulled out after the R32, headed downhill. Most of the spectators had long since left already, filing down the hiking trails or taking the opportunity between runs to pull out of their parking spots, but the Night Kids and Impact Blue had stayed until 12:30 in the morning. The races had been a sight to behold, the auras of the Comet and the Ghost blending together as if they were one and the same while they performed their intimate dances up and down the mountain. That last run had the steel belts of the tires kicking up a fantail of sparks, so they figured the pair had given up and called it a draw after fifteen minutes passed and neither of them came back up the hill.

During the first run, Takeshi and Shingo had locked their arms together, holding hands in anticipation as the pair came flying around the curve, then reflexively pulled away in mock disgust as soon as the race passed by, but as spectators dwindled they got bolder, pulling into tighter and tighter embraces every run until they eventually gave up and slipped into the backseat of the R32. Mako and Sayuki got the hint, climbing into their own car for a session of heavy petting, sitting up whenever they heard tire squeal to look out the window and watch for a few seconds as their crushes flew past. Mako climbed over the front when she heard the engine turn over and saw the lights of the R32 flash on through the rear windshield, Sayuki following behind, and pulled out to follow them down the mountain. She was curious what those two would be doing at the bottom when they got their.

"5,000 yen says they're making out, I had my doubts about them before but seeing the way they handled those cars in sync tonight, they gotta be madly in love or something."

sigh "Sayuki, you really gotta stop reading so many of those yaoi doijins, just cause they're both high level racers doesn't mean they're gay for each other."

"Whatever, you're just saying that cause you still think you have a chance with Takahashi Fuckin Ryousuke of all people. Puh-lease, you aren't the only girl who can drive fast."

Around the bend at the bottom, two sets of hazard lights blinked out-of-sync as the FC and the eight-six came into view. Between them, the two drivers were locked into a VERY passionate-looking kiss, groping each other completely oblivious to the 4 sets of eyes on them as Takeshi slowed the R32 to a stop in front of Mako. Without saying a word, she reached into the ashtray and pulled out a wad of tollbooth money, counting out five ¥1000 bills and passing them over to Sayuki, who immediately reached through the neck of her T-shirt and shoved them into her sports bra.

The passenger window of the R32 rolled down, and through the rear windshield, Mako saw Shingo reach across to double-tap the horn (to Nakazato's chagrine).

"Hey, why don't you two lovebirds get a room? You're lucky I don't have a camera on me, otherwise I'd show this to all of Gunma!"

The pair immediately disengaged, Takumi looking like a deer in the Sileighty's headlights for a moment before immediately clenching his fists in anger as soon as he recognized the face hanging out the r32's window.

"Fuck off, Shouji, I know you two tap each other almost as much as you tap guardrails!"

[scarletnakazato]

Isn’t Takeshi just 🥵😮‍💨 especially stage 1 Takeshi! I don’t understand how there aren’t more fans of him! The other guys are so popular and I get it, I do…but Takeshi tho 😏 Like how did Sayuki reject him, was she blind?! (I mean I’m glad she did lol my heart would have been broken) Oh well, more for us 🤭

Bro, on god!! He glowed up even more in Legend and practically turned into a non-dilf dilf. I swear to god, I was both happy Sayuki didn't want him cause I'd find a way to create a machine to take me to that world and punch her and take him for myself, but also confused AF, h o w do you not want this fine specimen - THIS MASTERPIECE OF A MAN?!

Just ughhh, he lives rent free in my head, soul, everything. 🛐🛐🛐

[hellman55]

Longplay of Heavenly Guardian/Legend of Sayuki

[ps2collecting]

Legend of Sayuki

[lesserknownpumpkins]

King-o’-Lantern and pumpkin enemies from “Heavenly Guardian” / “Legend of Sayuki”/ Yukinko Daisenpuu ~Sayuki to Koyuki no Hie-Hie Daisoudou~ / 雪ん娘大旋風～さゆきとこゆきのひえひえ大騒動～

[gaolioccasionallyreviews]

What do these six screenshots and one photograph have in common? I couldn’t finish the games they belong to for various reasons. If you wanna see what their titles are and what the remaining three other games are in my top ten frustrating video games list, head on over to Gao Li Occasionally Reviews: Forget it! 10 Frustrating Games. See you there, cowgirl and cowboy.

[hardcore-gaming-101]

Heavenly Guardian

Between two of the best games on the SNES and a decent GBA outing, the Kiki KaiKai series was looking to be in good shape for the foreseeable future. But things changed quickly – come 2005, Square Enix announced that they would be buying Taito. Naturally, corporate buyouts seldom end cleanly and in a way that lets the purchased company act as they were, and so Taito could no longer lend out their licenses without permission from Square Enix. This was a problem for Starfish, the developer that was currently working on a Kiki KaiKai sequel for the Wii and PlayStation 2 called Kiki KaiKai World. According to a spokesperson from publisher UFO Interactive, Square Enix had issues with the project and forced them to scrap it. Instead of leaving it at that, Starfish decided to recreate the game as a “spiritual successor” with similar ideas and imagery, just without the Kiki KaiKai license. The resurrected project would now be called Heavenly Guardian in North America, Legend of Sayuki in PAL regions, and Yukinko Daisenpuu: Saiyuki to Koyuki no HieHie Daisoudou in Japan. Though the desire to make something worthy of the Kiki KaiKai name was there, Heavenly Guardian is nowhere near the illustrious standards set by the SNES games and is a tedious ordeal to play through thanks to some downright audacious design choices and a lack of polish that makes for unfulfilling action. 

Read more...

[magiamemoriareview]

Comrades in Arms

Effect: Defense Up [30%] (All / 3 turns)

Effect Definitions:

Defense Up will increase the target’s base defense stats. It can be considered superior to the effect Damage Cut, as Defense Up’s effect calculations will be considered before any damage goes out, while Damage Cut’s calculations will be considered after.

TLDR: Pretty great for a free event memoria. It should be useful in a wide range of content, from hard quests like EX-Challenges, to more boring farming where AUTO is to be expected. It’s essentially like using a Defensive Magia but without needing to farm MP first (and overall being lesser, but you get the idea). This memoria is exclusive to completing the “End of a Legend the Limits of Light” event.

Review: “Comrades in Arms” is honestly really great, perhaps even for lower-tier Whales. Note that the Defense Up isn’t just for three turns, but for all your characters on the field! This means you can equip it to a support character and use it during stages where you can expect heavy amounts of incoming damage. 

This is actually comparable to the Magia of some magical girls. For example, Sayuki Fumino’s magia will give 20% Defense Up to all allies for five turns, while Sana Futaba will give 48.8% Defense Up to all allies for three turns. “Comrades in Arms” comes out a little lesser in comparison, but the benefit of it is that as an active memoria, you don’t need to build up to a magia in the first place.

If the fight begins with the enemy hitting you with hard attacks, you can instantly use the memoria while trying to build up to magia on your own (or working to kill the enemies in those three turns). It’s extremely helpful.

Using this memoria on a character with passive Skill Quicken from Spirit Enhancement is advisable to try and get that ten turn cooldown into something lower. Unfortunately the only character in the game to give Skill Quicken on a connect is Homura Akemi (Swimsuit ver), so your options are either her, passive Spirit Enhancement, one of the few Skill Quicken memoria in the game (taking up two active slots in total for one effect), or getting Homura Akemi (Glasses ver) or Moka Megumi to magia. 

But with all of that out of the way? A pretty handy memoria, that will be excellent in difficult EX-Challenges for its speedy reliability, long term fights like the Hundred Calamities where that Defense Up will keep your characters safe, or even on AUTO-- setting the settings up so that characters will only use this memoria at last round of fighting means you can reliably protect your characters from damage during boss fights.

Using this on Support is iffy. On actual Support-types, and during events where that extra defensive boost is really needed, it should be fine, but many folks who are looking to use supports are looking for extra damage potential, not defensive. A unit that deals higher damage is better at carrying teams than a unit that can protect them.

[forkidsjust]

Manhunt 2 cheat codes wii

Mazes of Fate DS (Neko Entertainment) 25th July 2008.Crazy Labyrinth (DTP/Eidos) 25th July 2008.Margots Word Brain (ZOO) 18th July 2008.International Athletics (Ghostlight) 18th July 2008.Déco Tendances(Neko Entertainment) 18th July 2008.Brico Utile (Neko Entertainment) 18th July 2008.Rythmn & Notes (505 Games) 18th July 2008.Guitar Hero: On Tour (Limited Edition Buindle) (Activision) 18th July 2008.Super Speed Machines (Ghostlight) 4th July 2008.Road to Vegas (Ghostlight) 4th July 2008.Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time / Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness (Nintendo) 4th July 2008.Mahjong-Eine Reise um die Welt (dtp young entertainment) 4th July 2008.Cory in the House (Disney Interactive Studios) 4th July 2008.Bakushow(Rising Star Games) 4th July 2008.Asterix Brain Trainer (ATARI) June-October 2008.Sid Meier´s Civilization Revolution (2K Games) June 2008.Shining Star Super Starcade (ZOO) 27th June 2008.Journey to the Centre of the Earth (THQ) 27th June 2008.FINAL FANTASY TACTICS® ADVANCE 2: Grimoire of the Rift (SquareEnix) 27th June 2008.Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword (Ubisoft) 26th June 2008.World of Goo (RTL Playtainment) Q3 2008.Wild Earth: African Safari (Majesco/Codemaster) September 2008.Family Trainer (Namco Bandai) September 2008 (EU).Wario Land: The Shake Dimension (Nintendo) 26th September 2008.Counter Force (505 Games) 26th September 2008.Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (LucasArts/Activision) 19th September 2008.Sim City Creator (EA) 19th September 2008.Bratz: Girls Really Rock ! (THQ) 19th September 2008.Pipe Manja (Empire Interactive/ Kochmedia) 14th September 2008.TNA impact (Midway Games) 5th September 2008.Space Chimps (Brash Entertainment) August-October 2008.Carnival Games: Mini Golf (2K Play) August 2008.Brave: A Warrior's Tale (SouthPeak Games) August 2008.The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (Vivendi Games) 29th August 2008.Soul Calibur Legends (Namco Bandai/Ubisoft) 28th August 2008.Runaway The Dream of the Turtle (Focus Home Interactive) 28th August 2008.Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 (EA) 26th August 2008.Clever Kids: Pirates (Ghostlight) 22nd August 2008.Clever Kids: Farmyard Fun (Ghostlight) 22nd August 2008.Calvin Tucker´s Redneck Jamboree (ZOO) 22nd August 2008.BROTHERS IN ARMS: ROAD TO HILL 30 (Ubisoft) 14th August 2008.BROTHERS IN ARMS : EARN IN BLOOD (Ubisoft) 14th August 2008.Legend of Sayuki (505 Games) 8th August 2008.Table Football (505 Games) 31st July 2008.Super Swing Golf (Rising Star Games) 25th July 2008.CID The Dummy (Oxygen Games) 25th July 2008.Margot´s Word Brain (ZOO) 18th July 2008.Baroque (Rising Star Games) 18th July 2008.Cocoto Kart Racer (Neko Entertainment) 11th July 2008.Pool Party (SouthPeak Games) 4th July 2008.Hannah Montana: Spotlight World Tour (Disney Interactive Studios) June-Sep 2008.Radio Helicopter (505 Games) 27th June 2008.Kung Fu Panda (Activision) 27th June 2008.Guitar Hero Aerosmith Bundle Pack on Wii (Activision) 27th June 2008.Wacky Races - Crash and Dash (Eidos) 27th June 2008.Okami is already out - but any errors and typos are Nintendo's own!): (Please bear in mind that some appear slightly out of date - e.g. Just five months after its sequel came out. This one isn't being done by Treasure, however instead it's courtesy of Good-feel, which is headed up by former Konami personnel according to sources close to Google.Įlsewhere on Nintendo's big old list, in the DS area, is Make 10: A Journey of Numbers - also for 26th September - and, at long last, Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations on 3rd October. Not the most exciting news ever, then, but previous Wario platform games have been pretty good, and the last one, Wario World on the GameCube by Treasure, was popular with us. So what's Wario Land: The Shake Dimension? According to details unearthed this month and a scanned leaflet, it's a 2D platformer where you hold the Wiimote like a regular controller and shake it to perform certain functions. ( Update, 4.42pm: We've now been told that there's no current date for Europe despite Nintendo's listing.) The news comes courtesy of a monstrous pile of dates from the Nintendo UK press office, which also pegs the upcoming Brothers In Arms Wii game, Double Time, as 14th August.Īlso on the list for August is Manhunt 2 from Rockstar, although the publisher has yet to get back to us about that at the time of writing. Nintendo has announced that Wario Land: The Shake Dimension will be released for Wii on 26th September in Europe.

[javen-tiger]

1 thing i will say about the legends movie is why have mako & sayuki show up at all. in the manga theyre at the ryosuke race to set up the next arc, but legends finishes at that race. why introduce these two random chicks and frame them like we're supposed to care about them.

[sulan1809]

Pocky & Rocky(奇々怪界)

Em 1986, época em que os videogames, com destaque para Super Mario Bros., e The Legend of Zelda, estavam em relativa ascensão, a Taito Corporation, empresa muito famosa pelos Space Invaders, trouxe aos arcades um título diferente, misturando shooter vertical com plataforma, ambientado no antigo japão feudal. Kiki Kaikai(奇々怪界) apresenta como protagonista uma jovem sacerdotisa chamada Sayo-chan, que parte em uma missão para resolver problemas envolvendo monstros encrenqueiros. No controle de Sayo-chan, tambem conhecida como Pocky nos EUA, jogadores atacam os inimigos com pergaminhos o-fuda, ou com o bastão sagrado empunhado pela protagonista. Além disso, Pocky pode levar apenas 2 hits antes de morrer(a referência com Arthur, de Ghosts ‘n Goblins não é mera coincidência). No final de cada fase, o jogador deve enfrentar um poderoso chefe que leva vários ataques para derrotar e é mais difícil do que os inimigos normais. Assim como The Ninja Warriors, KiKi KaiKai foi um trabalho único até 1992, quando Taito permitiu que Natsume lançasse KiKi KaiKai: Nazo no Kuro Mantle, que seria conhecido como Pocky & Rocky por seu lançamento na América do Norte. Natsume continuou com Pocky & Rocky 2(1994), e anos depois ajudaria a Altron a lançar Pocky & Rocky with Becky(2001,2002) no Game Boy Advance. Em algum momento de 2006, uma sequência moderna de Kiki Kaikai, Kiki Kaikai 2, estava originalmente em desenvolvimento para o Nintendo Wii pela Starfish Entertainment, no entanto, mais tarde ressurgiria como um jogo para Wii intitulado "Kiki Kai World". Esta versão era basicamente semelhante ao título cancelado para Wii, mas com a roupa de miko da personagem principal recolorida de vermelho para azul. Em vez de ser uma sequência direta do original, era mais um sucessor espiritual, a fim de evitar questões legais com a Taito e sua empresa-mãe, a Square Enix. Para separar ainda mais o jogo de Kiki KaiKai, os gráficos e o tema do jogo foram completamente refeitos, substituindo a heroína miko por uma deusa da neve chamada Sayuki. Quando abordado sobre o assunto, um porta-voz da empresa disse: "Para encurtar a história, a Taito, que agora é propriedade da Square [Enix], teve alguns problemas conosco e tivemos que abrir mão do título", dando a entender que a tensão com a Square Enix foi a razão do cancelamento inicial. “Kiki Kai World” foi simplesmente rebatizado como Heavenly Guardian no PS2 e Wii, sendo considerado um sucessor espiritual não-oficial da série Kiki Kaikai...

[skrillborn]

Top 5 favorite Initial D race teams :3

Sorry for taking like 4 days to answer this ^^;>

Also, I’m not including Project D because let’s be real; they’re everyone’s fave.

1 - Akagi RedSuns

These guys are pretty beefy ngl. Not only are they well-organized (thanks to Ryosuke), but they also have my favorite downhill rain specialist: Kenta Nakamura. That’s right, they’ve got 3 legends on their roster!

2 - Myogi NightKids

I know that this team pretty much takes the role of comedy relief further on into the series, but I really like both Nakazato and Shingo (even if he’s a garbage man). Nakazato’s races captivated me, but Shingo’s race w/Takumi sealed the deal for me.

3 - Impact Blue

I know Mako and Sayuki are more of a duo but I love them so they make the cut. They’re both queens, and they are pretty much a rally duo if you think about it. Pretty badass imo.

4 - Sidewinder

(These scrubs don’t have a decal smh)

Sidewinder is deadly. They’re dangerous rivals, so I love any race involving their members. But also, I have a soft spot for Rin and Shinji.

5 - Akina SpeedStars

These guys are my favorite losers. They’re just guys having fun in their cars regardless of their level of skill - which is why I love them.

 If I were to enter the world of Intial D, in terms of skill, I would be in this team. (But I’d love to get to Purple Shadow level some day.) ((Does that mean I have to be old to join Purple Shadow? I need answers here.))

[stacks-reviews]

New Releases 8/8/17

Happy New Release Day! This week we have a lot going on in books and a few movie/tv releases. 

In Books --The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by  by F.C. Yee  “The struggle to get into a top-tier college consumes sixteen-year old Genie Lo’s every waking thought. But when her sleepy Bay Area town comes under siege from hell-spawn straight out of Chinese folklore, her priorities are suddenly and forcefully rearranged. Her only guide to the demonic chaos breaking out around her is Quentin Sun, a beguiling, maddening new transfer student from overseas. Quentin assures Genie she is strong enough to fight these monsters, for she unknowingly harbors an inner power than can level the very gates of Heaven. Genie will have to dig deep within herself to summon the otherworldly strength that Quentin keeps talking about. But as she does, she finds the secret of her true nature is entwined with his, in a way she could never have imagined.”

I was drawn to this one because of the cover. It shows a girl doing a superhero landing (thank you Deadpool). It sounds like it could be pretty good.I actually got an arc of this book last week at work. I’m not sure when I’ll get to read it.

--The Hearts We Sold by Emily Lloyd-Jones “When Dee Moreno makes a deal with a demon - her heart in exchange for an escape from a disastrous home life - she finds the trade may have been more than she bargained for. And becoming “heartless” is only the beginning. What lies ahead is a nightmare far bigger, far more monstrous than anything she could have ever imagined. With reality turned on its head, Dee has only a group of other deal-making teens to keep her grounded, including the charming but secretive James Lancer. And as something grows between them amid an otherworldly ordeal, Dee begins to wonder: Can she give someone her heart when it’s no longer her’s to give?”

Based on some arc reviews I saw on Goodreads, it sounds like Dee and the others can get their hearts back by working for the demon they sold their hearts to. Although, it also sounded like some demons might take other body parts. Not really sure yet. It does bring up some questions. By selling your heart, are you selling your actual heart or is it more based on your feelings? If it’s feelings then how could she start to fall for someone? Unless you are able to break the deal yourself somehow. I also wonder what caused the other characters to sell their hearts.

--Legend of Korra: Turf Wars Part 1 by Michael Dante DiMartino, illustrated by Irene Koh “Relishing their newfound feelings for each other, Korra and Asami leave the Spirit World...but find nothing in Republic City but political hijinks and human vs. spirit conflict! A pompous developer plans to turn the new spirit portal into an amusement park, potentially severing an already tumultuous connection with the spirits. What’s more, the triads have realigned and are in a brutal all-out brawl a the city’s borders - where hundreds of evacuees have relocated! In order to get through it all, Korra and Asami vow to look out for each other - but first they’ve got to get better at being a team and a couple!”

This comic has been driving me crazy for a while now. I thought it was supposed to come out several months ago. But when I would check on it at work, it didn’t show up in our systems at all. Then when it did finally appear and I double-checked it with a few other sites, each site had a different release date. So I think this is the right date. But I am not 100% positive. Regardless, I am excited to dive back into the Avatar world. To see how Korra and Asami’s relationship is doing as well as what everyone else has been up to.

--Nirvana Volume 1 by Jina and Sayuki (ZOWLS), illustrated by Sayuki “Humanitarian-extraordinaire Yachiyo Hitose gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to volunteer overseas - but things go awry when her plane goes down and she dies! When she wakes up, it’s not in heaven, but in a whole other world known as Gulgraf - the citizens of which think she’s their goddess reincarnate! Goddess or not, Gulgraf is beset by ravenous creatures known as the Blau and Yachiyo simply can’t turn her back on her new home.”

First heard about this series a few weeks ago. I really don’t know much about other than it being another travel to another world series. It sounds pretty good though and I like the art style on the cover.

--Paper Girls Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Cliff Chiang “Erin, Mac and Tiffany finally reunite with their long-lost friend KJ in an unexpected new era, where the girls must uncover the secret origins of time travel...or risk never returning home to 1988.”

It’s been a while since I read the second so I can’t remember exactly what is going on at the beginning of this one. I would look it up but that would require moving at least five boxes of varying sizes to get to my comic book boxes. I remember there being a battle with a prehistoric creature and jumping into another portal to a new time at the end but to where I am not sure.

--Reborn Book 1 by Mark Millar with contributors Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion “Where do you go when you die? Not heaven or hell; somewhere else. Somewhere you have to fight to survive. Somewhere the people from the past are waiting for you - the good and the bad.”

Pretty excited for this one. It sounds like a good mix of action and soul crushing reunions. I kept hearing about it on a few blogs so I’m excited to finally be able to take a look at it. I love the art style on the cover. 

--Shimmer and Burn by Mary Taranta “Faris grew up struggling to survive in the slums of Brindaigel while caring for her sister, Cadence. But when Cadence is caught trying to flee the kingdom and is sold into slavery, Faris reluctantly agrees to a lucrative scheme to buy her back, inadvertently binding herself to the power-hungry Princess Bryn, who wants to steal her father’s throne. Now Faris must smuggle stolen magic into neighboring Avinea to incite its prince to alliance - magic that addicts in a war-torn country can sense in her blood and can steal with a touch. She and Bryn turn to a handsome traveling magician, North, who offers protection from Avinea’s many dangers, but he cannot save Faris from Bryn’s cruelty as she leverage Cadence’s freedom to force Faris to do anything -or kill anyone - she asks. Yet Faris is as fierce as Bryn, and even as she finds herself falling for North, she develops schemes of her own. With the fate of kingdoms at stake, Faris, Bryn, and North maneuver through a dangerous game of magical and political machinations, where lives can be destroyed - or saved - with only a touch.”

Really drawn to this title for the idea that magic can be stolen by a simple touch. There has to be more to it than that, though, or else how would anyone touch anyone? But I might be taking that too literally. We don’t yet know how wide spread magical power is in this world. Is the magic Faris is smuggling in her own or was it someone else’s? I also like to see how the idea of how something as simple as a touch could have huge consequences down the line. Good or bad.

In Movies/TV Series --Gurren Lagann 10th Anniversary Complete Box Set (blu-ray) If by some chance you have never heard of this series:

“This is the story of a man who has yet to realize what destiny holds in store for him... In the distant future, mankind has lived restlessly underground for hundred of years, subject to earthquakes and cave-ins. Living in one such village are two young men: one named Simon who is shy and naive, and the other named Kamina who believes in the existence of a “surface” world above their heads. The destiny of these two starts moving drastically when the ceiling of their village falls in, and a gigantic “Gunmen” and a beautiful girl named Yoko, wielding a superconductive rifle, come from the surface. Together, Kamina, Simon and Yoko ride the mega “Lagann” that Simon digs out of the ground, and fly up to the surface!”

Do I ever regret not watching this series the first time it was on television. I did manage to see it when it appeared on Toonami when it was revived, though. At first glance I didn’t think it it looked like anything overly special (that’s what I get for no trying more than two or three episodes). Giant mechas, suggestive jokes, and fan service. Which it is but it also has a great story line, character development, and an amazing soundtrack. It is a pricey set. Retail price is $189.98 though at the time of typing this, it is $149.98 on Rightstuf. It includes all 27 episodes and two movies.

--Kung fu Yoga “Two professors team up to locate a lost treasure and embark on an adventure that takes them from a Tibetan ice cave to Dubai to a mountain temple in India.”

From the trailer it looks to be a fun kung fu mixed with Bollywood movie. It hosts car chases, fights, and at least one dance scene. I had never heard of the movie title till roughly a week ago but today was the first time I looked up the trailer so I was surprised to see Jackie Chan stars in it. I would like to see it just to see him dance in one of the numbers.

[whitecometofakagi]

5 favorite IniD characters .. who aren't Ryosuke

This is an extremely challenging question, anon. I have let this one sit in my inbox for a while, because I love so many characters in Initial D, that I felt bad for leaving anyone out! After a lot of thought, I have a set of answers I’m happy with for now (but ask again in a few weeks, and I might mix it up, who knows!?)

I’m going to list these 1-5 instead of countdown style, since aside from 1 and 2 (Takumi and the Takahashi brothers are definitely my three favorite characters) these are not necessarily in a strict order: 

1. Fujiwara Takumi

The adorable and miraculous downhill ace of Project D. Takumi is one of the most fun and charming protagonists I’ve ever seen. His lack of knowledge and spaciness in First Stage is endearing and hilarious. Yet, he’s also multidimensional. Even before he learns anything about cars, certain situations (such as a challenge to his ego or a desire to protect his friends like Itsuki and Mogi) bring out a driven, competitive side of his personality. As the story goes on, he grows and matures – becoming more knowledgeable, skilled, and confident. However, there’s always a hint of his trademark awkwardness present, along with his stubbornness, and quiet but strong competitiveness. I also relate to his story of working to find a dream and motivation in life, and I love seeing him progress along that journey.

2. Takahashi Keisuke 

Project D’s fiery uphill ace – who personifies the student athlete meme. While he can act tough and rough around the edges, inside Keisuke is a passionate and driven individual who truly loves driving and pursing his dream. I love him for both his brutal honesty and for his sometimes hidden softer side, that he occasionally opens up around Ryosuke and briefly around Kyoko. Like Takumi, his growth in skill and maturity over the course of the series is incredible. Comparing how impulsive and salty his is during his first race against Takumi with his calm under pressure in the race against Gou is incredible. He’s a real sweetheart, but who will absolutely kick you to the curb if provoked. While I sometimes wish he’d give himself a bit more room for recharging, friendships and romantic relationships, his dedication to what he loves is impressive too. But sometimes my boy needs a hug. (Sssshhhh don’t tell him!) 

3. Sato Mako

There’s probably no better phrase to describe Mako as a driver than “kicking ass and taking names.” She’s passionate, driven and stands up for herself in the face of a lot of adversity that she faces for her gender and quiet outward personality. I also lover her relationship with her navigator and best friend, Sayuki. They compliment each other’s strengths and weaknesses (as @ace-akina also pointed out in a recent post) and make a perfect, balanced team. But I also love that Mako isn’t just a “tough girl.” She’s quiet, reserved, and unsure of herself. She isn’t always sure of her motivation and questions her place in the world. She struggles to balance her own inner thoughts against the influence of others. This gives her room to develop and mature, becoming more certain of her dreams as well as her desire to follow them. And like Takumi, I love how her personality changes behind the wheel – going from shy and quiet to fiery and competitive.

4. Fujiwara Bunta 

I could not leave out the absolute legend of Initial D. Who else can execute a perfect drift with no hands while smoking a cigarette? Even my very conventional dad wishes he could be Bunta! Like Ryosuke, Bunta is also a genius at giving subtle, cryptic advice that always proves full of wise truths. And his relationships with his contemporaries (Yuchi and Ken) are incredible, full of lots of teasing and competition and humor. But like many of my other favorites, one of my favorite things about him is the subtitles of his personality. Although he can be a bit brash, and isn’t a “touchy feely” parent (or friend), it’s obvious that he cares about Takumi deeply. In his own way, he helps his son along his way, even if he isn’t always perfect and his lessons often come with much frustration. I was particularly touched by the scene in Second Stage where he meets Takumi after the 86′s engine blows. The small gestures like patting Takumi’s head and being at his side during this difficult time really speak volumes to me. 

5. Hojo Rin

My edge-lord problematic fave son. Now, before you send me any strange asks, let’s get a couple things straight: trying to murder people is bad, so is misogyny (or trying to coerce anyone of any gender to marry you). That said, like pretty much every character I’ve named here, Rin undergoes a lot of growth, even in his short period of screen time. He regrets the things he’s done in the past and finds the strength to turn his life back around and face his younger brother again. 

More to the point, Rin has a hilarious dry and witty sense of humor. I love the scene where Rin teases Ikeda for being too philosophical and says that he can smell the incense on him. (I also love that Ikeda retorts this later.) In addition he’s very blunt and honest, telling Gou -- who is shocked that he has returned to Hakone -- that he can “go wherever he wants to” and complaining that Kubo is “a old fart” with no #aesthetic. In the manga, he also complains that Ryosuke has gotten preppy, since he’s apparently spent the past two years growing his hair out and only shopping at Hot Topic. I firmly believe that Ryosuke picked up a bit of his edge from Rin -- particularly in the blunt way he’s able to put down Team Emperor’s taunts and some of the “tough love” he uses the coach Keisuke. 

In addition to being funny (and one of my favorite characters to write lines for in chat stories, rps, or fanfics), there’s an admirable side to Rin’s character as well, that makes clear why characters like Ryosuke and Gou look up to him. He’s the one who taught Ryosuke the joy of touge driving, after all, and it’s clear that he shares the same philosophy as Project D that there is something special about street racing and the human, fun, and emotional side of racing. I also love the short flashback we see of him and Gou, that gives us a small glimpse into the way he mentored his brother -- not unlike the relationship we see between the Takahashi brothers.

He also appears to be an incredible driver, and I wish we got a chance to see him race that lovely GT-R while he had a clearer head.

Bonus second picture of Rin with short hair! :O!! 

Some runners up!: 

Gou, Kenta, Kyoko, Shinji, Mika (my golfing buddy!), Ikeda, the rest of the Project D support staff, Sayuki…and most of the rest of the cast (except some Lan Evo drivers, Miki, and a couple of background jerks xD). 

All of them are my darlings...

[isaacsapphire]

Fushugi yugi

Cears celestial legend

The Big O

Blade of the Immortal

Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z

Utena

Descents of Darkness

Loveless

Fake

Ghost in the Shell

For CLAMP: you're looking for Tokyo Babylon, X/1999 (that's going to be fun to deal with), Cardcaptor Sakura, and Angelic Layer, as well as Chobits.

And seconding Sayuki, DNAngel, Petshop of Horrors, and Full Metal Panic.

Try "dot hack" for Hack?

Anime Fandoms 1999-2005?

I’m looking through old Yahoo Groups, thinking about what should be saved, and I need help figuring out which anime groups to hunt for.

In your opinion, what were the notable anime/manga fandoms circa 1999-2005?

“Notable” could mean huge. It could mean relatively smaller but a big deal in the BL world. This is for Yahoo Groups, so I’m looking at North American, European, and Latin American fandom rather than what was big in Japan at the time. Here are a couple of examples that spring to mind:

Ranma

Rurouni Kenshin

Fushigi Yuugi

Gundam Wing

Kizuna (not big but big in its niche)