28 February 2005

Contest Deadline Extended, and some other stuff...
VegettoEX @ 6:15 pm EST -- Since I'm a little tied up with "Doomrider" stuff the next couple of days, I'm extending the deadline on our current contest until this Saturday (March 5th) @ 11:59 pm (Eastern). Get those entries finished-up and sent in! You've got a little more time.

Besides, who doesn't want a free Japanese CD single and DVD set?! Check it, folks.

In random news, Neko Majin Z 4 is nearing completion, and the DragonBall Z 3 original soundtrack gets released tomorrow in Japan. I still haven't gotten my CD single in, yet... stinks :P.

And speaking of "Doomrider"... man... wouldn't it be cool if it somehow got released tonight... yeah, that'd rock...

22 February 2005

CD Single Released, Forum's Back, Doomrider...?!?
VegettoEX @ 11:00 pm EST -- The CD single featuring both the opening themes to DBZ3 and DBZ2 was officially released in Japan, today! Hopefully we'll be received our packages in the next couple of days... super excitement. If you'd like to order it via CDJapan, here's the entry. Furthermore, the full DBZ3 OST is out in exactly one week from today! Here's its entry, also on CDJapan. Get those credit cards out...!

(And yes, we're aware of CDJapan's typo of "Dragonballl" :P)

Also... our forum is back! Rejoice! When our own forum is down, and I look around at other forums, it really makes me appreciate the amazing community of people we've got here... even more-so than before :D.

Speaking of a great community, why aren't all of you people sending in contest entries?!? A Japanese CD single and 2-disc DVD set not enough to entice you...? ^_~ Get writing!

And then there's that silly "Doomrider" thing. I can actually say... truthfully, and finally... that I have a complete timeline. Every single editor has completed every single track. From here-on-out, it's just a matter of compiling, encoding, and testing. Look for it in the next week or so. No, I'm not joking. Seriously.

Here's a preview thread our forum, with new images from each track. You're going to love it more than life itself. Honestly.

20 February 2005

Digging Through DBZ3 Audio Files...
VegettoEX @ 1:35 am EST -- Thanks to ANT Link 15, again, I've done a little digging through the audio files on DragonBall Z 3 (yes, the Japanese release of Budokai 3). Came across the announcer's list of character names for the tournament mode.

And guess what? It's the *exact* same order and number of names as I heard in the American game and reported back on November 11th. Here's the list (sorry, more vertical scrolling):

• Son Goku
• Son Gohan
• Vegeta
• Kuririn
• Trunks
• Piccolo
• Tenshinhan
• Yamcha
• Raditz
• Nappa
• Ginyu
• Recoome
• Zarbon
• Dodoria
• Freeza
• Jinzôningen #16
• Jinzôningen #17
• Jinzôningen #18
• Jinzôningen #19
• Cell
• Mr. Satan
• Great Saiyaman
• Saibaiman
• Cell Junior
• Dr. Gero
• Son Goten
• Majin Buu
• Dabura
• Videl
• Kaiôshin
• Shin
• Uub
• Coola
• Bardock
• Broli
• Super Yi Xing Long (Ii-Shinron)
• Saibaiman
• Cell Junior
• Bulma

I pretty much need to repeat what was said back in November with regards to the American game, with a little more info. Be sure to read before you start running to your message boards and elaborating and spreading lies, kplzthx. ^_~

Yes, "Cell Jr." and "Saibaman" get two entries. Dunno why. Also, let's note that Zarbon, Dodoria, and #19 have not yet been confirmed in any way; they may simply have just recorded exactly the same stuff that we recorded from a paper script. Then there's the whole "Shin" thing again... *sigh* As you can read below in the previous update, at least we know what's up with Bulma...

No Janenba, no Hildegarn, no Bebi, no whatever. Of course, this is only for "World Tournament" mode, which doesn't include fusions (ya' know, only two people in the ring per match... can't break that rule... despite them breaking it all the time in the show) and possible alternate-outfits.

We already know that Piccolo-Daimaô is an alternate outfit for Piccolo, so it's very possible that other versions of characters can exist as alternate outfits... and probably will when more passwords are released in the next few months. However, keep in mind that when you use an alternate outfit, you don't get new moves... Piccolo-Daimaô still performs the Makankôsappô, for example!

Check out FUNimation's trailer for the "Ultimate Uncut Edition" DVDs. Random Japanese gibberish is fun! Apparently "ultimate uncut special edition" is "yufuyanohechiyana yuhoteyuya mominatenochifu natonoyanomaho", while "Exclusive Goku Action Figure" is "naritefuyumonoyona numahiyu chiteyanomaho ninonuyumena".

You'll definitely want to watch it "yanena rachiru noya rachimo henachihoya yama tsuna monanaho"... errr... I mean... watch it "the way it was meant to be seen." (Sorry, that was just waaaay too funny...)

To their credit, they've given us some great DVDs to give away... especially in our current "Contest"... so if you haven't checked it out, absolutely do so. In addition to DVDs, we're giving away a free copy of next week's Japanese CD single featuring the full-length vocal versions of the DBZ2 & DBZ3 opening themes!

19 February 2005

Bulma Surfaces in Japanese DBZ3
VegettoEX @ 12:46 am EST -- Be sure to read the updates below, as well... they're just as awesome. Neko Majin Z previews.

But yeah. Bulma's shown up in the Japanese release of the game, DragonBall Z 3.

Big special thanks to GameFAQs user dsxgate; you can view this thread over on the forums with links to two video clips (they're in MP4 format; get the latest QuickTime) showcasing Bulma.

From what dsxgate says, you must:

• Complete the entire game; a full 100%... this includes the twenty "Story Reenactments"
• Level-up all DU characters to 99 (?; this is slightly unclear)
• A final capsule will become available (for Bulma)
• Bulma is a third alternate outfit for Videl; she has only two attacks and a Dragon Rush (no ultimate)... but she can fly and charge ki~!
• No, that is not Hiromi Tsuru you hear... since it's an alternate outfit for Videl, that's Yûko Minaguchi (the voice of Videl)

I apologize in advance, dsxgate... your bandwidth will probably get killed instantaneously because of this... Just in case, here's a few images from the movie clips, as taken by dsxgate (sorry for the vertical scrolling; didn't want to decrease the image size all that too much):

There's still two months of promotional passwords to come, so hopefully we'll be finding out all sorts of other things hidden away in the game.

We'll be updating the necessary pages as... well... we get time, and it's not nearly 1 am and we can think clearly.

18 February 2005

Lots of Updates... DBGT Episode Guide, SJ Cover, more...
VegettoEX @ 7:22 pm EST -- Yes, the forum is down. Yes, I have an outstanding e-mail / IM in wondering what's up. No, I can't say exactly when it will be back... but it will.

We've actually had it up for days, but no-one bothered to update with it. Our "Episode Guide" is going through a complete overhaul, and the first one to be tackled is DBGT! You'll find a nice format in there; Japanese titles (kana/kanji, romanized, translated), English title, air dates, one-sentence summaries, etc. Definitely check it out. DB is up next, with DBZ to come after that.

This month's domestic Shonen Jump cover (featuring Goku!) is up over on the "Covers" page.

Be sure to check out the contest! Who doesn't want to win a free CD single and 2-disc DVD set?!? You'd have to be... well... mondo nuts. You've still got plenty of time, but don't put it off until the last second...

And now for a taste of things to come.

Strange monsters, giant ki blasts, and fart jokes.

Toriyama-sensei has stiiiiiiill got it.

16 February 2005

DBZ Manga to End in Shonen Jump; Goes Bi-Monthly
VegettoEX @ 5:30 pm EST -- April's domestic Shonen Jump arrived today (and if I'm not mistaken, March's issue just came a week or so ago... geeze...), with a huge bit of news on the cover. The cover, which finally features some more Goku goodness, boldly proclaims this will be the last monthly chapter of DragonBall Z.

(For those keeping track, it features original Japanese chapters 419-420, Viz's DBZ chapters 225-226... Trunks' return to his future to defeat the Jinzôningen and Cell.)

But fret not; it's not done for good. DragonBall Z will pick up in June 2005 with bi-monthly graphic novel (tankôbon) releases. There's some advertisements for Sagas, DBZ movie 10, and the upcoming "Ultimate Uncut Edition" DVDs in the issue, too... nothing incredibly spectacular, but at least DBZ is getting the attention it deserves for its final issue. There's promises of additional DB and Toriyama-sensei features in the future, so that's good, as well.

Cover scan coming in a bit.

11 February 2005

Another DBZ3 Tidbit... and...
VegettoEX @ 8:00 pm EST -- This thread over on DBZonPS2 has some images of the below-mentioned new costumes, plus it looks like Level 99 Goku has a halo (as predicted by someone on our own forums; I'd check, but we've got database errors right now ^^;;). Just... uhh... beware the typing on that forum if you follow the link...

February's Shônen Jump Monthly (which, yes, includes Neko Majin Z 5) should be arriving on my door step any day, now. Expect both NMZ4 and NMZ5 in the near future! Sorry we're a little behind ^^;;.

New contest! Win tons of great stuff~!

10 February 2005

New Contest Up!
VegettoEX @ 11:59 pm EST -- Like video games? Like original storylines? Want to win a Japanese CD single AND a 2-disc DVD set?

Is there really a need to ask?

DBZ3 News... Extra Outfits
VegettoEX @ 6:20 pm EST -- We've got a few things to break out! The game was officially launched in Japan, today, and first word's been getting back across the ocean...

First off, the March Issue of V-Jump has a three-part DBZ3 supplement:

• Supplement 1: "Fly High!! Dragon Ball Z 3" shows all 38 characters who appear, plus gives a rundown of the new game modes (Dragon Universe & Dragon Arena)

• Supplement 2: A reversible jacket for DBZ3 that features SSJ4 Gogeta on one side, Mr. Satan on the other. Apparently also gives secret passwords.

• Supplement 3: V-Jump exclusive "Dragon Box" that holds all 3 DBZ / Budokai games.

We're not quite sure about the box; perhaps you have to fold it into shape, or send away for it... dunno! ^^;; We'll let you know.

It mentions 38 characters (which is the total of regular playable characters in the US release)... but I wouldn't use that as 100% certain just yet... things always come later!

And what do the promotional passwords give you?!? (One password per item):

• Level 99 Goku
• Alternate Costume: Piccolo-Daimaô
• Alternate Costume: Long-haired Trunks

Yeeeeeeep! Thanks to a combination of Julian and Olivier Hague on this one. We'll definitely let ya' know if and when more passwords come out, and what other extras there are...

08 February 2005

The contest hasn't happened, yet!
VegettoEX @ 7:23 pm EST -- Let me make this perfectly clear.

I would not be so unoriginal as to have another contest where you point out a typo to win something. The character's name is "Tenshinhan" (FUNimation's spelling be damned) thus it's what I wrote :P. I can't even begin to count the number of e-mails I've received from people thinking they've won.

There's going to be an actual contest, so wait until then! :D Up for grabs will be at least a copy of the upcoming DBZ2 & DBZ3 CD single, and/or some DVDs courtesy of FUNimation (freebies for site visitors not be damned!).

That said, the "Links" page has been very scathingly updated. We don't really visit fansites... most of what we check out are actual official Japanese sites for informational purposes, so that's what we're passing along to you with our page.

06 February 2005

Japanese Commercials Galore!
VegettoEX @ 12:22 pm EST -- Special thanks to our various forum members for keeping us on our toes with regards to what site's got what. Here's some new stuff to check out on the Japanese interweb!

Bandai's DBZ3 Page: (http://www.bandaigames.channel.or.jp/list/ps2_dbz3/)
Some great little commercials for the game, but the main attraction is a near-four-minute promotional video featuring a conversation between Goku and Vegeta, talking all about the new features in the game. It's been a long time since I've heard something so great! It features the full-length version of "Ore wa Tokoton Tomaranai!!" in the background, so that alone is worth a view. Click the bottom-most DragonBall, directly next to Yajirobei and Karin-sama, for the commercials (the long preview is the one on the right).

(No, the site gives no indication about any possible ADDITIONAL extra characters not present in the American & European release. It features all of the new characters we already know about, but nothing more.)

Toei's DBGT "Dragon Box" Page: (http://www.toei-anim.co.jp/tv/dragongt/)
Full-length quasi-music videos to "DAN DAN Kokoro Hikarete 'ku" and "Hitori Ja Nai" promoting the upcoming DBGT "Dragon Box". Obvious links towards the bottom-right of the page; pick your poison (Windows Media or Real Player).

05 February 2005

House Cleaning + "Covers" Update
VegettoEX @ 10:00 pm EST -- As noted earlier today, I've been going through the "Music Database" and cleaning things up here and there. I've added an entry for the DragonBall Z 3 OST over on the "Video Game Music" page; added in some re-release information over on the "Movie Music" page; and lots more!

Also, I've uploaded March's domestic Shonen Jump cover. It can be found over on the (of course!) "Covers" page.

Want to Win More Free Stuff?
VegettoEX @ 12:10 pm EST -- We're in the giving mood lately! How would you like to win a free copy of the upcoming CD single featuring the full-length vocal versions of both the Budokai 2 & Budokai 3 opening themes? You would? Of course you would!

Look for details very soon. We've also gotten in a nice new pack of DVDs courtesy of FUNimation to give away (how does a Tenshinhan 2-disc set sound?), so our visitors are not only the coolest and most literate bunch of fans on Earth, but they also get the chance to win all sorts of neat stuff! Go you!

And I'd like to have some kind of actual content update this weekend, so look for it... I dunno what it'll be yet, but it'll be something, gosh darn it! I'm hoping to have a little bit of Japanese video game release news this weekend...

I'll be cleaning up the "Music Database" quite a bit, I think (make some of the older reviews a little less fanboy-sounding, fixing up the color schemes, etc.).

01 February 2005

Official DragonBall Z 3 Site Finally Updated
VegettoEX @ 8:31 pm EST -- Dimps' official site for DragonBall Z 3 (the Japanese version of Budokai 3) was finally updated today with a little more content. You'd figure that a game coming out in a mere nine days would have a site with a little more information on it ^^;;. Alas, we're still waiting to find out what kind of extras (if any?!) the Japanese version will have...