#the animated trailers both 2d and 3d

[crescentfool]

p3 reload box art + the art book cover!

[minnieposting]

i really love penacony so much

[nerdy-hyperfixations]

I can not stop gushing over how amazing Mutant Mayhem is. You can SEE and FEEL that this was such a passion project. A lot of people all throughout the trailers have been comparing the art style to Spiderverse because of the way it mixes 3D animation with 2D elements but it’s such a unique style regardless. The animation looks as though it’s made to resemble claymation with crayon drawings on top, which weirdly both helps it feel like child whimsy as well as emphasize the grimy atmosphere. I can’t help but admire how ugly in a beautiful way the animation is. It’s perfect. And that’s JUST the animation. The SOUNDTRACK was phenomenal. I loved when I could recognize songs, that’s always fun, but just in general there was never a moment I hated a song that was playing. THE WAY IT USED MUSIC FOR COMEDY was ABSOLUTELY my cup of tea: the whole car chase scene playing What’s Up by 4 Non Blondes was hilarious. THE MOTIFS- I just. I can’t. I love how when you saw flies circling characters, you could hear flies. The whole thing was absolutely riddled with jokes, just as it should be, but in particular the reoccurring jokes were executed perfectly.

Watch it please it’s so good. It deserves to have people talk about it-

[demifiendrsa]

Sonic X Shadow Generations - Summer Game Fest Trailer

Sonic X Shadow Generations will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam, Epic Games Store) on October 25, 2024 for $49.99.

Title logo

Key visual

Screenshots

Latest details

Editions

Sonic X Shadow Generations‘ Digital Deluxe Edition allows fans to play the game three days early and includes additional iconic music tracks from previous Sonic and Shadow games, a Terios skin based on Shadow’s original concept, behind-the-scenes art, an additional level and Shadow Skin, and more! Sonic fans can also pre-order the Digital Standard or Deluxe editions of Sonic X Shadow Generations ahead of launch to receive a legacy skin for Sonic, based on his look from Sonic Adventure! Players who pre-order the Physical Day One Edition will receive Gerald Robotnik’s Journal, a 28-page logbook chronicling Gerald’s innermost thoughts and drawings while he created Shadow the Hedgehog and the Ark Space Station, in addition to the legacy skin for Sonic.

Please see below for more details on each offering:

Digital Standard Edition ($49.99 USD)

Base game (digital)

Bonus PlayStation exclusive: Extended Prologue animations with deleted scenes

Pre-order bonus: Sonic Adventure Skin

Physical Day One Edition ($49.99 USD)

Base game (physical only)

Bonus PlayStation exclusive: Extended Prologue animations with deleted scenes

Pre-order bonus: Sonic Adventure Skin and Gerald Robotnik’s Journal (28 pages)

Digital Deluxe Edition ($59.99 USD)

Base game (digital only)

Bonus PlayStation exclusive: Extended Prologue animations with deleted scenes

Pre-order bonus: Sonic Adventure Skin

Digital Deluxe Season Pass

Play the game three days early

An additional character skin and level for Shadow (releasing Holiday 2024)

Terios Skin

Extra BGM Pack

Digital Art Book + Soundtrack

Skill Points (Sonic Generations)

About

Play as Shadow in a brand-new story campaign featuring never-before-seen abilities that prove why he’s known as the Ultimate Life Form! Speed through iconic stages from Shadow’s history, discover hidden secrets in an expansive hub world, and unlock new powers to take on Black Doom and save the world.

Sonic X Shadow Generations also includes a complete remaster of the highly acclaimed Sonic Generations, a time-traveling adventure featuring a greatest-hits collection of 3D and 2D Sonic stages, now with upgraded visuals and new bonus content.

Key Features

The Return of Shadow – In this new standalone campaign, Shadow’s nemesis, Black Doom, has reemerged and threatens to take over the world once again. Shadow must journey into his past, confront his painful memories, and unlock new dark powers to save the world.

Shadow Evolved – Harness Shadow’s new Doom Powers to battle hordes of enemies and tackle platforming challenges like never before. Surf on water, fly over obstacles, and stop time with the return of Chaos Control!

A Journey Through Time and Dimensions – Relive signature levels from Shadow’s previous adventures and accelerate through mind-bending stages in both 3D and 2D, warped by Black Doom’s influence as Shadow works to piece together the timeline and thwart his evil plans.

Explore the New White Space – Stretch your legs in an all-new hub world inspired by the open-zone gameplay of Sonic Frontiers™. As Shadow gains new powers, he can explore further and uncover the secrets hidden throughout!

The Best of Both Worlds, Remastered – Spin dash through a greatest-hits collection of 3D and 2D versions of iconic stages from past Sonic games, now with updated visuals and reworked cinematics.

New Collectibles, Bonus Content, and More! – Rescue Chao hiding in every level, rack up the highest pinball score in the Casino Nights Zone, and check out the museum for behind-the-scenes art, music, and more!

[chaifootsteps]

I'm kinda going through a fever right now and my thoughts just keep circling around hazbin hotel & helluva boss. Here are a few revelations I made while lying in my bed:

The amazing world of gumball has most of its characters 2d and cartoony while the backgrounds are realistic and 3d, yet the characters never feel out of place and completely fit in. Hazbin failed to do this in its own trailer

Just Dance have better lgbtq reps than hazbin and helluva... and literally all they do on screen is dance

Helluva boss is anti Bojack Horseman is every way. HB has better animation but crappier plot and characters, BH has rigged and alright animation but a solid plot and characters. Also how funny is it that Viv loves BH but shit on rigged animation as if it's an inferior way to animate?

Hazbin & helluva most likely will end up like star vs the forces of evil because they both suffer under the same thing: having a creator who got distracted by personal goals and being extremely unprofessional

Truly, there are no revelations like lying-in-bed-with-a-fever revelations.

[satoshi-mochida]

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake launches November 14 - Gematsu

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store on November 14, Square Enix announced.

Here is an overview of the game, via Square Enix:

About

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a stunning reimagining of the beloved masterpiece and narrative beginning to The Erdrick Trilogy— the first three games of the mainline Dragon Quest series. Featuring vibrant HD-2D graphics, new and modernized features, and a refined narrative, players are invited to set out on an epic fantasy adventure to save the world from a dark evil. Years ago, the great hero Ortega bid farewell to his wife and child as he set off on a quest to defeat the villainous Archfiend, Baramos. Ortega failed his quest, and Baramos still threatens the world. Now, on their sixteenth birthday, Ortega’s only child is summoned by the king of Aliahan and entrusted with a mission of the highest import: to take on Ortega’s quest, vanquish Baramos, and save the world. Accompanied by a band of travelling companions chosen in the beginning of the game, players are immersed in a vast HD-2D world full of towns, dungeons, and caves, meet fascinating characters, and fight ferocious monsters in enhanced turn-based battles. Rebuilt for modern audiences, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake gives existing fans the chance to re-experience a beloved RPG experience and its expanded offerings like never before, while also being a perfect starting point for newcomers to discover one of the most influential RPG franchises in gaming history.

Key Features

A Fully Modernized Remake of the Original – Stunning HD-2D visuals fuse pixel art with 3D graphics, bringing players into the world of Dragon Quest III like never before, along with an improved and modernized UI, and other quality of life improvements.

Traditional Dragon Quest Style Battles – A refined take on the classic turn-based battle system, featuring new animations, additional improvements such as an adjustable battle speed, an auto-battle setting, and more.

Immersive World – Deep exploration of a vast world map with an abundance of rich and captivating locations to discover, challenging players to overcome many unexpected encounters during the journey.

Experience a Timeless Musical Score – An immersive, authentic, and diverse musical composition that captures the timeless essence and magic of the Dragon Quest universe.

Pre-Order Bonuses

Pre-orders for the standard physical or digital edition of DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake will include a free Trouble-Free Travel Kit in the game. The Trouble-Free Travel Kit contains the following items:

Elevating Shoes x1

Seed of Strength x3

Seed of Defence x3

Seed of Agility x3

Seed of Life x3

Seed of Magic x3

Collector’s Edition

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Standard Edition physical game

Collectible game storage box for both Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake and Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake

Dragon Quest III character, monster and logo acrylic blocks complete set

Including 20 vocations, 2 boss monsters, and logo

The Adventurer Accessory Kit (Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake in-game items)

Ring of Strength x1

Dragon Scale x1

Words of Wisdom x1

Cat Suit x1

Exclusive digital wallpapers x2

The Trouble-Free Travel Kit (as detailed)

Watch a new trailer below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.

Release Date Trailer

English

Japanese

[deemee-ed]

Wow, I'm so normal about this movie! *develops a DreamWorks conspiracy theory on why Me and My Shadow got cancelled*

DreamWorks and franchises: a "conspiracy theory" on why "Me and My Shadow" got cancelled

On December 10th 2010 the project for an animated movie called "Me and My Shadow" was announced by DreamWorks. The story is about a timid and boring man called Daniel Grubb and his shadow "Shadow Dan" trying to convince him to live a more exciting life. The animation style follows an idea similar to "Who Framed Roger Rabbit", except that instead of blending 2D animation and live-action it would have worked with both 2D and 3D animation, with 2D for the shadow characters and their world and 3D for the real people. Despite being half-way done, the release date of this project kept being pushed back, first from 2013 to 2014, until it entered a state of limbo and eventually got cancelled. This decision was taken mostly due to the failure in 2014 of "Mr. Peabody and Sherman", which brought to the cancellation of other projects as well.

Personally, I have been upset about this cancellation ever since I found out about this movie, mostly because I just know that if it had come out this would have been one of my favorite movies ever. A few days ago DreamWorks released a trailer for their next movie, "Megamind 2", a very cheap-looking sequel to "Megamind" set to release on March 1st 2024 on Peacock. While I was washing the dishes (lol), I thought about this trailer for a moment and had a sudden "conspiracy theory" coming up on why "Me and My Shadow" was one of the movies got cancelled after 2014: In the same trailer of "Megamind 2" they announce a new serie which will come out based on it, meaning that this movie is basically an advertisement or a pilot for the show. This is reinforced by the cheap animation commonly used in these spin-off shows.

This serie announcement made me realize something: DreamWorks has made A LOT of shows, shorts and sequels based on their movies. In other words, this studio loves creating franchises. And even though this is a common marketing choice for many studios, I feel like DreamWorks does this VERY often. Some examples are: -"Shrek", with 3 sequels (might become 4), 8 shorts, 3 TV specials, and 2 spin-off movies and 1 serie based on Puss in Boots -"Kung Fu Panda", with 2 (soon 3) sequels, 3 series and 5 shorts -"How to train your Dragon", with 2 sequels, 3 series and 6 shorts -"Madagascar", with 3 sequels, 3 series, 3 shorts and a spin-off movie based on The Penguins of Madagascar -"Trolls", with 2 sequels, 2 series, 6 shorts and 2 TV specials -"The Croods", with 1 sequel and 2 series -"Monsters vs Aliens", with 1 serie, 2 shorts and 1 TV special -"Captain Underpants", with 1 serie and a possible spin-off movie -"Mr. Peabody and Sherman", with 1 serie As you can see, both known and less known movies ended up having at least 1 serie, turning them into franchises. It's actually rarer to find movies by DreamWorks that were not turned into franchises. So I'd say it's clear that DreamWorks has quite some interest in this marketing choice.

Even their newer movie "Orion and the Dark", released on Netflix on February 2nd 2024, can work as a DreamWorks franchise. You can understand this by the presence of a TEAM of secondary characters: they can't be fully developed in a movie, but they are an interesting team that can be developed in a show. It's the same concept as the Furious Five from "Kung Fu Panda", or as the Penguins of Madagascar and King Julien from "Madagascar": a team of secondary characters the movie can't focus on, but that you wouldn't mind seeing again. And now, with the release of a show based on "Megamind 2", a new team of villains is introduced in the sequel. Villains that are very likely going to be secondary characters that could be developed more in a show. See the pattern? I believe that DreamWorks follows this as their standard for a franchise: the movie must have a team of secondary characters.

Now, let's look back at "Me and My Shadow" and let's focus on the characters. From what we know, there were going to be 4 relevant characters: -Daniel Grubb (who some of you might also know as Stanley) -Shadow Dan (also known as Shadow Stan) -Heidi (Daniel's love interest) -The Shadow Villain (the bad guy, obviously) Every other character that was seen in small Behind-The-Scenes works doesn't seem to have much relevance. There are secondary characters, but they don't seem to be connected as a team, unlike many other secondary characters from Dreamworks.

Now, here's the "conspiracy theory": I believe one of the reasons "Me and My Shadow" was cancelled is that it could not be adapted as a DreamWorks franchise. The story would have been concluded in the movie, the characters didn't need to be developed more, and none of the secondary cast could work as a team. Could they have made some shorts based on it? Probably yes, but a short is not a serie. DreamWorks seems to have more interest in shows than shorts (remember: most franchises have at least a SHOW, not a short!).

With that being said, I'd like to end this post by doing some advertisement for this movie, even if it never got a chance to be finished. Everytime I find a new clip I am filled with pure joy. "Me and My Shadow" deserves to be made. -Shout-out to SQUIDWORD15 on YouTube for finding mANY unfinished clips. Bless this fella

[draconicfool]

Eros Trailer - "A Love Story in Parts"

The scene opens panning up the desk in Eros' study. The gentle tapping of his pen before there's a cut to amethyst eye looking over towards the window where artificial light is pouring in from the window.

"Ohh, I've really been at it f'er a bit, huh..?"

The camera zooms out to Eros, in his human disguise and Belobog outfit, stretching out before he rests his arms on the back of the chair. Tilting his head slightly before a smile spreads across his features.

"Well, best get t' greetin' th' day!"

He gets up from his chair and grabs his belt with his bag. As he puts it on, the scene transitions with him to show him standing in the clinic's main room with Luka. Fretting over whatever he's gotten himself into prior to being in with the little doctor. We see the golden hue of Terrahymn as he holds the other's cheeks and tilts Luka's head one way and then the other. Seeing his injuries healing in real time.

"Don't wear y'er'self out, sugar."

There's a sheepish laugh from Luka as he rubs at the back of his neck. Far more used to this treatment from Eros given the amount of times he's just overdone it. The vidyadhara lets out a sigh and shakes his head, turning as the camera transitions to the next scene, Eros standing with Sampo out on the snow plains. A group of Fragmentum creatures approaching. It's Sampo playing the damsel which brings a soft groan from the doctor, too. He flexes a claw to raise it before we're given the animated reveal of 'Lài Shoi-Ming Eros' and yes it is crossed out like that. The 2D art also reveals the actual playable form which is his masked fool outfit, his vidyadharan features, and his claws and mask.

"Guess y'er expectin' me t' do all th' heavy liftin', aren't ya?"

I'm not extremely good at writing fighting sequences, but what follows is almost exactly that. A display of Eros and his skills through the combat ensuing with the Fragmentum creatures. Intercut with skill lines the way we've seen in other trailers. Showing in 3D animation the form that some of them take. This including 'Pomegranate Kiss' which is intercut with the line "Guess I'll give it a shot."

'Eleusinian Mysteries' is shown through the Eros launching forward into the Fragmentum creatures and that golden hue coming around Sampo who's still in the background of the shot. The scuffle ultimately culminating in the teaser of 'Light of the Underworld's animation intercut with not the ult line itself but with "Wanna see th' real garden of thorns?"

The camera moves back to show the aftermath of the battle, Eros' hands on his hips as he's glaring over at the con man who's doing his hands clasped together pose as if both thanking him and apologizing. Eros rolls his eyes with a soft laugh.

"Oh t' be young and in love..~"

We're given another transition where Eros turns to leave and the camera goes with him. He's now standing among the Moles back in his human disguise, handing out candy and patting Hook on the head. A bright smile on his face as he laughs, turning to look at the camera. Those sharp teeth on full display.

"If s'f'er th' people of Belobog… I'll put m'heart and soul on th'line."

Which then intercuts to the logo with Eros' heart motif'ing around it. After the fade to black, we're greeted to a scene of him entering the clinic again, collapsing in that chair that the trailer started us at and flipping through a journal on the desk in front of him.

"Now what's on th' agenda f'er t'morr'a..?"

[artist-issues]

What do you think about Disney's Wish?

Predictions:

The movie will be an eye-candy with beautiful 2D and 3D. (But going by the trailer it's not as impressive as the Puss in Boots the Last Wish or Spiderverse. We need a better name for that animation style. How about 2/3D? ZED? I don't know.)

The music will be great. (But after listening to the song from the trailer that is supposed to be the ''I want song'', oh my God the lyrics are so generic and bland they can fit practically any main character ever. And it's just a lot of singing about nothing.)

The Star character, Valentino or both will be annoying.

Valentino will be funny and marketable but the movie could've worked without him.

The world will be huge, beautiful, and interesting and we explore none of it.

The protagonist will be bland with one obvious flaw or a dream which will be related to the message of the movie.

The message will have all the subtlety of the hammer in the face.

Inconsistencies, contradictions, and random stuff happening because funny/the plot.

References to older classics that you wish you would be watching. (You saw how many references they cram now into their other movies? And now it's one of the things they talked about the most!)

Death is funny until we have the fake-out death then you need to care.

No love interest because love makes women weak apparently. Or no love interest because the actress is a lesbian and she talked about how Asha ''looks like her'' because modern acting isn't about pretending to be something you're not, it's about showing who you are every chance you get. And for those who think they might make a lesbian love interest, I would like you to take a look at the gay ''romance'' in the Strange World. But if by some chance they do I doubt it will be any good. When was the last romance in Disney, Frozen 2 (2018) and that's a holdover from the first movie (2013) and the last good romance was Tangled (2010).

Lame villain! It's supposed to be a throwback to the older Disney movies and that includes its villains but Disney is so incompetent with their IPs I wouldn't be surprised if they get their own villain ''formula'' wrong. I swear if they try to make him a twist after spoiling that Chris Pine will be voicing the villain and his evil laugh in the teaser trailer, or ''redeem'' him after he did unspeakable evils. And no villain song. Can Chris Pine sing? Please no terrible auto-tune!

Making jabs at old Disney tropes even tho this movie isn't even half as good as the movies that came before it, uses a bunch of other modern tropes or straight up the same ones that it mocked earlier and completely misinterprets them and uses them even worse! Modern Disney seems to hate its past and does everything to show how ''better'' they are now. Which is untrue in most cases and just smug and annoying!

I'm sorry for being so pessimistic but that's how jaded I become and only towards Disney. It might be their greatest hit that will make people think ''Disney is back''. But Disney needs to change. One good movie will not save them if they keep making remakes that lose money.

I don't know; some of the things you've listed are likely, but I doubt all of them will be true!

I think the animation looks...unfinished. Isn't that odd? It looks like there's not a lot to fill in the scene, and what is there didn't get done rendering.

See these are pretty, but there just isn't a lot going on in the backgrounds--it's very icon-y. Maybe they're going for a storybook-look, but...a very minimalist, simple storybook? Not like Snow White:

Or Pinocchio

I can see that there are 2D textures on the trees and grass and stuff, but I wish there was just more there. Like all these pots and all the stonework in the background, in the screenshots from classic Disney above. Where’s the stuff; it would look even better if there was stuff. You know usually when Disney tries a new technique or look, they show it off. In Moana, they’re like we animated water, and as a result, we are going to show you SO MUCH WATER. In Tangled, they were like, we nailed the hair, and as a result you get to see Rapunzel’s hair do SO MUCH. In Wish it looks like the artists were shy about showing off the painterly stuff. But I’m no expert.

I really agree about the music. Like I really agree. I have only heard snippets. But I remember seeing the trailers for Frozen when a little bit of the music would play and immediately wanting to hear more. Looking it up like “Frozen trailer music” because just the snippet was enough. In this movie, I like the trailer until she starts singing, and then for some reason my whole brain rolls it’s eyes. Why does it do that for this movie? I love Disney music. I listen to Disney Princess Christmas album every season even though it’s not amazing, because I just like hearing characters sing. So why should I be exasperated by new feature-film Disney music, even if it does sound just like the others? I don’t know. I am not a music expert, either; I’m just telling you who I am (a Disney lover) and how inexplicably I reacted to Wish’s little music thing. Chris Pine can sing, but just like everything he does: he sounds like Chris Pine singing.

I think you’re right about Valentino; I don’t know if that’s a fair criticism, though. The Little Mermaid could’ve worked without Flounder. Mulan could’ve worked without Cri-Kee. Cinderella could’ve worked without Jacques. Moana absolutely did work without Pua. But in the new movie’s trailer I did feel like, “this feels like a pointless character.” Don’t know why.

The world actually looks empty to me. See points about the art style above. I don’t want to explore what I’ve seen of it, because it looks like an unfinished Open-World game that someone wants me to stream walkthroughs of on YouTube, and I’m like “no thank you, that looks boring.” But maybe that’ll be the point. Maybe in the story, the Wishing Star deepens and fills up every piece of scenery it interacts with! That would be cool. Maybe there’s a story-reason for the world.

I don’t know about the protagonist being bland. To make a good character (particularly in a kid’s movie) you need one big flaw (to make the character believable) and one big strength (to make the character compelling) and then little flaws and strengths surrounding that. For example, Aladdin’s one big flaw is his insecurity, and his one big strength is his compassion. You can file smaller traits like “trust issues, impulsivity, defensiveness, dishonesty” under the Insecurity flaw, and you can file “generous, insightful,” under the Compassion strength. His compassion makes him help and connect with Jasmine in the marketplace even though his Insecurity leads him to think he needs to be a Prince to re-connect with her after she turns out to be the Princess, etc. So it’s fine if she has one obvious flaw. She just really needs it to be relatable. All Disney characters wish for something. But every single one of them typically learns that the thing they were wishing for isn’t what they thought it would be, and to have what’s worth wishing for (love, usually) requires sacrifice. It’s a formula, but it’s a tried-and-true formula. It’s a multi-faceted formula. If they pick a new facet but remember the good, plain, common sense in the same formula, everything will be fine.

Their messages have been less and less subtle. In general I don’t mind when messages are obvious, because (you know me) I think that’s what movies are for. But! I will admit that movies like The Little Mermaid or Beauty & the Beast or Lilo & Stitch, where the messages are wrapped in layers of compelling character arcs and feel more character-driven, are better than movies like Raya and the Last Dragon. No shade, Raya, but how many times can you say “trust” in the same movie? Aladdin did it in two.

I don’t mind references in movies. Worked for Frozen. But there’s a difference between having Anna excitedly see the sails of a ship entering the harbor as a callback to Pocahontas, and having Rapunzel ask Vanellope if people assume all her problems were solved because a big strong man showed up. One is respectful (hey, let’s parallel Anna seeing the start of a new chapter in her life the same way Pocahontas did with sails!) and the other is sort of poking fun at the audience for ever liking what Disney made. Basically I’m very tired of meta-references.

I think this movie has potential to treat death with the weight it’ll need. After all, if it’s about wishes, one of the very easiest but most emotionally-engaging things they could do is have the main character (or the villain) be wishing to bring someone who’s died back. Then the message could go hard.

I totally agree about romance. The thing about romance is, it is a great way for one character to self-examine and confront their issues, as well as move into a place where they’re willing to sacrifice for others. Having a young, naive character set out to get their dreams, and then run into another character and start to care about that character? It forces conflict and tension, and again, it’s a formula, but it’s a formula that makes sense and shouldn’t be fixed because it’s not broke.

What I really don’t like about this villain is that he just feels bland, like a rockstar character who turns out to be a jerk. Surprise, surprise. And Chris Pine plays Chris Pine in everything he’s in, so I’m not thrilled by that either. But whatever.

Yeah, this last point goes back to meta-humor. #NotMyDisney thinks it needs to acknowledge what’s being mocked in order to trick the mocking audiences into watching their new stuff. “If we just own up to our formulas with a joke, they’ll see we’re self-aware and they’ll come along for the ride!” No, actually, you’ll just take them out of the movie mentally and emotionally to hit them with a fourth-wall slap. And then they’ll mock you because that’s cringe. The truth of the matter is, Disney responded to their haters best with Mary Poppins, and then again with Enchanted, and should’ve left it at that. Don’t say “yeah I know we have princesses and cute animals in our movies, aren’t we silly.” Say, “yeah I know we have Princesses and cute animals in our movies, but that’s because life is dark and hard, and hopeful young women with lowly but loveable creatures are inspiring & important. Kids need a spoonful of sugar to HELP the MEDICINE GO DOWN. But it's still MEDICINE that we're making, you're telling us we shouldn't give kids medicine that tastes good?" That’s what they used to say. Now they just…agree with the haters? Because it's a popularity contest, not a responsibility, anymore. Like that’s going to help.

Anyway, I don’t have set-in-stone thoughts about Wish, because Wish hasn’t come out yet. I agree that actors and actresses can give you some idea of where a movie’s headed and sometimes that’s disheartening, but I haven’t seen anything that makes me worry about Wish—except that it looks bland.

[synergysilhouette]

There's a time and a place for hybrid animation. It requires so much precision, and shouldn't be frequently used.

I find myself thinking about this more as "Wish" looms closer. It seems like "the next big thing"--but it's not; at least not to me. You see, hybrid animation is all about being stylistic, versus 3D's realism and 2D's moving art-like technique. It's fine in small doses, but NOT too much.

Despite being hard on my eyes (and my Spiderman fatigue), the style fits perfectly for "Into/Across the Spiderverse" because it exhibits the vibe of a comic book. Granted, as with any kind of animation, you can have different styles, but I/ATSV seems to have exhibited it the best.

"Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" also did this style pretty well, managing to keep a lot of 3D's realism while giving the imaginative vibe of 2D animation (even if the eyes threw me off for a while). I also appreciate the colorful palette as well-something you want when doing a fairy tale (while still managing to be mature and dark).

"Wish," on the other hand, doesn't seem to have married the two styles--at least what the trailers have shown. I'm holding out my hopes that it looks better in theaters (it's been confirmed by one of the animator's that it looks better than what YouTube had shown us). In any case, it seems that everything in the film is either 2D or 3D, not a mesh of both styles. As a result, it feels like incomplete 3D thrown into a storybook--digging the storybook part, notsomuch the "CGI-in-production" part. To make things worse, the coloration feels drab and pale, save only for certain moments. Had it at least matched the bubbly colors of PIB, I think I could've overlooked the style concerns.

[flowertab]

How about that new NWoS trailer?!

The following will consist of an overly long series of disjointed fangirl thoughts/ramblings.

First of all this game is beautiful. And it looks and feels like a true Layton game, which is the most we can possibly ask for! That feeling of curious surroundings, weird and wonderful buildings, a town where you want to explore every cranny…the developers had previously expressed doubt about creating a Laytonesque setting in America, but they succeeded.

I was so pleased to see that the classic screen by screen, ‘point and click’ dynamic is still in place! It looks like they’re embracing what makes Layton distinct without feeling the need to shake everything up. Bonus points for including the hint coin in the lamppost; sure to make any Layton fan feel right at home! Even Luke’s comment about the gears making him dizzy brings back memories of Unwound Future. One of my favorite new touches is how Layton and Luke are visible in the foreground as the scene is examined, it looks so dynamic and expresses the scale of their surroundings! It reminds me of the rare occasions in the games that you would actually see them outside of dialogue/events (like when they’re standing by the canal outside of town in Curious Village).

Speaking of Layton and Luke, they’re both looking great!! It just tickles me to see them in a fresh look but still very much themselves. Luke has definitely grown up, and his face shape is less round, but eyes are bigger/more animesque? It just gives him this very eager, bright-eyed look, and he does seem ready to take on anything! Since our only look at him so far from the previous teaser was more of an intense moment, it’s great to see his cheerful personality shining through. Even Layton comments that he seems to be having a splendid time, and who can blame him? He’s just having the time of his life to be at the professor’s side again! (On a random side note, Luke’s satchel seems to be missing. Does he not carry it anymore? Will he be taking on more action and it would’ve gotten in the way?)

Not only are Layton and Luke voiced throughout the trailer, but even the NPC guy is! This is pretty unusual. I wonder if there will be a lot more voicing in this game compared to the others, or if it’s just for the sake of the trailer’s flow. I also wonder if we’ll have a lot of little cutscenes like when the duo is approaching the correct door. The 3D animation looks much smoother (and less unintentionally humorous/distracting) than it did on the 3ds! That being said, I’m still holding out for the iconic 2D scenes to come back!!

The music is pleasant, and definitely reminiscent of Torrido, which makes sense as it’s also a Western American town (I think). And is that our new puzzle theme? I quite like it; the “music box” backdrop reminds me of Last Specter, while the rich instrumentation makes it stand out compared to the others. (I’ve heard it compared to PL vs AA multiple times though, so while I don’t remember that theme enough to say, I’m assuming that’s true!) I really like when that lilting harmonica (?) kicks in. I do, however, await the return of the iconic chunky accordion. The puzzle itself seems like exactly my favorite type, deduction/process of elimination. How cool to see the memo and everything being utilized right on top of the scene! It reminds you that the two are really solving a puzzle right in front of them. I wonder how this puzzle might change in the final game, as they’ve already shown the answer…oh, and let’s take a moment to appreciate that glorious solving animation! I recall two-person animations being a feature of the crossover that I really liked, and it only makes sense when the puzzle was solved by working together. Just seeing those two as a team again makes me so happy!!

This is more on the random side but…Eggmuffin? I mean, Eggmuffin? Is that really his name?? I had a hard time taking it seriously every time they said it. It sounds like one of those names that would be changed in localization—but then, if any series can get away with using something so silly until we just accept it and stop finding it weird, it’s probably this one. I have also heard it speculated that it may be an alias, though why he would want to be called this is beyond me.

All that aside, there’s just something about this game that already feels nostalgic to me, even while being so fresh and unexplored. I can only think that’s simply because it is a Layton game in every sense of the word. For a longtime fan who hasn’t experienced that anew in roughly ten years, it’s like coming home.

…and that is the only reason I can stand waiting until 2025! Oh dear, I hope they overestimated to play it safe, especially since reportedly the puzzles are all finished and production is moving smoothly. But, in the end, if it is truly the Laytonesque adventure it looks to be, it will be worth the wait—and I thank the development team for caring enough to not to rush it. I’ve waited this long.

(looks like I’ll be playing through the series again to help hold me over throughout next year! Layton fans, let’s hold fast! We’re in this together!)

[forlornmelody]

Queer Movie Review #28: Nimona

Nimona is one of those movies I kept hearing about over and over, so I put it in my endless queue. Then one of my favorite music artists, K.Flay, wrote a song for the soundtrack. And it was a BOP. (Someone remind me to buy this song STAT.) And she played part of the trailer to debut the song. And then I put the movie at the top of my list. I'm so glad I did. Nimona is ALL heart--a fun romp for all ages.

Nimona, the titular character of the movie adaptation, and the graphic novel it's based on, is a shape shifter of unknown origin. Voiced by Chloe Grace Moretz, Nimona seeks out would-be knight Ballister Boldheart (voiced by Riz Ahmed), after he seemingly commits treason and murder. She offers to be the sidekick to his villainy, because if the whole world sees them as monsters, why not embrace it? Ballister, on the other hand, wants desperately to clear his name and reconcile with his love, Ambrosius Goldenloin (Eugene Lee Yang.) Their unlikely friendship will turn their world upside down--and will warm hearts of all audiences.

The first thing I noticed was the animation. In an era when studios push 3D, computer animated cartoons over and over, it was so surprising to see a movie in 2D. And there's something about the animation that just POPS. I've seen others point out how expressive the characters are, and I think that's part of it. But also, the world is so vibrant in a way that isn't jarring. All in all, the movie is a meal of visual stimulation.

Nimona, originally a graphic novel by ND Stevenson, constantly made me think of Tumblr culture. (Also, why has no one told me that Steven was the creator of the Netflix series, She-Ra?) Turns out, Nimona started as a webcomic on this hellsite. And it shows. Multiple queer characters--including BOTH the protagonists. ACAB themes throughout. And well, chaos. Lots of chaos.

I absolutely loved the progression of Ballister's story. He believed fully in the institution he was raised in, and finds out he's naturally an enemy of the state, all because of his inate differences. How he goes from seeing Nimona from the enemy, to seeing her as family. So so, SO good. Also, can I just point out how amazing it is to see queer characters, queer FAMILY front and center in the story? How often are queer folks fighting just to see ourselves as side characters in media?

Would I recommend this movie? Heck yes. Go watch it. Go watch it with your entire family.

Queer Movie Review Masterpost

Recommend A Queer Movie

[doamarierose-honoka]

SEGA has officially unveiled new details about the upcoming Sonic Generations remaster and companion title, Sonic x Shadow Generations, during the Summer Game Fest presentation Friday evening.

Fans were treated to an exhilarating new trailer that showcases Sonic and Shadow’s high-octane adventures with modernized visuals and new levels, like Rail Canyon and Kingdom Valley.

Advertised key features

New Shadow Campaign: Shadow battles his nemesis Black Doom in a story exploring his past.

Enhanced Abilities: Shadow can use new Doom Powers, including surfing on water and time manipulation.

Remastered Sonic Generations: A collection of classic 3D and 2D stages with updated visuals.

New Hub World: Inspired by Sonic Frontiers, this hub offers exploration and hidden secrets.

Bonus Content: Collectibles, Chao rescues, pinball challenges in Casino Nights Zone, and a museum with art and music.

Packages

Digital Standard Edition ($50 USD): Includes the base game, extended prologue animations, and a Sonic Adventure skin for pre-orders.

Physical Day One Edition ($50 USD): Includes the base game, every perk noted above, and Gerald Robotnik’s 28-page journal that details Shadow’s creation.

Digital Deluxe Edition ($60 USD): Includes the base game and every perk from the Digital Standard Edition; offers 3-day early access, a Shadow prototype ‘Terios’ skin, an extra level, and bonus content including music and behind-the-scenes art.

Sonic x Shadow Generations will be released on all major video game platforms on Friday, 25 October 2024.

[animehouse-moe]

Western Influence on Anime - A Short Closer Look At Lazarus and Ninja Kamui

I wanted to break down something that irks me, not in a way that sends me into a spiral, but one that bemoans Corporate America and their desire to beat things to death. I think Adult Swim is cool, I grew up on some of their series like Robot Chicken (which I definitely shouldn't have been watching when I did). I like a lot of what they put down. I'm just not a fan of all these American IPs and studios/networks getting JP studios to produce an "anime" based on their works. It's not an anime, and I really want to break down why that title is ill fitted to these works (based largely upon Lazarus and Ninja Kamui).

So we'll begin at the root. Both Mappa and E&H Production have been contracted by Adult Swim to produce series for them. Both of them are also working alongside Sola Entertainment, a 3D-based studio that's stayed close to Adult Swim in recent years (even has a US-based office). I think this is the biggest giveaway/red flag as to the departure from a typical anime style, personally. Sola Entertainment isn't just another studio on the series though, they're listed as a producer for it. When looking information up for these projects, neither MAPPA or E&H are listed as producers as well, just the animation studios. If it wasn't clear, this gives Sola the lead/initiative on how to approach both series, and the results speak for themselves.

With Lazarus, what you see is what you get: a 3D-first series. Is it expected? Sort of, they've got the action choreographer for John Wick on tap for the work. Do I think it meshes well? Arguably not, no. It finds an uncanny valley in a lot of the camera movement as it gets overly excited, and not only that, but the choreography lacks the weight usually ascribed to anime action. It floats and flutters rather than jumps and punches.

Could some of that struggle be the cause of the 3D environments? Quite possible yes, but it doesn't account for the struggle in its entirety. It's a very odd middle ground, and immediately you can see some of the shortcomings in terms of composition alone. The characters do a decent enough job of meshing (most of the time), but the difference between environment CGI and object CGI are pretty clear cut.

Fundamentally, I think what this comes to is a lack of understanding of 3D anime between Sola's inclusion and Mappa's experience. Studio Orange pulled Trigun Stampede out from their sleeve this year, and the camera work is on a totally different level. Of course, they had the advent of being a fully 3D affair. Because of that, you might say that Lazarus wants to be a fully 3D series like Blade Runner: Black Lotus (which Sola animated), but is stuck in uncanny valley with its 2D work. But well, I'm sure not many have watched Black Lotus, and I can't say I really recommend it. If you do though, you'll immediately understand the struggles that appear with Lazarus.

Anyways, onto Ninja Kamui, Sunghoo Park's seemingly first series post-Mappa. I'm rather sad about this one, honestly. Park's sensibilities are felt incredibly strong in the trailer, but even still are somewhat masked by the American interference in style.

I'm very comfortable in saying though that Ninja Kamui appears miles better and more confident in its approach and style than Lazarus does. Just take a look at the weight and movement of this action. Even under Sola Entertainment, Sunghoo Park's impeccable eye for action is unmistakable.

Obviously it's not all sunshine and rainbows as things like the camera are still a little trigger happy on shakes and movements compared to the usual. It's such a curious thing that the West prioritizes shock and awe in comparison to the East's more grounded and focused approach. Regardless, it's a very easy tell for the difference between the two.

Anyways, here's Sunghoo Park stating that the action is different because of a live-action influence. Clearly, since the words are coming from him, so we can't explicitly ascribe this to Sola or Adult Swim/Warner Bros, but I think most would be comfortable in making that assumption.

Truthfully, I think this is the crown jewel of reasoning for why Western-produced anime fail.

They try to make a Western anime

It's like trying to make a Japanese Western movie, or a Western Samurai movie (we all know how well these go over). They're entirely incompatible things. The sensibilities, the styles, the history, they are totally incongruent to one another. You're mixing oil and water with the two, and it produces weird things that occupy neither side of the equation, like the new Superman series (which is admittedly better since it's a shallow mimicry at best).

If you want to make an anime based on a Western IP or product, look no further than Cybeprunk: Edgerunners. CD Projekt supplied the story, and allowed Trigger to do all the heavy lifting. It remains a Trigger anime, it remains a proper anime. Series like Lazarus and Ninja Kamui dig up too much of their roots in the name of American greed and control.

Need I say more than Yasuke? The Mappa-animated, Western-created anime that people were hyping up for ages? The series that is in the top 3 worst scored anime series from MAPPA? I love Shinichiro Watanabe and Sunghoo Park, and I'm still going to be 1000% watching these series. But I already know what I'll be getting out of them, and at best, it isn't going to be an anime.

[demifiendrsa]

DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake – Release Date trailer

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake will launch for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam, Microsoft Store) on November 14, 2024.

Logo

Key visual

Screenshots

Overview

About

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a stunning reimagining of the beloved masterpiece and narrative beginning to The Erdrick Trilogy— the first three games of the mainline Dragon Quest series. Featuring vibrant HD-2D graphics, new and modernized features, and a refined narrative, players are invited to set out on an epic fantasy adventure to save the world from a dark evil.

Years ago, the great hero Ortega bid farewell to his wife and child as he set off on a quest to defeat the villainous Archfiend, Baramos. Ortega failed his quest, and Baramos still threatens the world. Now, on their sixteenth birthday, Ortega’s only child is summoned by the king of Aliahan and entrusted with a mission of the highest import: to take on Ortega’s quest, vanquish Baramos, and save the world. Accompanied by a band of travelling companions chosen in the beginning of the game, players are immersed in a vast HD-2D world full of towns, dungeons, and caves, meet fascinating characters, and fight ferocious monsters in enhanced turn-based battles.

Rebuilt for modern audiences, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake gives existing fans the chance to re-experience a beloved RPG experience and its expanded offerings like never before, while also being a perfect starting point for newcomers to discover one of the most in

Key Features

A Fully Modernized Remake of the Original – Stunning HD-2D visuals fuse pixel art with 3D graphics, bringing players into the world of Dragon Quest III like never before, along with an improved and modernized UI, and other quality of life improvements.

Traditional Dragon Quest Style Battles – A refined take on the classic turn-based battle system, featuring new animations, additional improvements such as an adjustable battle speed, an auto-battle setting, and more.

Immersive World – Deep exploration of a vast world map with an abundance of rich and captivating locations to discover, challenging players to overcome many unexpected encounters during the journey.

Experience a Timeless Musical Score – An immersive, authentic, and diverse musical composition that captures the timeless essence and magic of the Dragon Quest universe.

Pre-Order Bonuses

Pre-orders for the standard physical or digital edition of DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake will include a free Trouble-Free Travel Kit in the game. The Trouble-Free Travel Kit contains the following items:

Elevating Shoes x1

Seed of Strength x3

Seed of Defence x3

Seed of Agility x3

Seed of Life x3

Seed of Magic x3

Collector’s Edition

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Standard Edition physical game

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Standard Edition physical game

Collectible game storage box for both Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake and Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake

Dragon Quest III character, monster and logo acrylic blocks complete set

**Including 20 vocations, 2 boss monsters, and logo

The Adventurer Accessory Kit (Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake in-game items)

**Ring of Strength x1

**Dragon Scale x1

**Words of Wisdom x1

**Cat Suit x1

Exclusive digital wallpapers x2

The Trouble-Free Travel Kit (as detailed)

[howlingday]

My idea for a potential DEATH BATTLE! #2

2023, August 16-31

Link to first post;

Yang Xiao Long vs. Akihiko Sanada (RWBY vs. Persona)

RWBY's heavy hitter and Persona's bruising boxer duke it out!

(I wanted to use "electric emperor", but Kanji Tatsumi can also be called that)

Fighter 1: Yang Xiao Long, the blazing dragon from RWBY.

Fighter 2: Akihiko Sanada, the specialist boxer of Persona's SEES.

Wiz: We may lose our loved ones to events out of our control, but that only leads us down a path to finding a new family to look after and care for.

Boomstick: And the best way to do it is by saving the world through punching! He's Wiz and I'm Boomstick.

Wiz: And it's our job to analyze their weapons, armor, and skills to find out who would win... a Death Battle.

PREFACE:

We had Weiss vs. Mitsuru as an actual episode and Yates did a commission for Penny Polendina vs. Aegis, so why not our hard-hitting punching people? P.S., Don't think I hate RWBY. I just love the idea of certain RWBY characters fighting, nay, interacting with other fictional characters that are similar to them, especially if they have some sort of connection through crossovers.

WHY:

Connections:

1. Both fight via boxing and punching.

2. Both lost family members that served as motivation for their actions. Yang lost her stepmom and was abandoned by her birth mother, which led to a rough childhood for Yang, resulting in her thrill-seeking lifestyle (essentially living her childhood later on as she couldn't do it as a kid). Akihiko's sister died when they were both young and his best friend Shinjiro died, but he steeled his resolve which led to his Persona's growth. You can also add in Blake leaving Yang.

3. Both have a specific trait that they don't exhibit much but are now seen as the chore trait of their personalities due to side material. Those are their passions for puns and protein respectively.

4. Funnily enough, both have powerful connections to a younger sister (Ruby and Miki respectively).

Personal reasons: I'll be blunt, I want this to be another Balrog vs. TJ Combo. I think it could work, but the only other way I see this match starting would be an encounter similar to those of Tartarus, the Yellow Trailer, or Yang's interactions with Shay. What I want the most from the fight is for them to compliment each other's physical strength, treating the fight first like a friendly spar and then turning up the heat (like All Might vs. Might Guy). The encounter could happen in the open since both have a history of wandering in search of something (Yang would be on her bike, and she has searched for info on her mom and Akihiko traveled the world, searching to become stronger), which would come into play in the Notable Events. If Akihiko is shown in his P4A model, I'd want him to use his knife, but it'll likely not happen. I also want some lighting and hothead puns, and I think the golden colors of Yang's Blaze and golden colors will complement Caesar's blue and violet lighting as well as Aki's scarlet and black clothes.

THE FIGHT:

Art and animation: This one will either be 3D like Weiss vs. Mitsuru. It could also be a 2D fight like a potential BBCTB fight, but I think they'll go with the former because all RWBY fights (as of me writing this) have been in 3D so they could distinguish themselves from BBCTB. I think the animation from All Might vs. Might Guy or even Blake vs. Mikasa could work with the CQC involved, but the former is the better option.

Possible setup:

OPTION A: They're part of a tournament like the Yang vs. Bakugo DBX (Yang would look like she did in Vol. 1-3 and Aki would look like he did in P3 for some reason) or a boxing match a la Balrog and TJ Combo, or even Heihachi vs Geese. The prize is cash, which Yang wants for her bike and Aki wants for equipment, be it for boxing or the Tartarus quests. Or ramen.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! Introducing our fighters! In one corner, you have the blazing sunny dragon from Beacon, the fiery and explosive Yang Xiao Long! On the other, Gekkougan High's boxing captain, the shocking protein junky, Akihiko Sanada!" The announcer mumbles, asking someone near him whether or not this is the chick that broke a kid's leg even after she won a tournament match, but quickly gets back into the job.

Yang: "You better not go easy on me."

Akihiko: "Same to you, blondie."

They walk back to their corners and prepare themselves.

OPTION B: They encounter out in the open, likely in an urban scene like the Kingdom of Vale or Tatsumi Port Island. Yang is riding her bike, searching for something, be it info or thrills. However, a screaming man falls in front of her and she swerves out of the way, only to find more people falling out of the sky. She hopes to find the source of the commotion and see Aki punching out thugs. She speeds in, excited and ready for a fight.

LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!/FIGHT! :

1. If the fight starts with Option B, then Yang enters like in Vol. 6's fight against Adam, so away goes her bike! Aki notices, and either punches away the vehicle or dodges out of the way. Yang skydives in, reeling in a punch. Aki prepares his own strike, and BOOM!

2. They both relish the combat. Their competitive natures lead them to be ever so slightly boastful, but they'll complement each other's power.

3. Akihiko summons Caesar and lightning is launched. Yang makes puns as a result: "Well, that was shocking."

4. Yang uses Ember Celica and Aki dodges.

5. Combos from BBCTB and P4A/U.

6. Yang takes advantage of both their up-close approaches and uses her bombs. The explosives catch Aki off guard.

7. Eventually, a strand of Yang's hair falls, and she notices. She thusly activates Blaze, and Aki is in awe of the increase in firepower (ba-dum-tss), even if momentarily, but he then embraces the challenge and rises to the occasion. "Bring it on!".

8. The ending is a clash of fists like in the cover of Brandon Yates's Blazing Fury, and it would pay homage to the Yellow Trailer and Akihiko's one-hit KO from the Arena games. If it's option A, then the arena, the spectators, and the announcer are blown away (ba-dum-tss) by the impact, and the winner is left standing, panting, and tired. However, they thank the loser for the fun and challenge. I want the winner to take one of the loser's weapons as a memorandum, but I don't think it'd be in character.

RESULT:

Strengths and weaknesses:

Yang:

+ Blaze allows for strength increase

+ Has ranged weaponry

≥ Has slight versatility due to her kicks and weapons

≥ Likely has longer experience due to her training under Taiyang

≥ Can likely dodge Caesar's lightning if scaled to Mercury

- Aura takes a long time to recharge

- Cannot activate Blaze without Aura

- Cannot exploit any weakness

Akihiko:

+ Caesar can quickly recharge if broken

+ Stronger and more durable

+ Has greater support due to Caesar's support spells like Power Charge

+ Has faced more dangerous opponents in Straega, the Full Moon Shadows, and the Red Fog clones.

= Can likely keep up with Yang as he has avoided lightning attacks

Ending puns:

"Don't Celica short; Akihiko went out in Blaze of glory."

"Yang was handed a defeat and Akihiko Caesar (see-zar) victory."

I wanted to use "got beaten to the punch" but Roshi vs. Jiraya had that as a punch line. Dio vs. Alucard used the "owned" punch line like Mario vs. Sonic 2018 but then added to it.

MUSIC:

Name: "Beat You To The Punch"

The title makes reference to Yang's love of puns and both their primary methods of fighting.

Art: The art would depict the two arm wrestling, Yang's arm blazing and Aki's having lightning coursing about it. There could be a Strawberry Sunrise with Caesar's sword in it in the background.

Sound: I Burn + Mass Destruction. The beginning is MD but with a rock vibe, and the climax has I Burn, like in Yang vs. Mercury.

THANK YOU AND I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS!

---------------------------------------------------

Another fascinating idea, but sadly, one I can't really give my opinion on. First, I'm not familiar with Persona (Saw bits of 4 and 5 and that's it). Second, after the last Death Battle, I'm hesitant to pit RWBY against them, since Persona characters seem a bit... OP compared to RWBY.

Still, I will honor your submission with at least this...

VS

HOT-SHOT PUNCH-OUT

On the one hand, I feel Yang may have an edge with her kickboxing, bombs, AND durability compared to Weiss.

However, Persona also has, well, personas, which kinda give an unfair edge over their opponents (like a stand VS a regular person). Then again, I don't know the exact details.

Still, I like the idea you brought up.