Author: Austyn "Lazybones2020" Roney

Prepare for the battle of voice acting gods

What began as excitement for the most recent Dragon Ball Super episode on Toonami has now become a full-fledged war between two of voice acting’s giants. Following a long line of comebacks, the gloves are finally coming off. The rematch fans have been waiting for since a spunky prince had an M on his forehead and a battle driven hero had a halo, is finally going down.

Yo @FUNimation / @BandaiNamcoUS… I KNOW you were paying attention yesterday. So you KNOW @SeanSchemmel and I wanna settle the score between Goku & Vegeta on #DRAGONBALLFighterZ

Can our #SuperSiayanShowdown happen? Can U make DREAMS COME TRUE?!#IwillWaitHereInTheRain4UrReply pic.twitter.com/4cYqfgvD4H

 

— Christopher Sabat (@VoiceOfVegeta) January 8, 2018

Christopher Sabat, perhaps best known for his performance as the Prince of all Saiyans, Vegeta, has challenged fellow actor Sean Schemmel, the voice behind Goku, to throw down in Dragon Ball FighterZ. The battle has the blessing of both Bandai Namco and Funimation, so this bout is bound to be a spectacle to see.

Alright, @FUNimation. Does THIS video challenge to @SeanSchemmel work for you?! #SuperSiayanShowdown pic.twitter.com/mYj2rkkrPG

— Christopher Sabat (@VoiceOfVegeta) January 8, 2018

I accept your challenge! pic.twitter.com/7mn85mfxPP

— Sean Schemmel (@SeanSchemmel) January 9, 2018

At the time of writing this article, no location or date has been set for the epic showdown. All we can do now is sit back and wait and speculate the prospective matchup. Will Schemmel run an all Goku team with Goku, Goku (Super Saiyan Blue), and Goku Black (Super Saiyan Rosé)? And what team will Sabat combat with? He’s got Vegeta and Vegeta (Super Saiyan Blue). Will he complete his triad with other Sabat staples, like Piccolo or Lord Yamcha? One thing is for sure, the victor of this upcoming dream match-up will have bragging rights for the eons to come.

Sources: Christopher Sabat; Sean Schemmel

“I am the King of Fighters!”

The King of Fighters: A New Beginning has officially begun its weekly run on Pocket Shonen Magazine. The manga was first announced last November and will be compiled monthly within Shonen Sirius Magazine.

The first chapter of the manga is available to read on the Pocket Shonen Magazine app, and online through a browser. While the chapter itself may be brief, it sets the stage — both literally and figuratively — for the epic fights to come. The art is truly something to behold, Kyoutarou Azuma does a marvelous job portraying the characters with stellar style.

This is the first time in over 20 years that a Japanese manga has been in production for The King of Fighters series. Previously, a manhua (a Chinese graphic novel) was made for The King of Fighters XIV, which ran for eight chapters. Hopefully, A New Beginning will be able to flesh out the story far further and provide an interesting take on the franchise and its characters. The manga is currently only available in Japanese.

Sources: Pocket Shonen Magazine; Shonen Sirius Magazine

“My resolve… Will never falter!“

Bandai Namco have released a character breakdown video for SoulCalibur series mainstay Sophitia, which also covers the development of the character. SoulCalibur VI producer, Motohiro Okubo, brings many interesting details to light in this video. Okubo states that Sophitia and Mitsurugi were the first characters to be designed and that all other characters within the game were built to match these two SoulCalibur icons. Okubo also mentions that Sophitia’s play-style symbolizes everything the series is about, making her a great character for returning veterans and newcomers to try out.

SoulCalibur VI is already looking fantastic and seeing the series return in such a glorious way is something truly wonderful. SoulCalibur VI sets out to reinvent the series, taking the franchise back to the events of the original title. Sophitia has been in the series since the days of Soul Edge before the franchise was even called SoulCalibur. She might have taken a break in SoulCalibur V, although her appearance was adopted by the character, Elysium.

Hopefully, Bandai Namco keeps these videos going and we get to catch a glimpse of all of the characters and their development. SoulCalibur VI is set to release in 2018 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Mitsurugi, you’re next!

Source: Bandai Namco

Sheeeee’s a magical girl!

Team Reptile announced a brand new character for their upcoming title, Lethal League Blaze. Jet is a bubbly girl who can skate, rocket, and blow some epic bubbles. According to the announcement on Team Reptile’s Reptile Hideout Discord, Jet is able to encase the ball within a special bubble and use her quick kicks to get the ball rolling. Her charming personality also gets her out of trouble with law enforcement. You gotta love that shark jetpack.

Introducing Jet! This bubbly inline skater will be joining the fight in Lethal League Blaze. pic.twitter.com/BCwqTHAo7G

— Team Reptile (@Reptilegames) November 24, 2017

The animator also assured the community that Jet was “Definitely not a reference to Dion’s favorite game.” Ahem…well of course! How on earth could she be a Jet Set Radio reference! Reference or not, Jet appears to be a great addition to the roster of colorful characters, and now Sonata won’t be the only lady to take the bat.

Lethal League Blaze was announced back in September and will be coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC sometime in 2018. Those wanting to join the Lethal League community can join in on the fun through the Reptile Hideout Discord.

Source: Team Reptile

Get springy with it on Free Comic Book Day!

Free Comic Book Day is a huge day in the graphic novel world. It’s the perfect opportunity for comic companies to give readers a peek at popular and upcoming titles — at no charge.

Dark Horse will be offering a free look at their upcoming ARMS graphic novel series based off of the Nintendo fighting game of the same name. Dark House announced their comic series back in October, and it’s slated to launch sometime in 2018.

Here is a synopsis of the free comic straight from Dark Horse’s press release.

In a story based on Nintendo’s exclusive fighting game ARMS, a young fighter trains tirelessly to reach the top in the ARMS League Grand Prix — but first, he must defeat 599 other contenders! ARMS is written by Ian Flynn (Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega Man) with art by Joe Ng (Street Fighter, Overwatch: Binary).

Keep on the lookout for more details on the ARMS comic and Free Comic Book Day. You can find a location participating in the festivities at Free Comic Book Day’s official website! Free Comic Book Day will be held on May 5, 2018.

As for the source material, ARMS version 5 will release before the end of the year. Nintendo is teasing a new character and stage among other changes, so stick around for more news soon!

Sources: Dark Horse; Free Comic Book Day; Nintendo Everything; Polygon

Let’s get things started! Gundam fight, all set, ready, GO!

Mobile Fighter G Gundam is finally being represented in the Bandai Namco Gundam arena fighter, Gundam Versus  thanks to upcoming DLC. Burning Gundam (Known outside the West as God Gundam) and Master Gundam will be available in Japan in late January. The units will be available for 602 yen each.

I am personally very excited about the upcoming Mobile Fighter G Gundam DLC — for a Gundam fighting game with a seemingly never-ending roster of pilots and Gundam, it seemed odd to leave out the one franchise that was based solely on actual Gundam fighting.

Hopefully, this DLC is released outside of Japan so I can finally get into the game as the current and former Kings of Hearts! Other playable suits have seen Western releases following the their Japanese debut, so it’s a safe bet these will, too.

Click to view slideshow.

Gundam Versus offers some free wisdom.

In other news: Gundam Versus will be offering a free Battle Navi Set DLC that includes Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans’ Orga Itsuka, Fumitan Admoss, and Atra Mixta. The DLC will go live in Japan on December 22.

Click to view slideshow.

Sources: Gematsu; Siliconera

Who woulda knew it would be Fu?

Bandai Namco announced that the original character to be included in Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2‘s Extra Pack 2 would be none other than the child of Towa and Mira, the youthful demon Fu. (pronounced “few”) While technically, not unique to Xenoverse, Fu does take root from the same source material, Dragon Ball Online.

Fu’s upcoming inclusion may signal the return of Towa and Mira in a new story mission. What’s truly curious, however, is that this character could have been saved for an eventual Xenoverse 3 title, but with all of this new content still being added to Xenoverse 2, a sequel may be further than previously thought.

Other new content heading to the Conton City include a new story mode where players are able to fight side by side with their mentors, costumes from the original Dragon Ball series, and new, undisclosed “Irregular Attacks.” Bandai Namco also announced a release window for Extra Pack 2. The DLC and the assumed free update as is the Xenoverse tradition, will be available February 2018.

As reported earlier, there is still more content coming to Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2. A new form for Goku is on its way, as well as some kind of collaborative content between Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 and Dragon Ball FighterZ. Check out the new screenshots showcasing a small sample of what’s to come with Extra Pack 2 below!

Click to view slideshow.

Sources: Bandai Namco; Kanzenshuu

“That is what my Quirk is for!”

Heroes and villains unite! After much anticipation, Bandai Namco finally releases the first trailer for My Hero Academia: One’s Justice. The game was also confirmed to have a Western release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch sometime in 2018. The trailer doesn’t show any gameplay, but it certainly does set the tone and expectations for the title.

BOOM goes the dynamite!

What may be even cooler than the first official trailer is our first look at actual gameplay from the upcoming title! The gameplay was taken from Jump Fiesta 2018. The game is definitely a 3D arena brawler, with a lot of interesting elements thrown into the mix. Players can even take the fight to the sides of buildings while battling within an ultra-destructible stage. Check out how the game plays below with all of its glorious cell shading, visual sound effects, and more! Plus Ultra!

Sources: Bandai Namco; PS360HD2; Rhymestyle

It’s time to get up and Atom.

NetherRealm Studios has announced a free trial for Injustice 2 that will run December 14-18 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Throughout the duration of the trial, players will have access to the first three chapters of the phenomenal story mode, all multiplayer modes — including online matches, and the entire base roster (minus Braniac). Players will also be able to check out select DLC fighters within the Multiverse mode that is active during the trial period. On top of the free trial, those who enjoy the title are welcomed to pick it up at a 50% discount “at participating retailers.”

Injustice 2 is an incredible title, and there ‘s no better chance to check it out and see if its the fighter for you. Do yourself a favor and experience the story mode, it’s one of the best in a fighter to date.

Injustice 2 also received a new DLC character for it’s Ultimate Edition owners as well. Atom is a unique addition to the roster that fights by adapting his size to the situation. Check out some day-one impressions here, and the free trial trailer below!

[At the time of writing, it has not been confirmed if the free trial is a worldwide event, or limited to the UK — as this trailer is posted on a UK-based YouTube channel for WB Games, and doesn’t specify what regions will enjoy this promotion. We will update with what regions can indeed access the trial once we obtain that confirmation. – Editor]

Source: Injustice 2