The post The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- Release Date Announced appeared first on oprainfall.

Aniplex has announced that the Fate/strange Fake anime is scheduled to premiere on December 31st with Japanese voices and English subs on Crunchyroll. It is an adaptation of the light novel series written by Ryogo Narita. A anime film adaptation, Fate/strange Fake -Whispers of Dawn-, aired in July 2023 and serves as a prequel to the upcoming TV anime. That is also available to stream on Crunchyroll.

You can check out the latest trailer for the TV anime with English subs below.

Official Trailer (English Subs)

The latest character visual has also been shared, this time featuring Saber and Ayaka Sajyou. You can check that out below.

In addition to the premiere date announcement, the full first episode of the anime with English dub is now available to watch in its entirety. It can be seen for free on Crunchyroll’s YouTube channel. As per Crunchyroll’s official X account, the episode will only be available on their YouTube channel for one week. You can also check it out below.

Episode 1 (English Dub)

If you’re interested in the anime, you can follow its official X account and check out its official website.

The post Fate/strange Fake Anime Premieres with JP Voices December 31, English Dub Now Available on YouTube appeared first on oprainfall.

At Aniplex Online Fest 2024, a TV anime adaptation for The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity (Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku) was announced. The anime is an adaptation of Saka Mikami’s romance manga of the same name which is published in Kodansha’s Magazine Pocket. CloverWorks will produce the anime and it is scheduled to premiere in 2025.

You can check out the announcement trailer below.

Japanese Trailer

Kodansha USA publishes the original manga for English reading audiences. The synopsis for volume 1 is as follows:

Chidori High is a boys’ school that takes in the dregs of society with the lowest grades. Next door stands Kikyo Girls’ High, where the wealthy, high-class families send their precious daughters. Chidori second-year Rintaro, who has a fierce face but a gentle heart, is helping at his family’s patisserie when he meets a girl named Kaoruko. The two hit it off right away…but this blissful peace is quickly disturbed when Rintaro discovers that Kaoruko is actually a student at Kikyo. Worse, she doesn’t seem to realize what a huge problem this really is! Will these two be able to forge a path for themselves, and sidestep the traps (metaphorical and literal) laid by their classmates?

The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity TV Anime is produced by CloverWorks and scheduled to air in 2025. For more information, you can follow its official X account and check out its official website.

The post The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity Gets TV Anime in 2025 appeared first on oprainfall.

The long wait is over as TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon- is now officially available in English for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. In addition to English, the visual novel also supports Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. The visual novel is a remake of TYPE-MOON’s 2000 Windows PC visual novel of a similar name.

Kinoko Nasu, the visual novel’s director, gave a short message to celebrate the remake’s overseas launch. You can check that out below.

“TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon-” launches today! Kinoko Nasu has a few words to share with us!

“Thank you for waiting! Now, let us go to the golden moon!”

Digital and physical copies are both available now!
https://t.co/P6Cau5fggI#tsukihime pic.twitter.com/eiduoWWdTV

— TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon- (@tsukihime_en) June 27, 2024

In addition to the game launching, Aniplex USA shared the English version of “Believer” by ReoNa, one of theme songs featured in TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon-. The video has a warning mentioning significant spoilers, so I will not be embedding the video in this article. However, if that doesn’t bother you, you can watch the video on Aniplex USA’s YouTube channel HERE.

TYPE-MOON has also shared content creation guidelines for those who want to upload or stream gameplay. You reach those guidelines HERE.

You can check out the visual novel’s introduction and some details below.

INTRODUCTION

Ah… just how beautiful the moon is tonight…

Gravely injured at a young age, Shiki Tohno was practically banished to a distant relative’s home, where he lived a peaceful life until one day, news arrives of his father Makihisa’s death.

Shiki returns home to find his sister Akiha, who has inherited their father’s position, living with two maids. There, he begins a new chapter as the eldest son of the illustrious Tohno family, finding that a life of luxury doesn’t sit right with him. As the days pass, familiar sights of the past awaken fragmented memories. Then, one day, he passes by a monster in the shape of a human…

Thus begins the celebrated story of TSUKIHIME, first created in 1999 as an indie visual novel. See the masterpiece reframed and retold after twenty long years!

GAME DETAILS

TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon- collects the two tales that make up the “Near Side of the Moon” portion of the original Tsukihime: Arcueid’s scenario, “Moon Princess,” and Ciel’s scenario, “Midnight Rainbow.”

Creator Kinoko Nasu has painstakingly disassembled and rebuilt the story, updating the setting to 2010s Tokyo and expanding the narrative. This reimagined presentation will exhilarate players with its hard-hitting tension and realism.

Featuring beautifully evolved visuals, animations, and music, TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon- presents a fresh take on TYPE-MOON’s genre-defining classic.

You can purchase the game digitally via Nintendo eShop and PlayStation Store for $49.99. A physical limited edition is available for both platforms via multiple outlets for $79.99. However, the physical artbook included with the PS4 version has altered content.

TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon- is available now on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. For more information you can follow its official X account and check out its official website.

The post TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon- Out Now in English for Switch & PS4 appeared first on oprainfall.

Aniplex has announced that the artbook included in the PlayStation 4 physical limited edition for the English release of TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon- will have two modified pages. The artbook will not be altered for the limited edition on Nintendo Switch.

Aniplex went on to state that while the artbook would be altered for the PlayStation 4 release, the game itself will not be altered for both the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch versions.

You can check out the full statement below (via the game’s official X account).

Notice regarding the English release of TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon- pic.twitter.com/o27E2wlpux

— TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon- (@tsukihime_en) May 1, 2024

This isn’t the first time something has been altered due to Sony Interactive Entertainment’s policies. Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal had an entire game mode removed prior to its release on PlayStation 4. Not even more well known titles were safe, as Devil May Cry 5 was also hit with extra light censors in its western PS4 release, though those were eventually removed. This, however, is an interesting situation as Aniplex is owned by Sony Music Entertainment Japan, which is under the same parent company (Sony) as Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). It appears other companies under the Sony umbrella are not exempt from SIE’s publishing policies.

TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon- launches June 27th, 2024 for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. If you’re interested in the visual novel, you can follow its official X account and check out its official website.

The post Tsukihime Remake’s PS4 LE Artbook Will be Altered for English Release appeared first on oprainfall.

A new mobile game in the Madoka Magica franchise, Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Magia Exedra, has been announced for release in 2024. The game is planned and distributed by Aniplex while Pokelabo and f4samurai will develop it. Pokelabo will handle the game’s operation. No other information on the game, such as its gameplay, story, and staff, have been announced at this time.

Aniplex and f4samurai previously worked together on another Madoka mobile game, Magia Record. Magia Record is currently still in service in Japan while its North American server ended service in 2020. Pokelabo is known for their work on the now shutdown mobile game, SINoALICE.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Magia Exedra is scheduled to launch 2024 in Japan. If you’re interested in the game, you can follow its official X account and check out its official website.

The post New Madoka Magica Mobile Game Announced, Launches 2024 appeared first on oprainfall.

The second major DLC for Fate/Samurai Remnant, “Record’s Fragment – Yagyu Sword Chronicles”, is available to download now. In this new content, Miyamoto Iori and Saber must investigate and solve mysterious murders taking place in the streets of Edo. Players will get to work together with a new Rogue Servant, Yagyu Munenori (CV. Chikahiro Kobayashi), to find the one responsible for these killings and bring peace back to Edo.

In order to access the DLC, players must reach Chapter 3 “My Mind Bides on the Battlefield”. You can select the new content once you’re able to move freely on the Edo Map.

You can check out the DLC’s trailer and some screenshots below.

Fate/Samurai Remnant DLC Vol. 2 “Record’s Fragment – Yagyu Sword Chronicles” is available to purchase now for $14.99 USD in PlayStation Store, Nintendo eShop, and Steam. The DLC is also a part of the game’s season pass which can be purchased for $39.99 USD (PlayStation Store, Nintendo eShop, Steam).

Fate/Samurai Remnant is available now for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.  The game is developed by Omega Force and published in North America by KOEI TECMO America. It is a spin-off of TYPE-MOON’s popular Fate franchise. For more information, you can check out the game’s website and KOEI TECMO America’s social media channels (Facebook, X Account)

If you’re interested in trying out the game, a demo is currently available for multiple platforms (PS4, PS5, Steam, Switch). You can check out our review of the main game HERE.

The post Fate/Samurai Remnant – Yagyu Sword Chronicles DLC is Out Now appeared first on oprainfall.

Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online II, the follow up to the 2018 Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online TV anime, will begin airing in October 2024. The main cast returns to reprise their roles, including Tomori Kusunoki as LLENN. Studio 3Hz also returns as the anime’s production company.

The cast and staff is as follows:

 [ CAST ]
LLENN: Tomori Kusunoki
Pitohui: Yoko Hikasa
M: Kazuyuki Okitsu
Fukaziroh: Chinatsu Akasaki

[ STAFF ]

Original Work: Keiichi Sigsawa (Dengeki Bunko)
Original Illustration & Character Design Concept: Kouhaku Kuroboshi
Director: Masayuki Sakoi
Series Composition / Screenplay: Yosuke Kuroda
Character Design & Chief Animation Director: Yoshio Kozakai
Music: DAITA, Daisuke Shinoda
Animation Production: Studio 3Hz

You can check out the broadcast date announcement trailer below.

English Trailer

Japanese Trailer

In addition to the broadcast announcement, the first season will also be rebroadcast starting in July 2024.

Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online II is a TV anime adaptation of Keiichi Sigsawa’s light novel of a similar name. The first season aired from April 2018 to June 2018 and was produced by Studio 3Hz. The second season will begin airing in October 2024. If you’re interested in the anime, you can check out its official website and follow its official X accounts (English, Japanese).

The post Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online II Airs in October appeared first on oprainfall.

At Wonder Festival 2024 Winter, a big event in Japan celebrating all things involving figures, Aniplex unveiled the unpainted prototype for their Fate/Grand Order x Usada Pekora collaboration figure. The figure is based on an illustration by Takashi Takeuchi and showcases Pekora wearing Mash Kyrielight’s armor and wielding her shield. Fans have been clamoring to have a look at the figure since its announcement, and now they get the chance.

You can check out a full body picture of the prototype below.

In addition, Amico of AmiAmi was able to take a video of the new prototype, in case fans wanted to get a better look at the figure. You can check that out below.

FGOコラボのぺこらさん#FGO #兎田ぺこら#WF2024W #アニプレックス#hololive pic.twitter.com/zFwYZiy44w

— あみこあみあみ (@amicoamiami) February 11, 2024

Fate/Grand Order first launched in Japan in 2015 for Android and iOS devices, followed by a release in North America in 2017.  Usada Pekora is a member of hololive’s 3rd generation who first debuted in July 2019. She currently has 1.6 million followers on X, and 2.42 million subscribers on YouTube. She served as the official ambassador for FGO Fes. 2023 which took place in July 2023. Are you looking forward to this figure’s eventual release?

SOURCES: Aniplex Plus X Account, Amico AmiAmi X Account

The post Aniplex Unveils Prototype for Fate/Grand Order x Usada Pekora Collab Figure appeared first on oprainfall.

Fate/stay night is officially releasing in English for the very first time, finally. The announcement was made during a special TYPE-MOON TIMES stream celebrating the 20th anniversary of the visual novel’s release. The stream featured Noriaki Sugiyama (Shirou Emiya), Ayako Kawasumi (Saber), Kana Ueda (Rin Tohsaka), and Noriko Shitaya (Sakura Matou) as special guests.

This new version will be a remaster of the Réalta Nua port which was released on PlayStation Vita in 2012. Fate/stay night REMASTERED will launch for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam in 2024 with support for English, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese text.

You can check out the announcement teaser below.

Fate/stay night was first released by TYPE-MOON on January 30, 2004 for Windows PC in Japan. Afterwards, an all ages version with added voice acting, Fate/stay night Réalta Nua, was released in April 2007 for PlayStation 2. This version was later ported to other platforms such as PlayStation Vita and Android and iOS devices. The visual novel has spawned multiple spin-offs, including games such as Fate/Extra, Fate/Grand Order, and Fate/Samurai Remnant. It has also been adapted into anime multiple times, most notably by animation studio, Ufotable. The most recent adaptation of the visual novel was the Heaven’s Feel film trilogy.

Fate/stay night REMASTERED is scheduled to launch in 2024 for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. This is the first time the visual novel will officially have a release in English. For more information, you can check out its official website and follow its official X account.

SOURCE: FSN 20th Anniversary TYPE-MOON TIMES Stream

The post Fate/stay night REMASTERED Launches 2024 for Switch and Steam, Supports English Text appeared first on oprainfall.

The new remaster of Witch on the Holy Night, which first released for Switch and PS4 last year, is now officially available on Steam. This visual novel currently contains a launch discount of 10% off for the first week after launch, which will end on December 21st. After that, the game will cost you $39.99. Feel free to check out the previously released Japanese trailer down below. Also down below, you’ll find out more about Witch on the Holy Night from the official Steam page.

Product Description
TYPE-MOON, known for the wildly popular mobile game “Fate/Grand Order” and the epic visual novel “Tsukihime,” is releasing a remaster of the 2012 hit “Witch on the Holy Night. Experience a coming of age story set in the vibrant, bustling 1980s, which follows an innocent young man and two young “witches.” Updates added since the original release include long-awaited fully voiced characters as well as visuals remastered in full HD, bringing the experience to life with unparalleled quality and fidelity. Masterful manipulation of visual elements imbues combat scenes with nail-biting tension, but also breathes life into the characters’ everyday activities. Animated graphical elements bring an entirely new level of depth to the reading experience as well!

STORY
In the mansion on the hill, there lived two witches…

It is the late 1980s—the twilight of an era of beauty and vigor.
A boy moves to the city, barely missing two witches living in modern times.

The boy leads a completely ordinary life.
She carries herself with gallant pride.
The girl lives a sleepy, hidden life.

Each walks a starlit path.
One would never expect their paths to cross.
The story of how these three disparate people came together is soon to be told.

The post Witch on the Holy Night – Now Available on Steam appeared first on oprainfall.

Last month, I had the opportunity to try a preview build of the latest game in the Fate franchise, Fate/Samurai Remnant. After my short time with the game, I was impressed with the taste I had of the game’s story, characters, and combat. Now, I’ve had the opportunity to play through the full version of the game. Was Fate/Samurai Remnant able to meet the expectations I set for it, or did the full game dispel any positive feelings I had from the preview build?

Fate/Samurai Remnant takes place in 1651 Edo, Japan and follows Miyamoto Iori, a student of the famed swordmaster, Miyamoto Musashi. After a run-in with a powerful Servant, Rider, and their Master, Yui Shousetsu, Iori finds himself dragged into a conflict known as the Waxing Moon Ritual. He, alongside his Servant, Saber, must now navigate this contest, battling powerful foes and making allies along the way. Will Iori and Saber be able to protect the peace in Edo while contending for the Waxing Moon, or will this ritual consume the city in the flames of conflict?

I enjoyed my time playing through Fate/Samurai Remnant’s story. The game did a good job explaining how the Waxing Moon Ritual came to be and developing some of the characters involved in the conflict in my first playthrough. The story gave me genuine moments of shock and awe, but there were also some moments that may have been a bit predictable, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. Rider’s True Name reveal and Iori’s showdowns with certain characters probably stuck with me the most. Iori and Saber, being the stars of the show, had the most development throughout the game. Iori became not only a competent Master, but he grew to be a powerful swordsman, capable of holding his own against monsters and Servants alike. Saber grew to care about Iori and the city he lives in, and soon saw Iori not as a weakling that needed protection, but a capable partner. You also come to learn the motivations of the other masters, such as Zheng Chenggong and Takao Dayu, and I really sympathized with them. Unfortunately, there are some characters that didn’t receive as much development as others, like Chiemon and Dorothea. For these characters, I was given some background info, but I never really learned what their motivations were. What did they want to wish for?

Earlier, I specifically mentioned my first playthrough Fate/Samurai Remnant and its story. This is because at certain points in the main story, there are decisions that you can make that will change the direction of the plot. For example, there are two locations you can go to, but you only have time to go to one of them. So, while I am disappointed some characters didn’t get as much development as I would’ve liked, their development may actually be in the routes I didn’t choose. Having a branching story gives the game much more replay value, and while I didn’t have time to do a second playthrough before writing this review, I am looking forward to seeing what occurs in the paths I didn’t choose, and learning about characters I didn’t learn much about in my first playthrough, such as Rogue Saber. I’m also interested in seeing if the game’s ending will be affected if I choose different options. A helpful option that unlocks after you complete the game for the first time is the Completed Story section in the main menu. This gives you percentages on how much you’ve completed of each chapter and optional Digressions. So, if you want to make sure you’ve seen everything there is to see, you can always go back and check this section.

Speaking of Digressions, these are optional side stories focusing on characters involved in the Waxing Moon Ritual. While I call these optional, I highly recommend doing them so you can get the most out of the story. These Digressions can take place in the past or present, and can help develop not only the main cast, but also characters who don’t get much screen time in the main story, such as the Rogue Servants. So if you want to get closer to characters such as Rogue Rider, make sure to do their Digressions. They also show you events leading up to characters meeting Iori and Saber in the main story, which may only be mentioned in passing but not elaborated upon if you just play the main story. For example, Iori runs into Berserker at a crucial part of the main story, and Iori questions why she’s there. Well, you can find out exactly how Berserker got there if you play the Digressions. You want to find out how Berserker met Takao Dayu? You have to play the Digressions. Not only will Digressions help flesh out the story more, you can also get some nice rewards too, such as currency and items. This is also the only way to unlock a Rogue Servant’s True Name and Noble Phantasm, so if you want to get the most out of them in battle, you have to play the Digressions. There’s a time limit for how long you have to complete certain Digressions, but the game gives you a helpful notification if a Digression will go away if you continue the story. The name of the Digression will also be colored in red to show you which one will disappear, so you can focus on those. Of all the Digressions, I enjoyed Rogue Ruler’s (Boss) the most as it gave me a good chuckle every time because of how ridiculous he is. 

A helpful section I touched upon in my preview of Fate/Samurai Remnant is the Logbook. This will document all the information you’ve compiled on the characters in the game as well as some terminology used. Again, this is fantastic, as there are a lot of words used that may confuse people new to the Fate universe, so it’s helpful to read through it. The Logbook also contains some information not spoken about outright in the main story, such as background information on Masters, and information on Servants after their True Name is revealed. I will say you should be careful reading the entries for one of the characters. You’ll know which character as they are related to Saber. I found one of the entries for this character spoils Saber’s True Name, before it is explicitly revealed to the player in the main story. So, I would just be careful reading about any entry or character relating to Saber, everything else should be fair game.

Fate/Samurai Remnant has four major gameplay portions: preparing at home, exploring Edo, combat, and Spirit Font Conflicts. When at home, you can help Iori prepare for the perils of the Waxing Moon Ritual. You can rest in bed to restore HP, maintain your swords, carve statues, choose which Rogue Servant will accompany you, and renovate your mage workshop. Maintaining your swords starts a simple minigame, and you can get an EXP bonus depending on how well you do and what materials you use. So, if you do it perfectly and with the best materials, your EXP bonus can be increased by 20% and for eight battles, which is very helpful. Carving statues is a way to not only gain some EXP, but it’s a way to make some good money as well. You can take the statues you create and sell them to the Boss at Babyloni-ya for a good chunk of change. After a certain point in the story, your home will be where you can choose which Rogue Servant will accompany you. So, make sure you have your favorite one accompanying you before you go out to battle. Renovating your workshop can give you permanent buffs (increase your Valor Gauge fill rate, increase Affinity Gauge fill rate, etc.), give you more options at your workshop (ability to upgrade your sword mountings, option to craft gems, etc.), give you benefits when exploring Edo (decrease price of goods at shops), and even give you the ability to switch out your Rogue Servant outside the house. Unlocking these benefits will cost a good amount of materials and currency, so make sure to save up!

Once you’re out in the town, you can purchase materials and recovery items, stop minor squabbles between townsfolk, fight monsters and ruffians, pet your favorite cats and dogs, and complete Local Trials and Commissions. You’re not limited to staying in Asakusa, you can open the Edo map most of the time and go to a different district if you want, unless the story limits you at the point you’re at. Stopping squabbles and petting animals both help fill your Affinity gauge, but only petting animals will restore some of your health, so you know which one to do. Local Trials are objectives you can complete in each Edo district that can be completed for currency and materials. These are relatively simple to do, such as defeat a certain amount of enemies or pet a dog or cat a certain amount of times. Once you complete all of them, you get a Town Completion bonus, which is even more currency and materials. Commissions are like Local Trials, but they’re not limited to specific districts in Edo. So you can make progress on these no matter where you are in Edo, and they usually give much bigger rewards than the Local Trials. I do wish there were one or two more minigames to break up all the action, some that need a little more input from the player, because stopping squabbles is way too easy. I think they could’ve added a fishing minigame in here, since you’re allowed to visit ports in the game. It’s not a big deal, just a minor nitpick.

Combat in Fate/Samurai Remnant is an action affair. You can use regular attacks with the square button, heavy attacks with the triangle button, jump with the cross button, utilize Valor Strikes with the circle button, and dodge with the R2 button. The L1 button allows you to expend Gems to use spells or switch Iori’s current Sword Style. The R1 button accesses the Servant menu and allows you to use Affinity techniques and switch out with Saber, or your chosen Rogue Servant, if the Substitution gauge is full. Saber’s gauge and the Rogue Servant’s Substitution gauge are separated, so you don’t have to worry about choosing one over the other. Valor Strikes are similar to Musou attacks, in that you expend the Valor gauge to perform a special attack which wrecks all the foes around you. When controlling a Servant, the Valor gauge turns into the Noble Phantasm gauge, which in turn changes the Valor Strike into a Noble Phantasm. You can only utilize a Noble Phantasm once you find out the Servant’s True Name, so make sure you do Digressions for those Rogue Servants! I thought it was interesting how Iori could change up his Sword Style to fit the combat situation. My favorite Sword Styles were the Water Style, which emphasizes speed, and the Fire Style, which gets stronger as your health goes down. I found combat to be fair, with a mix of easy fights and those that will challenge you. Most of the challenging fights will involve enemies that have a Shell gauge. These gauges prevent you from dealing a lot of damage to a foe unless it’s broken. This can make these enemies a bit tanky, but it isn’t too bad if you’re patient.

In order to make fights easier, you can obviously level up, but you can also spend Skill Points you accumulate to unlock buffs and abilities for Iori and your Servants. These buffs can include increasing your damage against Servants and monsters, increasing your Shell gauge depletion rate, and even unlock an ability which revives Iori after getting KO’d once in battle. If you don’t have enough Skill Points to unlock an ability, you can spend items, such as Skill Jewels, to gain points needed to get the ability. Other than unlocking nodes in the Skill Tree, you can also change Iori’s Sword Mountings. You can change four different aspects of your swords, and each will give you different benefits depending on the mounting used. Benefits can include things such as healing your HP after defeating an enemy, increasing your damage against Servants, etc. You can upgrade your favorite mountings at your workshop, so you can keep using your favorites as the story goes on. Also, your mountings actually change the appearance of Iori’s swords, which is a very nice touch.

You know you’re about to enter a pretty important battle if a Spirit Font Conflict starts. In Spirit Font Conflicts, you have to make your way usually from Asakusa all the way to your destination in a certain amount of turns, all while taking, and defending, Spirit Nodes from your opposition. Taking specific Spirit Nodes will give you buffs, such as increasing your attack. You can also work alongside Rogue Servants you’ve bonded with throughout the story to make the Conflict easier. You can also split off Saber from Iori, effectively giving you two or more units to take Spirit Nodes with. If you run into an enemy in the same node, this starts a battle. You have an optional time limit to take out the enemies within, and if you defeat them within the time limit, you get extra rewards. If a Conflict is ever giving you difficulty, you can utilize a Support Mystic Code, which can give you different benefits, such as transporting to a node under your control or giving you additional actions within a turn. You can also click the right stick (R3) and ask Gramps for advice if you’re really stuck. What I liked about Spirit Font Conflicts is if you run into an enemy with Saber or a Rogue Servant without Iori, you can control them with no limitations. This is a good opportunity to really let loose and smash your foes. I don’t have a problem with the time limitation when controlling Servants normally, as it adds an extra challenge to battles, but sometimes I just want to wreck foes with reckless abandon. Honestly, Spirit Font Conflicts were a bit too easy for my liking on Sword Fighter (Normal) difficulty. It would’ve been nice if you needed to put a little more thought into moving your units, but the game tended to hold your hand throughout the process.

Continue Iori’s quest for the Waxing Moon on page 2 ->

The post REVIEW: Fate/Samurai Remnant appeared first on oprainfall.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie -Walpurgisnacht Rising- has received a new trailer and visual at Aniplex Online Fest 2023. The movie was previously announced in 2021 at the series’ 10th anniversary event and is a sequel to Rebellion.

You can check out the movie’s trailer below.

The staff and cast is as follows:

CAST:

• Madoka Kaname: Aoi Yuki
• Homura Akemi: Chiwa Saito
• Mami Tomoe: Kaori Mizuhashi
• Sayaka Miki: Eri Kitamura
• Kyoko Sakura: Ai Nonaka
• Nagisa Momoe: Kana Asumi
• Kyubey: Emiri Kato

STAFF:

• Original Story: Magica Quartet
• Chief Director: Akiyuki Shimbou
• Screenplay: Gen Urobuchi (Nitroplus)
• Original Character Design: aokiume
• Director: Yukihiro Miyamoto
• Character Design: Junichiro Taniguchi
• Parallel World Design: Gekidan InuCurry (Doroinu)
• Music: Yuki Kajiura
• Animation Production: Shaft

Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie -Walpurgisnacht Rising- is scheduled to release in Winter 2024 for theaters in Japan. No overseas theatrical run has been announced at this time. For more information, you can follow the official Madoka Twitter (X) account (Japanese, English) and website (Japanese, English).

SOURCE: Aniplex Online Fest 2023, Madoka English Twitter (X)

The post Madoka Magica -Walpurgisnacht Rising- Gets New Trailer & Visual appeared first on oprainfall.

At Aniplex Online Fest 2023, a Steam release was announced for TYPE-MOON visual novel, Witch on the Holy Night. The visual novel originally released in 2012 for PC and then received a fully voiced HD port for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 on December 8, 2022. The Steam release will be based on the recent HD port.

You can check out the announcement promotional video (PV) below.

Witch on the Holy Night launches on December 14, 2023 for PC via Steam. Its Steam page is now available and you can add it to your wishlist. You can also check out its official Twitter (X) pages (Japanese, English) and website (Japanese, English) for more information.

SOURCES: Aniplex Online Fest 2023, Mahoyo Twitter (X) Account

The post Witch on the Holy Night Steam Release Announced, Gets New PV appeared first on oprainfall.

KOEI TECMO America and Omega Force have released a new trailer for their upcoming action RPG, Fate/Samurai Remnant. The trailer showcases more bits of the story and some gameplay elements. You can check out the trailer below.

In addition to this news, KOEI TECMO has revealed that a special livestream for the game will be held at Tokyo Game Show 2023 on September 21, 2023 at 06:00 PST (22:00 JST). Special guests include Kengo Kawanishi (Iori Miyamoto), Hibiku Yamamura (Saber) and Tomoaki Maeno (Zheng Chenggong). You will be able to watch the livestream on KOEI TECMO Japan’s YouTube channel. An English interpretation stream will also be available on official Tokyo Game Show channels.

You can check out more details on the game below.

Playing as Iori, players will explore the town of Edo and experience a variety of activities, such as wandering the streets in the company of various Servants, shopping at the mysterious store “Babyloni-ya”, or visiting famous places scattered throughout Edo. Accompanied by Saber, who is particularly keen to discover life in Edo, Iori will be able to complete a variety of side quests to earn money and much-needed materials. He will even be called upon to arbitrate fights!

As Edo is divided into several districts, players can move from one to another using the world map, which will show them where to go to progress through the story of the Waxing Moon Ritual. Saber will also mark places of interest on the map. Some Rogue Servants may suggest sub-quests called “Digressions”. As they progress through the different Digressions, players will bond with Rogue Servants who will accompany Iori.

By taking part in the Ritual, Iori will have to prepare himself to face powerful opponents in fearsome battles with the help of Saber and other Rogue Servants. To maximize their chances, players can upgrade not only Iori’s skill tree, but also those of Saber and other Rogue Servants, unlocking various skills and abilities that they can equip. In addition to his skill tree, Iori can use materials with his sword mountings to strengthen its abilities and replace the skills attached to it. Players will also be able to fill in Saber’s “Memento Ring” as they strengthen the bond between Servant and Master by exploring the town of Edo and progressing through the story. Once they reach a certain level on the “Memento Ring”, players can increase their chances of using Link Strikes in battle or unlock new skills in Saber’s tree.

In Fate/Samurai Remnant’s combat, players have three different gauges to watch out for if they want to triumph over even the most formidable opponents: the “Affinity Gauge”, the “Substitution Gauge”, and the “Hidden Sword Gauge”. The first gauge is required to use the powerful “Affinity Technique” action and order their Servant to perform a specific attack. This gauge fills up during combat in response to Iori’s attacks, but can also fill up during exploration when players carry out various activities such as interacting with Saber’s points of interest. By consuming the second gauge, the “Substitution Gauge”, players can temporarily and directly control the Servant accompanying Iori. Finally, the last gauge tells players when they can unleash Iori’s special technique, which changes according to the number of swords used in combat.

A plethora of new screenshots can also be seen below.

Fate/Samurai Remnant launches on September 29, 2023 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. For more information you can look at the game’s official website and Twitter (X) page.

SOURCE: Press Release

The post Fate/Samurai Remnant Unveils 3rd Trailer, New Key Visual appeared first on oprainfall.

Aniplex of America has released a new trailer for their upcoming localization of TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon-. The trailer starts with a voiced introduction followed by short looks at a couple characters: Arcueid Brunestud, Ciel, Akiha Tohno, Koharu, Hisui, and Shiki Tohno. The trailer then ends with the game’s animated opening and some information on the staff and cast. You can check out the new trailer HERE (the trailer is age-restricted, so I am unable to embed it here).

Aniplex also released an introduction for Shiki Tohno. You can check that out below.

TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon- is a remake of a visual novel released by TYPE-MOON in 2000. Unlike its predecessor which never saw an official localization, TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon- is scheduled to launch overseas in 2024 for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. You can check out its official English website and follow its X page for more information.

SOURCE: Press Email

The post TSUKIHIME -A piece of blue glass moon- Gets New English Trailer appeared first on oprainfall.

Let me start off by saying I am a big fan of the Fate franchise. When I was younger, I was very intrigued by the concept of having these mythical figures fight each other, and the unique ways each character was portrayed. I soon fell in love with the original characters and story introduced in Fate/stay night, and the rest is history. So, when I got a special chance to try out a preview build of Fate/Samurai Remnant, I was ecstatic. A brand new Fate story set in Edo period Japan? Sign me up! When the game was first announced, I was curious how the action gameplay would be handled. Would it be like previous action games in the franchise, or would it be something different? Let’s see if this first taste of Samurai Remnant left me wanting for more.

The story takes place in 1651 in Edo, Japan. A young man, Miyamoto Iori, finds himself attacked by unknown assailants. He soon comes into contact with a powerful enemy known as Rider and their master, Yui Shousetsu. Just when things seem to be dire, a swordswoman clad in white, Saber,  is summoned to Iori’s side. Iori is dragged into a conflict known as the Waxing Moon Ritual. Will he and Saber be able to overcome the other Masters and Servants and claim the Waxing Moon for themselves?

I like what I’ve seen of the characters and story so far. There’s a sense of mystery surrounding the Waxing Moon Ritual and its participants. What is the true nature of the Waxing Moon Ritual, and how is it related to the Holy Grail War, if at all? What is each Master’s motivation for joining the Ritual? What is the identity of each Servant, including Saber? I like how they don’t just give this information right away, I enjoy figuring these things out. A nice feature included in the game is the Logbook, which can be accessed from the menu. It includes information on events, characters, and terminology used throughout the story. The Logbook gets updated as you progress through the game, so don’t worry about getting spoiled on anything. This is very helpful as Fate stories tend to use a lot of different lingo, so it’s good to have something you can access if you don’t understand something.

I only got to see a couple of the characters in this build, but I’d like to focus on the protagonists, Iori and Saber. Iori is a good guy and actively tries to avoid killing people. He doesn’t rush into things, unlike Saber. Saber has no qualms with taking a life, and is eager to go out and take out the other Servants and Masters in the Waxing Moon Ritual. She also has a childlike curiosity, constantly asking Iori about the things she sees around Edo. And, she really likes to eat. It was pretty funny how Iori had to keep Saber in check whenever she wanted to take a frontal approach to situations. These two are adorable as a pair, and really work well off each other. This was only from the beginning parts of the game, so I’m interested in seeing how their partnership develops later in the story.

Fate/Samurai Remnant uses an action combat system. Iori can use standard light and heavy attacks by pressing the square and triangle buttons. Holding L1 allows him to change stances and use magic spells. Holding R1 allows you to use your Servant’s Affinity Techniques, and switch places with your Servant. Pressing the circle button when the Valor Gauge is full allows Iori to use his Valor Strike, which is essentially his special attack that causes a lot of damage. I was able to fight a couple different foes in this preview, ranging from normal thugs to monsters to powerful Servants. While you could slash your way through normal enemies with relative ease, fighting powerful enemies like Servants was a different story. You can’t just wail on them, you really had to time when you attacked. This is when switching places with your Servant comes into play. As you deal damage, the Substitution gauge increases. When the gauge is maxed out, you can control your Servant for a limited amount of time. Your Servant, in this case Saber, is much stronger and more durable than Iori, so you can really deal a lot of damage when controlling them. I think limiting the amount of time you can use your Servant was a good move, you can’t rely on them all the time. It made things more challenging. I got to control three different characters throughout the preview build: Iori, Saber, and Berserker. Of the three, I had the most fun with Berserker. She is a buzz saw, and I was able to completely shred through enemies when using her. Berserker was previously playable in Fate/Grand Order, and seeing her attacks translated perfectly into this system was awesome. From what I’ve played, combat is fun, and challenging enough without being frustrating.

Other than combat, you can travel around different parts of Edo, satisfy Saber’s curiosity by taking her around different areas, eat food, pet animals, spend skill points to upgrade Iori and Saber’s abilities, and even perform maintenance on your swords. I really appreciated how petting dogs and cats actually had benefits, as doing so slightly heals your HP and Affinity gauges. So, there’s no excuse, they deserve the pets!

I really enjoyed the short time I had to try Fate/Samurai Remnant. The story and characters have me hooked, and I’m really looking forward to solving some of the mysteries posed, such as the True Name of Saber. The combat is complex enough without being too confusing, and it was pretty fun using the different characters’ fighting styles, and that was only three of them! I’m looking forward to playing as the other characters the game has to offer. So far, I do think it is different from past action games in the franchise, I think it has the potential to be greater than them. I was already looking forward to it, but now I can’t wait to play the full game. 

Fate/Samurai Remnant launches September 29 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

Preview build provided by the publisher.

The post PREVIEW: Fate/Samurai Remnant appeared first on oprainfall.

KOEI TECMO America, Omega Force, TYPE-MOON and Aniplex have announced a brand new entry to the renowned Fate series, Fate/Samurai Remnant. The game is an action RPG set in Keian era, Edo Period Japan. It follows a young man, Miyamoto Iori, as he is caught up in a Holy Grail War known as the “Waxing Moon Ritual.” He will have to work together with his powerful servant, Saber, in order to defeat their enemies and claim the “Waxing Moon Vessel” as their own. Will the pair be able to come out on top and claim the wish granter as their own?

The game’s staff is as follows:

• General Supervision: Kinoko Nasu
• Supervision: TYPE-MOON
• Character Design: Rei Wataru
• Design Supervisor: Takashi Takeuchi
• Story Supervisors: Hikaru Sakurai, Yuichirou Higashide
• Music Composition: Keita Haga
• Music Composition & Arrangement: Daisuke Shinoda
• Producer: Tomohiko Sho
• Director: Ryota Matsushita
• Lead Game Designer: Koki Aoyanagi
• Art Director: Toshiharu Suzuki
• Development: KOEI TECMO GAMES
• In Cooperation with: ANIPLEX
• Opening Animation Production: CloverWorks

You can check out the game’s trailer below.

You can also check out character art and screenshots below.

Fate/Samurai Remnant will have a special TREASURE BOX version available for pre-order in addition to the digital editions and standard physical version. The TREASURE BOX edition will be available for pre-order from the NISA Online Store and includes the following items:

• A physical copy of the game for PS5, PS4, or Nintendo Switch
• Fate/Samurai Remnant Material (Design Works + Short Story from the Fate Scenario Team)
• A official translation booklet of the short story
• Original Soundtrack CD
• B2-Sized Cloth Poster
• Command Spell Stickers
• Treasure Box Bonus Costume DLC Code
• Treasure Box Collector’s Box

In addition, an early demo of the game will be playable at Anime Expo 2023 in Los Angeles, CA, USA at the Los Angeles Convention Center inside Aniplex of America’s booth.

Fate/Samurai Remnant launches on September 29, 2023 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. You can check out its official website HERE and follow KOEI TECMO America’s official Facebook and Twitter.

The full press release can be seen below for more details.

The Holy Grail War Rages on in KOEI TECMO’s Epic New Action RPG, Fate/Samurai Remnant, Available Sept. 29!

A Battle Between Seven Pairs of Masters and Servants is About to Begin in
Edo Period Japan!

BURLINGAME, Calif. – June 21, 2023 – Today, KOEI TECMO America and developer Omega Force, alongside collaborators TYPE-MOON and Aniplex Inc., are proud to announce the latest chapter in the global phenomenon Fate series of anime and video games, Fate/Samurai Remnant. The sensationally stylized action RPG is currently in development for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, and Windows PC via Steam®, and will be available in North America Sept. 29, 2023.

Throughout the Fate franchise, pairs of masters and heroic spirits — also known as servants — have been fighting across history in a series of Holy Grail Wars, with the winning duo receiving an ancient artifact that grants wishes. Fate/Samurai Remnant continues the series’ epic Holy Grail War in the fourth year of the Keian Era, Edo Period Japan. It has been several decades since the end of a turbulent, blood-soaked era, and while the people are finally enjoying peace and tranquility, a battle between seven pairs of masters and servants is about to begin as the “Waxing Moon Ritual” unfolds in the shadows. This is where the game’s hero, Miyamoto Iori, a young man in Asakusa, finds himself caught in the violence alongside his servant Saber, as they fight to be the last pair remaining in order to receive the granter of wishes, the “Waxing Moon Vessel”.

In Fate/Samurai Remnant, players control Miyamoto Iori, a master who studied the Niten Ichiryu style of swordsmanship. He fights alongside Saber, a servant who possesses strength beyond that of humans! When facing enemies beyond human control, players will be able to instruct their servant to attack with powerful magical techniques, or even take direct control of the servant to attack the enemy swarm. Dynamic battle scenes between servants help elevate the action to new heights and are must-see contests for fans of the series!

Throughout the game, players get the chance to explore the town of Edo, where row houses, samurai residences, and brothels stand side by side. Here, many people frequent the streets and characters drawn with a distinct Japanese touch are brought to life. While following the story of the “Waxing Moon Ritual”, players will be able to interact with various characters and animals in town, explore a variety of areas, and take on a wide array of challenges as they fight for survival in the latest Holy Grail War!

To give Fate fans an early taste of the electrifying action headed their way, KOEI TECMO America is excited to announce that an early demo of Fate/Samurai Remnant will be playable at Anime Expo 2023. The event, taking place July 1 through July 4, 2023, will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, with Fate/Samurai Remnant playable inside Aniplex of America’s booth at the entertainment hall.

In addition, KOEI TECMO America announced a special TREASURE BOX version of Fate/Samurai Remnant. Sold exclusively through the NISA store, the TREASURE BOX includes the stunning Fate/Samurai Remnant material (art book), a B2 sized cloth poster, original soundtrack CD, Command Spell stickers, bonus costume DLC (set of two costumes), the Official Short Story Translation book, and a collectible box. Pre-orders are now available through NISA.

For more information on Fate/Samurai Remnant, be sure to visit the official site, Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/koeitecmous and Follow us on Twitter @koeitecmoUS.

ABOUT KOEI TECMO AMERICA CORP.
KOEI TECMO AMERICA CORP. is a publisher of interactive entertainment software for current generation consoles, handhelds and digital download content based in Burlingame, California. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD., headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. KOEI is best known for its Dynasty Warriors® and Samurai Warriors® franchises. TECMO is best known for the Dead or Alive®, Ninja Gaiden®, Tecmo Bowl®, and Fatal Frame® series.

The post Fate/Samurai Remnant Wages a New Holy Grail War in September appeared first on oprainfall.

At the “Cafe LycoReco Presents After Party! Tomorrow is another day.” special event, a new Lycoris Recoil anime was officially announced. The event featured many special guests, including the lead voice actresses: Chika Anzai (Chisato Nishikigi) and Shion Wakayama (Takina Inoue). Other than the production announcement, nothing else was revealed about the new anime.

You can check out the reveal teaser below.

Lycoris Recoil aired from July 2022 to September 2022 for 13 episodes. It was produced by A-1 Pictures, directed by Shingo Adachi, and written by Asaura with character designs by Imigimuru. A synopsis of the series is provided by the anime’s official English website:

For these peaceful days――there’s a secret behind it all.
A secret organization that prevents crimes: “DA – Direct Attack”.
And their group of all-girl agents: “Lycoris”.

This peaceful everyday life is all thanks to these young girls.

The elite Chisato Nishikigi is the strongest Lycoris agent of all time.
Alongside is Takina Inoue, the talented but mysterious Lycoris.

They work together at one of its branches–Café LycoReco.

Here, the orders this café takes range from coffee and sweets to
childcare, shopping, teaching Japanese to foreign students, etc.

The free-spirited and optimistic pacifist, Chisato.
And the cool-headed and efficient Takina.

The chaotic everyday lives of this mismatched duo begin!

If you’re interested in Lycoris Recoil at all, you can follow the series’ official Twitter, check out its official website, and watch its first season on Crunchyroll. You can also check out what we thought of the series in our 2022 Week in Anime write-ups from the July 10-16 edition to the Sep 18-24.

SOURCE: Lycoris Recoil Official Twitter

The post New Lycoris Recoil Anime Announced appeared first on oprainfall.

Fate/Samurai Remnant has been announced for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. It is an action RPG developed in collaboration between TYPE-MOON and KOEI TECMO with cooperation by Aniplex.

You can check out the announcement teaser below.

Fate/Samurai Remnant is scheduled to launch worldwide in 2023. You can go to its official website and follow its Twitter account for more information.

The post TYPE-MOON and KOEI TECMO Announce Fate/Samurai Remnant appeared first on oprainfall.