Hey, everyone!

Here’s what’s going as March comes in like a lion:

• We have intel for action fans that have patiently waited for a new Berserk anime, The Black Swordsman.

• How the real Tokyo compares to anime.

• Anime references appearing in popular games.

Will fan-made Berserk live up or fall flat?

Today in the anime world, it’s all too common that series face the “sink or swim” effect, where no anime can successfully strike a middle ground, but rather rises to the scale of the elites or sinks into obscurity.

After seeing updated releases of loved shows falling flat, an example being Code Geass’s: Lelouch of the Re;surrection (which didn’t even score an 8/10 on MyAnimeList.net), we can only wonder if fan-made Berserk’s The Black Swordsman will be the same.

What can be said is that if stunning animation and immersive fight scenes are all you ask for, there’s a good chance that this fan-made project will hit the spot. The trailer released on Studio Eclypse’s Youtube in October shows just how much effort they’re putting into this modernized fan-made adaption. With swords swinging and heads flying, this series is shaping up to be quite the treat; one popular comment even saying “If this isn’t the best time to be a Berserk fan, then I don’t know when it will be. “

The news has been met with a lot of skepticism reflected by some of these comments on reddit:

Akihabara, Anime lovers’ dream

If you’re an avid anime fan, than you’ve definitely thought of taking a trip to Tokyo. But how about specifically Akihabara? Maybe you’ve seen Night Wizard, Log Horizon, or even Steins;Gate. Or maybe you’ve just heard about the otaku capital of Japan. Either way, Akihabara is overflowing with anime culture, vendors, and addicts that make it a non-negotiable stop on anime lover’s destination dream list.

And if the vibes of the city aren’t enough for you, maybe the shopping will be. Whether you collect figurines or want another manga series for your bookshelf, Akiba stores have something for you.

There’s also countless iconic spots portrayed in anime worth visiting. Even occasionally in video games, such as the Steins;Gate visual novel, have one-to-one recreations of strips in Akiba that no anime lover can avoid.

Video Game Refrencess

Many modern day video games have some subtle and not-so-subtle references to anime sprinkled throughout. So we’re looking at an old free-to-play Steam classic, Realm of the Mad God. Nicknamed RotMG, this top-down bullet-hell RPG caters to anime fans’ desire to pick a class, grind for powerful items, and battle through fun/challenging dungeons. Did we mention it’s MMO?

Straight away you can see how this boss, named Village Girl Umi, is inspired by Japanese culture. But how about some direct references to anime:

This “Candle Maid Sorcerer” skin is stated directly on the RotMG wiki, RealmEye, to be an eight-bit interpretation of Rem from RE:Zero.

RotMG also features a “Demon Girl Samurai” skin, also stated to be an eight-bit interpretation of Nezuko from Demon Slayer.

So for anime fans searching for some fun fighting difficult bosses while looking like their favorite anime character, check out Realm of the Mad God.

Quiz Time!

If you’re a die hard anime fan, you couldn’t have missed our reference to March Comes in like a Lion, a truly stunning slice of life anime that flew under the radar in the Western world.

So here’s our question today: March Comes in like a Lion follows Kiriyama Rei, an unprecedently young professional in?

1. Physics

2. Gambling

3. Shogi

4. Gaming

And the answer is, drumroll please…

Shogi! Shogi is a tabletop 1v1 game similar to chess. It focuses on intelligence, strategy, and adaptability in order to checkmate your opponent.

An Otaku’s Commentary