In my time I have been privy to many a period Japanese samurai and ninja drama. Whether they be on film, in anime, or in book form. I’ve seen them at their best such as anything Kurosawa touches, or in the case of Ninja Scroll I’ve seen them at their worst. Rarely have I been this excited to see a bunch of shinobi slash each other to pieces as is the case with the manga version of Basilisk. It was recently recommended to me as an anime of amazing quality by the Robgoblin himself. As I have had a strong hunger for quality anime full of adult themes. I’ve had cutesy crammed down my throat for the past ten years, thanks to some homicidal otaku, far too long in my opinion. Thanks dude. So I decided to keep this suggestion in the back of my brain. So it happened that one day I was rambling through the aisles of Borders (actually looking for a manga of an equally mature nature, Gantz) when I stumbled across books one and two of Basilisk.

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When it was announced that a new animated BATMAN TV series was in the works, I was pretty excited. I had loved the original animated series and all of it’s spinoffs (even the less revered final incarnation, THE NEW BATMAN ADVENTURES), so a new series was welcome news. But as more details were released, and the realization that neither the original cast (which included Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill), nor crew (like co-creator Bruce Timm and producer Paul Dini) would be involved, the less enthused I became. Pretty soon drastic character designs were made public, as well the premise of younger “hipper” Batman. When the show finally hit the air, I only saw it only once and for only a few minutes. When I saw a Batman battling a revised Penguin that sporting sick Kung Fu skills, I pretty much gave up on the show immediately and vowed to never watch it again. But when Warner Bros. Online offered to send me a copy to review, I was happy to oblige. After all, maybe I was too quick to judge, perhaps blinded by my unwavering love for the Diniverse (or Timmverse, or whatever you want to call it) version of the show. But after popping in the first disc and watching the opening theme, it didn’t take long before the nitpicks and disapprovals started piling up. From the silly plots and eye-sore villains to the new female cop sidekick and a not-so-Dark Knight, the show’s revamped elements just didn’t do it for me.

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What’s up Doc? Bobert here, bringing to you some nifty news regarding some old animated friends. With YouTube and Web Toons in general gaining crazy popularity on the Net, it was just a matter of time before more established properties would begin popping up online. And it looks like the Looney Tunes gang are one of the first to discover the Internet, and are invading it en masse. Check out the YouTube clip made available right here to get a taste of the fun, and find all your favorite classic Looney Tunes cartoons are back and available online 24/7 at www.LooneyTunes.com!

And what better way to commemorate the Looney Tunes gang’s entry into the World Wide Web than by giving away free stuff! What free stuff you say? Well I just so happen to have three sets of the Roadrunner & Wile E. Coyote Wacky Wobbler Bobble Heads, pictured on the right for your viewing pleasure! But I can’t just give away this stuff to any Joe Schmoe. No my friends, it is contest time! Come up with a fun and original premise for how that persistent Coyote finally catches that rascally Roadrunner, and post it in the comments below. The three funniest and most unique ideas will get a pair of Wacky Wobbler Bobble Heads you see before you. Be sure to include your e-mail address so we know where to send a winner’s notice! Have fun and good luck! Th-Th-That’s All Folks!

For all of you who have heard that this game is possibly the pinnacle of Mario’s 2-D career, not so fast folks. If you want to see that bust out your NES or SNES; while this is a great game it definitely doesn’t stand up to such celebrated titles such as SMB3 or SMWorld. With a look and feel that is certainly inspired by those aforementioned titles, with plenty of shortcuts, secrets and innovative level designs. It really seems to be lacking a certain something that all of the previous incarnations of this stereotypical Italian plumber had. To tell the truth I really just could never put my finger on it. Could it be that sense of urgency to get to end and save Peach? Nah that’s there, maybe it’s finding all those little secrets paths or just getting through the levels in the coolest fashion possible. Couldn’t be those are there too. You’ve got all of the Goomba’s, Koopa’s, Lakitu’s, Spiny’s, and Wiggler’s more than you could shake a stick at. I mean they even brought Bowser Jr. in from SMSunshine as the main villain…as the main…WAITAMINUTE! There it is, there is the intangible; Bowser Jr., not to say I don’t like the little guy he’s a hoot, I love him really I do. But a 2-D Mario game without the big B as the main baddie, this is not the world I want to live in. In fact I believe the Bowser in this handheld incarnation isn’t even really the big boss Koopa, I mean I don’t really want to spoil it for anyone, but I will.

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One of the long-time trademarks of a JAMES BOND flick has always been the opening theme song that typically starts off things with a bang. Each installment had its own unique song and artist performing it and CASINO ROYALE is no different, but it looks like they’re going for a grungier feel this time out. Rock group Audioslave have been chosen to perform the 21st 007 flick’s opening diddy and the grubby vacuum of cyberspace has once again managed to get a first look (or in this case, listen). You can listen to the entire track just click here! So does it fit in with the rest of the 007 musical catalogue? Or is it too much of a departure to feel like a James Bond theme? Voice your opinion in the comments below!

This week’s Top Picks -

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Nintendo fans finally have a price and release date for the company’s next generation console, Wii. Nintendo has officially announced that the system will hit stores in North and South America for as low as $249.99 on November 19th. A little later than the October release I was praying for, but still sooner than most were expecting.

Nintendo’s Wii console will come packaged with one Wii remote, one nunchuck attachment, an AC Adapter, an audio/video cable, a sensor bar, sensor bar stand, a Wii console stand, and two batteries. The US package will also come bundled with a copy of Wii SPORTS, a compilation sports game that best shows off the mechanics of the system’s unique controller. Wii Sports features tennis, baseball, golf, and previously-unannounced bowling and boxing games. Between Wii’s launch day and December 31st, Wii should have 30 titles for consumers to choose from. The games are set to have an MSRP of $49.99. Ten dollars cheaper than Xbox 360 games. So remember to mark your calendars Nintendo fans and be sure to pick up your Wii on the 19th.

Unfortunately, our copy of the NIP/TUCK: Season 3 box set from Warner Bros. Online was slightly delayed, hence the lateness of my review. Hey, watching an entire season of shows takes a long time, especially if you have never seen the show previously. Still, I’m very glad I did get this in the mail, because this show has quickly become my favorite series on TV right now, with VERONICA MARS, BOSTON LEGAL, and HOUSE following close behind.

NIP/TUCK is a twisted and hilarious dark dramedy that follows the stories of two plastic surgeons and the people in their lives. Sean McNamara and Christian Troy are best friends and business partners, with McNamara/Troy being one of the top Plastic Surgery practices in Miami. Since this is season three, a lot has happened to the two friends, including one discovering that the other had originally fathered his son, both falling under the threat of a serial rapist, and their personal lives in general in constant turmoil and flux. I suppose you could describe the show as a prime time soap opera, but one imbued with smart writing, sadistically comic premises, and excellent performances. Julian McMahon plays one of the best psuedo-villains on TV, if only he retained some of that dark charisma for his version of Doctor Doom in the awful FANTASTIC FOUR film. Dylan Walsh, Joely Richardson, John Hensley Roma Maffia, and even Kelly Carlson (a piece of luscious eye candy in such films as STARSHIP TROOPERS 2) round out a pitch-perfect cast.

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