Way back in 2013, Sega of Japan partnered with Sanrio to produce some Sonic x Hello Kitty themed merch, the line promised a range of products, however only a rather large and impressive plush toy was released. Continue reading The Sonic x Hello Kitty Deal Is Back On?
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Yep. After the first Sonic Advance from the Game Boy Advance made its way onto the Wii U Virtual Console in Japan back on Feburary 18th last year in 2015, it’s been announced that Sonic Advance 2 is next in the series to make it to the Wii U VC in Japan next week on February 24th for ¥702, same as Sonic Advance 1. Continue reading Sonic Advance 2 Heading to the Wii U VC in Japan on Feb 24th
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Above you see the cover artwork for the just announced Sega 3D Classics Print 2, a compilation of Sega’s 3D Classics on 3DS, though only five games are confirmed right now, including Sonic 1.
What’s so special is that like the box of the first pack, this was drawn by the main character designer and artist of Pokémon himself; Ken Sugimori.
More surprises are teased, like the blurred out bit above. Any guesses?
The pack is due on December 22nd 2015 in Japan. The first never left Japan, so don’t expect the same for this.
Image and announcement came from Famitsu.
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Sonic the Hedgehog is now on trains. I’m really not sure what else can be said apart from ‘We gots ourselves a new Hype Train to catch’ whenever the next Sonic game ends up being announced.
This very cute 1/10 scale railcar is running at the brand new SEGA Lalaport in Fujimi, Japan. The attraction known as the ‘Sega Sonic Railway’ allows visitors to ride in the Sonic themed engine seen above on a miniature railway. I’m not afraid to say that I want a ticket. Badly.
A roughly translated transcript of the accompanying post is as follows:
Today ‘ Sega et lalaport fujimi “and Sega Sonic train ‘ et et lalaport fujimi ‘ in the new open! Sonic design 1/10 sizeminitrain both adults and children can drive yourself!http://sega.eng.mg/68edf http://sega.eng.mg/64914
Japan. Please keep being awesome.
Source
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UPDATE: It’s now available worldwide on iTunes. In the UK the album will set you back £7.99, while individual tracks are priced at 79p each.
SEGA Japan has today announced that the soundtrack for the SEGA Saturn classic racing game Sonic R is now available via digital download in Japan. You can grab the seventeen track album, which includes fan favourites like Resort Island : Can You Feel The Sunshine? and Super Sonic Racing, for ¥1,600 from iTunes and Amazon Music.
Source: SEGA Japan Twitter
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Come May, the Japanese version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed will be released, and if you happen to live in Japan and pre-order, you get a sound track CD.
However, a recent listing posted on HMV.jp would indicate that the OST is to also get a full retail release. In fact several Japanese retailers have recently posted a listing for an ASRT soundtrack on their websites. Details are that it’ll be a single disk release, and its due out on May 14th.
Despite a strong demand for a physical soundtrack release since the games début here in the west, there doesn’t appear to be any plans to bring this over to the US or Europe at this time, which isn’t unusual for Sonic OST releases. But if that changes we’ll be sure to let you know.
Source: HMV.jp
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Toyko Joypolis continues to be amazing with another Sonic attraction recently announced and open. Sonic Brain Ranking sees contestants take the stand to answer questions in a Sonic themed setting. Continue reading Sonic Brain Ranking Announced & Open at Joypolis
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Sonic Lost World is undoubtedly a fresh new take on the modern Sonic gameplay formula we’ve seen in recent years – the new running mechanics, the parkour, the tubular level designs… it’s all stuff we haven’t seen before in a Sonic game, and as such it’s a style you can’t really relate to until you’ve experienced it for yourself. Well, if you live in Japan, you’re in luck, as a demo for both the Wii U and 3DS versions of the game have now hit the Nintendo eShop!
The Wii U demo consists solely of Windy Hill Zone 1, while the 3DS demo (which can be played 30 times) contains both the Windy Hill Tutorial and Windy Hill Zone 1. In each case, you can transfer over your best scores to the full retail version when it releases in the next couple of weeks.
We can also confirm now, thanks to SSMB member Smash, that the 3DS version will contain the same cutscenes as the Wii U version (albeit in slightly lower quality) as opposed to the style seen in previous handheld versions like Sonic Generations 3DS. Guess that’s the reason for the game’s slightly larger file size! You can check out one of the cutscenes in the video below… but spoilers ahoy, if you’re wanting to save yourself for release day!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlDegxqAHOw[/youtube]
There’s no word so far of the demos hitting America or Europe, but you can be sure we’ll keep you posted. The US and EU eShops do usually update on a Thursday though, so we might not have long to wait to find out…!
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A new Sonic game has been revealed! Well, not exactly new, but still!
Joining fellow Genesis favourites Super Hang-On and Space Harrier in Japan, the one, the only, and the original Sonic the Hedgehog is coming to its native Nintendo 3DS eShop on May 15th of this year!
To be released as a 3D Classic, Sonic 3DS features the ability to play the original game with three dimensional depth, customizable controls, and the ability to toggle between the Japanese and “Overseas” versions, and Mega Drive 1 and 2 sound formats, as reported on Sonic Retro. Like the upcoming Taxman/Stealth remastered iOS version, players are also given the option to play the game with or without the Spin Dash.
A price is set for 600¥, and there is no confirmation of a Western release at this time.
Special thanks to Wraith on the SSMB for the tip!
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Sonic Athletics is a new game, or should that be attraction which will be openning at Sega’s Tokyo Joypolis on April 25th. Players can take on the role of either, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Amy, Metal Sonic, Silver and even Blaze in a sprint to the finish line. First one there, wins. Continue reading Sonic Athletics Announced, Open April 25th
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Sumo Digital’s Steve Lycett aka S0L has seemingly confirmed that Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is heading to Japan. On our very own SSMB forum, the developer stated that a Japanese release will happen, but at a later date than in the rest of the world.
Japanese version will happen, but will be later dates.
The first game wasn’t released in Japan, so this is quite a nice surprise and will hopefully bring more SEGA fans to the game’s online community.
Source: SSMB
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Super Monkey Ball Banana Splitz for PlayStation Vita is set to receive its first piece of downloadable content in Japan in a couple of days time. Publisher SEGA will be releasing a Sonic statue on June 23rd to use in the game’s stage creation mode to commemorate the blue hedgehog’s 21st Birthday. Hopefully this item will be released outside of Japan when the game hits the rest of the world in October.
Hit the jump for screenshots.
Continue reading Super Monkey Ball Banana Splitz Getting Sonic Birthday DLC
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SEGA Japan has updated their official Sonic the Hedgehog 4 home page with a ‘coming soon’ teaser for Episode 2’s website. Woun from fellow Sonic fansite Sonic Scene has managed to grab the game’s full ‘box art’ and what appears to be two pieces of concept art from the Aquatic Ruins Zone styled stage and says we can expect more information about the game from the next issue of Japanese magazine Famitsu tomorrow. We’ll relay any new information here.
Check out the images after the jump.
Continue reading Sonic 4: Episode 2 Japanese Website Coming Soon
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Siliconera reports that Sonic’s first Game Boy Advance title Sonic Advance is now available on Android devices in Japan. The game was released on the Android marketplace on Friday, and is absolutely free of charge. It’s currently unclear if this port will be released outside of Japan.
Source: Siliconera
Thanks to SuperGuzzi for the heads up!
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYnIs02RG1A&feature=channel_video_title[/youtube]
SEGA Japan has released a new trailer which gives a look at some gameplay footage from the console and 3DS versions of Sonic Generations to promote the game’s release over there in a couple of weeks. SEGA Japan and SEGA Europe have also together released one hundred and fifty new screenshots of the 3DS version, which showcase all seven stages in the game, as well as the game’s multiplayer mode. You can view all of the images in our gallery below.
Sources: SEGA Press & SEGA-Mag.com
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpgYV32N84w&feature=channel_video_title[/youtube]
SEGA and Nintendo have released some gameplay footage of the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games via Japan’s Wii Nintendo Channel, and thanks to Youtube user NintenDaanNC, the rest of the world can get a look at it. The new footage shows a variety of Olympic and Dream Events, including Football, Show Jumping, Dream Discus and more.
Source: GoNintendo
P.S. Bowser performing in Synchronized Swimming might be one of the funniest things you’ll ever see in gaming.
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Sonic Scene has discovered that Sonic fans in Japan are getting a special Sonic Generations 20th Anniversary Set. This set includes a 20th Anniversary crystal cube, a 20th Anniversary cloth and the History of the 1st Stage Original Soundtrack White Edition (Xbox 360 & PS3)/Blue Edition (Nintendo 3DS).
Here’s a Google translation of the details:
Xbox 360 & PS3:
[20] Anniversary Set
20th Anniversay Sonic crystal cube
with a weight inside the crystal cube, stereoscopic 3D laser engraved limited edition Sonic the 20th anniversary of the original design.
What you see so many angles and by moderate light, enjoy a timeless interior items.
Delivered in an outer box 20 anniversary logo stamping gorgeous!! DATA Size: 6cm Width 6 × depth 10 × height Weight: 902g ※ The picture is an image of the production. [Benefits] Store Sega Sonic 20th Anniversay Hand Sonic’s classic modern, cute and studded with hand-drawn Sonic, Sonic is a washcloth in very horsetail. ※ The picture is an image.
[Bonus Book] HISTORY OF THE 1ST STAGE Original Soundtrack White Edition ※ The picture is an image. Are limited because the number of ※, and lasts. ▼ List of songs 1.sega Call 2.angel Island / Sonic the Hedgehog 3 3.splash Hill / Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I 4.palmtree Panic / Sonic the Hedgehog CD 5.green Grove / Sonic 3D Blast 6.Resort Island / Sonic R 7.emerald Coast / Sonic Adventure 8.City Escape / Sonic Adventure 2 9.westopolis / Shadow the Hedgehog 10.Forest Falls / Sonic Rivals 11.Wave Ocean / Sonic Zahejjihoggu (two thousand and six) 12.windmill Isle – Day / Sonic World Adventure
Nintendo 3DS:
[20] Anniversary Set
20th Anniversay Sonic crystal cube
with a weight inside the crystal cube, stereoscopic 3D laser engraved limited edition Sonic the 20th anniversary of the original design.
What you see so many angles and by moderate light, enjoy a timeless interior items.
Delivered in an outer box 20 anniversary logo stamping gorgeous!! DATA Size: 6cm Width 6 × depth 10 × height Weight: 902g ※ The picture is an image of the production. [Benefits] Store Sega Sonic 20th Anniversay Hand Sonic’s classic modern, cute and studded with hand-drawn Sonic, Sonic is a washcloth in very horsetail. ※ The picture is an image. [Bonus Book] HISTORY OF THE 1ST STAGE Original Soundtrack Blue Edition ※ The picture is an image. Are limited because the number of ※, and lasts. ▼ List of songs 1.sega Call 2.mushroom Hill / Sonic & Knuckles 3.Toxic Caves / Sonic Spinball 4.Botanic Base / Kaotikusu 5.South Island / Sonic The Fighters 6.Seaside Hill / Sonic Heroes 7.Leaf Storm / Sonic Rush 8.Planet Kingdom / Sonic Rush Adventure 9.Metal City / Riders Sonic and the Secret Rings 10.Sand Oasis / Sonic and the Black Knight 11.Camelot Castle / Sonic 12.Tropical Resort / Sonic Colors
You can view the contents of the set in our gallery below.
You can order the Sonic Generations 20th Anniversary Set at ebten.jp at the below links:
Xbox 360: 10,479 yen
PS3: 10, 479 yen
Nintendo 3DS: 8,379 yen
Source: Sonic Scene
Thanks to Woun at the SSMB for the heads up!
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SEGA Japan has today opened the ‘Collection’ part of their Sonic Generations website. The update shows four screenshots of a room featured in the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC versions of the game which holds all of the bonuses you unlock in the game, like character profiles, concept artwork, music and cutscenes. An update for the same feature in the Nintendo 3DS version has also been made. This version contains 3D character models for players to view.
Here are Google translations from the page:
Xbox 360, PS3 and PC
Collected in the play “Character Profiles” and “illustration” “BGM” you can enjoy the collection room.
And development of concept art, fan, etc. lots of content past the title BGM happy! In addition, this collection room, which appears only in the private collections of the password! ? The password is coming soon so enjoy!
Nintendo 3DS
Missions by collecting 100 coins in the game and miss communication,
different content is added. Art and history, BGM successive title,
and 3D models of characters, the fans can watch a nice content.
You can view all of the new screenshots below.
Source: SEGA Japan’s Sonic Generations website [HD version, 3DS version] (via Sonic Paradise)
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UPDATE: We also have the above piece of new artwork from CBBC Newsround. (Thanks to SSMB member Neon for the heads up!)
Original story:
As well as story intro spoilers for Sonic Generations, SEGA Japan has today also released some other new assets, including new artwork for Rival character Silver the Hedgehog and new enemy Time Eater, new Xbox 360/PS3 & PC screenshots for Sky Sanctuary Zone and new 3DS screenshots for Emerald Coast.
You can view them all in our gallery.
Source: SEGA Japan’s Sonic Generations website
Thanks to SSMB members The Dead Skin and Torcano Sanctuary for the heads up!
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SEGA Japan has given a big update to their Sonic Generations website and among the additions are 15 new images from the game’s story introduction scene. The game opens with a picnic Sonic’s friends are holding for his Birthday, before new enemy creature Time Eater comes along and sucks up Sonic and his friends into warp holes spread out across Sonic’s 20 year history.
Take a look at the images in our gallery.
Details of the story introductions from the HD version and the 3DS version have also been revealed and we have English translations of those courtesy of San.ake from Sonic Retro.
PS3/Xbox 360/PC version
Today is Sonic’s Birthday.
A party is about to start, full of treats Sonic’s friends prepared.
Or so it was supposed to…
A mysterious monster attacks out of the blue,
Sonic’s friends are absorbed into a vortex,
and Sonic is left helpless.
Nothing but a white world in front of his eyes…
What is this place? Where are his friends?
Everything remaining a mystery,
an adventure that crosses both space and time starts!
3DS version
Sonic is invited to a birthday party Tails organized.
With a chili-dog in hand, Sonic is in a good mood. However…
A mysterious monster attacks out of the blue
Tails is absorbed into a vortex
and Sonic is left helpless.
Nothing but a white world in front of his eyes…
What is this place? Where is Tails?
Everything remaining a mystery,
an adventure that crosses both space and time starts!
Source: SEGA Japan’s Sonic Generations website
Thanks to SSMB members The Dead Skin and Torcano Sanctuary for the heads up!
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It seems SEGA, like Sonic, is getting a little impatient to get the blue hedgehog’s new title Sonic Generations into stores, as Andriasang reports that the game will now launch in Japan December 1st, instead of the previously scheduled date December 8th. Great news for our fellow fans in Japan!
Source: Andriasang
Thanks to frokenok3 at the SSMB for the heads up!
Got a news tip? Send it in to thesonicstadium@googlemail.com, shadzter@sonicstadium.org or via Twitter at @Shadzter and we’ll credit you for the find.
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Wondering if Sonic Generations will be getting an original soundtrack release? Well, wonder no more. The game will be getting not 1, but 2 original soundtrack CD releases. Both are titled History of the 1st Stage, and one will cover the PS3/Xbox 360 version of the game (White Edition), the other will contain tracks from the 3DS version (Blue Edition). No word on the track lists yet, but we’ll let you know when they’re revealed.
Both CD’s are planned for a December 8th release in Japan alongside the game’s release. You can pre-order them over at Amazon Japan at the below links. The White Edition will be bundled with PS3 and Xbox 360 copies of Sonic Generations (thanks CyberLink420) and will set you back ￥ 6,230, while the Blue Edition, which isn’t bundled, costs just ￥ 4,445.
History of the 1st Stage Original Soundtrack White Edition (PS3 listing)
History of the 1st Stage Original Soundtrack White Edition (Xbox 360 listing)
History of the 1st Stage Original Soundtrack Blue Edition (Nintendo 3DS listing)
Source: Sonic Scene – Link 1, Link 2
Thanks to Woun for the heads up!
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SEGA Japan has unveiled the Japanese box artwork for all 3 versions of Sonic Generations, which is very similar to the US and EU art minus the 20th Anniversary logo. A December 8th release date for all versions in that territory has also been revealed.
Source: Sonic Scene – Link 1, Link 2
Thanks to Woun for the heads up!
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Concert venue Guilty has revealed on their website that the Crush 40 Live in Tokyo 2011 concert, which was delayed due to the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Tokyo, will now take place on Saturday July 30th and Sunday July 31st. Crush 40 hasn’t announced anything via their website, Twitter or Facebook, but we expect they will soon.
Source: Guilty (via Sonic Scene)
Thanks to Woun for the heads up!
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Andriasang reports that SEGA has announced that Sonic Generations will be released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in Japan this Winter. Along with the announcement, SEGA’s shared four screenshots (two old, two new) and a piece of artwork featuring both Modern Sonic and Classic Sonic. You can check out the new screenshots and artwork below.
Source: Andriasang (via CVG)
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The Sonic Adventure Original Soundtrack 20th Anniversary Edition we reported about in Feburary has been delayed by a month according to updated retailer listings. The single CD album will now be released in Japan May 18th 2011. Cover art and the list of tracks are still unavailable right now, but we’ll let you know when they’re made available.
You can pre-order the album online at the below retailers:
Amazon.co.jp: ￥2,400
CDJapan.co.jp: ￥2,400
Source: Sonic Scene
Thanks to Woun at the SSMB for the heads up!
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Thursday 7th April – Monday 11th April at speeddemosarchive.com
I’m sure some of you remember when my good friends at Speed Demos Archive raised over $52k for charity at their live speedrunning marathon back in January. Not least, a beast known only as Stanski tore up Sonic 2 on the Sega Genesis in one take.
[youtube width=”640″ height=”265″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBZMEJtRrRk#t=4m35s[/youtube]
Normally, SDA isn’t one to do marathons all the time – they usually only have one a year and put everything into it – but last month some place called Japan had its east coast wiped out by a wave reaching 23 metres high, leaving over 10,000 people dead and another half a million without a home.
So, towards the end of March, and with marathoning for Japan seemingly de rigueur right now, SDA decided to join the bandwagon and plan a top marathon in two weeks. Unlike their usual efforts, this one will be done online from the gamers’ homes, and yours truly will also be joining the party.
This time Japan Relief Done Quick will be raising funds for Doctors Without Borders, the American branch of the international medical aid group Médecins Sans Frontières. A Nobel Peace Prize recipient, MSF has operations in over 60 countries, and is in Japan right now providing medical treatment to those affected by the earthquake and tsunami.
Now, January’s marathon was a bit disappointing from a Sonic point of view, but that’s not the case this time. Early Friday morning in the UK, there’s a solid four-hour slot where five Sonic games will be played through:
First up is the original Mega Drive title, Sonic the Hedgehog, played by MilesSMB on Genesis.
That’s followed by Sonic 3D on Saturn, played by Zyre who recently had a speedrun of another Sega classic, Skies of Arcadia Legends, published on SDA.
Next Venick will hammer his way through Amy’s story on the original Sonic Adventure on Dreamcast.
The greatest Sonic game ever made is next – Sonic 2006 on Xbox 360. Depending on donations, either Venick or Parax will go through one character’s story. If you’re planning on donating, personally I recommend Silver because some of the tricks will blow your mind.
Finally, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 will be seeing a full game run. The runner is Parax, the top single-level speedrunner for Sonic 4 in the world right now. If you’re on 360, check the leaderboards and then check your calendar.
This marathon starts at 9PM in the UK on Thursday, and is set to run into Monday. You can see the full schedule at the JRDQ site, though if you’re planning on watching a certain game, bear in mind times can change pretty easily.
Be there, if only to laugh at me when I die in-game during my slot…
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Due to the current circumstances surrounding the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that has lead to the humanitarian distaster in Japan, Crush 40 have cancelled their two conert dates, which were set to go ahead on Saturday, 2nd of April and Sunday, 3rd of April in Tokyo and Osaka. I’ve been in touch with both Jonny Gioeli and Jun Senoue this week, and after careful consideration they have decided this is the most appropriate action to take at this time.
Wavemaster Entertainment and Crush 40 extend their sympathies to all of those affected by the events in the north east of Japan, and apologise to all of those who had bought tickets to the two sold-out shows.You can read the official statement on the Wavemaster Crush 40 Concert page.
We will keep you updated here at the Sonic Stadium when dates for the rescheduling of these dates is due.
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Today, Microsoft has revealed at a press event in Tokyo that Kinect will be available for Xbox 360 in Japan November 20th of this year. Titles available at launch will include newly announced brain training game Lead: New Brain Training Where You Answer With Your Body, Kinect Sports, Dance Evolution, Crossboard 7 and SEGA’s first Kinect title, Sonic Free Riders. SEGA Japan has backed-up Sonic Free Riders November 20th release date in an update to the games official website this morning.
Sources: MCV and Bloomberg
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My busy schedule (which has included scoping out potential locations for Summer of Sonic) has meant this has been heavily delayed, but here it is! The illusive final part of the Jun Senoue Interview! Because there were so many questions asked by the fans, Jun agreed to answer some more of the other frequently asked questions:
T-Bird: BlueHedgehog25 asks are you planning on having any Crush 40 or similar songs featuring on the Rock Band Network?
Jun: I’m hoping that we can have some Crush 40 songs on Rock Band in the near future.
T-Bird: Exciting! Sure the fans will be please to hear that! Waaurufu asks who was the designer of your Sonic the hedgehog guitar?
Jun: Yuji Uekawa Sonic Team illustrator and character designer provided me with the artwork. Hiroki Hayashi, one of the people who is in charge over at ESP guitars took care of the rest!
T-Bird: Here’s a good question from SuperStingray: Where did the name Crush 40 come from, and what happened to Crushes 1-39?
Jun: I picked the word “Crush” up because of my favorite soda drink and Johnny added “40” onto the end. You will have to ask Johnny about other numbers!
T-Bird: A less Sonical pair of questions now! Pelon13 asks what is your favourite food, and what is your favourite colour?
Jun: Mexican food is my favourite, but it is very hard to find really good Mexican restuarants in Japan. Talking about colors, my favorites are Red, Purple, Black.
T-Bird: Moving back to technical preferences, Kasey asks what your favourite guitar is and what amplifier set-up do you preferentially use?
Jun: I like the combination of ESP guitar with Schecter pick-ups and Soldano amplifier with Soldano or Bogner cabinets. I only have small ones from Bogner at this moment though. With regards to “Knight Of The Wind” on “The Best Of Crush 40 – Super Sonic Songs”, I tracked all backing guitars once again with Soldano amplifier and Soldano cabinet.
T-Bird: Gwiz210 wants to know if Bubblicious Blvd. are planning on recording an album or an EP in the near future?
Jun: Nope! Bubblicious Blvd. is not a serious project at all. We [Jun, Mike etc…] just try to have play any dates we can in our spare time at the moment. Jan. 9th was the first day we were introduced to each other and we played the gig without any rehearsals! We’ve only met twice since then back on February the 20th to rehearse and to play another show a day later on February 21st.
We have played just three times, two shows and one rehearsal!
T-Bird: With regards to that gig, how did it go?
Jun: Talking about the show on Feb. 21st, it went much better than 1st gig since we’ve learned the songs 🙂 I was really surprised that a singer I used to work with back in the early 90’s came to the show to say hi to me! We had a dinner the other day, discussed several things and we will have a show on May 16th in Shibuya, Tokyo. The band was not famous but we had some good memories!
We will have a show with my drummer and bass player this time but I hope all four members from that era can share the stage in the near future.
T-Bird: Sounds like a very busy schedule! Nozwhompolton asks are there any plans to give Blaze the cat a theme? If so, will it be similar to the Sir Percival theme or something different like the Vela-Nova track from Sonic Rush?
Jun: When I worked for “Sonic And The Black Knight”, I had a plan to make her theme song and yes, my idea was to make a full-length version of “Sir Percival Theme”. I could not make it for several reasons…. the main reason being the short instrumental I composed for “Sir Percival” was good enough for the scene, and we didn’t need the longer one for use elsewhere in the game.
And that’s all folks! Hopefully we will be speaking to Jun again in the summer with regards to the Sonic the Hedgehog 4 soundtrack…and maybe some other things too!
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Well, I’ve spent a good two weeks in Tokyo with a bunch of close pals (including T-Bird, who came home with a truckload of Sonic merch – check out his latest article here) and had a real blast. Again, it seems Sonic the Hedgehog isn’t quite at the forefront of gamer’s minds in Japan as he is in the West – it makes for a bit of a strange culture shock. We’ve had many funny looks from otherwise courteous Japanese store assistants every time we asked for some ‘Sonikku za Hejihoggu’ merchandise. I guess they’re more into their Pokemon and Dragon Quests there.
Either way, it’s good to be back in Blighty, and my first port of call is to grace TSS’ guest editor, Paul Street, with a huge chunk of special thanks as he rode the site through an awesome Mario and Sonic exclusive for you, as well as keeping you up to date on the latest blue blur happenings. Many thanks to the rest of the TSS team as well as they kept about their business and filled in the blanks for me. You guys are great!
I’m spending the week re-couperating from the holiday so to speak – friends to meet, timezones to adjust to, work to catch up on – but I’ll be whipping up a few more TSS skins for you guys, rebuilding the SEGASonic Radio website and working on a few new pages in the Music Zone as well as working hard on an information page for a few games.
I’ll write in detail my Tokyo journey at a later date. For now, it’s a ‘hello again’ and a business as usual sign. A little reminder by the way that the Xbox 360 competition is now CLOSED and I will be showcasing all the entries (and picking a winner) in a few days time.
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I return! Before I delve into the fruitful world of merch once more, I’d like to say a big thanks to Paul Street and the TSS gang for holding the fort while we were roaming Japan; nice one guys and gals!
So anyway, to answer my question in one word…yes. There is most certainly Sonic merchandise to be had in Japan, some particularly nice stuff at that. The long answer, however, is that you really have to look for the stuff…and in some cases, you really need to look hard.
The COSPA brand are currently selling a range of high quality Sonic shirts and apparel, including a nifty selection of stylish shirts, a bandana and a tote bag. There’s even a reversible Sonic World Adventure shirt – so you can have Sonic on your sunny days and crack out the Werehog at night…just turn it inside out! The selection is not cheap though; you can expect to pay about ¥3000 (£22/$32) for a shirt, and ¥4200 for the reversible shirt. There’s even a Sonic Zippo lighter…but don’t expect to get it cheap! If you want something a bit more affordable, UNIQLO (another Japanese brand who produced a couple of Sonic UT print shirts last year) also have a Sonic shirt in their current Video game shirt line-up…and for a meagre ¥1500 it’s a bargain!
Considering JOYPOLIS is SEGA’s Mecca for state-of-the-art arcade games, there’s surprisingly little in the way of Sonic related goodies to pick up. The gift shop inside the complex is still selling boxes of its trademark Sonic Chocolate cake and sweets, as well as a set of mini plush toys of Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy – each setting you back between £5-£7; a steal for nice little additions to a collection. You can also pick yourself up an odd little friendship bracelet set; very girly!
Having said that Sonic stuff is hard to find in general, Sonic soundtracks are not. Walk into any HMV or Tower Records in Tokyo, and not only do they have an extensive selection of game and anime soundtracks, you can grab the two recently released Black Knight Soundtracks as well as the Sonic World Adventure OSTs. It’s also not unusual to see earlier OSTs too…or a certain debut album by a Mr. Bentley Jones! We also spotted Charles Hamilton‘s CD going in Manhattan Records too – these guys get everywhere!!!
If retro gear is what you crave, then Akihabara really is the place you want to be! The main street is dotted with stores that stock immaculately kept copies of games and consoles of yesteryear. A copy of Chaotix on ebay can easily fetch £50 upwards; we managed to pick up a pristine copy for less than half that, as well as a copy of Tails Sky Patrol, complete with box, for a tenner. If you’re looking for any old magazines or references – put aside a few hours to rummage through shelves of “good as new” copies of magazines from well over fifteen years ago!
If you want to check out the COSPA range you can do so on their website, and if you’re interested in checking out some retro stores in Akihabara, my first recommendation is a store called Super Potato.
Good to be back TSS – continue to keep your eyes peeled for more Sonic stuff Merch Hogs!
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Hey guys, this will be my last update in quite a while – I’m off to Japan to enjoy the sights of Tokyo and Kyoto for two weeks! The last time I went to the land of the rising sun, I covered the Tokyo Game Show (in 2007) as well, which was awesome buy kind of rushed the rest of my time there (which was my actual holiday).
But who will look after the coop while I’m gone? Well, T-Bird’s going with me, so he won’t be here either, but Shadzter, Bolt and Brad will still be on call to cover Sonic happenings. Overseeing the whole site will be our Guest Editor, Paul Street. You might have met him if you went to Summer of Sonic last year, and also writes some excellent stuff for TSSZ News too. Give him a warm welcome – no doubt he will write a few update columns in my place if he fancies getting to know you all.
I’m due to leave the house tonight, and my plane will leave tomorrow afternoon. Wish me a good 12-hour flight (well, at least it’s better than 14 hours with a connecting flight – never doing that again). In my last day of ‘not-really-here-but-rather-packing-and-leaving-the-computer-to-do-stuff’, I’m uploading the last missing pieces of Soundtracks to the Media Portal. I’ve also created a few new pages to the Music archive on the website, so you can look at Sonic Boom, Sonic the Fighters and a few others now.
So it’s off to Nippon I go – land of vending machines, noodles, Super Potato (!) and Bubble Man drinks. Although we probably won’t dress as a vending machine like the chap in the picture, there. See you guys in two weeks!
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Resident SSMB member ‘KIRBY‘ informed the forums earlier today with some exciting news regarding the release of Sonic Chronicles in Japan. Unlike Europe and America, Japan never saw a release of the game last September, a similar act as with Sonic Rivals 1 and 2’s Japanese no shows. While the majority of Japanese fans simply felt left in the dust, SEGA have finally uploaded a teaser site to the Internet advertising an eastern release for the Nintendo DS turn-based adventure.
Sonic Chronicles was met with mediocre reviews when released in Europe and America last year, with high criticism to the plot and sound track noted. The majority of fans however enjoyed the title, with Bioware’s extensive RPG experience clearly shining through. More information will be uploaded to the website April 10th, hopefully giving us a release date for Japanese fans to look forward to.
Source: SEGA Japan.
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Click on the image for a higher resolution!
Earlier this week SSMB member ‘Hero of Legend‘ reported to TSS with some high quality screen shots of the PAL box artworks of ‘Sonic and the Black Knight’, Sonic’s latest medieval themed adventure on Wii. Earlier today, the same member updated us with a first look at the Japanese front cover of the title, and as per usual, it’s entirely different to other PAL and NTSC territory artwork.
Sporting a brand new CG render of Sonic ad Calibur, the Japanese box artwork for Sonic and the Black Knight also shows off the blue ‘Nintendo WiFi Connection’ logo, putting our minds at ease that the title will still offer ‘item trading’ over a wireless Internet connection.
You can check out the SSMB thread for the artwork here and also feast your eyes on a brand new screenshot of the game, of which sees Sonic bartering with some odd looking peasant character.
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Sonic Channel, for the uninitiated, is Japan’s official Sonic the Hedgehog website. It’s about ten thousand times better than the American counterpart, Sonic Central, and is currently 100% better than the European Sonic City, which doesn’t exist yet (expect that to change when it re-launches though). It’s updated on a regular basis and provides plenty of decent fanservice for Asian fans of the blue blur. Every so often, we’d like to track the updates we find on Sonic Channel, so you don’t miss out on some good stuff.
Every month we’re treated to a new desktop wallpaper and calendar PDF, which features the talented artwork of Yuji Uekawa (who should really do more artwork for promotional purposes like game boxes – too many CG pieces flying around) – and every so often a little bio written by SEGA Europe’s Community Team as well. Recently the character art has been in a sketch style, which is a cool way of seeing how Sonic and Tails are usually drawn.
February’s calendar character is none other than Chip from Sonic World Adventure / Unleashed. I guess it makes sense – Valentine’s Day is the time of love, and Chip just happens to ‘looooooooove’ chocolate. We’re glad the little random sprat is getting some facetime. Even though it’s pink, it’s on my desktop. Because hey, I’m comfortable with my sexuality. Are you? Click here to grab the wallpaper and here for the calendar PDF.
The other main activity on the Japanese website appears to be on the official microsites of Sonic World Adventure and Sonic and the Black Knight, with the latter updating with a pretty cool video featuring Jun ‘Junny Baby’ Senoue and Johnny Gioeli performing ‘Knight of the Wind’ in a SECRET LOCATION. Well, a studio. A studio in a SECRET LOCATION. It’s pretty good stuff, head to the microsite and click the video called ‘Hey All’ to see it.
Finally, even though they’re really old items on the website, we want you to take a look at this video featuring Junny Baby and Takenobu Mitsuyoshi (of the SEGA Sound Team live performance band) singing Happy Birthday to Sonic (totally epic), and some awesome ‘Basic Sonic’ stationary that you wish you could buy.
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