Senko no Ronde is a budget Xbox 360 game, 2D gaming with 3D aspects. It’s basically a spin on Sega’s old Virtual On arcade series. Ubisoft released the original Senko no Ronde in the US. Now, Sega not long ago announced Senko no Ronde Rev. X for early 2008. In Japan, it’ll go for 2940 yen (roughly $27 USD) and will likely include a few more twists to add more to what is described bellow.

 In Senko no Ronde, you have an armor (life bar, but you’re able to fly with it empty), Overdrive (for a while, you fight and survive better), and charge gauge (for special attacks). Depending on the character, they may be able to unleash their more unique attacks with less charge than others. B.O.S.S. Stock is another part you keep track of, a couple times during a match you can transform into a much larger and deadly form, which is basically a boss form. Further to complicate the upper area of the screen, round scores and a time counter.

 With the mech, you have other things to control and keep tabs on.  Dashing (you’re a mech, not a ship) and rings around your area showing barriers and weapon controlling. Your barrier rings will not work the same if dashing.

Cuilan is likely one of the more known characters, as he even has own shotacon manga called Space Cum Boy. He’s a thin small boy with fanboys, as he’s often confused for a girl. The sequal will of course bring new flashy characters. Perhaps later an anime will come of it.

Manga sales in Japan seem to be falling every year, even though it still makes over four billion dollars yearly there. Blame falls to interest in other media forms and lack of creative works. Manga about a mom and an autistic son not enough? Guess it’s time to make more manga based on other books and media.

 Chocolate Underground (being published in manga mag Bessatsu Margaret) is a good example, it’s based on a British kiddy book titled Bootleg. Two young boys running a chocolate factory in a country that has outlawed chocolate and other sweets. They’ll likely run out of the ingredients and deal with people who discovered their secret. Surely it’ll be less British in look and story. If the US and global markets hold though, you’d think manga will still be a force in Japan. Couple hundred million a year in the US and growing sections in your local bookstore, it’s likely stories about romance and pervert manga being placed in kid sections will become the past.