Graham

Sigh..........poor me. Had the game for about two weeks now, but only found time to play it for like 3 minutes so far 5 month old baby + mother visiting from UK + stressed out wife = no free time for Graham . The sad thing is work is so quiet at the moment that I have nothing to do most of the time, but I can't exactly bring my PS2 to the office. Graham

I think Macross is pretty dead in Japan at the moment. Unless we get a new TV series which proves to be ultra popular, I doubt we'll be seeing much in the way of new merchandise anymore. So although we'd all love a Zero game, I doubt we'll see one . Graham

Shoplifting again was she? Graham

Not sure I like the 6 wing X-wing type fighter in the ep3 trailer. The original X-Wing was my favorite childhood space fighter, but the new version just seems freeky, like some sort of mutant dragonfly or something . Perhaps when we see a clearer image of it I'll start liking it more. Also not really liking the new Jedi Starfighters so far either, it just seems fundamentally wrong somehow the Jedi having TIE Fighter style canopies on their fighters. I understand where Lucas is going with all this though, trying to bridge the technological styles of the Original Trilogy and Prequel Trilogy. I guess the designs will grow on me after a while once I get used to them. Anyway, ROTS is definitely my most anticipated film of 2005, together with George Romero's Land of The Dead. Just hope ROTS doesn't have anymore babbling about how those who are strong in the Force have lots of chlorine in their swimming pool or whatever Graham

Is Soccer actually even played in the US? I thought it was just Baseball, Basketball and America Football over there? Graham

Looks good, can't wait to watch the movie. Graham

I don't think November is likely. Probably December or January. Graham

Gotta say watching the OT DVD set recently has rekindled my interest in SW to the point where I'm really looking forward to ep III. I don't even mind ep 1 so much anymore (just rewatched it), and I've always liked ep 2 (gotta love Rebublic Gunships)! Graham

Green Alpha!? I thought the red one was next (not that I've been paying close attention to these things recently)? Graham

Top 5 in order. 1) DYRL 2) M7 3) M+ 4) SDF TV 5) M0 Graham

Saw these today in the local branch of Animate. Boxes were all sealed and there were no markings to show which is which, so I didn't bother buying any as the only ones I'm mildly interested in are the V and Hexa. Graham

Ep 3 first, DD & Nora attacking the Asuka was a great battle scene. Ep 2 second, Roy vs DD was pretty cool. Heh, nobody's voted for ep # 4 yet . Well, IMO it was a bit of a snooze-fest and seriously lacking in mecha action. I guess ep 4 of M0 can be considered the equivalent to the sleep-inducing ep 3 of M+ which was also seriously lacking in mecha action. Graham

Special Editions whether they be DVDs or PC/Console games hold very little interest for me. Basically, I just want to watch the movie or play the damn game and that's it. I'm not into fancy packaging, 'making off' documentaries, directors commentary, stills galleries, concept art, T-shirts, posters, pins etc. About the only extra that I'm even mildly interested in are deleted scenes. Director's cut DVDs are another matter though and if a Directors Cut version of a favorite movie I want to buy exists, I'll probably buy it over the regular 'plain jain' version. I am however very selective about what games and DVDs I buy. I'll only buy a DVD if I've already seen it (rental or cinema) and then only if I really, really liked it. I don't buy movies that I thought were just mediocre. Heck, even most movies that I though were good or even great I don't buy. The movie has to be a life changing experience for me to buy it I'm a little more relaxed in my criteria for buying games, but I'm not much of a gamer and probably only buy about half a dozen games a year. If the game is a franchise I like. for example Ace Combat, Armored Core or Macross, I'll probably buy it without asking too many questions. Other games though I'll do extensive research first before deciding to buy it. It's just a pity we don't have the concept of game rental here in HK. I guess it wouldn't catch on anyway, with bootlegs being so cheap and plentiful. Graham

Finally got round to picking up AC5 yesterday. Had to get the Japanese original version as it's impossible to find original US or UK versions here in Hong Kong , although funnily enough there were bootleg US version for sale, but I passed on those. Damn Amazon for not shipping PS2 games internationally . Next time I should just ask you guys to help me buy one. Anyway, I haven't had a chance to play it yet. the manual is all in Japanese, but from the look of the screen shots, the game is all in English as per previous AC games. Anyway, I've never needed a manual to play Ace Combat . Graham

LOL.....well I guess the AFOS definitely counts as being 'something strange in the neighborhood'. Graham

Ah, the good old days of AFM, I remember them well. Graham

I sense something. A presence I've not felt since........... Graham

I just spoke with Neova and he was away on business. He just got back today, so he'll catch up on all his PMs and emails soon. Graham

Very interesting translation Nanashi. Thanks. So the big pods on the inner wing pylons are 'Intermediate Range Mobile Missile Pods'. I'd assumed that they were fuel tanks. Oh well, with the booster and all those extra missile pods, but no extra fuel tanks, the VF-0 SAC is going to be one short-ranged plane. Graham

Nanashi, now has translated the Japanese source material from the R2 DVD booklet, concerning the VF-0 with Ghost Booster. It mentions how the AI, avionics and reconnaissance equipment was removed from the Ghost Booster to reduce the weight when attached to the VF-0. However, it also mentions that the weight of the VF-0 with Ghoost Booster attached increased by 35%, while the available thrust only increased by 20%. And the VF-1 Super did not 'need' the FAST pack poosters to carry the rest of the FAST back. The boosters were to give it extra thrust in combat. Graham

I'm still considering whether or not to buy the uncut DotD remake DVD. I'm a huge fan of the original Romero Zombie trilogy and to be honest, I wasn't that impressed by the MTV style directing of the remake when I saw it at the cinema. Plus the running zombies did nothing for me. Give me slow shufflers any day . Still, I've heard that the uncut DVD version is better than the theatrical release, so I may break down and buy it to add to my collecion of Zombie flicks. Graham

Will try to get the custom toy page updated sometime around mid-November. Sorry, no time before then. Graham

Flying sub and aircraft carriers?! When does this happen, is there a picture. At one point in ep # 5, Anti-Grav generators are shown (similar to the ones in the SDF-1). I think these are in the Asuka, which could explain why and how it is flying. Presumably the Anti-UN submarine also has anti-grav generators as well? Not sure why the Aegis cruiser is also flying tho, perhaps it all is magic? Anyway, I agree that the begining is very rushed, but the dog fight scenes are excelent, although it is a shame that Roy or Shin are not the ones to kill DD and Nora. I liked how there was a practical use for the Destroid Monsters claws, after all the speculating on MW about why it had claws and how impractical they were. Graham

I didn't see it yet, although I'll probably rent it when it's released on DVD. Graham

Think I read on Cinescape that Nic Cage was in talks to play Skeletor!!!! Anyway, John Woo is a hack and hasn't made a good movie in over a decade IMO. Graham