Over a thousand rebels of the New People’s Army (NPA) and their supporters were neutralized as of August 13, according to a news article of the Philippine News Agency (PNA) citing the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Neutralized refers to the surrender, capture, or killing of enemy troops.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…
The government’s campaign against communist insurgents is gaining momentum as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported neutralizing 1,045 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and their supporters during operations conducted from Jan. 1 to Aug. 13 this year.
Of the total, 935 surrendered, 38 were arrested, and 72 were killed in various military operations, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a media interview late Tuesday.
“A total of 661 firearms and 255 anti-personnel mines were either seized or surrendered, and 38 encampments were seized (in the same period),” she said.
Neutralized is a military term that refers to the surrender, capture, or killing of enemy troops.
“The numbers give us an indication of the operational situation, but we should look beyond the numbers. The more significant story is that 935 CTG (communist terrorist group) members and supporters chose to surrender,” Padilla pointed out.
In 2025, the military said it neutralized around 2,018 NPA members and their supporters. The bulk of whom were surrenderers, at 1,798, while 93 were arrested and 127 were killed.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you thankful to the AFP for neutralizing over a thousand Communist rebels and supporters as of mid-August? Are you convinced that there are still many millions of young Filipinos who took sides with the Leftist rebels? Do you think Democrats and/or the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) from the United States are secretly supporting Communist rebels here in the Philippines?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
It is clear that Russia is the newest regional problem for Japan. Not only have their ties been strained since 2022, tension intensified as Russia conducted a missile test off the group of islands claimed by Japan, according to a news report by Kyodo News. Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Etorofu Island (referred by the Russians as Iturup) which drew backlash from the Japanese.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…
Russia’s Pacific Fleet said Thursday it has conducted a missile test off a group of Russian-held, Japanese-claimed islands amid an intensifying row over the disputed territory following President Vladimir Putin’s first-ever visit there last week.
While it was unclear exactly when the test was carried out, the announcement comes after the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Japanese Ambassador to Russia Akira Muto over Japan’s protest against Putin’s trip to the area.
Putin visited Etorofu Island, the largest of the four islands collectively called the Northern Territories by Japan and the Southern Kurils by Russia, on Aug. 13.
The naval fleet said a unit equipped with the Bastion surface-to-ship missile system conducted the test. The system is deployed to Etorofu.
The guided missile cruiser Varyag, the flagship of the Pacific Fleet, also took part in the missile test along with the Omsk nuclear-powered submarine, the fleet said.
The test simulated an attack on enemy vessels and succeeded in hitting all the intended targets at a range of at least 300 kilometers, according to the fleet.
“We cannot tolerate moves (by Russia) to strengthen military power on the four northern islands because they go against our country’s stance (on the territories),” Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters Thursday during his visit to Oman.
A senior ministry official revealed Friday that Japan had lodged a protest with Russia shortly after Moscow notified Tokyo that it would conduct the missile exercise during the week beginning last Sunday.
Japan says the islands, which also include Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai islet group, were illegally seized by the Soviet Union soon after Japan’s surrender in World War II on Aug. 15, 1945. Russia claims the action was legitimate, saying the islands became part of its territory as a result of the war.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think Russia’s military activity in the Pacific is the first sign of more disturbances that will affect Japan and possibly the rest of Asia? Do you anticipate China or North Korea will get involved in the Russia-Japan conflict at sea? Do you think the tension with Russia will negatively impact the economy of Japan?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.
Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following videos I found.
#1 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb – When it comes to movies about the Cold War and the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 movie Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb stood out with its very unique presentation backed with memorable performances by Peter Sellers and George C. Scott. The film was a satire about the Cold War tensions between America and Russia, and it gave moviegoers a unique look as to what could have happened behind the secured government offices and how each nation communicated with each other over the hotline. Kubrick’s film is so significant, it got featured in many movie reaction videos on YouTube and I had fun watching Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video. Go watch it now!
#2 Behind the Scenes Making of Resident Evil (1996) – It has been over thirty years since Resident Evil was first released and today it has grown into a multimedia entertainment franchise still driven by video game productions. Although many video game publications published a lot of articles about the original game from 1996, none of them captured the behind-the-scenes making at Capcom which the YouTube video below features. Even if you are not a Resident Evil fan, I still encourage you to watch it as you can learn a lot about the process, the hard work done by the Japanese and insight shared by Shinji Mikami.
#3 The Multi-million Dollar Theft With Fake Coupons – Over a decade ago, someone in the state of Arizona started an illegal operation using fake coupons which grew so dramatically, it became a shadow enterprise and two more people got involved. The operation of multiple fake shopping coupons robbed corporations several millions of Dollars and the one who started it got so rich she even bought herself many luxury vehicles. To find out the details about this true crime story, watch the video below and pay close attention.
#4 Austria Fought Back Against Islam – Massive immigration that includes Islamists who are obsessed with conquering new nations is very clearly dangerous and even toxic. With so many illegal aliens/immigrants and Muslims in Europe, it is clear that the future of the Europeans is looking more uncertain as time passes. Among them is Austria which boldly made changes to prioritize its own people and preserve its rich culture by pushing back hard against Islamists. Already there were Islamic scandals that were uncovered there in Austria. Watch and learn from the Fall of Nations video below.
#5 The Fall of BuzzFeed – Remember how popular BuzzFeed was? Even though a lot of people got lured by them, I never trusted BuzzFeed and I was never interested with their videos and other online gimmicks. BuzzFeed was also a very questionable participant in journalism no matter what they did to gain credibility. Fortunately for the world, BuzzFeed collapsed and deservedly so. To find out why, watch MAGAmark’s video below.
#6 Record-breaking Rainfall Hits Chiba Prefecture in Japan – Apart from being vulnerable to earthquakes which is connected with being located within the Pacific Ring of Fire, Japan also has its share of struggles with immense rainfall and flooding. Recently, record-breaking rainfall hit Chiba Prefecture causing a lot of flood and hardship for the Japanese. If you were a constant visitor to Japan, was there ever a time when you got caught in heavy rain and flooding there? Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.
#7 Role-playing Games About 1990s Anime – Believe it or not, there are indeed role-playing games (RPGs) based on anime properties that were popular in the 1990s. Of course, a lot of those anime-based RPGs were released only in Japan and some of them became playable with English translations through digital patches, emulation and fan-made translations. If you are into retro gaming, anime, RPGs and the 1990s, watch the Gaming Broductions video below.
#8 Assorted Pacific Rim Reaction Videos – When Pacific Rim was released in cinemas worldwide in 2013, I never bothered to watch it in the local cinema. Here in the Philippines, there was a lot of pre-release buzz that Manila would appear in the movie and so many local film buffs got excited. The movie eventually grossed over $400 million worldwide through theaters and a lot of people enjoyed its high-quality visuals, intense battles and the special attention to detail invested on the size and scale of the locations. The movie has been featured in several reaction videos and posted below are the entertaining ones to watch.
#9 Ranting for Vengeance Slams Video Essay Slop on YouTube – It is not a secret that YouTube is filled not only with artificial intelligence (AI) slop but also video essays made by individuals who arrogantly think of themselves as experts and wise creators. In his recent video, Ranting for Vengeance slammed the video essay slop on YouTube and explained in detail what kind of people created those videos, what their agenda and why people should not allow themselves to be influenced by them. I encourage you to watch the video below now.
#10 Shallow Focus is a Disease in Movies – There is a new trend that has influence the production of movies in Hollywood (AKA Commiewood) for many years now and it has literally become a disease which made the viewing of movies undesirable. The disease is shallow focus which occurs when the area of sharpness in front of a camera lens is very narrow which results in blurry backgrounds. Shallow focus is being abused in modern-day filmmaking and it is only getting worse. That said, I encourage you all to watch Rowan J Coleman’s video below and share it to as many film buffs as possible.
Following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Etorofu Island, Japan is considering a measure against Russia in response, according to a news report by Kyodo News. The Japanese have protested against the visit and tension with Russia is heating up.
Etorofu Island is located off Hokkaido and Japan has claimed it even though Russia has control of it. Historically, Russia – then the Soviet Union – seized Etorofu after Japan surrendered way back in World War II. The Russians call the island Iturup.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…
Japan is considering taking some measure against Russia, following President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Etorofu Island, a senior Foreign Ministry official said Friday.
Putin made his first trip to the Russian-controlled, Japanese-claimed island chain off Hokkaido as president or prime minister Thursday, drawing a backlash from Tokyo, which called it “totally unacceptable.”
“We are considering what step to take going forward,” the official told reporters. An additional sanction is believed to be under consideration.
The islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories and by Russia as the Southern Kurils, have long been at the center of a territorial row between the countries. The visit came as ties between Japan and Russia remain strained amid Moscow’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Japan maintains that the island chain, consisting of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai islet group, was illegally seized by the Soviet Union soon after Japan’s surrender in World War II. Russia argues the seizure was legitimate.
On Thursday, the Japanese government summoned Nikolay Nozdrev, Russia’s ambassador in Tokyo, and lodged a strong protest over Putin’s visit, while Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the Northern Territories are an inherent part of Japanese territory “both historically and under international law.”
According to the Russian government, Putin visited a fish-processing plant, a hospital and a school and met with local residents.
The territorial dispute has meant the two countries have never signed a peace treaty after World War II.
Under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi’s political mentor, Japan pursued closer ties with Russia in the hope of resolving the Northern Territories dispute. Abe met Putin 27 times during his tenure ending in 2020.
In 2018, the two agreed to accelerate peace treaty talks based on a 1956 joint declaration between Japan and the Soviet Union that called for the handover of two smaller islands — Shikotan and the Habomai islet group — after a peace treaty was signed.
The talks were suspended after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Prospects for resuming negotiations remain dim as ties have deteriorated following Japan’s participation in U.S.-led sanctions against Moscow.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the diplomatic relationship between Russia and Japan will remain strained for the foreseeable future? Do you consider Russia’s seizure of Etorofu Island illegal?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
The economy of the Philippines slowed down even further in the 2nd quarter of 2026 landing at 2.3%, according to a news report by GMA News. Embarrassingly, this made the Philippines an economic weakling among the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippine economy continued to slow down in the second quarter of 2026, still due to a subdued investor and consumer sentiment amid the lingering effects of the flood control corruption scandal and the inflationary pressure brought by Middle East crisis-induced global fuel price shocks, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday.
At a press conference, PSA chief and National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa said the economy, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP)—the value of goods and services produced in a period— grew 2.3% in the April to June 2026 period, slower than the 2.8% growth seen in the first quarter of 2026.
This is the economy’s weakest footing since the fourth quarter of 2009—excluding the contraction seen during the COVID-19 pandemic years— when the GDP growth rate was at 1.8%.
The 2.8% second quarter GDP growth put the Philippines behind its neighbors in Southeast Asia that already released their April to June economic growth rates such as Indonesia at 5.29%, Vietnam at 8.39%, and Singapore at 5.7%.
The first half of 2026 GDP growth rate stood at 2.6%, still behind the government’s downwardly revised target of 3.5% to 4.5% for the entire year.
Despite the economic slowdown, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said, “What we are experiencing right now, I believe, is transitory, temporary.”
“Domestic demand remained subdued, mainly because total investment continued to contract as public construction declined. Household consumption growth also moderated amid higher inflation, job losses, and lower remittance receipts arising from the Middle East conflict,” Balisacan said.
Household final consumption expenditure grew 2.8%, slower than 5.2% in the same period last year, weighed by contractions in transport (-7.5%), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (-1.9%), recreation and culture (-0.8%), and restaurants and hotels (-0.2%).
Government expenditure, likewise, slowed down by 8.3% from 8.7% year-on-year; while gross capital formation (GCF) —which measures investments— contracted by 9.2% from a growth rate of 0.9% a year ago.
The decline in GCF was due to the decline in construction at 14.8% with government spending on construction contracting 32.4%.
“Although public construction is a small part of the economy, the amount of contraction, at 32%, brought a significant impact on the economy,” Balisacan said.
“The sharp decline in public construction was the main contributor in the decline in investments… driven by continuous caution due to the flood control scandal,” the country’s chief economist said.
Among the major economic sectors, agriculture posted a growth rate of 2.7%, slower than 7% year-on-year; industry declined by 2.4%, from an increase of 2.1% weighed by the construction’s depreciation; services grew slower at 4.5% from 6.9%.
Agriculture, industry, and services sector contributed 7.5%, 27.9%, and 63.3%, respectively to the total GDP during the quarter.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the economy of the Philippines will eventually fall into a recession in 2027? Do you believe that the hosting of the ASEAN summit by the Philippines will result in economic miracles and more foreign investment?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.
Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following videos I found.
#1 A Look At The Johnson County War – If you have seen the 1980 movie Heaven’s Gate, then you have been exposed to the Johnson County War which was a ranger war in the state of Wyoming that happened from 1889 to 1893. What the movie showed, however, was a historical fiction presentation and it could not be taken seriously as a reference of American history. To learn about the Johnson County War with historical attention, watch the video below.
#2 Popcorn in Bed Reacts To U-571 – Speaking of historical fiction, have you seen the movie U-571? When that movie was released in 2000, it only reminded me of other submarine movies like Das Boot, The Hunt For Red October and Crimson Tide. The movie directed by Jonathan Mostow and starring Matthew McConaughey made a lot of buzz when it opened at #1 in the American box office and that success influenced a lot of moviegoers here in the Philippines to watch it in local cinemas. I never saw U-571 but I noticed how much of an impact it had on Popcorn in Bed’s reaction video which I encourage you to watch.
#3 Japan Pushes Back Against Islam – There is a disturbing trend that has been happening in Japan that their local media and the international news organizations are not telling you…the Islamic foreigners there have been causing a series of disturbances such as occupying public spaces for Muslim prayers/gatherings, littering, rape, the construction of an illegal mosque and more. That said, there are lots of Japanese nationalists and concerned citizens who are fighting back and expressing demands and complaints to their government officials. It is clear that the Muslim foreigners there in Japan have this collective mindset of conquering Japan, violating the Japanese and gaining power under the guise of multiculturalism and political correctness. Watch the videos below.
#4 The Relevance Of The 1990s – Remember how unique the 1990s was when it comes to the evolution of technology, the marketing of products, the gradual transformation of pop culture in America and the like? There was indeed something special about the said decade which explains the driving force behind the Millennials’ nostalgia about it. To find out more, watch the video below.
#5 When Hollywood Released Two Similar Movies In 1998 – Way back in 1998, moviegoers worldwide saw two movies from Hollywood that had similar concepts about the world getting hit by something from deep space. The movies were Deep Impact and Armageddon, and they were released in the same summer box office season in America. Deep Impact was more dramatic and tried hard to be believable while Armageddon was highly exaggerated and had Michael Bay’s flair all over it. The two films were released at a time when disaster movies had a resurgence and they used computer-generated images to make realize their respective visual concepts. I find an analytical video about the two 1998 movies and I encourage you all to watch it.
#6 You, Me And The Movies React To Ghost In The Shell (1995) – There are many reasons why the 1995 anime feature film Ghost in the Shell is very significant. The adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s literary Ghost in the Shell was made with very high production values under the direction of Mamoru Oshii, the story had many futuristic concepts that became very relevant today, and it was very influential for many Hollywood filmmakers. That said, I liked how the anime feature film drew reactions from You, Me and the Movies, and their reaction video is a must-see!
#7 Casablanca Reaction Video Of EOM Reacts – There is nothing like watching a classic, black-and-white movie like Casablanca. Set in French Morocco, the story follows many characters dealing with the uncertainty of war and it is inside the nightclub and gambling den of American expatriate Rick Blaine where a lot of developments happened. The 1942 movie is memorable with its top-notch stars (Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are phenomenal), the dramatic plot, the immersive settings and many iconic lines and moments. I have seen the movie a few times already on 4K Blu-ray format and I enjoyed watching EOM Reacts’ video of it. Go watch his video below.
#8 Soba Getting Reinvented In Japan – Soba – a Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour – is getting reinvented in Japan as the traditional shops there are struggling with the rising costs of ingredients as well as a growing shortage of successors to the operators. In an effort to stay in business while avoiding raising prices, the surviving soba restaurants (and some new ones) there are reinventing the dining experience and doing other things to preserve the traditional soba culture. Watch and learn from the video below.
#9 Ranting For Vengeance Slams Zach Cregger And His Resident Evil Movie – As some of you already know, there is another new live-action movie of Resident Evil coming out soon and the early previews showed very little connections with the Resident Evil games of Capcom. Actor Zach Cregger is the director and co-writer of the new Resident Evil movie and Ranting for Vengeance slammed him hard in his recent YouTube video. Not only that, the YouTuber also backed up his criticism on Cregger and the 2026 Resident Evil movie with facts and details that you have to see. That said, go watch his video below and pay close attention to the details.
#10 Atari Jaguar CD Revisited – While I played a lot of games of Atari (both on Atari 2600 console and arcade games) in my life, I never owned an Atari Jaguar nor its CD-ROM add-on device. Indeed, there was a time in the 1990s when Atari got back in console gaming starting with the Jaguar console that operated with games in cartridge format. A short time later, the add-on Atari Jaguar CD was released and it looked like a toilet with the lid open. To learn more about the Atari Jaguar CD, watch the retro gaming video below.
In this age of artificial intelligence (AI), the rising use of drones in military operations and Communist China’s disturbing presence at sea, the Defense Ministry of Japan sees the urgent need to prepare the nation for the new ways of warfare, according to a news article by Jiji Press.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of Jiji Press. Some parts in boldface…
Japan’s Defense Ministry emphasized the urgent need to prepare for what it calls new ways of warfare leveraging drones and artificial intelligence technology in an annual white paper adopted Tuesday.
The 2026 report, submitted by Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi to the day’s cabinet meeting, also displayed vigilance over the Chinese military’s expanding activities in the Pacific, saying Japan should respond with its “comprehensive national power.”
The white paper said that large-scale attacks combining low-cost unmanned equipment and conventional missiles have been conducted on the battlefields of Ukraine fighting Russia’s aggression.
Acknowledging that preparing for prolonged conflicts has become a key issue, the government stressed the importance of securing adequate stockpiles and ensuring sustained operational capability.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you support the idea of Japan tremendously modernizing itself militarily to defend itself while pushing back against Communist China’s military presence at sea? Would you like to see Japan become more sophisticated in the new ways of warfare using whatever state-of-the-art technologies it has? Do you think Japan should approach the United States for more advanced military hardware?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads from the 1980s to the 1990s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Tron Arcade Flyer
The front.
The rear. The details were clearly written for arcade operators.
Remember how dazzling the 1982 movie Tron was when you first saw it? That film had groundbreaking computer-generated graphics and the filmmakers worked very hard to tell a story covering both the real and digital worlds. Along the way, the movie had strong video game vibes which resonated with gamers at a time when arcade gaming was wildly popular in America. Believe it or not, an official arcade game of Tron was released the same year as the movie and it was a massive success. The arcade flyer perfectly captured the vibe and look from the movie and the machine itself had a control stick the same with what was shown to viewers. This old flyer is still great to look at.
2. Green Beret Japanese Arcade Flyer
This is a very stylish flyer.
Konami was a highly prolific game publisher in the 1980s and it had lots of games that became huge blockbusters. During the decade, their game developers were strongly influenced by both Hollywood action movies and the Cold War. In 1985, Konami released the militaristic game Green Beret in Japanese arcades and to promote it, they created an arcade flyer featuring a very stylish artwork highlighting military images of soldiers (including a guy smoking) and warfare. This ad still looks great and it was not surprising it helped the game achieve huge commercial success. Green Beret was released in America as Rush’n Attack.
3. Darius Japanese And North American Arcade Flyers
The Japanese flyer.
The North American flyer.
Released in arcades worldwide in 1987, Darius is a 2D side-scrolling shooter game from Taito which had a science fiction concept of the starship Silver Hawk (piloted by players) which sets on a mission to destroy an evil empire before it could destroy the world called Darius. The game was successful, most notably in Japan and it eventually led to sequels being released later. What I find intriguing is how the arcade game was promoted in Japan and in North America. The Japanese arcade flyer had this intriguing artwork that reflected a blend of sci-fi with a touch of horror. The North American flyer had a strong sci-fi touch with a male and female model wearing costumes (that made them look futuristic) standing beside the Darius machine. Which flyer looks more appealing to you?
4. Data East’s Arcade Alley Print Ad
Fun and excitement emphasized in this print ad.
There is nothing like porting arcade hits to computer systems for gamers to enjoy. In 1988 there in Europe, U.S. Gold released Data East’s Arcade Alley for computer systems and it included ports of popular Data East games like Kung Fu Master, Express Raider, Breakthru, Tag Team Wrestling, Last Mission and Karate Champ. U.S. Gold’s print ad showed a guy in the middle of a video arcade looking on both sides to pick which game to play which strongly emphasized the essence of the game collection (offered in cassettes and disk). This old ad is still amusing to look at.
5. Blasteroids European Print Ad
Blasteroids for the Europeans.
Blasteroids, the third entry in Atari’s popular Asteroids games series, was released in European arcades by Image Works and eventually landed on computer systems there. For Europe, the ad makers came up with artwork showing a creepy, green space monster surrounded by a few spaceships to emphasize the game’s concept. The said monster eventually appeared on the game covers of the computer ports of Blasteroids later. This ad shows creative adjustments taken to promote games in different parts of the world.
6. Dream Team USA Japanese Print Ad
The legends of the NBA in the Japanese version of EA’s Team USA Basketball. Retitling the game as Dream Team USA made more sense because “Dream Team” was a much more popular reference than “Team USA Basketball”.
Remember how wildly popular the Dream Team (Team USA in Olympic basketball) was in 1992? With NBA legends Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton and more representing America in the basketball tournament of the Olympic Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain, the Dream Team (a media-led reference for the team) was easily the main attraction not only for basketball fans worldwide but also those who craved for excitement in international sports events. That said, Electronic Arts secured the license to make an official video game about the Dream Team and actually released the game Team USA Basketball within 1992 for the Sega Genesis. As basketball is popular also in Japan, EA released the game there titled as Dream Team USA and came up with a Japanese print ad to seriously capture gamers’ attention. This ad is still effective in delighting both basketball and video game enthusiasts.
7. Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back And Return Of The Jedi Print Ad
No screenshots of games used. Just the official images from the posters of the two movies.
Back in the 1990s, there was a resurgence of the original Star Wars trilogy across different forms of media. Apart from the VHS re-releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, there was a slew of video games of Star Wars released during the decade and the fans had new stuff to entertain themselves with. Along the way, the company THQ secured the rights to Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi for re-release to coincide with the 1997 “Special Edition” theatrical releases of their respective movies. THQ’s print ad simply used official images of Return of the Jedi and inserted a tiny bit of The Empire Strikes Back, and they did not show any screenshots that could have been helpful for Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Game Boy users. Still, it was smart for THQ to print two excerpts of game reviews to sell the games.
8. Super Mario RPG North American Print Ad
A mesmerizing ad for the acclaimed Super Mario RPG.
Remember back in the 1990s when Nintendo and role-playing game giant SquareSoft had a very healthy business relationship that proved successful? Before their eventual breakup (related to Square signing with Sony for PlayStation development), the two companies joined forces to make a fully featured role-playing game for the SNES featuring Super Mario and related characters…Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. To promote the game, Nintendo (the publisher) created a mesmerizing 2-page print ad highlighting their characters while emphasizing the role-playing and fantasy aspects of the game. At the time of its release, Super Mario was often identified with platform games and the Super Mario RPG print ad was a serious attempt to lure fans into RPGs which the SNES was already rich with. This ad, which I first saw in gaming magazines in 1996, still looks great.
9. NBA Shootout ’97 Print Ad
Did you play this on PlayStation in 1997?
If there is anything I miss about 1990s console gaming, it is the fact that there were a lot of NBA-licensed video games that were offered to players with different tastes in basketball gaming. Sony had its own exclusive NBA games series called NBA Shootout and they were pretty aggressive selling its own basketball games along with the PlayStation going up against the likes of Electronic Arts (NBA Live), Sega and others. This is reflected in this 2-page print ad of NBA Shootout ’97 which was a PlayStation-exclusive release. They featured a photograph of Lakers’ Eddie Jones about to dunk and showed screenshots as well as the descriptive text written with excitement. Since it first started, NBA Shootout was basketball in full 3D polygonal graphics backed with motion-captured moves and dunks that players could enjoy only PlayStation. This ad is a reminder that Sony used to make official NBA games and there is a lack of variety and players’ choice of NBA gaming in today’s world.
10. Legend of Legaia North American Print Ad
Perhaps someone at Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) thought Legend of Legaia was a horror video game.
There was a time when Sony produced Japanese RPGs (JRPGs) exclusive for PlayStation consoles. One of them was Legend of Legaia which had a combat system that emphasized martial arts and it had an interesting fantasy concept. For its 1999 North American release, Sony came up with a very bizarre 2-page print ad that had digital artwork with a very strong horror vibe and the visual designs within the three screenshots shown were clearly not related with it. How this ad was made remains unclear. This is easily one of the most misguided gaming ads of the 1990s.
In a serious effort to weaken the fighting capability and severing the resources (financially and militarily) of the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran, the United States sanctioned entities and individuals in four nations that enabled the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to the official announcement of the Department of State.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the entire announcement of the State Department. Some parts in boldface…
The United States today sanctioned six entities and individuals in China, India, Russia, and Iran that enable the Iranian regime’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
These include entities that support Mahan Air, the IRGC’s airline of choice for moving weapons, military personnel, and equipment. Today’s action also targets DadeNegar Startup Studio, an IRGC-affiliated front company supporting Iranian military targeting by soliciting locations of American and Israeli equipment in the Middle East.
The United States calls on the international community, particularly companies and individuals doing business with Mahan Air or any other sanctioned Iranian carrier, to recognize the serious risks raised by continuing such engagement.
The United States will continue to expose and disrupt entities providing the IRGC with the tools and information it uses to threaten American personnel, our partners, and regional stability.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think this new move by the US will cripple the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran financial and militarily? Do you think members of the international community will follow America’s initiative? Do you think other nations like Pakistan, Malaysia and Bangladesh have entities or individuals who are supporting the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran?
When it comes to resilience to the effects of the war between the United States and the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran, the Philippines remains not only vulnerable but also one of the laggards of the Asia Pacific region as a whole, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
Asia-Pacific’s (APAC) relative insulation from the Middle East conflict has singled out the Philippines and Indonesia as laggards as external headwinds are exacerbated by domestic turmoil, according to Allianz Research.
Allianz Research said in its half-time outlook report published last week that despite emerging as one of the regions most exposed to the United States (US)-Iran conflict, APAC is still seen as relatively resilient, with average growth of 4.3 percent this year.
This resilience is attributed to the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, which is “doing the heavy lifting that geopolitics and fiscal policy cannot.”
“However, gains are far from evenly shared, with a group of winners emerging, including countries such as Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea, while countries such as the Philippines and Indonesia lag as domestic turmoil compounds exposure to the conflict,” Allianz said.
Apart from the technology surge, the report also pointed to Asia’s role as a global engine of commerce. “In 2026, 80 percent of global trade volume growth in goods and services is driven by Asia and the US,” the report said.
However, this dominance faces fresh challenges from shifting American trade policies. Allianz warned that the shift in US policies “is expected to negatively affect Asian countries in particular,” as the US effective tariff rate is projected to rise from eight percent to 13 percent.
According to Allianz, the region’s resilience hinges on the booming technology sector. It said the AI boom, which has been driving nearly two-thirds of Asia’s export growth, is helping “cushion” the global economy from the impact of the Middle East crisis.
This AI boom is broadening Asia’s recovery beyond traditional manufacturing, with major semiconductor firms in Taiwan and South Korea leading regional market gains.
By contrast, the Philippines and Indonesia are struggling with the lingering consequences of energy shocks.
“Despite recent developments toward normalization in the Gulf, we expect inflation to remain elevated in the near term as second-round effects from elevated fuel, energy and fertilizer prices keep weighing on the region,” Allianz said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? What do you think the Philippines should do in order to become more resilient to the effects of the war between America and the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran? Do you think the national government has been working to improve oil storage capacity, attract more foreign investors and rely less on the Middle East for importing oil? Do you think the Philippines will reach out to the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran to make an economic deal?
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