To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Kyodo News Some parts in boldface…
The Japanese government is considering exporting the Type 88 surface-to-ship missile system to the Philippines, a source familiar with the matter said Friday.
The move follows Tokyo’s revision in April of its three principles on the transfer of defense equipment and technology, as well as the implementing guidelines, which eased restrictions on exports of lethal weapons.
Japan and the Philippines are aiming to strengthen security ties amid China’s assertiveness in the East and South China seas.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters Friday that “nothing has been decided at this point,” regarding the possible missile export.
Referring to an agreement on enhanced defense equipment and technology cooperation reached in Manila on May 5 with his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro, Koizumi voiced his intention to decide what would be exported.
On May 6, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces conducted a live-fire drill involving the Type 88 missile system during the annual U.S.-Philippines Balikatan exercise in the Philippines.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think it is inevitable that Japan will export the Type 88 Surface-to-Ship Missile (SSM-1) to the Philippines? Do you think the said missile system will enhance the defense of the Philippines and make Communist China think twice before invading the country?
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
Japan, which is one of the largest economies of the world, has an enduring population growth problem as low fertility rates stubbornly remained. That said, the child population of Japan has declined yet again reaching a new all-time low of 13.29 million, according to a news report of Kyodo News. The said figure even includes foreign residents.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Kyodo News Some parts in boldface…
Japan’s child population has shrunk to an estimated 13.29 million as of April 1, down 350,000 from a year earlier and marking a new record low, the government said Monday.
The ratio of children under 15 dropped 0.3 percentage point to 10.8 percent of the total population, also the lowest since comparable data became available in 1950, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications ahead of the national Children’s Day holiday on Tuesday.
The figures, including foreign residents, were calculated using population estimates that are based on a national census conducted every five years.
While the Japanese government has prioritized measures to address the declining birthrate and designated the period through 2030 as a “final opportunity to reverse the trend,” the decline has continued for 45 years despite steps such as expanding financial support for child-rearing households.
By gender, there were 6.81 million boys and 6.48 million girls, according to the data.
By age, 3.09 million children were 12 to 14, whereas 2.13 million were 0 to 2, indicating a trend of fewer children being born.
The number of children, including foreigners, born in Japan in 2025 hit a record low of 705,809, declining for the 10th consecutive year, according to preliminary data released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
Japan’s child population has been falling since 1982, after peaking in 1954 at 29.89 million, while a second baby boom was observed between 1971 and 1974. The ratio of children has also been falling for the 52nd consecutive year since 1975.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the government’s efforts to reverse Japan’s low birthrate will eventually create positive results over the next several years? Are you convinced that allowing a larger number of foreigners to migrate to Japan will solve the birthrate problem? Do you think the government of Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae will come up with new plans to increase Japanese birthrates?
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 You, Me and The Movies React To Lone Wolf McQuade – It has been a few months since the movie legend Chuck Norris passed away at age 86. He left behind a legacy of action movies and even played Bruce Lee’s tough opponent in The Way of the Dragon. Norris also had action movies filmed on location here in my native Philippines. In the 1980s, Norris appeared in a lot movies that involved guns and hard action, and one of his more notable films of the time was 1983’s Lone Wolf McQuade in which he faced off with fellow action star David Carradine. Recently, You, Me and the Movies posted their reaction video of Lone Wolf McQuade and it is entertaining to watch. I urge you to watch it now.
#2 Minty Comedic Arts’ Invasion U.S.A. Video – Still focused on the late Chuck Norris, his 1985 action movie Invasion U.S.A. was not merely made to entertain moviegoers with lots of explosions, dangerous stunts and hard action. Norris read an article in Reader’s Digest about the presence of hundreds of terrorists running loose in the United States which impacted him as he care about his country and his fellow Americans. This eventually led to the making of Invasion U.S.A. which succeeded commercially as it spread awareness to the American people as to how they can defend themselves in the event foreign terrorists invade their country. Today, Islamic terrorism as well as the entrance of Islamo-Leftist foreigners into America made this 1985 more socially relevant. The story behind the production of Invasion U.S.A. is pretty fascinating, and you can learn more about by watch Minty Comedic Arts’ video below.
#3 Signature Bowls of Happiness in Japan – Do you eat meals served in bowls often? Meals in bowls are common in Japan where rice and noodles are eaten by people daily. Among the many food joints in Japan that offer meals in bowls to customers are a few standouts visited by Nippon TV. What they discovered are very enticing, attractive and delicious to look at. Watch and learn from their video below.
#4 Ranting For Vengeance Slams CBR And Others Who Hate 1980s Anime – I grew up watching lots of anime shows and feature films early in life and the 1980s is a memorable decade. It was during the 1980s when I saw anime productions from the 1970s and the newest ones of the decade. To name some, I saw the 1980s Astro Boy series, Galaxy Express 999, Captain Future, Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Voltes V, Daimos, Mazinger Z and others. While such old anime productions proved to be entertaining, there are still some people out there who bashed them because those productions (and their stories) did not align with their modern day woke agenda. The popular geek entertainment portal CBR published lots of articles saying that the old anime productions did not age well and a lot of readers and netizens followed suit. As such, Ranting for Vengeance slammed them and stood up for 1980s anime backed with detailed explanations. If you are a true fan of anime, watch the video below.
#5 Western Women Who Embraced Islam End Up Wrong – Did you notice that there is a growing number of women in the West who embraced Islam believing the fantasies that it is a religion of peace and is feminist? Indeed, there are these modern-day feminists who considered themselves Islamic without even fully knowing what Islam truly is, why Sharia Law is wicked and what was recorded in the Quran. SaharTV posted several videos about these newcomers to Islam (including one new Muslim woman who was Catholic) who ended up being very wrong and embarrassed. Watch the SaharTV videos below.
#6 The Significance Of Spider-Man 2099 Explained – In late 1992, Marvel Comics launched Spider-Man 2099 #1 which also marked the start of their 2099 franchise of comic books. Under the direction of writer Peter David with artworks done mainly by Rick Leonardi, the futuristic Spider-Man really stood out differently from the classic Spider-Man (Peter Parker) and his own place under Marvel Comics’ banner was established well. Spider-Man 2099 is clearly the most popular of all the Marvel 2099 titles. That said, I found this YouTube video that examines the significance of Spider-Man of 2099. I encourage you to watch it.
#7 Ashleigh Burton’s Reaction To Witness – The 1980s will always be a memorable decade of Harrison Ford’s cinematic performances. During that decade, he appeared in two Star Wars movies and he was the center of attraction in the original Indiana Jones trilogy. Along the way, he appeared in the 1985 crime thriller film Witness in which he played a police detective protecting an Amish woman and her son. The movie earned several Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and even Best Actor for Harrison Ford. Lately, Ashleigh Burton posted her reaction video of Witness and I encourage you to watch it.
Ibaraki Prefecture’s policy on rewarding those who report businesses hiring illegal foreign workers has officially taken effect yesterday and if the information leads to an enforcement action, the tipster will be rewarded 10,000 ten (over US$60), according to a report by Kyodo News. Ibaraki Prefecture (population: 2.9 million) currently has the largest number of undocumented foreign workers among all of Japan’s prefectures.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Kyodo News Some parts in boldface…
Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, launched a controversial program Monday to reward people for reporting businesses that hire illegal foreign workers.
After verifying the information as accurate, the prefectural government will report the employers to the police. If the information leads to an enforcement action, the tipster will receive a reward of 10,000 yen ($64).
The program was introduced after the prefecture said it had the highest number of undocumented foreign workers among the country’s 47 prefectures for four consecutive years.
The local government says foreign workers are necessary amid severe labor shortages and the crackdown on illegal hiring will help to address human rights violations.
According to the prefecture’s guidelines, reporting will be limited to businesses hiring, brokering or suspected of facilitating illegal employment, and information submitted with malicious intent or about individuals based on their appearance or nationality will not be accepted.
Reports can be filed through the prefectural website by providing personal information such as name, address and phone number, and must include a copy of identification, such as a driver’s license, the prefecture said.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think Ibaraki Prefecture’s newly launched policy will soon spark a crackdown on businesses that hired illegal foreign workers? Do you think the police will deter illegal immigrants/aliens in Japan from going to Ibaraki Prefecture for work? Is the reward of 10,000 yen sufficient? Do you think other prefectures in Japan will eventually follow the Ibaraki Prefecture policy on illegal foreign workers? Does anyone in your household support illegal immigrants/aliens and prefer all government units to accept them as refugees?
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
When it comes to international tourism, Vietnam continues to be a fast-growing tourist destination as it successfully attracted almost nine million foreign tourists in the first four months of 2026, according to a news report by VnExpress. With the way it is going, Vietnam could easily break its all-time record of 21.2 million foreign tourists attracted in 2025.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Vietnam drew 2.03 million international visitors in April, lifting the first four months’ total to 8.8 million, a 14.6% year-on-year increase and about 35% of its 2026 target of 25 million arrivals.
The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) said the figures highlight the country’s rising profile as a safe, stable and increasingly compelling destination.
It is the first time Vietnam has surpassed 2 million foreign arrivals for four straight months, and the first time the January – April tally has reached 8.8 million.
The 10 largest source markets during the period were mainland China, South Korea, Russia, Taiwan, Cambodia, the U.S., India, Japan, Australia and the Philippines, together accounting for roughly 72% of total arrivals. China and South Korea alone contributed nearly 40%.
The visitor mix is becoming more diversified, with several emerging markets gaining traction.
Russia stood out with growth of nearly 300% year-on-year, buoyed by the return of direct flights, strong demand for extended holidays, and Vietnam’s competitive edge in safety, infrastructure, natural assets and cost.
Southeast Asia maintained strong momentum, led by the Philippines, which surged 73.4% to enter the top 10, overtaking Malaysia. Cambodia rose 41.6%, Indonesia 30.1%, Singapore 29.8%, Malaysia 21.7%, amd Thailand 8.4%.
In South Asia, India continued to emerge as a key market, expanding 59.1% and signalling substantial room for further growth.
Europe recorded the fastest regional expansion, up 53.3% year-on-year in the first four months. Western and Northern European markets posted solid gains, including the U.K. (10.4%), France (12.1%) and Germany (14.5%).
Visa-waiver markets such as Poland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic also delivered strong increases of 52.7%, 19.4% and 23.1%, underscoring the effectiveness of visa facilitation in boosting demand.
According to VNAT’s Tourism Information Center, global uncertainties, from geopolitical tensions to security risks, are making safety an increasingly decisive factor in travel choices.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Considering what was achieved in the first four months this year, do you think Vietnam will be able to attract between 25 million to 30 million foreign tourists by the end of 2026? Do you know anyone who will be visiting Vietnam soon?
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
In the presence of Philippines’ Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, the media and many other officials, the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) launched two anti-ship missiles during a Balikatan multi-national exercise held in Paoay in the Philippines, according to a Kyodo News report. The live-fire drill involved one hundred forty ground SDF personnel and was a success in terms of directly hitting a target at sea.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Kyodo News Some parts in boldface…
The Japanese Self-Defense Forces on Wednesday fired two anti-ship missiles during a large-scale multinational exercise in the Philippines, with the two countries’ defense ministers observing the launches.
The two Type 88 surface-to-ship missiles successfully hit and sank a decommissioned Philippine navy vessel floating about 75 kilometers off Paoay on the northern Philippine island of Luzon during the annual Balikatan exercise co-hosted by the United States and the Philippines.
The live-fire drill involving about 140 Ground Self-Defense Force personnel was open to the media.
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Philippine counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro, watched the drill on site, while Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. observed the exercise remotely from Manila, according to the military of the Southeast Asian country.
China criticized the missile launches, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian saying Japan’s “right-wing forces are pushing for the acceleration of remilitarization,” posing a threat to regional peace and stability.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think Japan and their Filipino counterpart will cooperate even more to enhance the Philippines’ defense capabilities and modernize its military? Do you think it is inevitable that the Philippines will purchase more military weapons from Japan in the near future? Were you surprised to learn about Communist China’s criticism against the successful live-drill?
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 Parasite Eve Revisited– If you were fortunate enough to have played the horror-themed Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) Parasite Eve on PlayStation in 1998, be thankful you did because there is no certainty that the Parasite Eve franchise of games will be revived anytime soon due to legal obstacles and disagreements between Square Enix and PE’s creator Hideaki Sena. That said, I found this in-depth and extensive retrospective video about the 1998 game and I encourage you all to watch it.
#2 Food Courts In Japan Getting Fancy – Have you ever tried eating in a food court while visiting Japan? While food courts in many countries have the typical set-up of chairs and tables with many food/beverage joints present and ready to sell something affordable to customers, there are a few food courts of Japan getting fancier and more unique. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.
#3 The 1995 Mortal Kombat Animated Feature Revisited – In the mid-1990s, live-action film adaptations of popular fighting games were released in cinemas. While the movies of Street Fighter and Double Dragon failed in the cinemas, the live-action Mortal Kombat movie of 1995 succeeded commercially and was mostly approved by the fans. But before the MK film was released, there was actually a prequel animated movie titled Mortal Kombat: The Journey Legends released straight to video in April 1995. If you want to discover the animated Mortal Kombat without having to invest anything on it, go watch the GoodBadFlicks retrospective video of it below. It’s an entertaining watch!
#4 Another Batman Returns Retrospective By Minty Comedic Arts – Minty Comedic Arts made another retrospective video about a version of Batman Returns that most people have not seen. This one covers the original plans of having Robin in the 1992 movie, the casting shifts and scenes that were edited or removed entirely from the film’s theatrical release. If you are a fan of the movie, or a Batman fan or you simply enjoy superhero movies, then this video is a must-see!
#5 Assorted Blade Runner Reaction Videos – Have you ever seen the 1982 science fiction detective movie Blade Runner starring Harrison Ford? I did and it definitely is not the thrilling adventure that the movie’s official poster made people think it would be. It’s more of suspense, intrigue and atmosphere, and the movie was deliberately paced between slow and medium speed to effectively tell its story. For some people, it is a futuristic-looking crawler while others admired it. Not only that, there are multiple versions of the movie released. Considering its reputation, it is not surprising that Blade Runner was featured in many movie reaction videos and I found the ones that are entertaining to watch. Watch the videos below.
#6 Ranting For Vengeance Slams Upcoming Resident Evil Movie – Let us be very clear here. Resident Evil is one of the most popular video game franchises of all time with many of its games ending up as commercial and critical blockbusters. When it comes to live-action movie adaptations of Resident Evil, those films ended up as action-packed vehicles of Milla Jovovich with selected Resident Evil characters like Jill Valentine, Claire Redfield, Chris Redfield and Leon Kennedy ending up as token characters on the big screen. Now there is a new Resident Evil live-action movie coming up and it clearly is not faithful to the games and its bad quality production values are dead giveaways. Recently Ranting For Vengeance posted a video slamming the new RE movie and I encourage you to watch it now.
Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae made it clear that she intends to revise the Constitution of her nation in accordance with the demands of the modern age, according to a news report by Kyodo News. When it comes to national security in the modern age, Japan is constantly defending itself from the aggressive moves of Communist China and North Korea. The nation also has its own internal challenges such as foreigners committing crime, grouping together to cause public nuisance and negatively affecting the Japanese.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Kyodo News Some parts in boldface…
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Sunday once again signaled her intention to pursue a revision of the Constitution, as she stressed that the postwar supreme law, which serves as the foundation of the country, “should be periodically updated in accordance with the demands of the times.”
Speaking in a video message to a gathering of revision proponents on Constitution Memorial Day, Takaichi vowed to explain potential amendments carefully to the public, adding that her ruling Liberal Democratic Party would “advance discussions in the Diet aimed at reaching decisions while securing the cooperation of other parties.”
A recent Kyodo News poll showed that 73 percent of the Japanese public called for prioritizing a broad consensus across political parties when moving toward an amendment of the Constitution.
“Discussion must not be for the sake of discussion alone. What politicians must engage in, in order to fulfill the trust placed in them by the people, is discussion aimed at making decisions,” Takaichi said.
Takaichi, known as a conservative hawk, is pushing to bring about a change to the Constitution for the first time since it came into effect following World War II. Among possible areas of amendment is the war-renouncing Article 9, which is seen as the cornerstone of Japan’s postwar pacifist stance.
An amendment would require approval by a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the Diet, followed by majority support in a national referendum. The LDP won two-thirds of the seats in the House of Representatives election in February, while it and other pro-reform forces are within reach of the same threshold in the House of Councillors.
Amid a deteriorating security environment, Takaichi said at the LDP’s annual convention in April that she aims to initiate a proposal for a constitutional amendment by the time the party holds its convention next year.
At Sunday’s gathering, Tomohiko Taniguchi, a former special adviser to the Cabinet, cautioned against getting distracted by discussion of other provisions, saying, “Article 9 stands squarely at the center. I hope we avoid taking easy detours.”
For insight about the current Constitution of Japan, click here and here.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think there are sufficient grounds for Japan to have its Constitution revised? Do you think national security and the regional threats of North Korea and Communist China justify the need to revise the Japanese Constitution? Do you think Prime Minister Takaichi, the LDP and other parties in the chambers of government can reach a consensus to successfully amend the Constitution?
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
Heavy favorites Canadian Liam Donnelly and Japanese Manami Hayashi dominated the Elite Men’s and Elite Women’s divisions of the NTT Asia Triathlon Cup Subic Bay International Triathlon, respectively, yesterday.
Donnely, 26, whose latest conquest was 2025 Americas Triathlon Cup Manta, clocked 56 minutes and 16 seconds, 12 seconds clear of his closest pursuer Kazakh Daryn Konesbayov and 34 seconds ahead of dethroned titlist Japanese Takuto Oshima could only settle for the bronze medal.
Manami Hayashi, 22, successfully defended her throne convincingly with a margin of 11 seconds. No. 1 in the Asian standing and ranked No. 37 in the world, she timed 1:02: 29 to runner-up Ayame Hayashi’s 1:02:40.
Rounding out the top 5 positions included Austrian Philip Pertl (4th- 56:55) and Turk Gultigi Er (5th- 56:56) in the men’s side; and Turk Sinem Tous Servera (3rd- 1:02:53), Koreans Hye Rim Jeong (4th- 1:03:06) and Hye Rang (5th- 1:03:10) in the women’s contest.
The Top 5 finishers of the Elite Men with champion Liam Donnelly in the middle. (photo source: Triathlon Philippines)
The Top 5 of the Elite Women’s division with champion Manami Hayashi in the middle. (photo source – Triathlon Philippines)
Organized Triathlon Philippines in cooperation with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), the oldest and longest running triathlon event in Southeast Asia is sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), NTT, Gatorade (official hydration partner), Western Guaranty Corporation, C-Vitt and Subic Bay Travelers Hotel (official race hotel).
Over at the NTT Asia Junior Triathlon Cup, the top 5 finishers were: men- Kazak Ramazan Ainegov (1st-1:01:55), Aussie Cooper Smeulders (2nd- 1:02:56), Korean Taul Jun (3rd- 1:033:46), Aussie Rhys Cameron (4th- 1:04:14) and local Pete Sancho del Rosario (5th- 1:04:35) and;
In the women’s- Alua Nurmuhamet KAZ (1st- 1:11:12), Kaleruya Shneider KAZ (2nd- 1:1:18), Anisha Eunice Caluya PHI (3rd- 1:11:48), Charlotte Thurston UAE (4th- 1:12:51) and Yuki Yokoi JPN (5th – 1:15:54).
The Top 5 of the NTT Asia Junior Triathlon Cup female division.
The top finishers of the male division of the NTT Asia Junior Triathlon Cup.
The third pillar of the 3-in-1 2026 SuBIT affair—the National Triathlon Championships—saw Inaki Lorbes (58:57) and Raven Alcoseba (1:04:58) emerge as champions. Completing the medalist were; silver – Andrew Remolino (1:00:01) & Samantha Corpuz (1:11:21) and bronze- Dayshaun Ramos (1:01:35) & Mikele Katerina Jopson (1:114:37).
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. Space Duel Arcade Flyer
The front.
The rear.
When the 1979 arcade classic Asteroids achieved massive success for Atari, the company went on to make ports of it on different platforms as well as follow-ups in the arcades. The first follow-up Asteroids Deluxe had a positive reception but never reached the huge impact of its predecessor. Since Asteroids Deluxe was well regarded for improved visuals and higher level of challenge, Atari went on to make the 1982 follow-up Space Duel. To promote the game, Atari’s artists made fascinating original artworks for both the arcade cabinet and the arcade flyer itself. Apart from looking great, I noticed the spaceships of Space Duel’s art looks similar with those of Xevious (a Namco arcade game distributed by Atari in America) and I can only speculate that the same artist made those.
2. Midway Auxiliary Show Monitor Print Ad
Did you experience watching arcade gameplay footage displayed on an overhead monitor?
As video arcades in America became massively popular with people and became a major economic sector, it was not surprising that crowding became a trend especially whenever a very popular game attracted both players (waiting in line) as well as onlookers. Midway, which was an arcade giant in the 1980s, came up with their own concept of a specialized secondary display called the Midway Auxiliary Show Monitor designed to let onlookers watch a video of ongoing gameplay without physically standing by the player. As the print ad above shows precisely the use of the monitors, those were used at trade shows or in arcades with a setup to make turn the single-player experience into a makeshift show for the people nearby. Back in the 1980s, there was indeed a spectator approach to the arcade experience but players had to deal with the disturbance of many onlookers standing near to see the on-screen action. At the very least, Midway’s concept and hardware was a bold attempt to solve overcrowding.
3. Sega Genesis North American Print Ad
Did this 1989 ad convince you to buy a Sega Genesis console?
While the Sega Genesis has always been identified with 1990s console gaming in America, the console was officially launched there in August 1989. At the time, Sega of America was not too creative nor aggressive when it comes to marketing the Genesis. The above 1989 print ad showed a lot of screenshots to promote the games, showed the console with a TV and a few peripherals and a text description that emphasized the Genesis as the so-called ultimate dimension in game play. Considering how dynamic and aggressive Sega’s marketing of the Genesis and games became a few years later when Tom Kalinske became the CEO, it is not surprising that this old ad has been forgotten.
4. The Punisher NES Print Ad
Fact: The Punisher started as an assassin in the comic books in 1974 before being turned into an anti-criminal killer.
By the year 1990, The Punisher became one of Marvel Comics’ most popular figures and the character had two monthly series published. As such, an actual video game featuring the character was made for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and to promote it, three screenshots were shown, a brick wall with stylized short messages was shown and a hand-drawn art of the Punisher was displayed. As seen in the screenshots, elements from The Punisher comic books were displayed such as shooting and fighting the criminals. Considering how wholesome the NES audience was at the time, this print promotion of The Punisher game looks odd although it is a fact that entertainment products featuring violent entertainment properties or characters were made and marketed towards children less than 12-years-old. Remember the Rambo animated series and video games of the 1980s?
5. Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters Arcade Flyer
Did you enjoy this Lethal Enforcers sequel?
After achieving both critical and big-time commercial arcade success with Lethal Enforcers in 1992, Konami proceeded with the sequel Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters which was released in arcades two years later. While the 1994 game used 2D sprites and digitized photographs like its predecessor, Konami used the 19th century Old West as the setting making it totally different from the 1992 original. To promote the game and emphasize the Old West setting, Konami came up with this arcade flyer that showed actors in cowboy costumes with a background that looks like a cowboy movie set. Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters went on to become successful in the arcades and it later got ported to game consoles.
6. Wipeout XL Print Ad
This is an ad and not an article.
1996 was a tremendous year for console gaming. As Nintendo launched their highly anticipated Nintendo 64 console (N64) that year, game publishers came up with new games that further utilized the features of both Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Wipeout XL was a sequel sci-fi racing game exclusive to the PlayStation and developer/publisher Psygnosis went all-in promoting the game with a lot of creativity and energy. They came up with this 2-page print ad to make gamers excited while creatively informing them what features, rave music and fun gameplay it has. On face value, this print ad looked more like a dazzling article.
7. Nights into Dreams Print Ad
The team behind the popular Sonic platform games on the Sega Genesis made Nights into Dreams.
If there is anything notable about the history of the Sega Saturn, it is the fact that there were no new dedicated platform games of Sonic The Hedgehog released for it which is very odd as the Sonic platform games on Sega Genesis were big sellers, critically acclaimed and even made their mark on pop culture. During the mid-1990s, Sonic Team (which had Sonic game creators like Yuji Naka and Naoto Ohshima) were laser-focused on making Nights into Dreams (stylized as NiGHTS into Dreams) which was an all-new intellectual property that allowed them to utilize the 3D capabilities of the Saturn while making room for their creativity. Sega knew Nights into Dreams was special so they came up with this 2-page print ad which had an eye-catching display of screenshots of the game on the left (with the Saturn in the middle) while using the other half for descriptive text and explanations (with the special Saturn controller in the middle) to grab people’s attention. This old ad from 1996 is a mixed bag for me as the left side was captivating to see while the description on the right side requires some effort to read properly due to the small size of the text.
8. Super Mario 64 Print Ad
This one was simple, clean and yet memorable.
What is arguably the most memorable video game released in 1996 was Super Mario 64 which was not only a fully featured launch game of the Nintendo 64 console, but also the first-ever Super Mario platform game made with 3D polygons complete with a large 3D environment that can be explored a lot. There was a huge anticipation for this game by both gamers and the media, and whenever it was previewed before release, it drew lots of crowds and many ended up being very impressed and wanting more. Nintendo knew they had some very special under the production and direction of Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto. As such, Nintendo had an ambitious marketing campaign that includes print media, video advertising on MTV, Fox and Nickelodeon and even sending video tapes to thousands of Nintendo Power magazine subscribers. This 2-page print ad was part of the campaign and it had a fine visual design that strongly emphasized the iconic Mario in polygonal form in most spaces, leaving the screenshots in the bottom. This old ad from 1996 never looks outdated and its clean approach is really effective in helping people understand that something great would be launched along with the N64. Both the console and this game sold a lot of copies ultimately and it remains one of Nintendo’s biggest achievements ever.
Author Carlo Carrasco 