Even as the United States is busy working alongside Israel on the war against the Islamic terrorist state of Iran, the Trump administration announced that it will launch tariff investigations on several countries including trade partners like Japan, according to a news report by Kyodo News. The probes are meant to find out if unfair trading practices exist.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Kyodo News report. Some parts in boldface…
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration said Wednesday it will launch tariff investigations into what it sees as unfair practices by China, Japan and over a dozen other American trading partners.
According to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the move is intended to “uncover a variety of unfair trading practices related to excess capacity in production” in the manufacturing sector, and replace Trump’s sweeping tariff regime that was invalidated by the Supreme Court in February.
“Our view is that key trading partners have developed production capacity that is really untethered from the market incentives of domestic and global demand,” Greer told reporters.
The other trading partners facing the investigations, carried out under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, are the European Union, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, Greer said.
The statute, which allows the U.S. government to impose tariffs in response to a foreign country’s alleged unfair practices, was a favorite tool of Trump for justifying higher tariffs on Chinese imports when he started a trade war with Beijing during his first term as president.
After the U.S. top court on Feb. 20 struck down a large chunk of Trump’s far-reaching tariff agenda as imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, his administration introduced a new 10 percent global duty.
However, the new 10 percent surcharge, relying on a different legal framework, can only last 150 days unless Congress approves an extension.
Greer said the Trump administration seeks to complete the investigations as quickly as possible and prepare for new Section 301 tariffs within the 150-day period.
The statute requires consultations with the governments of the targeted trading partners before tariffs can be imposed.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the United States is doing the right thing with the multiple trade investigations? How do you think the Trump administration will adjust its tariff policy once the 150-day period expires?
As many countries around the world are already struggling with the economic disruptions and the spike in oil prices as a result of the ongoing chaos in the Middle East, Japan has decided to release its own oil reserves and it could happen as early as Monday (March 16), according to a news report by Kyodo News.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Kyodo News Some parts in boldface…
Japan will begin drawing down its oil reserves as early as next Monday to deal with a possible sharp rise in gasoline and other petroleum product prices amid the Middle East conflict, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said.
Takaichi told reporters on Wednesday that Japan will release 15 days’ worth of reserves held by the private sector and then one month’s worth of government-held oil without waiting for a decision coordinated by the International Energy Agency.
It will be the first time Japan has released its government oil reserves individually, not in an internationally coordinated way, since the stockpiling of oil began in 1978.
Japan’s dependency on the Middle East for crude oil is “prominently high” compared with other countries and imports are expected to “significantly drop late this month or later,” necessitating measures to prevent a disruption to the supply of gasoline and other petroleum items, Takaichi said.
Citing the possibility that the average price of domestic retail gasoline could surpass 200 yen ($1.26) per liter, Takaichi also said she aims to keep the price at around 170 yen by utilizing a government fund.
The price of gasoline hit as low as 154.70 yen in mid-January but rose to 161.80 yen per liter as of Monday, according to industry ministry data.
“We will flexibly review the support measures to ensure continuous relief for the public even if the (Middle Eastern) situation is prolonged,” Takaichi said.
Japan imports more than 90 percent of its oil from the Middle East, making it highly vulnerable to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has prevented the transportation of oil and gas from suppliers in the Persian Gulf, after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran late last month.
As of the end of December, Japan had 470 million barrels of oil reserves equivalent to 254 days of domestic consumption, of which 146 days’ worth were government-owned, 101 days held by the private sector, and the remainder jointly stored with oil-producing countries.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think Japan made the right decision to release its oil reserves good for fifteen days? Do you think Japan will be able to find new and alternative sources of oil so that it can cut its reliance on Middle East oil?
The establishment of online pre-entry immigration checks and much higher residency fees could become a reality as the Japanese government approved a bill to amend the immigration control law, according to a Kyodo News report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Kyodo News Some parts in boldface…
The Japanese government on Tuesday approved a bill to amend the immigration control law to establish an online pre-entry screening system for overseas arrivals and significantly increase residence status application fees for foreigners.
The Cabinet-endorsed bill will be submitted to the current Diet session, and if enacted, the government aims to implement the entry eligibility screening system called the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or JESTA, in fiscal 2028.
The amendment includes raising the upper limit for visa application and renewal fees from 10,000 yen ($63) to 300,000 yen, marking the first increase since 1982.
The introduction of JESTA aims to prevent terrorism and illegal employment, according to the Immigration Services Agency. It would target the current 74 countries and regions whose citizens are exempt from obtaining short-stay visas.
Several days before traveling to Japan, applicants would be required to provide information online, including their name, the purpose of their stay, and the locations they intend to visit. Those suspected of traveling for illegal employment or other violations would be denied boarding on aircraft and ships.
Fees are currently set at 10,000 yen for application for permanent residency and 6,000 yen for residence period renewals.
It has been pointed out that these fees, which cover only actual costs and are also allocated to coexistence measures, are significantly lower than those in Western countries.
The number of foreign residents in Japan at the end of 2025 stood at approximately 4.13 million, a record high.
The government would aim to use the increased cap to cover system costs for efficient visa screening and the establishment of consultation services.
The amendment sets the cap at 300,000 yen for permanent residency applications and 100,000 yen for visa extensions and similar procedures.
The limits have been set in anticipation of future inflation. Going forward, the specific amounts for each fee would be determined by government ordinance with the aim of applying them within fiscal 2026.
According to sources, the permanent residency application fee is being considered at around 200,000 yen, while other fees would range from 10,000 yen to 70,000 yen depending on the intended period of stay.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the proposed changes will make a tremendous impact on immigration in Japan? Do you expect the bill to be approved this year? How far do you think Japan should go with reforming their immigration system?
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 Notable, Dark Scene In The Godfather – Early this year, the lost world the legendary actor Robert Duvall who passed away at age 95. He truly was one of the greatest actors ever not only in Hollywood but in global cinema. I best remember Duvall as Tom Hagen in The Godfather and it just so happens that the film has a very notable deleted scene and if you read the novel focused on Jack Woltz, you will realize the darkness behind it. For your viewing, posted below is a video focused on Tom Hagen and Jack Woltz, and the deleted scene itself.
#2 The History Of Raccoon City And The Resident Evil Events –This year marks the 30th anniversary of the best-selling Resident Evil game franchise. Having played the first three Resident Evil games on PlayStation, Raccoon City was the hot spot of misadventures, zombie outbreaks, and criminal science. As more RE games got released, Capcom expanded the lore with background tales, audio recordings, artworks and more. If you want to dive deeply into the fictional history of Raccoon City and why its legacy is tied with the Umbrella corporation, go watch the video below.
#3 The Wholesome Hotel In Las Vegas – The first time I ever visited Las Vegas was in 1989. I was only 13-years-old back then and our family stayed in Circus Circus Hotel and Casino. Even though the hotel had gambling joints within, I still noticed how family-friendly the place was as it had an indoor circus venue, circus games, makeshift museums and a video arcade (where I played many classic arcade games). If there were any significant changes that happened through the decades, it would be the presence of an indoor amusement park with rides which reflects the hotel’s focus on attracting families and tourists who have limited budgets. Here’s another close look at Circus Circus in Las Vegas.
#4 Rushed And Incomplete RPGs – If there is any way to quickly describe a role-playing game (RPG) in video game format, it would be the fact that it was made to be lengthy and have a lot of content created for it. Like what happened in movies, productions of RPGs face similar problems with regards to lacking time and/or money which in turn would force the game makers to cut down their designs just to complete it. In the history of video games, the first PlayStation console was rich with RPGs in the late 1990s. Some of them turned out to be rushed and incomplete. To find out which ones, watch the retro gaming video below.
#5 Looking For “Luxury” Buffets In Japan? – With the Japanese Yen hovering about 150 per one American Dollar, a lot of foreigners find Japan a more affordable place to explore and experience. In certain places, tourists can find buffets that they consider “luxurious”. But what exactly makes a food joint luxurious and what would a traveler hope or want to eat there? Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.
#6 Eraser Revisited – Almost 30 years ago, the action movie Eraser (starring Arnold Schwarzenegger) was released in cinemas and I had a fun time watching it. When it comes to action film roles of Schwarzenegger, the US Marshal John Kruger was very unique to watch. It should be noted that James Cromwell had another schemer-type of role in the film. To discover more about the 1996 movie, watch the videos below.
Japan’s long-time population problems continued as the number of new children born in 2025 reached only 705,809, according to a news report by Kyodo News. The figure, which includes foreign residents, is the lowest since the counting of newborn children started in 1899.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…
The number of children born in Japan in 2025 fell from a year earlier to 705,809, the fewest since data became available in 1899 and hitting a new low for the 10th consecutive year, health ministry data showed Thursday.
The figure, which includes foreign residents, was down from 2024 by 2.1 percent, or 15,179 births, as the country faces a rapidly graying population and increased anxiety over child-rearing due to the higher cost of living amid inflation. The pace of decline, however, slowed from a year earlier.
In addition to economic anxiety, more people appear to be choosing to marry and have children later in life, or not to marry at all, due to a shift in priorities, experts say.
Population decline showed no signs of abating, with the natural decrease — subtracting the number of births from deaths — hitting the highest ever at 899,845, according to preliminary data released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research had projected that the number of births, including those of foreign residents in the country, would not drop below 710,000 until 2042.
In separate data released by the ministry in June last year, the number of babies born to Japanese nationals in 2024 fell to 680,000, dropping below 700,000 for the first time.
The 2.1 percent decrease shown in the latest data — compared with 5.0 percent in 2024 — likely partially reflects a second straight year of increasing marriages in 2025, up 1.1 percent to 505,656.
The number is still far below the more than 600,000 marriages Japan had seen annually until 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted normal patterns of social interaction.
“We haven’t been able to turn the trend, unfortunately,” a senior government official said at a news conference on Thursday.
Among the few bright spots for the country’s 47 prefectures, Tokyo and Ishikawa, in central Japan, saw an increase in birth numbers.
The change in Tokyo, where the figure rose by 1.3 percent in the first increase in nine years, could be the result of an influx of people into the capital along with the child-rearing support orchestrated by the metropolitan government, experts say.
Ishikawa’s case is seen as a rebound from a decrease in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula in January 2024.
The remaining 45 prefectures continued to see births decline, with the steepest drop of 8.7 percent in Shimane followed by decreases in Yamagata, Aomori and Nagano.
Rural regions have seen their populations decrease as people opt to leave for schools and jobs. Few municipalities have found a winning formula to reverse the trend.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? What do you think the government led by Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae should do to stop the population decline? Do you think allowing more foreigners to legally migrate into Japan is the answer?
Even though it has been severely damaged by the joint forces of the United States and Israel, the Islamic terrorist state of Iran continued to retaliate by launching missiles and drones not only at American and Israeli forces, but also on sovereign nations in the Middle East such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Islamist Qatar and more. As such, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae condemned Iran for the destruction it committed, according to a news article by Nippon TV.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of Nippon TV. Some parts in boldface…
Amid continued tensions surrounding the situation in Iran, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae spoke on the phone with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on March 5 and told him she condemns Iran’s actions.
Officials said that at the start of the roughly 20-minute conversation, Merz provided an overview of the international situation, taking into account events including his summit meeting with US President Donald Trump.
In response, Takaichi told Merz that she condemns Iran’s actions, including attacks that have extended to civilian and diplomatic facilities and resulted in civilian casualties. The two leaders agreed to work together to de-escalate the situation as quickly as possible.
Ahead of the phone call, Takaichi met with visiting UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan Al Jaber at her office.
In the talks, Takaichi asked for cooperation from the United Arab Emirates in safeguarding Japanese nationals and maintaining a stable supply of oil to Japan.
Officials said Jaber expressed his intention to cooperate in areas such as ensuring the safety of Japanese citizens.
Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, there have been disruptions in logistics, with tankers becoming stalled near the Strait of Hormuz.
Japanese automaker Toyota Motor is said to be considering reducing its production of vehicles bound for the Middle East.
According to sources, Toyota has notified parts manufacturers and other relevant entities about the possibility that it may reduce the number of vehicles produced. Toyota has not disclosed details of its production plans or whether it uses the Strait of Hormuz.
But last year, the company exported about 320,000 vehicles, including Land Cruisers, to Middle Eastern countries.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran is just days away from totally collapsing as the United States and Israel keep on pounding them with military weapons? Do you think the wicked government of Iran is paying any attention to the Prime Minister of Japan? Why do you think the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran deliberately targets civilians with missiles and drones? Did you notice a lot of people in your local community who openly support the Islamic terrorist state of Iran?
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 Dead Rising Revisited – I can hardly believe that it will be twenty years since I first play Dead Rising on a rented Xbox 360 console. Released by Capcom in August 2006, Dead Rising is a zombie apocalypse adventure game developed by a Japanese team with Keiji Inafune (Mega Man) as producer. As its story was mainly set in a shopping mall, the game was easily compared with the Dawn of the Dead movies. When I first played it, I was hooked as the gameplay was pretty playable and the in-game action was entertainingly exaggerated. That said, now is a good time to revisit Dead Rising with the video below.
#2 The Binions In Las Vegas –I have toured Las Vegas twice in my life. Still, I never actually visited Binion’s Gambling Hall and Hotel which is located in Downtown Las Vegas on the Fremont Street Experience. Historically, it is know as the place where the World Series of Poker started and it had a unique gambling atmosphere with classic table games and low-limit slots. However, if you look even deeper into the history of the Binions place and the family that originally owned, there is something darker and intriguing to discover. Watch and learn from the video below.
#3 Night Of The Living Dead (1968) Revisited – What is there to say about the original Night of the Living Dead movie from 1968? The George Romero-directed zombie apocalypse movie has long been declared as the most definitive zombie horror movie and was considered as the turning point in horror film-making. As such, it is not surprising to see the movie (in public domain since the beginning) featured in multiple movie reaction videos and retrospective videos on YouTube. For your curiosity and enjoyment, watch the videos below.
#4 Notable Places Beneath Tokyo Tower – The last time I toured Japan was way back in 1997. During that same trip, I visited Tokyo Tower and enjoyed a fine view of the city several feet above ground. As our city tour moved on a somewhat tight schedule, I was not able to fully explore Tokyo Tower. That said, Nippon TV posted recently a video about the places to shop, visit and dine beneath the famous tower. Watch and learn from the video below.
#5 Street Fighter Alpha 2 SNES Version Examined – Back in 1996, I was an avid arcade gamer and Street Fighter Alpha 2 was my favorite among the many 2D fighting games available in local arcades. In late-1996, copies of Street Fighter Alpha 2 running on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) were displayed in game stores which caught my attention because I never expected the console to be capable of processing the game and making it playable (note: Street Fighter Alpha games of the time were prominently released on PlayStation and Sega Saturn). To examine closely the quality of the SNES port of Street Fighter Alpha 2, watch the video below.
#6 Democrats’ Chuck Schumer Proved Himself Pathetic – Do you have a high-ranking representative or leader in government who does NOT care about you and the nation at all? The Democrats of America today are a bunch of unhinged, twisted, wicked and unpatriotic people who do not really care about the American people. One of them is the Democrats’ leader in the US Senate Chuck Schumer who prioritized the rainbow pride flag over America. Watch the video below.
Now that the demonic Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been eliminated, the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran decided to attack not only America forces and Israel but also other Arab states with missiles and drones which easily caused travel and economic disruptions on the rest of the world. In response to what happened, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae urged Iran to solve its conflict with America and Israel diplomatically, according to a news report by Kyodo News. She also demanded Iran to stop destabilizing the region.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday urged Iran to seek a “diplomatic solution” amid an escalation in the Middle East conflict following U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting Tehran.
At a parliamentary committee meeting, Takaichi demanded Iran stop any actions that “destabilize the region” including its nuclear weapon development, which she said is “absolutely unacceptable,” as well as attacks on its surrounding countries.
“We will work in coordination with the international community toward an early deescalation of the situation and continue to make every necessary diplomatic effort,” Takaichi said, without expressing her view on the weekend bombardment launched by the United States, Japan’s close security ally, and Israel.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said at the Diet session that no Japanese casualties in Iran have been reported so far, while the government is preparing for a possible evacuation operation for Japanese nationals in the region.
About 200 Japanese citizens live in Iran and 7,700 reside in total in the nations that have been attacked by Iran’s attacks, Motegi added.
The Japanese Embassy in Israel is planning to operate a bus for an evacuation as early as Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference. Organizing a large-scale evacuation in Iran is difficult, however, because airports are closed and land routes are dangerous, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Due to its heavy reliance on the Middle East for crude oil, Japan, a resource-poor country that has traditionally maintained friendly ties with Iran, has a vital interest in stability in the region.
The Japanese government is watching the situation around the Strait of Hormuz, an oil shipping route vital for Japan, with the U.S. and Israeli strikes prompting Iranian attacks on other Gulf nations in addition to Israel.
At this stage, the Japanese stock market fell down by 2% over growing concerns about the global economic outlook following the joint US-Israel attacks on the terrorist state.
In what looked like a desperate series of moves, the Islamic terrorist government of Iran launched even more missiles in the Middle East causing more damage, injuries and deaths. Iran made it clear it does not care about the civilians in the region and they are willing to hit the Arab states recklessly. US President Donald J. Trump released a new video message telling the oppressed people of Iran to take back their country.
For updates about what happened lately, watch the videos below.
Let me ending this post by asking you readers to pray to the Lord for victory, for the protection of the American and Israeli forces, for the safety of civilians everywhere, for the end of the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran to happen soon, and for the liberation of the oppressed Iranian people. Pray to Him to also bless US President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as their respective administrations. Pray to God for more peace and stability in the Middle East.
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 focused mainly on role-playing games (RPGs) from the East and the West. This is the RPG Special!
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. Dragon Warrior II Print Ad
The art style used made this one looked similar with Dungeons & Dragons.
When Dragon Quest was released in America titled as Dragon Warrior, its sales there came nowhere close to what it sold in Japan. The game, however, sold enough copies to convince Enix to bring the sequel Dragon Warrior II (Japanese title: Dragon Quest II) to the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in America and they came up with an ad that had obvious Western-style artwork to emphasize the fantasy elements. By comparison, the Japanese version of the game used the distinct art of Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball Z). Back in those days, there was this belief that Toriyama’s art style would not be effective in promoting the game in America.
2. Breath Of Fire Japanese Print Ad
This is how Breath of Fire looked like in Japanese print media.
In 1993, Capcom officially broke into the Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) genre with Breath of Fire on the Super Family Computer (Super Famicom). The print ad they came up with for the Japanese market showed several characters – including Ryu and Nina who would later become recurring characters as sequels were released – with designs that had elements of anime and manga styles blended which contrasted the gritty and realistic approach of Western fantasy art. The ad made it clear to readers that new adventures in a fantastic world await them. The game achieved enough commercial success in Japan which convinced Capcom to make a sequel (plus more in the years that followed).
3. Phantasy Star II North American Print Ad
The 3-page ad showcasing Phantasy Star II and many other games.
After selling a good amount of copies of the original Phantasy Star worldwide on the Sega Master System, Sega knew they were on to something. They confidently produced the sequel Phantasy Star II for their brand-new Sega Genesis console in 1989 and aggressively promoted it in America with a daring 3-page print ad. If you look closely, majority of two of the pages were used to promote Phantasy Star II with screenshots (including a big one with a TV), the text description and the console. The spaces below allowed Sega to promote their many other games in convenient fashion. The result is huge success for Sega as more than 1.6 million copies of Phantasy Star II were sold worldwide. Sega would go on to make even more Phantasy Star games.
4. Estopolis Denki II Japanese Print Ad
Estopolis Denki II print ad in Japan.
When Estopolis Denki was released on the Super Famicom in Japan, sold enough copies to justify not only bringing the game to Western markets as Lufia & The Fortress of Doom but also the production of a follow-up titled Estopolis Denki II. To promote it, Taito made a Japanese print ad that had a captivating art style (with the characters looking more realistic and a floating land that had a gritty touch), some screenshots and the promise of fantastic adventures. While the game’s title sounded like a sequel, its story was actually set in the past. Estopolis Denki II would be released in the West as Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals.
5. Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals North American Print Ad
Clearly Natsume did not have any game critics quotes to use to promote Lufia II.
When the first Lufia RPG was released in America on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), it became a commercial hit finishing as the top SNES game in the February 1994 sales chart. The sequel Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals was published by Natsume in America in 1996 and they daringly called it “The Ultimate Role Playing Game!” in its print ad utilizing the official artwork of a major character, two screenshots and descriptive text giving readers an idea on what to expect. This ad strongly relied on the visual elements while the first game’s American print ad (made by Taito) emphasized the critical acclaim received.
6. Chrono Trigger North American Print Ad
A lot of Dragon Ball Z fans recognized the art style of Akira Toriyama here.
Chrono Trigger, the JRPG that had the dream team creators of Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy creator), Yuji Horii (Dragon Quest creator) and Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball Z creator) behind the production, was easily the most ambitious game SquareSoft released in 1995. As part of the marketing strategy for the North American market, Square came up with a 2-page ad that had Toriyama’s art as the dominant image while using the remaining space for screenshots, the description and the SNES box cover placed strategically. Such a creative visual design was eye-catching and even memorable. Chrono Trigger became a huge commercial and critical hit in the West and it has long been regarded as a classic JRPG.
7. Secret of Evermore North American Print Ad
The creepy red images overshadowed the promotion of Secret of Evermore in America. Some readers might have been scared away by this ad.
Still in 1995, Square released Secret of Evermore for the SNES. Unlike most of Square’s RPGs, Secret of Evermore was developed by an American team in Washington state which explains why the game has a very distinct tone and strongly Western art style (note: the gameplay was patterned after that of Secret of Mana). To promote the game, Square came up with a very odd-looking 2-page print ad that had two dominating red images – eyes of a man on top and the front of a dog below) that felt like a forced approach to emphasize the game’s concept of the hero (a teenager boy) and his loyal dog (a very capable fighter). They used the remaining space for screenshots (which made gamers believe it was a sequel to Secret of Mana), the game box cover and a not so helpful text description. In my view, this print ad was a marketing misfire and Square could have produced hand-drawn art of the hero and his dog instead of the creepy red pictures.
8. Star Ocean: The Second Story North American Print Ad
A really odd-looking print ad.
The Star Ocean JRPG franchise of Enix had its first game released in Japan only. That first game on Super Famicom sold a lot of copies which led to the production of the sequel Star Ocean: The Second Story. By the late 1990s, Enix itself had a partnership with developer tri-Ace on the Star Ocean games. Somewhere along the way, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) secured the publishing rights of Star Ocean: The Second Story for not only America but also in other parts of the world. For the American market, Sony came up with a very odd-looking 2-page print ad that had a mail service form on the left. The form emphasized the concept of being away for a long time (reflecting the science fiction and extensive fantasy adventuring of the game itself) which incidentally was the eye-catcher of the ad. The other half of the page showing the game’s title, screenshots and detailed text description got overshadowed. This is another marketing misfire.
9. The Legend of Dragoon North American Print Ad
The movie poster-inspired print ad is memorable to look at.
Given how success Sony was with selling PlayStation consoles worldwide and how massively successful the Final Fantasy RPG franchise of SquareSoft was, it was not surprising that they decided to make their very own big-budget and exclusive JRPG with the intention to succeed and possibly establish a franchise. The result was the PlayStation-exclusive game The Legend of Dragoon which was made with a budget of $16 million and lasted three years in development. The game was released in Japan in late-1999 and sold at least 280,000 copies (note: majority of that in its first week of sales). In preparation for the June 2000 launch in America, Sony produced a print ad that had a very strong movie poster vibe showing what looked like painted art of the characters with vivid colors in the background and the title on the lower part. If you look closely, the credits were deliberately stylized over the way movie posters showed credits. While the game was not the massive hit Sony hoped for, it went on to become a million-seller and a great majority of its sales were from America. By today’s standards, the movie poster-like ad used to promote The Legend of Dragoon is memorable and an inspired piece of marketing work.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, video game enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the late-1990s to examine the launch issue of the magazine-sized comic book series titled Resident Evil: The Official Comic Book Magazine.
To put things in perspective, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Resident Evil video games and multimedia entertainment franchise . The original Resident Evil (Japanese title: Biohazard) video game released in 1996 was arguably a major turning point in console gaming as it was an adulterated game that blended horror, action, monsters and the cinematic experience. Initially released on PlayStation, the game got released on Windows PC and the Sega Saturn, and eventually sold millions of copies worldwide while establishing a solid fanbase. Arguably, RE sparked the revival of the zombie genre in pop culture during the 1990s and contributed to new zombie-related multimedia productions in the 2000s.
Even before the release of Resident Evil 2, the number of Resident Evil fans grew and so did demand for more related stuff. Marvel Comics published a free one-shot Resident Evil comic book while Resident Evil: The Book was released in Japan.
When Resident Evil 2 was released in 1998, it became an even bigger blockbuster and resulted in even more new RE fans as gamers enjoyed playing it so much. The massive commercial success of RE2 led Capcom to approving several new Resident Evil game projects for development. Still within 1998, the licensed RE multimedia projects were released in the form of two novels and a new comic book series with a magazine format.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Resident Evil: The Official Comic Book Magazine #1, published by WildStorm/Image Comics in 1998 with short stories written by Ted Adams and Kris Oprisko, and drawn by Ryan Odagawa, Carlos D’Anda and Lee Bermejo.
The cover drawn by Jim Lee.
Early stories
S.T.A.R.S. Files – Inside an office, Albert Wesker gets briefed about his next assignment in Raccoon City which has been experiencing a series of mysterious murders. The superior tells Wesker to field a S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics and Rescue Service) team to find out what is going on.
Who Are These Guys? – A scientist writes a letter to Ada Wong and reveals key details about the research of the T-Virus, including what his team has been doing and what he observed.
Dangerous Secrets – Inside the high-tech debriefing room of the S.T.A.R.S. headquarters, Chris Redfield begins a review of what happened during their mission at the mansion and what took place before they even got involved. Present are Jill Valentine, Rebecca Chambers and Barry Burton.
Raccoon City – R.I.P. – A very sick and physically deteriorating man watches the news on TV at home. As the moments passed by, he begins to lose control of himself as his deteriorates. He suddenly goes out of his house and walks down the street aimlessly.
Quality
Ada Wong, the scientist and the journalist who secretly spied in a scene that happened before Resident Evil 2 started.
As already revealed on the cover of this magazine-style comic book, this is a collection of four short stories designed to provide readers insight on the lore of Resident Evil, additional portrayals of the established RE characters of the time – Chris Redfield, Barry Burton, Jill Valentine, Rebecca Chambers, Albert Wesker, Leon Kennedy and a few supporting characters seen in the games – and, more notably, illustrated development of events that connect the first two games with each other in ways that the games themselves could not. To be clear, Resident Evil took place in July 1998 while its sequel took place in September 1998.
Without spoiling the stories, I can say that S.T.A.R.S. Files was a warm-up in the form of introducing the characters of the first RE game. Who Are These Guys? was a creepy telling of what happened behind the scenes with regards to the unethical scientific experiments that caused zombies and monsters at the mansion to happen. It has a violent ending which made one of the most popular Resident Evil characters look like a murderer (note: I’m surprised it was not controversial). Dangerous Secrets was a creative recap of what happened at the mansion (which follows the game ending involving the rescue of Jill Valentine) and S.T.A.R.S. had such futuristic office equipment to work with (it has a strong sci-fi flavor). Raccoon City – R.I.P. was the build-up of developments leading to the start of Resident Evil 2.
Clearly, the quality of the writing and artworks varied from one story to another. The writing of Who Are These Guys? really stood out nicely due to its creepy vibe and the fine way of telling the story of the scientist who wrote to Ada Wong. Dangerous Secrets also stood out with its dramatization of Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Rebecca Chambers and Barry Burton who have to move on knowing that a lot of lives were lost and lots of dirty secrets were uncovered. When it comes to the art style used on established RE characters, the zombies and monsters, fans looking for a more realistic take will end up disappointed (example: a few shots of Jill Valentine had a cartoony aesthetic). At the same time, Jim Lee’s only art of Resident Evil was the cover.
Readers looking for spectacle and moments of zombie horror will find something to enjoy here. I can confirm that the creative teams did not hold back on the violence and gore.
WildStorm did not just settle with doing their own literary take on the Resident Evil lore. They even went further by publishing an interview with Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami knowing that the fans will enjoy discovering details and revelations through the production side of the video games.
Page 1 of the interview with Mikami.
Page 2.
Going back to the first RE game of 1996, be aware that certain details in this comic book could end up lacking or feel irrelevant given the fact that this was published years before the Resident Evil remake on Nintendo GameCube was released.
Conclusion
Chris Redfield leads the post-mission review.
Resident Evil: The Official Comic Book Magazine #1 (1998) succeeded in what it was meant to do. It gave readers added insight to the characters and the events – including those that happened off-screen – of the 1996 video game while literally warming them up for Resident Evil 2’s illustrated events. To really enjoy this comic book magazine, it is clear that one has to play BOTH video games to gain at least a basic understanding of what happened and who is who. As it was released at a time when Resident Evil 2 was available and selling a lot of copies, this comic book adaptation turned out to be a helpful read that fans and newcomers can enjoy. It is also a reminder that the late 1990s was an exciting time to be a Resident Evil fan.
Overall, Resident Evil: The Official Comic Book Magazine #1 (1998) is recommended.
Author Carlo Carrasco 