Type-Moon Ace 7

Released in mid December and received almost 3 months ago, this is the review of Type-Moon Ace Volume 7.

The cover and a good part of it is focused in Mahou Tsukai no Yoru, including a demo cd of the game and a phone strap of Aoko as extras.

The Aozaki Aoko (Mahoyo version) phone strap. Is very small and a bit on the ugly side if you look at it closely.

Over 20 pages are focused in Mahou Tsukai no Yoru, that will be released (at last!) in a couple of days. The demo cd contains a few non correlative chapters. I played it and besides the excelent use of the kinetic effects and the neat soundtrack, I was largely unimpressed by the contents... Well, I have the game pre-ordered and shipped by EMS, so if customs doesn't screw me again I'll be playing the full game in a few days and I hope it doesn't turns into a complete let down.

A few pages are also covering Carnival Phantasm (the last volume was released shortly after the release of this magazine). In the picture, a short interview to the voice actors of the Neco-Arcs.

A bunch of interviews related to Fate/Zero, that last week began to air the second season. In the photo, the first part of the interview to Takeuchi Takashi (original character designer) and Sudou Tomonori and Ikariya Atsushi (character designers for the anime).

Interview to Koyama Rikiya (voice actor of Kiritsugu) and Oohara Sayaka (voice of Irisviel).

Four pages covering Fate/EXTRA CCC, an alternate (and supposedly darker) take of the first Fate/Extra. In the picture, a mysterious version of Sakura that seems to have a major role and a still unnamed pink-haired girl with horns and tail. The relase date is a very vague "Spring 2012".

A Fate/Apocrypha chapter written by Higashide Yuuichirou starring the loli Assassin (Jack the Ripper) and her Master Rikudo Reika. I don't like the idea of Fate/Apocrypha at all (is a rejected project for a reason), so I hope it doesn't turn into something bigger than an sporadic chapter in each T-M Ace...

And the rest is the manga section. As usual it includes special chapters of the regular series plus one-shots chapters of diverse origin. Some of the most interesting are:

All Around TYPE-MOON by Bsuke. An accidental meeting between both Sabers.

Melty Blood special chapter by Kirishima Takeru. Satsuki got the short stick yet again and dosen't appears in the covers of Melty Blood X that have only 2 volumes and featured Sion and Riesbyfe.

Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya by Hiroyama Hiroshi. This special chapter is focused on Mimi, excited by the series of events she lately saw... By the way, Prisma Illya will have both a 3rd manga series and an anime version!

Fate/Extra extra chapter by Robina. The main character turns into a girl, but Saber is more than happy with this turn of events.

Fate/complete material IV - Extra material

Now is the turn to review an artbook that I received almost 8 months ago, Fate/complete material IV Extra material., mostly because in a few days I'll receive the latest volume, Fate/complete material V Hollow material..

This artbook also includes Fate/side side materiale complete, a compilation of the previous 3 side side materiale books plus an extra 4 volume exclusive to this compilation. Since this entry is quite heavy on images, I'll review it in the next one.

Extra material is mostly a gallery of Fate related games not included in the previous books (Fate/unlimited codes, Fate/tiger colosseum and Fate/Extra) plus a bit of Fate/Zero. The only new material are the characters designs for an scrapped project for an online game, Fate/Apocrypha.

The first part covers Fate/unlimited codes; illustration for each character, their endings and face portraits.

Luviagelita Edelfelt entry. Her picture in the selection screen and her opening and ending images.

Saber Alter face portraits and her pre-battle image.

The last section covers promotional art and illustrations that appeared in merchandising.

Next is the turn of Fate/tiger colosseum, including the characters and new endings that appeared in the sequel, Fate/tiger colosseum Upper.

Rin entry. To the left her endings in the regular game (up) and in Upper (down)

Again including promotional art at the end, like this two pictures that appeared as telephone cards.

Fate/Extra section is really short, covering only a brief profile of each character:

Main character(s) and Saber

Leo & Gawain and Pieceman & Saver

Fate/Zero is also quite short, covering mostly the illustrations from the novels and the drama cd's.

The character profiles directly from the novels.

Illustration from the novel (upper right), Return to Zero cd cover (upper left) and the image from the drama cd's holder box.

And as I said, the only new content is Fate/Apocrypha, a project to do an online game using original servants that was finally canceled.
Most of the servants were designed and/or drawn by different guest artists, and it have almost nothing to do with TYPE-MOON universe...

Karna (Lancer class) is the only one out of the fully developed characters that was designed by Nasu (and drawn by pako, character designer in some entries of the Shining Force Saga and most recently in Un-Go)

The trap Astolfo (class Rider) designed by Hoshizora Meteo and drawn by Konoe Ototsugu from circle Closet Child.

And Joan of Arc, the only character from Apocrypha designed by Nasu AND drawn by Takeuchi, that was supposed to be the special administrator of the Grail War under the class Ruler. Since it was supposed to be a NPC, her entry is not as long as the others.

I'll try to review Fate/side side materiale complete tomorrow.