Set only two years after the first game in 1937 Valkyria Chronicles 2 involves cadets from the Galia Royal Military Academy sent to prevent a rebellion from starting in Gallia. Sega claims the games concept is to contrast the world of a military academy with actual war.

It is due to be released this Winter in Japan for the PlayStation Portable.

Source: Kotaku

Vocaloid mascot Hatsune Miku put on her first live performance at Animelo Summer Live 2009. She appeared on screen and was accompanied by a live band during her set. It is a little disheartening that a computer program stole the thunder of actual performers but I guess that proves that Japan’s Otaku and Technophiles are on an entirely different level compared to fans in the United States. Not that I wouldn’t have gone if I could….

Animelo Summer Live is Japan’s biggest annual anime themed concert and has been held ever summer since 2005.

Japan, while already popular for its massive army of blood thirsty robots, isn’t going to sit idly by and allow the rest of the world to catch up. Honda has developed an interface that allows a human to control their Asimo robot just by thinking. While this technology is still experimental Honda hopes to use it in some of their consumer products in the future.

I find it odd that we don’t see many robotics advances in the United States except for military application. I wonder what kind of social aspect of the USA is blocking industrial robots from taking control of our factories. Could it be a fear that the industrial worker will have to leave their job at Ford and find work more relevant to the modern era? Perhaps our leaders in the pentagon have just watched Terminator a few too many times and are keeping a closer eye on robots than their fictional counterpart.

Whatever happens to the future of robots I just hope to see more advances from the United States very soon. Before they fall completely behind. There already is no way that the US car companies are going to catch up to a car that the driver controls with their mind.

A sketch of Lucky Star’s Kagami by illustrator Naru Nanao went for 1,311,000 Yen (or about $14,000) at a Yahoo! Japan auction. The Sketch was given away for free in a random drawing among readers of the magazine COMPTIQ. Nanao made the drawing to celebrate the end of the Lucky Star anime even though Nanao wasn’t involved with the series.

While it is a rare sketch I think paying so much for a drawing is a little extreme in the digital age. I don’t think anything would make me pay so much for a picture…. or anything short of a house. Even the car I want cost under $13,000….new!

Source: AnimeNewsNetwork

During Yasuhiro Nightow and Satoshi Nishimura’s panel at Anime Expo 2009 they revealed the new Trigun movie to the world for the first time eleven years after the end of the original series. The movie is based on an original story that looks like it takes place during the original series, not afterwards. Fans who have seen the show will know why after seeing the trailer.

The trailer doesn’t contain any information about a possible story or when we can expect the film to be released. The studio hasn’t even begun working on the film yet! Even if it is a little early to get excited it feels good to know that there is more Trigun at some point in our future.

The most “advanced dating sim” to hit the Nintendo DS, Love Plus uses the DS’s touch screen to enable you to interact with your brand new Girlfriend. Starting out as a normal dating Sim the game gives you three girls from which the player has to choose one to fall in love with. Once you win the heart of your one true love that’s when the game gets interesting. You can touch her using the touchscreen, talk to you using the built in microphone, email her, or study together.

The player can set how their new girlfriend to address them, gets to know the players likes and dislikes, and change the way she speaks using the games 5,000 scripts, 150 CG events and 25,000 voice expressions.

At last Japanese men can take their virtual girlfriends with them in their pockets. No longer will their advanced dating sims be limited to their lonely apartments.

Source: Kotaku

Vanguard Princess is a freeware 2D fighter developed by a former Capcom employee. The game features gorgeous animation and plenty of Moe. Best of all it’s free to download here. Enjoy your Fourth of July!

Source: Kotaku

The golden age of Evangelion merchandise continues. This time Japanese fast food restaurant Lotteria is releasing Evangelion themed coasters and reusable drink cups. This is the kind of news that makes me wish that I lived in Japan. Sure in the United States we get Star Trek and Pokemon at Burger King. But getting a cup with Rei in a sexy pose is a completely different experience.

The full set of coasters:

Hit the jump for more images.

Evangelion 01 coaster:

Asuka coaster

Three fully assembled cups:

The cup comes apart easily for washing:

Petit-Eva illustration:

Rei Ayanami:

Evangelion Unit-01 checked pattern:

Source: Gigazine Via Yahoo & Lotteria

One of the most important aspect about being an Otaku is the figure collection. If you don’t have an impressive collection of colored molded plastic. Here are two upcoming overpriced figures that will (hopefully) soon adorn my shelf. Both of these figures are going to be priced at $75.

Taiga, from the Fall season show Toradora, stands confident in her school uniform holding her Bokken.

Horo sits on the side of Lawrence’s wagon enjoying her favorite food.

Hit the jump for more pictures of both these adorable figures.