...but it is. Specifically, for Black Panther, the mega-franchise's PSP-bound spinoff. Then again, Yakuza is big enough in Japan that it's getting a manga and TV adaptation, so it would probably make sense that promotions for the title not necessarily look to represent "just" the game.

Come to think, their licensing "Muppet" by RIZE as the game's theme song (music video below) is probably the big step towards hitting the markets that don't already play games. 

What's next, a movie? 

Looking for an unconventional adventure game to play? Why not consider the difficult-to-fit-in-a-headline DS game 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, from Aksys?

If you didn't know about it when we brought it up a couple of months ago, it's an adventure game developed by Chunsoft, which follows nine persons as they try to escape a ship before bombs planted inside their stomachs go off. Sounds like a story constructed in the best traditions of Saw or Seven.

You might need some extra convincing, though, so Aksys has come up with a flash-based demo for you to play on the game's site. You'll get some time in the shoes of Junpei and Akane, presumably two of those nine persons.

Try the game here, then tell us what you think!

Hot damn, look at that package! After the great response for the Toradora! and Persona: Trinity Soul Volume 1 sets, NIS America has announced that their newest releases will also be getting premium box editions. As someone who was incredibly impressed by the packaging for the first volume of Persona, this is great news for anyone planning on picking them up. Judging by the pictures, every release comes in a stylish box, with two DVDs in thinpak cases and a fancy art book full of promotional images and other goodies. Check the gallery for more pictures.

Along with the tentative pictures of the products come some release dates for you. Toradora! Volume 2 and Persona: Trinity Soul Volume 2 will be let loose on September 28. We're also finally getting two more anime announced way back in February. PandoraHearts Volume 1 will be released on October 26, just in time for Halloween, and Our Home's Fox Deity will be ready for purchase on November 16.

As someone who always appreciates fancy packaging (and have plenty of ridiculous collector's editions of video games), I miss the days when anime came with lots of extras and bonuses. I understand that they needed to be dropped in order to bring down prices in a changing marketplace, but I'm glad to see that NISA is willing to pick up that torch, even if their products are only available online. Who else is as excited as I am for these new releases?

The Western world is much more accepting of tattoos these days, due to their massive popularity among the younger crowd. These days, having a tattoo isn't a sign that you're a hoodlum or troublemaker, but a permanent badge of individuality. However, tattoos have never gotten past their controversial status in Japan. Not only are tattoos considered a sign of delinquency, but there is a heavy stigma from the common presence of tattoos in Yakuza culture. These large, intricate tattoos represent power and inclusion in the criminal organization.

However, times are changing, and tattoos are receiving a surge of popularity among young people in Japan. Because of this, or perhaps despite this, the Kobe Municipal Government is considering a ban prohibiting anyone with a tattoo from entering a beach in Suma Ward, according to The Japan Times. The discussion was spurred following the arrest of college students for alleged marijuana possession while at the beach for a music event. So apparently, smoking pot = getting tattoos.

It's important to consider that such a ban is not unusual in Japan. Various businesses and hotels have tattoo bans in place, and Japan's government is much stricter on illegal drug use than the US government is in practice, so attacking related cultural identifiers would make sense. Apparently the beach recorded its lowest number of visitors in 25 years this summer, with only about 620,000 people over 46 days. Some told the municipal office that they hesitated to go because of tattooed individuals hanging out at the beach.

Really though, it just sounds like the same clash of old culture vs. new culture. Just like rock and roll before it, the older generation is having a hard time coming to grips with new standards and hopes to supress those supporting them as much as possible to ease their minds. I know Japan is often very conservative culturally, but from America's experience, you can't really stop the progress of culture as much as you hem and haw about the degredation of society's morals. It's going to happen, whether or not this proposed beach tattoo ban goes through.

That's right, Arashi are breaking into school textbooks all over Japan. The group recently volunteered to be featured in the book "Nippon no Arashi," which arrived in elementary, junior high, and senior high schools all over the nation. The aim of the book is to apparently teach kids about the beauty of Japan and its culture, while encouraging them to explore their country and visit various sites, though I personally think that most of their time with this book will be spent staring at hot boys.

Each of the members of Arashi serve as tour navigators, with pictures of their adventures scattered throughout the book. However, this textbook isn't exactly light-hearted. All of the pictures are accompanied with long articles about the various locations featured and are written at a level that might even be difficult for middle-schoolers.

Only two copies were given to each school, likely for a spot in the school library rather than in a classroom. Despite the difficulty of the book and its generally straight-laced approach, it'll no doubt end up in the hands of some giddy school girls. After all, Arashi's popularity with the younger generation is undeniable, and this textbook is testament to that.

I wish that I had my favorite bands or celebrities presenting me with my school reading. It would sure make things a lot more entertaining, though knowing America, we'd probably dumb it down into a book that's exclusively an interview with the star. I mean, not that I'd mind that. 

Welcome to another edition of Fighting Friday, the Japanator fight show recap that will always be a pretty terrible person, no matter how many times it is attacked and consumed by a group of sharks.

This week in anime can best be summed up as "time to wrap up, next week starts the filler", though a spot of hope remains for Naruto Shippuden. Thankfully though, this week's manga continues to build up the tension and energy, promising more big fights to come.

Now take a break from your constant training as you read this week's coverage of the latest and greatest fight shows.

You all know I have a horrible weak spot for Toradora!, and itsatimmy exploited that to a fine point. Inspired by his weekly AMV posts in the community blogs, we're bringing back our "Fun Friday AMV" column, which highlights an anime music video that deserves your attention.

This week, we're going with "Unique", a video by 0SimplyAngel0 about the romance between Ryuuji and Taiga, something I fully support.

This video really touches my heart because it takes all those moments -- the innocent and meaningless ones throughout the course of the show -- and transforms it into a clear narrative of the budding romance between Ryuuji and Taiga. Those little hand-holds, or the experiences shared only as friends take on a new meaning entirely in the course of this video.

For all those who have watched Toradora!, this video is going to inspire you to watch the series all over again.

It's been a long time coming -- sorry for the needless anticipation -- but we have a winner from the survey that you all participated in:

AzureKitsune, come on down! You've won yourself a fabulous prize of the Casshern Sins series!

If you would be so kind as to send your mailing address to me at brad@japanator.com, we'll get you a copy of the series right away.

As for everyone else, I'd like to thank you for participating and helping us out here. Now, it's time to go ahead and buy Part 1 and Part 2 of Casshern Sins. Go forth, consumerists, and prosper!