The Disney+ Star Wars series Ahsoka (review) has finally wrapped. It was a weird ride full of inconsistencies, plot holes, and poor adaptations of Timothy Zahn’s ideas, but at least we got to see more of live-action Chopper!
As expected, Hot Toys has announced that the unique-looking droid will join the 1:6 scale line of premium Star Wars figures. Chopper will stand 7″ tall and feature some beautiful detailing.
Although Chopper doesn’t come with the same number of accessories as the previously released R2-D2, the little droid makes up for it with a ton of character. From Chopper’s squat frame to all the exposed astromech parts and caster wheel, he’s probably the best thing to come out of Dave Filoni’s Star Wars Rebels.
Chopper has yet to show up on Sideshow for pre-order, so we don’t know how much he’ll cost yet. However, what we do know is that the diminutive droid will ship around the second half of 2024.
Photo Credit: Hot Toys
Photo Credit: Hot Toys
Photo Credit: Hot Toys
Photo Credit: Hot Toys
Photo Credit: Hot Toys
Photo Credit: Hot Toys
Photo Credit: Hot Toys
Photo Credit: Hot Toys
Photo Credit: Hot Toys
Chopper will come with the following features and accessories:
Authentic and detailed likeness of Chopper in Star Wars: Ahsoka
Greatly detailed mechanical construction with 10 points of articulation
Bobble-head design
Fine paint applications and weathering effects
Special features include:
One (1) pair of articulated terrain tread legs (with rotatable wheels)
One (1) articulated center tread leg (with rotatable wheels; attachable to figure)
Two (2) (normal and extend mode)
Two (2) pairs of articulated mechanical arms, including:
One (1) pair of normal mechanical arms
One (1) pair of gesture mechanical arms
One (1) tracking device
One (1) Professor Huyang hologram miniature
One (1) holoprojector
What did you think of Ahsoka? Let us know in the comments section below.
After much teasing, Valaverse finally showed off the first sample of the upcoming 1:12 scale vehicle for the Action Force line: the Vanguard! The preview appeared on the company’s Instagram.
The post came with a link to a YouTube video where the company’s founder and 3POA host, Laserpants, reviewed the latest sample of the upcoming vehicle.
The Vanguard is an officially licensed 1:12 scale version of Rezvani’s Tank. The tactical off-road vehicle is an expensive real-world Action Force SUV. The various options buyers can add to their Tank are things like thermal and night vision, EMP protection, bulletproofing, and more.
Sounds expensive, right? You bet. The base model is $175,000, with the more militarized versions going for over a quarter of a million dollars!
However, the scaled-down Action Force Vanguard is far more affordable. Unlike Hasbro’s Engine of Vengencefailed crowdfunder, Valaverse isn’t relying on backers to make this thing a reality, and it is only going to be $185!
The Vanguard will feature several moving parts, interchangeable turrets, effects parts, and who knows what else.
“Bobby Vala is joined by @laserpants81 to review the 1st test shot sample of the highly anticipated, not crowdfunded, Action Force Vanguard vehicle. The fellas will be going over all the details and answering your questions. Head over to the Valaverse YouTube channel to subscribe and get notifications for this awesome stream happening Tuesday, 10/3 at 9:00pm EST. You won’t want to miss this. https://www.youtube.com/@Valaverse“
Bobby Vala, the founder of Valaverse, spoke with us at length about the relaunched toy line and how he discovered the car that would inspire the Vanguard vehicle. Check out the interview below. Also, check out our reviews of several Action Force figures here.
What do you think of the inclusion of this vehicle into the Action Force line? Let us know in the comments section below.
Back in August of 2023, fans of Red Dead Redemption were able to play the classic Rockstar game set in the Old West on modern consoles. However, at the time, the rerelease of the game was heavily criticized for lacking features that would’ve justified anyone repurchasing it. For some, it felt like a waste of money despite loving Red Dead Redemption so much. But a new update for PlayStation 5 may have addressed the concerns Red Dead fans had about the rerelease.
The latest update for Red Dead Redemption went live on October 4th, 2023 for PlayStation 5 owners. The biggest addition with the 1.03 update allows the game to run at a smooth 60 frames per second. Beyond that, there’s nothing else really different about the game. It’s still a $50 rerelease of a Rockstar Games classic open-world experience. For some, that’s more than enough to dive back into the old west and start trotting along. Only now, they’ll be able to do so at a much higher framerate than what was available on launch.
The release of Red Dead Redemption was originally on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 back in 2010. It was the sequel to Red Dead Revolver and the precursor to a sequel titled Red Dead Redemption 2 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. With the rerelease on more recent consoles, some changes were made that didn’t sit well with fans. Outside of the original game’s multiplayer modes not being present, Red Dead Redemption was only able to run at 30FPS when it came out for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. The game sold at $50 digitally, with a physical version of the game that will be available for everyone on October 13th.
The new update only affects the PlayStation 5 version of the game, which is basically a PS4 game running through backward compatibility on PS5. As of now, there are no other plans for any additional features that will affect or change the game whatsoever. But if you’re a fan of Red Dead and want to relive the fun you had playing the game back in the day, you at least have the option to do so now in 60 FPS. It might not be the best way to experience Red Dead Redemption, but it gets the job done.
What do you think about Red Dead Redemption getting a 60FPS update on PlayStation 5? Should there be other features added to the game since it’s a rerelease? Did you play the original Red Dead Redemption on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3? Tell us your thoughts about everything in the comment section down below!
Over the past week, pre-orders for Sony’s PS5 portable streaming handheld device have been selling out. However, we learned today that some online retailers have started retaking PlayStation Portal orders from early adopters.
GameSpot reports that Walmart, Best Buy, and GameStop had reopened the pre-order process for Sony’s new piece of tech. As of writing this article, only GameStop is still taking reservations.
The PlayStation Portal will officially launch on 11/23/2023. It is priced at $199 and comes with the following specs:
Beautiful 8″ LCD screen
Take in every exquisite detail of your favorite games as they come alive on a brightly lit and gorgeous full HD screen.
60fps capable at 1080p resolution
PlayStation Portal™ Remote Player can deliver silky-smooth gameplay at up to 60fps with high image clarity on its 1080p resolution screen3.
As far as the Wi-Fi requirements go, here’s what Sony recommends:
“While your home Wi-Fi network represents a great option to use PlayStation Portal™ Remote Player because you have control over the quality of your own home Wi-Fi, it is not required. PlayStation Portal™ Remote Player can also be played wherever you have access to broadband internet Wi-Fi with at least 5Mbps for use1. For a better play experience, a high-speed connection of at least 15Mbps is recommended. If you are using public Wi-Fi, be aware that the quality of the internet connection may be out of your control, and could impact the quality of your play experience.“
The streaming handheld was announced earlier this year. For a while, some of us thought this may be the long-awaited successor to the PlayStation Vita. How wrong we were.
The PlayStation Portal is Sony’s first-party answer for people who love streaming games from their PS5. While smartphones have been able to tap into Sony’s gaming machine from other locations remotely, the Portal provides a dedicated peripheral without the use of separate controllers.
This isn’t a terrible idea. It’s helpful if your PS5 is in the living room, and your spouse or kids want to watch something other than you playing Joel Golf Simulator.
For many Star Wars fans, the various Disney Plus series released have resulted in a wide range of quality to hit the Star Wars franchise. While some were major hits that reinvigorated the love for Star Wars, others heavily divided fan opinions. The Ahsoka series luckily falls on the positive end of that spectrum with a great combination of fan service, interesting plot, and beloved characters. As a whole, the series adds to a legacy built off the back of the animated Star Wars shows, while moving forward with ideas that go into live-action with a sense of direction that other shows haven’t displayed before. Along the way, fans get to see the next stage of a character that has been built up for a long time.
The overarching plot of Ahsoka follows the apprentice of Anakin Skywalker in a post-Return of the Jedi time. The Rebellion has made the transition into the New Republic while remnants of the Empire lurk in the shadows of the galaxy, popping up here and there. Ahsoka continues to search for answers about the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn, which leads her to many of her old friends as things begin to unfold. But when two force users who claim to not be Jedi appear and break out an old foe from captivity, Ahsoka will find herself chasing a lead to prevent the return of Thrawn and stop a new war from breaking out with the New Republic.
Anyone who has been following the Star Wars shows since Star Wars Rebels is going to find a lot of joy in the Ahsoka series. There are many references and callbacks to elements from that show in clever ways, not just from characters making their debut in live-action. Ahsoka herself is at a different point in her life, played phenomenally by Rosario Dawson, in which she carries a weight from her past while trying to move ahead in the new age after the fall of the Empire.
Her interactions with the rest of the Star Wars Rebels characters we see are not always great at first, but eventually become stronger and more genuine as the series goes on. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see all of the Rebels crew in the series for various reasons, but it will be something that is clearly being planned to happen down the line.
Outside of Ahsoka herself, the rest of the cast have varying degrees of success as their respective Star Wars characters. While unlikable at first, Sabine Wren played by Natasha Liu Bordizzo will grow on you as she spends time with Ahsoka on screen. Her story definitely picks up from where Star Wars Rebels left her, with time having passed and impacting her relationship with Ahsoka as an apprentice.
Hera Syndulla is played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who doesn’t get a lot of screen time throughout the series. And yet she almost perfectly embodies the transition of the characters from animation into live-action, both in look and attitude. She even gets a few scenes with iconic characters from the Star Wars universe that are relevant to the main plot, despite being very brief.
But if there are a few characters that nearly steal the show in Ahsoka it would be Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati. The late Ray Stevenson and Ivanna Sakhno play the two force users with very interesting backstories that are peeled away as the season goes on. We don’t get all of the answers about them by the finale, but the details of who they are and how they relate to Ahsoka are very interesting. The biggest shame comes from the loss of Ray Stevenson (who passed after completing work on Ahsoka season 1) and how it will be difficult to further develop Baylan and Shin as characters.
Baylan’s history with the Jedi order is described by him multiple times, which is very intriguing and connected back to the Clone Wars in a very neat way that fans of the animated Clone Wars series will love. For Shin Hati however, we only ever get so many details about her relationship with Baylan. She may be his apprentice, but that’s all we really get as far as her origin and significance to Baylan. Hopefully, a second season of the series or follow-up will explore this more and give fans the answers they were hoping for here.
One of the biggest selling points of the Ahsoka series for Star Wars fans was the introduction of Grand Admiral Thrawn into live-action. This was significant because the character has a deep history with the franchise since the early 90s in the Star Wars: Heir to the Empire books that introduced him. And luckily, Thrawn’s debut in the series is every bit as impactful as longtime fans had hoped for. Played by Lars Mikkelsen, who also voiced the animated version of the character in Star Wars Rebels, Thrawn immediately grabs attention when he shows up on screen.
While the plot details of how Ahsoka and her allies try to prevent his return get murky towards the end of the series, Thrawn remains a very real threat to everyone from the start, including to his own allies. The character has been built up as the next major villain of the Star Wars franchise moving forward before this series, and where it leaves him and everyone else at the end reinforces that in a very significant way. How Thrawn will impact the New Republic going forward in the next Star Wars project is anyone’s guess, but the aftermath of Ahsoka is going to make waves for everyone to feel.
Star Wars fans also have a lot to chew on with Ahsoka because of the many references and fan service littered throughout the show. There are smaller nods to Rebels and the Clone Wars in nearly every episode, but they definitely won’t draw as much attention as the biggest fan service to Star Wars in certain episodes. The inclusion of Anakin Skywalker is very significant to both Ahsoka herself and to Star Wars fans who have been around since the very beginning of the franchise. While this is a new story, Anakin’s presence and role as the chosen one is felt throughout the entire series, especially when Ahsoka comes face-to-face with him once again in some unique ways.
With Hayden Christensen reprising his role as Anakin, fans get to see another dimension of the character that respects the legacy of Anakin Skywalker on multiple fronts. We get to see Anakin in his Clone Wars attire pulled directly from the animated series, as well as some very big flashes of Darth Vader in ways that Star Wars fans only dreamed of seeing in live-action. But the best part of all of this is how much it’s handled with care, thoughtfulness to the plot, and willingness to step forward with something new that pays homage to the history of Anakin Skywalker. It’s simply the best way to do fan service that is impactful and very cool to watch.
There are definitely some ups and downs for the Ahsoka series, but Star Wars fans will find a lot more positives to enjoy than the low points of the season. The way things conclude with the season finale leaves every character in a weird spot that will definitely require a second season to develop, but can also be a marker for where the next major Star Wars project will be taking them. Not every thread of the season is wrapped up or given answers to questions that arise, especially with characters like Baylan and Shin. But the action, spectacle, and heart of Star Wars is on full display here that other Star Wars series have yet to fully grasp. If you’re someone who hasn’t watched all of the Star Wars animated series just yet, you can still really enjoy what Ahsoka gives you and be part of the action. But those who have been around the entire time will get so much more in ways that greatly reward them for being a fan, while also promising great things to come in the near future.
What do you think of the Ahsoka series? Do you feel Star Wars fans will really enjoy watching it? What do you want to see happen next for these Star Wars characters? Share your thoughts about everything down below in the comment section!
It was inevitable. Like many other connected devices and consoles, Nitendo’s line of handhelds and the underrated Wii U will soon lose online support.
In an announcement on the official Customer Support portal, the company informed the world that online co-op, rankings, and data will be unavailable come next year. The move to defunct the various connected services affects software for the 3DS, 3DS XL, 2DS XL, 3DS, 3DS XL, 2DS, Wii U Deluxe, and Wii U Basic.
In the post, the legendary video game developer and console maker had this to say:
Thank you very much for supporting our products.
In early April 2024, online play and other functionality that uses online communication will end for Nintendo 3DS* and Wii U software. This also includes online co-operative play, internet rankings, and data distribution.
You can find more information about badges for decorating the Nintendo 3DS HOME Menu using Nintendo Badge Arcadehere.
We will announce a specific end date and time at a later date.
Please note that if an event occurs that would make it difficult to continue online services for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software, we may have to discontinue services earlier than planned.
We sincerely thank players for using the online services of Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software over a long period of time and apologize for any inconvenience.
* This includes software exclusive to New Nintendo 3DS.
However, not everything is going to be subject to this network outage. The single online service that will continue to function in the short term will be Pokémon Bank. The paid utility does not have an end date yet, but the company did say the software “may also end at some point in the future.”
The Big N’s decision should not come as a surprise. The Wii U and 3DS/2DS handhelds haven’t been on store shelves for some time. As the business embraces emulation on the Switch, it makes sense to terminate the servers and, hopefully, dedicate resources to finally giving us virtual GameCube, Wii, and 2DS apps.
Now would be a good time if you’ve not updated your software library in a while. Make sure you download all the games, updates, and DLC you paid for on the eShop ASAP!
Amazon Studios announced a new limited series titled ‘Expats,’ which will star ‘Batman Forever’ and ‘Birth’ star Nicole Kidman. The six-part show is said to be a political drama set on the continent of Asia.
“Prime Video announced that Expats, the six-part limited series directed by Lulu Wang and based on the internationally best-selling novel The Expatriates by Janice Y. K. Lee, will premiere January 26, 2024,” Amazon said in a statement. “Expats stars Academy Award- and Emmy-winning actor Nicole Kidman (Big Little Lies, The Undoing), Sarayu Blue (Never Have I Ever, Blockers), Ji-young Yoo (The Sky Is Everywhere, Smoking Tigers), Brian Tee (Chicago Med, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows), and Jack Huston (House of Gucci, Fargo). Kidman and Lulu Wang also serve as executive producers on the series.”
According to Prime Video the series is set, “against the vibrant and tumultuous tapestry of 2014 Hong Kong, Expats centers on three American women—Margaret (Nicole Kidman), Hilary (Sarayu Blue), and Mercy (Ji-young Yoo)—whose lives intersect after a sudden family tragedy. The series interrogates privilege and explores what happens when the line between victimhood and culpability becomes blurred. Brian Tee, who plays Margaret’s husband Clarke, and Jack Huston, who plays Hilary’s husband David, also star in the series.”
You can take a look at the promotional poster below:
Expats, starring Nicole Kidman, Sarayu Blue, and Ji-young Yoo, is coming January 26. pic.twitter.com/2V1Kuyay6z
“The series’ feature-length penultimate episode will have its European premiere screening at BFI’s London International Film Festival on October 9,” Amazon added.
Lulu Wang is the showrunner, writer, and director for the series. Australian screenwriter Alice Bell and Lee is also credited as a writer for the show. Kidman will also work as an executive producer along with Theresa Park and Stan Wlodkowski.
‘The Expatriates’ was released for bookshelves in 2016 by Viking. It is Lee’s second novel following ‘The Piano Teacher.’
Netflix dropped a full trailer for the upcoming anime ‘PLUTO’ from the Japanese animation studios Studio M2, Genco, and Tezuka Productions. Masao Maruyama has been tapped as the director for the eight-episode feature.
“The newly released trailer for PLUTO sets the stage for the anime adaptation of the critically acclaimed manga of the same name,” Netflix said in a statement. “Premiering on October 26, PLUTO is set in a neo-futuristic world where humans and high-performance robots coexist in a fragile harmony. The original manga by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki is based on Osamu Tezuka’s iconic “Astro Boy: The Greatest Robot on Earth” arc from 1964, and won hearts and accolades around the world, including the prestigious Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. A stage adaptation, which debuted in 2015 and returned by popular demand in 2018, toured Japan and Europe, further solidifying its cultural significance.”
Japanese composer Yugo Kanno is handling the music and soundtrack for the series.
You can watch the trailer below:
Netflix describes the synopsis as follows,
“In a world where humans and robots coexist, Europol detective Gesicht is on the case when a string of powerful robots are destroyed, leading him to believe that the culprit is targeting the most advanced robots in the world – including himself. But things take a shocking turn when key humans involved in robot law start getting killed off one by one, and there’s no clear sign of a perpetrator at the murder scenes. As Gesicht investigates, he meets the highly advanced robot Atom, whose emotions and AI leave him questioning his own identity. Together, they uncover a dark plot that could spell the end of the world as they know it. But with the clock ticking, can they stop the greatest evil in history before it’s too late?”
The series is based on a manga from Naoki Urasawa and Osamu Tezuka. It was published by the magazine ‘Big Comics’ from 2003 to 2009. It is published in the United States by Viz Media.
The Fall of X rages on as Cyclops leads the X-Men while Wolverine joins the X-Force. The battle continues with these pages as Marvel reveals their new pull list.
“The FALL OF X rages on this week with X-MEN (2021) #27 by Gerry Duggan and Phil Noto. When Cyclops joined this iteration of the X-Men, his pitch was simple: “I am the X-Men.” If this is so, the enemies of X-Men seem to have this fight all sewn up,” Marvel said on their website.
They continued, “When everything has already gone wrong, you may think at least you have nothing to worry about. You’d be wrong. See for yourself in Kieron Gillen and Lucas Werneck’s IMMORTAL X-MEN (2022) #16.”
“Meanwhile, X-Force is held captive in X-FORCE (2019) #45 by Benjamin Percy and Robert Gill. But what powerful force can keep Wolverine, Colossus, Omega Red, and Quentin Quire from their compatriots, and what will this mean for the future of mutantkind? And, as the Chronicler focuses his powers on a new subject, how will his control shift the balance of power in the FALL OF X era,” they added.
Marvel revealed the complete list online:
New Comics
G.O.D.S. (2023) #1
STRANGE ACADEMY: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (2023) #1
X-MEN (2021) #27
ALIEN ANNUAL (2023) #1
IMMORTAL X-MEN (2022) #16
GHOST RIDER ANNUAL (2023) #1
BLACK PANTHER (2023) #5
CAPTAIN MARVEL: DARK TEMPEST (2023) #4
DOCTOR STRANGE (2023) #8
FANTASTIC FOUR (2022) #12
RED GOBLIN (2023) #9
STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS (2020) #39
STAR WARS: DARTH VADER (2020) #39
STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC – SHADOWS OF STARLIGHT (2023) #1
X-FORCE (2019) #45
New Collections
DOCTOR STRANGE BY JED MACKAY VOL. 1: THE LIFE OF DOCTOR STRANGE
GHOST RIDER BY ED BRISSON TPB
MIGHTY MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE X-MEN VOL. 3 – DIVIDED WE FALL
STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC – THE BLADE
X-23: DEADLY REGENESIS TPB
X-MEN BY GERRY DUGGAN VOL. 4 TPB
Marvel Unlimited
CARNAGE REIGNS OMEGA (2023) #1
X-MEN: BEFORE THE FALL – HERALDS OF APOCALYPSE (2023) #1
DAREDEVIL & ECHO (2023) #2
SILK (2023) #2
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (2022) #28
STORM (2023) #2
ALIEN (2023) #3
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: FACSIMILE EDITION (2023) #122
AVENGERS: BEYOND (2023) #4
CAPTAIN AMERICA: SYMBOL OF TRUTH (2022) #14
DEADPOOL (2022) #8
GHOST RIDER (2022) #15
PREDATOR (2023) #4
SHE-HULK (2022) #14
SILVER SURFER: GHOST LIGHT (2023) #5
STAR WARS: DARTH VADER – BLACK, WHITE & RED (2023) #3
STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA (2020) #33
THOR (2020) #35
WARLOCK: REBIRTH (2023) #3
All of these titles will be available in print or digital on October 4, 2023.
‘I’m In Love With The Villainess’ is a light novel series written by the author known as Inori, illustrated by the artist Hanagata, and published by Aichu Publishing since 2022. The Japanese animation studio Platinum Vision picked up the series for an anime adaption that debuted in October 2023.
Crunchyroll acquired the license to release the anime in the United States and has announced that they will develop an English dubbed version. They also announced the cast on their website.
The voice actors include:
Rae voiced by Hannah Alyea (Cecilia in Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence)
Claire voiced by Lindsay Sheppard (Erika in A Couple of Cuckoos)
Misha voiced by Marisa Duran (Hori in Horimiya)
Rod voiced by Corey Wilder
Thane voiced by Oscar Seung (Kurama in AYAKA)
Yu voiced by Ciarán Strange (Richard in Requiem of the Rose King)
Pepi voiced by Abigail Blythe
Loretta voiced by Erin Nicole Lundquist (Rebecca in Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence)
Torrid voiced by Bruce DuBose (Kaijin in That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime)
Lene voiced by Kara Edwards (Mio in TSUKIMICHI -Moonlit Fantasy-)
Emily Fajardo has been tapped to work on the project as the ADR Director and Leah Clark as the ADR scriptwriter.
“Ordinary office worker Rei Oohashi wakes up in the body of the protagonist of her favorite otome game, Revolution. To her delight, the first person to greet her is also her favorite character, Claire Francois—the main antagonist of the story! Now, Rei is determined to romance Claire instead of the game’s male leads. But how will her villainous ladylove react to this new courtship?!”
The Japanese publisher Ichijinsha releases a manga version of the light novels illustrated by the artist known as tsuke. Seven Seas Entertainment publishes an English edition in the United States.
