Star Wars Visions Presents: The Ninth Jedi (2026) Thoughts

Have to say- I was expecting a third episode; but a whole spinoff about this story is even better. Now that all eight episodes are live on Disney Plus, I give you all my thoughts on Star Wars Visions Presents- The Ninth Jedi!

Courtesy: Lucasfilm Limited/Production IG

One of my favorite aspects of the saga has been its ability to re-imagine concepts across decades of fiction; and this is no exception. The journey that Kara takes to not only master the Force but also reconcile her own past does have echoes of what came before; yet still presented in unique and interesting ways. I especially enjoy the concept of the silver lightsaber blade color being the latest idea from the old “Legends” EU to be brought into the new canon (the setting being a millennium after the events of The Rise of Skywalker does allow for plenty of flexibility there). I won’t say how, but it does fit what I read about the meanings of different lightsaber blade colors.

The animation from Production IG is quite impressive. I can tell that the cast and crew that Kenji Kamiyama assembled have immense love for the material and are more than equipped to tell their own take on the story. I also enjoy how the show, much like other animated spinoffs before it still treats their audience with respect no matter their age. Think works such as the Avatar-verse or the ‘90s Batman animated series and you aren’t far off in terms of tone and presentation. Though it does have some convenient plot points early on, it really takes off in the second half; so stick with it.

As the saga is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year in 2027, I heartily recommend this anime to fans of all ages; and I look forward to what comes next from the Visions banner. That is all for now. May the Force be with you all.

Pokémon Horizons: Wonder Voyage (JP) First Impressions+ More

Hey everyone- I did say I would be back in early August; so here’s something to ease back into writing. It’s also one of a few things I’m prepping before I see my father later this month. So, now that I have seen the first eight episodes of this arc; here are my first impressions on Pokémon Horizons’ “Wonder Voyage.” I will also include a few tidbits of other future plans, so let’s begin.

Though my main concern was obviously trying to prolong this anime’s run another year to deal with Generation X releasing in 2027 (as it’s quite clear the finale to Rise Again played a lot like the intended ending of HZ), it’s actually a decent if unremarkable diversion in all fairness. Have heard a number of fans comparing it to Orange Islands and DA, though at least in those cases we had a clearer idea of how the show connected to the video games they helped promote.

On that subject, while I do like the idea of a 1-hour Pokopia special (Have logged over 300 hours into the game and opted into the expansion- tell you more about it after Bubbly Basin is live); the inclusion of aspects from other spinoffs has been a mixed bag personally. Same with the main games- Honestly would have preferred giving Z-A and UNITE their own OVA events as opposed to sticking them into HZ. The animation is fine for the most part, but there were moments where I think there were fewer slideshows in the Indigo Plateau.

With that in mind, as the Indigo League is debuting on Disney Plus and returning to Disney XD this week; debate continues about what will be done for the inevitable anime based on Winds and Waves. Out of the recurring proposals (return of legacy characters, more straightforward storytelling, an outright hard reboot), the idea of the HZ cast returning is less likely with each passing day. Especially in regards to Navi- Hot take, but I actually don’t think she’ll be back for Generation X. The character and her VA seem nice enough, but she’s also in high demand for both voiceovers and her singing career. That, and there’s been a few gaps in episode scheduling (why I finally decided to start this arc and address it now).

As for myself- I remain interested in continuing to write; even though I concede I will likely be taking another shift in direction come September. Remnants of what came before shall remain (as they often do), but I will try to shake things up the best I can even as my main hyper fixations haven’t changed too much over time. That will be all for now, and I will see you all again soon. Take care.

Hiatus Announcement 7/26/26.

As of this posting, I am putting my blog on a brief hiatus-  I will resume posting in early August. Anyone who needs me until then, my PSN is SteveBandicot92 and my Switch 2 FC is  SW-0778-0744-8100. That will be all for now.

Check-in + Update 7-19-26.

Hey everyone- been busy with life and recovery from being sick late last month; not to mention the heatwave and Pokopia. Rest assured, I am still working on a few projects I've been meaning to for a while- just need a bit longer to finish them.

I did finally finish season 2 of Dan Da Dan, and I will do a write-up on that as it gets closer to Halloween. Season 3 coming next year also will give me time to reread the manga (looking forward to seeing Okarun's "World Cup Game Ball" animated especially). Finally starting Whole Cake Island in One Piece. Also looking forward to more Sakamoto Days and Cyberpunk Edgerunners (on my second 2077 playthrough on the "corpo" lifepath with the free PS5 upgrade- and thank CDPR for being pro-physical).

Regarding my full review of the next arc of Horizons,  the outline for the "Terastal Debut" is complete. I will do my best to get that out before long, as I will need to resume watching the EN dub for "Rayquaza Rising" onwards. I also will not be accepting spoilers for the ongoing "Wonder Voyage" arc for the foreseeable future. I will consider doing a retro review on Fire Red and Leaf Green in the near future; and there have been cryptic hints about the fan favorite Pokémon Colosseum coming to Gamecube Classics on Switch 2 soon as well.

I will keep you informed of anything else as I can. I hope you all have been keeping hydrated, and I will see you all again soon- take care.

PS: Go see The Odyssey, it really is that good.

To Namco Bandai- Please Delay Digimon Story: Time Stranger for Switch Family

As if I didn't have enough to deal with already- we are just under a month away from the release of Digimon Story: Time Stranger on Switch family. With the demo marking the first time I've engaged with the game since its first launch, I have to be honest: it's not a bad game, but I don't put it on the same pedestal as others. With that in mind, here is a modest request and plea to the game's publisher Namco Bandai; detailing why I think they should delay Digimon Story: Time Stranger for Switch family.

Courtesy: Namco Bandai

First, there's the issue of optimization. Even as the demo covers just under the first hour of the game (so, barely scratching the surface); it needs a lot of work. For all the praise I've heard, I had way muddier visuals and frame rate hitches than I hoped. Not even the Switch 2 port was able to maintain a consistent frame rate. It feels a bit like this port is a rushed job, one that makes me glad that other publishers delayed their ports to deliver the experience their fans would want. 

This makes a good time to bring up my second point- the wide variety of games available across the Switch family. More than ever, a wide range of games across all ages and skill levels is available; with titles that would have been niche in years' past now selling gangbusters. The flip side to the coin is that whether they intend to or not; all releases on the calendar are in competition rather than just the same genre or age demographic (why I consider some titles being bumped to 2027 a blessing in disguise, and not just because of GTAVI). If I had to say right now, I would wait for a sale as opposed to picking it up at list price. That brings me to my next point.

The third factor is arguably the most tangible- competition. Contrary to popular belief, I don't disdain the idea of other monster tamers. Quite the opposite- I welcome other titles in the space if they can do something with the concept. At the same time, it used to be you'd only be competing in the same genre and demographic. Now, every game is in competition with one another, especially in a given release window. In particular, this game is releasing before the highly-anticipated Splatoon Raiders; the first single-player spinoff of the franchise. Again, if I had to say right now, I would pick up that game instead.

However, there is a greater risk beyond all this. The monster tamer RPG subgenre paradoxically has more titles than ever before, but people who are asking for alternatives aren't biting. Sales of 1M across PC, Playstation and Xbox formats is impressive on the surface, but not as much as 12M in Nintendo's ecosystem alone. The Switch family is going to be the real litmus test for Time Stranger; to see whether or not the appetite for alternative monster tamers is actually there or if it will merely add another notch in a belt covered in Ultra Balls.

The "too long, didn't read" of my proposal is simple- to Namco Bandai, please delay Digimon Story: Time Stranger for Switch family. That is all for now, take care.

PS: Go see Toy Story 5, it really is that good.

Pokémon Legends Z-A: Mega Dimension (Switch) Six Months Later

Welcome to my full look at Pokémon Legends Z-A: Mega Dimension! This expansion was certainly a unique challenge, which means addressing it will be as well. So, let’s open it up and get started.

Much of what I said about the gameplay and presentation in the base game also applies here. So, let’s go over what’s new. On top of the mechanics I discussed previously, the Rogue Mega Evolution concept is expanded in a way that ties into the story portion. Even with the competitive scene focusing on Pokémon Champions going forward, the utter chaos of online matches is delightful. Though I may not feel as strongly about the placement of NPCs as others, I do find lots of their dialogue amusing. We’ll touch on this again, but I love the way it’s equal parts unhinged and relatable.

While I’m on that subject, I honestly really enjoy Korrina’s new outfit. Some purists might disagree, but I just love that whole “90s’ extreme sports” color pattern and bandoliers of Mega Stones- like she rolled out of a Capri-Sun ad. Same with the cosmetics that came as a pre-order bonus- matching the shades of red and blue that the X and Y covers had, as if our trainer avatars were from the Grid.

Now, onto the story portion of the expansion. In order to even start the story, you will need to have cleared the main story of the base game. Thankfully, not only have I done that, I have logged 150 hours before I opted in. As before, I will do my best to put the events in a rough chronological order as I experienced them.

The story centers around an enigmatic young woman named Ansha and her Hoopa. It turns out that she’s the daughter of Kalos champion Diantha, which will be key to this story. The aforementioned Korrina joins us in wrangling a whole slew of Rogue Mega Evolutions. I will do my best to focus on ones I didn’t cover in the base game. In order to that, you must conduct research by entering the parallel universe known as “Hyperspace Lumiose.” This is where you face off against over 100 returning Pokémon, which can far exceed the power level and challenge of what’s featured in the overworld. Well, I thought it was a pretty good idea.

You do this by gathering resources after completing sub-missions in Hyperspace Lumiose. Think of them as like the bonus cards in the Z-A Royale; as my coverage of that game is helping a lot to finish this review. The key resources are data for our allies, and ingredients to make donuts for Hoopa. I’ve always liked it when the games have had some form of crafting, be it the recent smash hit Pokopia, all the way back to making Apricorn Poké Balls in Johto.

There are fourteen major Hyperspace Missions after all the research conditions are met, and I enjoy how it builds upon the idea of researching behaviors in Legends Arceus. I thought it would be best to go through them all in story order- apart from a major spike in difficulty; much of what I said about the mechanics in the base game also applies here.

First up is the Hyperspace Disaster Arena, where we face off against Mega Absol Z! I just gotta say, I love the design deliberately invoking One-Winged Angel in the clearest way.  There is a tradeoff to the Z-Mega Evolutions- it burns through the energy faster than typical Mega Evolution. Once I have the stone, it must be used wisely.

Second in line is facing Mega Staraptor in the Hyperspace Hunting Grounds. Though not as elaborate as the staging ground for each boss in Legends Arceus; it does make sense as each arena is based on the memories of those fighting inside it. Bottom line- win the battle, and Mega Staraptor is ours.

The third opponent is Mega Tatsugiri, who is fittingly fought in the Hyperspace Sushi Paradise. I especially like the shift in size for the trainers and the idea of using the roe as projectiles. That said, this is the first of multiple spikes in difficulty as we work our way up the ladder of bosses. Needless to say, that makes the victory and catch that much more satisfying.

Fourth in line is Mega Meowstic, who is another Generation VI Pokémon I am glad to see get a Mega Evolution. The design reminds me of Lokai and Bele from Star Trek as a psychic feline. 

Our fifth opponent is Mega Heatran in the Hyperspace Infernal Arena. As one of the multiple legendary Pokémon we face in this expansion, which we will come back to; it’s a fitting challenge to dodge all the explosions and magma. The final opponent in the main story is Mega Darkrai.

Now, let’s address the postgame of the base game and this DLC. Starting with the former, there’s a few aspects I’d like to address I didn’t get the chance to in the previous look at this game. In particular, I am pleased to see the return of Emma. Her new job is the lead of the Looker Bureau, and she’s matured a lot since X and Y; especially how the Expansion Suit impacts her… figure. Anyway, there’s a whole slew of missions where you help her solve mysteries around the city. I also enjoyed finding yet more secrets in the city- including the last Colorful Screw to get the giant Canari plush.

On top of a large amount of mysteries befalling the citizens of Lumiose, one recurring thread is the lineage of our partner Taunie (Urbain if you chose the female-coded avatar); searching for her grandmother. As it turns out, this turns out to be none other than Quasartico president Jett! Moved by this revelation, the reunited grandmother and grandchild embrace in each other’s arms.

The postgame of the expansion is centered around trying to help Ansha bond with Rayquaza, who is fittingly waiting at the top of the Hyperspace Sky Pillar!

In order to reach the Hyperspace Sky Pillar, we naturally must defeat and catch the other Hoenn box legendary Pokémon: Groudon in the Hyperspace Desolate Land; and Kyogre in the Hyperspace Primordial Sea. They’re as challenging a battle and catch as ever, and yes; they can still do Primal Reversion.

I especially enjoy how Mega Evolution was also granted for two of the best legendary Pokémon of the past games- Mega Darkrai ends the main story for this expansion; and Mega Zeraora is a tough challenge for a fun thunder cat. Honestly not joking when I say it took me almost an hour to win and catch Zeraora as I was finishing this review (logged well over 200 hours into the base game and the expansion as of this writing).

Fittingly, the postgame story concludes with the capture of Rayquaza and the fulfillment of Ansha’s dream. In both cases, the credits roll over a series of drawings she made of the adventures we’ve had. Honestly, it’s a cute way to help start wrapping things up.

As I previously stated in my review of the base game, the future of this franchise and of the gaming landscape can be intimidating; but it can also be exciting. While there are times it seems as though one might see it as dull repetition; I prefer to take a more idealistic perspective. Anyone can take advantage of another’s cynicism for short-term gain- it takes real authenticity to highlight what you honestly enjoy. I’ve seen my fair share of takes in this fanbase that aged poorly, along with works that initially had modest responses become some of the most beloved in the series. Honestly can see the same happening to this expansion as time goes on. I might not have been as enthralled as I was with the expansions for Galar and Paldea; but I still enjoyed it and have no regrets over opting in.

Though not on the same order of magnitude as previous expansions (which have served a similar purpose to third versions in years’ past); I personally found “Pokémon Legends Z-A: Mega Dimension” to be stuffed with challenge and fun, much like the donuts we helped bake. 

There will be one last post on this game in October on the one-year mark of its release. The elements that I have not addressed previously will be there, including the Switch 2 upgrade. That will be all for now. Take care, and seek out all Pokémon.

A New Level-5 Post Has Fans Mad. Here's My Thoughts.

Just when I think this publisher had hit the bottom, they make a decision that takes them to the bedrock. While far from the only game company making unpopular and often controversial decisions; this one stands out more as it’s a textbook example of going from sacred calf to lame duck in just 10 years time (just like other individuals who shall remain unnamed). So, let’s get to it.

Here’s a quick summary of the story so far- earlier this year; a fan remake of Yo-Kai Watch 2 was in the works for the Switch and smart devices, following in the steps of similar projects. Though the exact way Level-5 found out about it is still a developing part of this story; they ended up issuing a cease and desist order to the project head, who has since set their social feeds to private. This might have been just another day at the patent office usually- it’s what happened next that really upset people. One would think that given the recent success of their games finally seeing release after years in development; this grassroots fan effort would be a sign to help their brand grow again. Instead, they took an approach to salt the earth.

On their official website and X/Twitter account, they posted this statement; which I shall go over as follows: “We want to address a serious issue we have recently observed: the unauthorized reproduction and distribution of our game software across certain online communities.
Except where specifically permitted under copyright law or other applicable regulations, reproducing, modifying, or editing our game software without our authorization, as well as distributing or selling such materials to third parties, constitutes copyright infringement regardless of the purpose or intended use. We want to make it clear that we will continue to pay close attention to these activities. To protect our work, we will take necessary legal action against any such copyright infringement, including content removals and account suspensions.
We would also like to ask our community to refrain from downloading or using pirated copies of our games. Thank you for respecting our work. We are working hard to ensure that everyone can enjoy our games safely and fairly.”

Courtesy: Level-5

While far from the only company to take an approach to file-sharing that would make Lars Ulrich do a double-take; this statement generated considerable backlash from their own fanbase. Coming off a series of widely-disliked business moves (including embracing live-service games, cryptocurrency and now generative AI); the response was particularly sharp from Western fans especially. One would hope that such a response would make them reconsider this approach. Instead, they doubled down by retweeting the statement on the official account for Yo-Kai Watch. This only infuriated their audience more, and was the catalyst for addressing the situation. Even as someone who never put them on the same pedestal as others, I think the “scorched earth” stance is a mistake. 

As I get into more of my thoughts on the matter; I would like to offer counterpoints to the arguments Level-5 and their evangelists made. For what it's worth, their tweet has since been community noted with the realities of buying the games secondhand. Yo-Kai Watch 3 in particular has often gone for hundreds of dollars at resale, ranging from $600-$800 for a sealed copy as of this writing (just over list price for a PS5 or Switch 2, almost in the ballpark of the Xbox Series X).

First, the “just learn Japanese” argument is the simplest to counter, as the translation patches for games that never got official releases would not exist if the people responsible weren’t multilingual. Next, the whole “just get the games officially” argument is not especially convincing as there is no official EN option on the current generation of systems. On that same subject, the “people will just pirate them anyway” argument is demonstrably false- not just because of the backlash suggesting otherwise (including a petition online that has gained thousands of signatures as of this writing), but data has proven time after time that when an easy and legal option to content is available; people will pursue that option. Lastly, one particularly egregious statement is likening Western fans seeking unofficial options are comparable to criminals. To borrow a line from Inigo Montoya- “You keep using that word- I do not think it means what you think it means.”

However, the biggest fatal irony with this stance against fans filling the void left by official options is that it’s once again damaged the once-sterling reputation of Level-5 and its most notable figure; Akihiro Hino. It’s once again disheartening that a company once seen as an antidote to the likes of EA, Ubisoft and Activision Blizzard has been poisoned by many of their same lines of thinking. In particular, the goal shifting from long-term community building to short-term profits has been utterly devastating across the board.

Seeing as this move comes just over a month from their AI-generated Level-5 Land April Fools’ trailer; it’s another misguided attempt to pivot their company into a way of doing business that it was never intended to. I’m not saying it’s impossible for a company to return to its prime after a rough patch (Capcom in particular has managed to reach a new golden age after the mixed results of trying too hard to appease Westerners in the late 2000s and early 2010s); but it’s certainly going to remain an uphill battle that Hino seems to continually impose on himself. 

That said, given the success of both the newest Fantasy Life and Inazuma Eleven games has proven the creative spirit that got them noticed is still in there. Hopefully, their upcoming DECA Police and Holy Horror Mansion can gain followings of their own as well. I still think Hino should cool it with the AI obsession; and to take a step back from this hostile approach to emulation and fan translations. I will continue to observe this story, and once again; any followup will depend on what Level-5 does and says next. That is all for now, take care.