We recognize that the fanbase for video games and anime overlap quite a bit, and so do a lot of companies out there. It's no surprise, then, that popular anime properties get adapted into game form quite a bit. We've seen it on the DS with Fullmetal Alchemist and Bleach, not to mention the ultimate in anime tie-ins: the Jump Super Stars series.If you like anime, does this kind of thing have any influence on you? Do you get excited hearing about a game version of your favorite show, despite the years of punishment licensed games have dealt us? Or do you get worried that a game will somehow tarnish the reputation of the source material? And if you don't like anime, have you run across any anime-based games that you love separate from the license? The GBA slot in our DS is often occupied by Sega and Treasure's brilliant Astro Boy: The Omega Factor despite our not being the most devoted Astro Boy fans.
One can look around at the abundance of excellent games on the DS, usually feeling contented and satisfied. Yet, despite the numerous genres represented (and in a few cases, completely made up), the dual-screened wonder lacks a proper fighting game. Well, that's only partially true: Japan scored a brilliant game in Jump Superstars, a battle royale between essentially every popular anime and manga character in the country. And it was import-friendly! However, despite the game's excellent Smash Bros-like battle system, the real fun came via ad-hoc multiplayer...and what were the chances of finding another American gamer with this thing?
