Video: Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi PV #3

Hey, they published a video release schedule then immediately broke it to show this new video out of sequence! It's longer than ten seconds this time, too.


The video has the most exciting narration possible thanks to the one and only Naoe Kanetsugu screaming over the top of the visuals. It introduces all of the characters and proudly explains that there are 89 stories for the 40 characters, meaning that 'every warrior is the main character'. The video also boasts that the game has the most content in the series yet. I loved the part where the narrator starts off describing each character but lets the descriptions become increasingly terse over time: "Hot-blooded Guy! Gambler! Demon King! Negative!? Overly-conspicuous Ninja! Iron Ball! Man-hater!? Shrine Maiden! Pirate! Heavy Weaponry Professional! Glutton! Splendid (I guess)! Recruiting Believers! Pervert! Festival Guy! Legendarily Silent! Chainsaw!? Like a Dragon's Right Eye! Deer!? Anyway, Explosions! End of Sengoku Era's Conqueror King! Fantasy Kunoichi!?"

(Note: Tenkai's on-screen text actually says "His true identity is..." but the narration is just the word "Pervert!" or "Freak!" so that's what I wrote. He also yells "Machinegun!" for Magoichi, "Gentleman!" for Yoshiaki, "Yakuza-ish" for Kojuurou, "Shady Practices!" for Sourin, "Banchou!" for Hideyoshi and "Explosion-lover!" for Hisahide. Many fans are laughing at the description of Masamune as the "Bilingual Dragon" too.)

Update: Lumi has suggested "Macho!" for what Kanetsugu screams about Hideyoshi and I think it could be a possibility. In the absence of official subtitles, please interpret it however you hear it!

The shot of the Tenka Medal reward shop shows that Mitsunari and Ieyasu have skill revisions costing 800 medals each, limit-breaking 'open' inscriptions costing 2,000 medals each, and personal inscriptions costing 5,000 medals each. Mitsunari's fourth costume costs 1,000 medals and is called the Team Western Misfortune Ver. (Ieyasu's fourth costume has no price as it has been bought already). Mitsunari's personal inscription is Kyouou ('Dark King') and Ieyasu's is Toushou ('Light of the East').

Update: The next Weekly Famitsu will reveal some more gameplay information

In Capcom's continuing plot to keep me away from my work today, the Weekly Famitsu preview has been posted and it confirms that the magazine will include four more news updates when it goes on sale on Thursday. These will include details of more of the new story routes (it looks as though Masamune, Yukimura, Ieyasu and Mitsunari are all getting anime routes according to the tiny picture, with Kanbee and Yoshiaki receiving drama routes).

Miyamoto Musashi is also returning to the series as an enemy, this time as part of the Battle Roulette system. When the wheel lands on 'Punishment From Heaven' (skull), one of the possible outcomes is an intrusion from Musashi.

In addition, there will be hands-on gameplay impressions from one of the magazine's writers. I'm going on a trip tomorrow but I'll be sure to post a summary as quickly as I can.

(Thank you to Lacters for sending the link!)

I think that this proves that the build they were demonstrating at events last month was incomplete, since plenty of people got hit by the skull in Battle Roulette and nobody saw Musashi. There could be all kinds of things still waiting to be discovered.

News roundup: Kenshin gameplay and a little information from today's Sengoku Basara Magazine

This week saw the release dates for both Sengoku Basara Magazine and Dengeki Maoh, so there's a little extra coverage on top of the expected Weekly Famitsu update in a few days.

A new video is posted: (Approximately) 10-second Theatre: For The Beautiful You

It's Monday so the official website updated with a new Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi video. It's a short gameplay clip; Kenshin shows off his new Shinran ('Divine Storm') and Shinkyoku ('Divine Thorns') specials.


Early information from the latest Sengoku Basara Magazine

It will be a while before my copy arrives, but the cover has been updated on the magazine's official website to reveal a brand new Sasuke render.

(Thank you to Tatzel for bringing this to my attention; Sasuke looks fantastic!)

This tweet shows the title page for the new Sengoku Basara 4: Aa, Natsukashii No Oda Mokkou ('Ah, The Good Old Oda Mokkou') scenario novel I mentioned previously. It's good to see Nouhime and Ranmaru appearing again, and I guess this also confirms that the staff have no plans to make major changes to their designs if they return in future. According to the website, there are some production notes about designing Nobunaga to look forward to as well.

The next issue will feature Kojuurou and what looks like a new scenario novel about Sen No Rikyuu.

In addition to the Sengoku Basara Magazine goodies, Japanese fan @yukimurabo has also posted a couple of pictures from Dengeki Maoh. This one reveals that a pair of ¥2,000 tote bags themed on Masamune and Mitsunari will be available in October 2015. Preorders will begin in late August.

There will also be a Mame Sengoku Basara 4 Trading Rubber Strap collection released on 26th September 2015. There will be fourteen different designs plus one secret design. Each strap will cost ¥600 or a box will be available for ¥8,400. Preorders will open in late July.

Last but not least, the fifth compiled Showgeki Basara Talk! Vol. 5: Sakon & Katsuie No Maki Special-ban CD has been announced for release on 26th September 2015. Sen No Rikyuu's seiyuu Sakurai Takahiro will appear as a guest and the BASARA CHALLENGE skits will be the family restaurant one previously announced, an episode about working as lifeguards at a pool and an exclusive bonus skit about a promise at an athletics meet.

Video: (Approximately) 10-second Theatre: Betrayal

As promised, another new Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi video went up on the official website today.


It's the most shocking so far, with Motonari apparently berating Hanbee for his error in trusting his pawns, before ordering Yoshitsugu(!) to go ahead with his attack. I want to know what lead up to this scene.

The next new video will be posted on Monday. I hope we get some (longer) official gameplay videos soon too; there's still no proper video showcase for the newly-playable characters.

News roundup: Not much Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi magazine coverage this week

This week's Japanese magazine coverage of Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi

As expected, all the magazines have today is a summary of last week's news in Dengeki PlayStation with some short comments from YamamotoD.

• Shingen and Kenshin are settling things at last! As for what the two of them do next, since they're on the same wavelength there's material about them as warriors - and as friends.
• Please go ahead and get the Tenka Medal Reward where Shingen can use that stone fist from the 'Oyakata-sama Ga Koronda' statue game in Sengoku Basara 4. (Raindrops' note: I assume this is a hint about his skill revision or maybe even his personal inscription.)
• YamamotoD recommends choosing Shingen in his Hyottoko Kamen outfit, then setting his partner to Sasuke in the Tenko Kamen outfit.
• This time around, we'll see a different side to the usual hungry, generous, 'big brother' Toshiie. Directly opposing the Oda Army he used to belong to, Toshiie has to face up to his own past as well as to Shibata Katsuie, who has shut his feelings away.
• What happens after it's all over cannot be predicted. The hints are his Tenka Medal costume and the phrase 'Ahead of Sakamoto Ryouma' (haha).
• The biggest change for Matsu is her brand new Basara move. Naturally, with all of her animal friends involved it turns into slapstick comedy.
• That craziness is even present in her story. Whether Matsu is rushing about trying to arrange a marriage for her nephew Keiji or having a cooking battle right in front of the shogun, there's a Maeda-style sense of fun to the drama. Please play with a smile on your face.

Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi has shot up to 7th place in Dengeki PlayStation's ranking of upcoming games, with 39.1% of its votes being for the PS3 version and 60.9% for the PS4. That's a pretty good ranking, especially since it's (temporarily) overtaken Final Fantasy XV and some other big-name RPGs. The game doesn't fare quite so well in Weekly Famitsu, where it's now ranked in 21st place for the PS3 version and in 33rd place for the PS4.

Ieyasu becomes the star of a new Okazaki x Sengoku Basara tourism campaign

Sengoku Basara's Tokugawa Ieyasu is participating in another real-life collaboration in the Okazaki area, this time with the Great Ieyasu-kou 'Aoi' Bushoutai, a troupe of people who dress up as historical figures and try to encourage interest in visiting famous sites. I was lucky enough to see several members of the group when I visited Okazaki Castle; they're often wandering its grounds to meet tourists and chat about the area's history. If you time a visit well enough, you can even catch them participating in a mock battle or performing live music.

Okazaki is famous for being the birthplace of the real Tokugawa Ieyasu, so the Sengoku Basara version been selected to appear on some promotional posters designed to encourage people to visit. He's accompanied by Tadakatsu and the Great Ieyasu-kou 'Aoi' Bushoutai version of Ieyasu. The campaign begins in July!

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There should be a lot of news next week, with another Weekly Famitsu feature likely and the official magazine being released, not to mention another new video on Friday morning.

Video: (Approximately) 10-second Theatre: A Man Who Dreams

Today's new Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi video highlights Poem Amago (Amago Haruhisa's masked alter ego) with a few seconds of gameplay footage. When the Battle Roulette lands on red, this mysterious man appears.


If you missed Poem Amago's announcement a few weeks ago you can read about it here.

(I'll post any updates from today's magazines a little late tonight as I have work commitments. Not that I'm expecting there to be any reveals until next week.)

News roundup: (Approximately) 10-second Theatre: Nabe Gambling

From now on, three new preview videos will be released each week

A new Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi video clip has been released showing another tiny excerpt from the story: (Approximately) 10-second Theatre: Nabe Gambling


We already saw this scene referenced in one of the previous trailers, but this version has voice acting and a little more footage.

In addition, there's now an official schedule for the next few videos, so we know what we can expect. With Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi now just one month away from release, new videos will be posted on the game's website every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This schedule will continue until 19th August 2015 (except for 20th July 2015).

More details about the upcoming Sengoku Basara study guide

The Sengoku Basara Kentei: Koushiki Mondaishuu ('The Sengoku Basara Qualification: Official Exam Questions') book will be released in the next few days, so the store listings have all updated to include a more detailed description and cover artwork.

The new description mentions that 49 characters will be profiled in the book, a total which includes the older characters like Nouhime, Ranmaru, Itsuki, Xavi, Ujimasa, Yoshimoto, Musashi and Kennyo who haven't been in the games for a while. It's also confirmed that content from Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi will be on the test. Perhaps there will be a few hints about Sumeragi in the questions from the book as a result...?

The description draws attention to the fact that Masamune isn't wielding his starting weapon on the cover this time.

News: The official website updates with all of the information from Weekly Famitsu

The official Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi website updated overnight as usual. We now have the official story summaries for the three new characters.

Takeda Shingen's story

As a member of the samurai class, Takeda Shingen decides that it is his duty to investigate Ashikaga Yoshiteru's behaviour. But then again, he repeatedly asks himself whether he will even be capable of recognising the scale of Yoshiteru's 'vessel'.

(Raindrops' note: By someone's 'vessel' I mean their measure as a person. In Japanese when you say someone has a large 'vessel' you mean that they're magnanimous and capable of great things, but as the original meaning of 'magnanimous' and its antonym 'pusillanimous' aren't so well known in the English-speaking world, I used a literal term instead. Essentially Shingen is worried about the possibility that Yoshiteru is on a completely different level, far above regular people.)

Takeda Shingen's drama route

After evaluating the shogun's power, Shingen sets about trying to determine what Uesugi Kenshin is thinking to be working beneath him willingly. Shingen takes his army and heads towards the battlefield where the warriors of the Ashikaga faction are assembling.

Maeda Toshiie's story

Passing the seat of the clan head to Maeda Keiji, Toshiie supports him and battles to protect the Maeda family along with his wife, Matsu. However, there are times when he's also troubled by the movements of his former master, Oda Nobunaga.

Maeda Toshiie's drama route

To bid farewell to the past where he fled from working under his former master Oda Nobunaga - feared as the 'Demon King' - and save those who were left behind, Maeda Toshiie decides to subjugate Nobunaga.

Matsu's story

Together with her husband Toshiie, Matsu supports Maeda Keiji, who has become the head of the reborn Maeda Army. Keiji introduces her to the shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru and their resulting interactions bring about the 'Turbulent Times of Food'.

(Raindrops' note: This is obviously the cooking contest we've seen in clips.)

Matsu's drama route

After receiving a secret message from Oichi, the Maeda family hurry to Sengenji in Kyougoku-Azai Army territory. As they speak to Kyougoku Maria at their destination, the situation develops in an unexpected direction.

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A few other miscellaneous observations:

• I've corrected the name of Matsu's first R1 special in the previous post, as they confirmed the Japanese reading and my assumption was completely wrong. The meaning is unchanged.
• Matsu's Giga Basara artwork shows all of her animals; hawk, boar, mole, wolf and bear. Her two-character phrase is 馳走 ('feast').
• It's hard to tell but it's been officially confirmed via magazine article that Toshiie's Giga Basara art is supposed to be a wolf. His two-character phrase is 犬千 ('dog' and 'thousand', but obviously a direct reference to his childhood name of Inuchiyo).
• Takeda Shingen's Giga Basara illustration is a tiger (obviously) and his phrase is 虎翁 ('venerable tiger').
• OneSanitarium noticed that Matsu seems to have something written on her arm in white when she's wearing her new pink outfit. I can't see it clearly from the screenshots, but it looks as though it might say 'Inuchiyo-sama' with a picture after the last character? That would be disgustingly cute...
• Toshiie has a drawing and text on his back too. They both look as though they've been on holiday and soaked up the sun.
• Speaking of the new pictures, all of the shots on the character pages are great. I love the teasers of Matsu's animal-filled new Basara attack.
• With this update we've had confirmation of four characters with two medal costumes: Masamune, Yukimura, Kojuurou and Naotora. Each of them has had one proper costume (or recolour) and one with a small aesthetic change, such as glasses, a helmet, a mask and a different hairstyle. Assuming that all forty characters have personal inscriptions, revised skills, costumes and limit-breaking inscriptions, this leaves just three slots unaccounted for in the list of rewards. Given that there's also a Medal category for audio rewards I'm not expecting many more extra costumes to be revealed for characters who have already been seen wearing a Tenka Medal costume.

There's also a big new feature all about the 21 Costume Hobby Box special edition of the game. It explains that the bundled costume DLC codes will be valid until 11th January 2016, and shows off the box artwork.

There are samples of the small art book (inside and out) on the same page.

Finally, the first Bokesuke promotional video is now online too, but it's not all that great. Fans of Japanese comedy might enjoy it, I guess?

News roundup: More about the Monster Hunter costumes and returning characters in the newest Weekly Famitsu

It's that time again! The 2nd July 2015 issue of Weekly Famitsu is now on sale in Japan which means that we have the latest official Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi news update. The topics are numbered as usual.

33. The updated Shingen, Toshiie and Matsu tear through the battlefield!

The three remaining returning characters are reintroduced with their profiles from Sengoku Basara 4 and the first details of their brand new R2 specials.

Takeda Shingen

• R2 #1: Ochiru Koto Hoshi No Gotoku ('Fall As A Meteor') - A technique where Shingen releases a dropkick with so much force that it's like a falling star. It can be charged in mid-air to increase the power accordingly. This move can also be useful as a ranged attack.
• R2 #2: Takeru Koto Tora No Gotoku ('Ferocious As A Tiger') - Time it right and Shingen will release a barrage of attacks. If you succeed in pressing the buttons correctly, Shingen will go straight into his powered-up Fuurinkazan state. Scatter the enemy in style!

Maeda Toshiie

• R2 #1: Saihate He No Touteki ('A Throw To The Farthest Limits') - Toshiie throws his spear with all of his might in this extremely dynamic move. The power of the throw is affected by the timing of the buttonpress.
• R2 #2: Meshi No Kangeki ('Food Inspiration') - A technique where Toshiie heals himself by eating a pile of rice balls that were given to him by his wife Matsu. Press the button correctly and Toshiie will also be powered up for a short time.

Matsu

• R2 #1: Koryuu: Ame No Hoshigumo ('Old Style: Heavenly Nebula') - Matsu moved forwards, spinning her naginata and creating a gigantic tornado. If her animals are around they can join in for a combination attack.
• R2 #2: Kakero, Shiroumaru ('Advance, Shiroumaru') - A technique where she summons her wolf, Shiroumaru. Once the summoning is complete, Shiroumaru faithfully brings the surrounding enemies to Matsu.

Toshiie is wearing a summery recoloured blue outfit with what looks like a floral pattern instead of his usual fur, and Matsu is dressed in a similar pink costume.

34. Collect Tenka Medals by attacking the 'Medal Soldiers'!

When you destroy a Roulette Camp, one of the rewards you can get from the roulette wheel landing on 'Tenka' (red) is that Medal Soldiers with stacks of Tenka Medals on their backs will spawn on the map. Predictably, killing these soldiers rewards you with a large number of medals. They will vanish 30 seconds after they first appear.

35. Another batch of Tenka Medal rewards is revealed

There's another batch of reward descriptions, as usual. Some have already been shown at events.

• 32 of 167: Masamune's seventh costume, the Pitch Black Dragon King Ver.
• 33 of 167: A second medal costume for Kojuurou: Tengu Kamen Ver.
• 34 of 167: Matabee's reddish costume, the Crazy Dinosaur Coloured Ver. - the name is pronounced 'dinosaur' but written with slightly different characters to change the meaning.
• 35 of 167: Kanbee's Prisoner Outfit Ver. which resembles his Sengoku Basara 3 costume.
• 36 of 167: A skill enhancement for Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi launches the enemies and pummels them in mid-air. After starting the attack, you can keep pressing the button to increase the number of punches.
• 37 of 167: A skill enhancement for Takenaka Hanbee. Using his jointed sword like a whip, Hanbee beats the ground. The enemies in front of him lose their will to fight and become defenceless, then they're lashed with a vicious strike.
• 38 of 167: A skill enhancement for Maeda Toshiie. Toshiie shoots fireballs using his spear, scattering the flames over a wide area in front of him. It's possible to power the flames up if you press the button at the right time.
• 39 of 167: A skill enhancement for Matsu. Matsu charges with her summoned animals, drawing the enemies in before finishing with a slam. This technique can also be used in mid-air.

All of the costumes had technically been shown before this time, so I guess it's not as exciting as usual. I'm surprised that Kojuurou got another one, though it means that the Takeda Dojo story costumes now make a complete set. Hideyoshi is wearing a golden/purple outfit in the screenshot showing his move enhancement.

36. Check out the Monster Hunter collaboration DLC costumes!

These were all revealed yesterday but we now have more pictures, official names and very short descriptions.

• Ashikaga Yoshiteru is wearing the Monster Hunter Silver Sol Series Ver. armour (Silver Rathalos in English). It looks a lot better in the bigger picture in the magazine compared to yesterday's tiny preview.
• Shibata Katsuie's outfit is called the Monster Hunter Reia S Series Ver. (Rathian S in English). He's equipped with the Insect Glaive.
• Ii Naotora's outfit is the Monster Hunter Kirin Series Ver. and the article writer promises that her exposed thighs and abdomen will increase her sexiness; she can charm all of the guys (Raindrops' note: poor Naotora...). Her blade has been swapped for a Kirin Thundersword.
• Gotou Matabee is dressed up in the Monster Hunter Dosuranposu Ver., which is apparently a Velocidrome in the English version.

(Raindrops' note: I don't know anything about Monster Hunter and it's confusing that everything has different names in the English and Japanese versions, so all corrections are gratefully accepted!)

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The PS3 version of Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi has slipped slightly to 23rd place in the magazine's list of upcoming games while the PS4 version is back in 35th place.

The game's official website will probably update in a few hours to confirm all of this information and share high quality versions of the pictures.

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I didn't expect to have much more news to post today after catching up yesterday. I was wrong.

Bokesuke appears on Capcom TV

Remember Bokesuke, the live action parody version of Sen No Rikyuu's 'third personality' who debuted at the Nico Nico Choukaigi 2015 event? It seems that Capcom have more plans to use him in a series of six videos called Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi Bokesuke Special Video: Matsuo of Chocolate Planet's 'Do You Know This, Bokesuke?'. The clips will be released on the official website every Thursday until 23rd July 2015, and three of them will be previewed one day early on Capcom TV on the weeks that the show airs.

The first video aired during today's episode of Capcom TV (episode 23) and it was about a novelty ballpoint pen which delivered a small electric shock to the user. The topics for the remaining shows will be gomu pacchin (a rubber-stretching game), headphones, foot massage, Brazilian waxing and death sauce. I doubt these clips will be very interesting to most fans who don't follow Japanese comedy, but please take this as advance warning that the website will update with these goofy videos each week.

A new batch of Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi merchandise is announced

The CafeReo website added two new lines of merchandise yesterday, both of which merge the anime and game designs. The first is the Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi Mini Shikishi Collection, a set of twelve collectible illustrations. They'll be priced at ¥450 each or ¥5,400 for a box of twelve when they go on sale in late August 2015.

A rare glimpse of anime-style Matabee!

There's also a set of ten different charms in the Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi Bushou Metal Strap Collection. The straps are priced at ¥500 each or ¥5,000 for a box of ten. They'll be available in late September 2015.

Rather cruelly, matching Kojuurou and Matabee options for the straps don't seem to exist.

Amazon Japan posts some preview shots of the next issue of Sengoku Basara Magazine

The Amazon Japan listing for Sengoku Basara Magazine issue 9 (due out at the end of this month) has been updated, giving us a clearer look at some of the content which hasn't yet been announced thanks to their new placeholder image for the magazine's cover.

It's possible that the cover illustration will be changed as usual. If it is, I wonder whether we'll see anime-style Sasuke this time or a new CG render? There's also an updated preview shot of the rubber strap and a promise that the Sasuke coverage will span 18 pages.

It seems that the two-part 'scenario novel' from the previous issues was a success as there's a new one starting in this issue titled Sengoku Basara 4: Aa, Natsukashii No Oda Mokkou ('Ah, The Good Old Oda Mokkou'). The mokkou (Japanese quince) is the flower famously used on the Oda clan's family crest and Mitsuhide will be the main character this time. The mini-novel will (finally) tell the story of what happened with the Oda army behind the scenes during Sengoku Basara 4, naming Nobunaga, Nouhime, Ranmaru and Katsuie in the list of characters. The game's scenario writer Matsuno Izuru is returning to write the story with Ashika Nozomu providing the illustrations. Ashika has worked on several short Sengoku Basara manga in the past so it sounds as though this will be something to look forward to.

In addition, there will be an interview with Sasuke's voice actor Koyasu Takehito and the tribute illustration will be drawn by Mikami Ritsuhiro. It's described as depicting a close-up scene with Sasuke battling Kojuurou. The 'Basara Challenge' skit on the bonus CD has Sakon and Katsuie working at a family restaurant and trying to treat the customers with the appropriate hospitality.

Oh, and there will be a full 20-page feature all about Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi including an interview with Sakurai Takahiro (Sen No Rikyuu). Most of those pages will probably be spent covering the information we already know, but there's a promise of comments from KobaP and YamamotoD so there should be some interesting tidbits to hunt for there too.

News roundup: Preview of the Monster Hunter DLC costumes

The first glimpse of the new Monster Hunter DLC costumes

The official preview is now available for this week's Weekly Famitsu magazine and it shows that there will be a feature on the new moves for Toshiie, Matsu and Shingen as well as the unveiling of the final four DLC tie-in costumes. Most importantly, Matabee is now an actual dinosaur.

According to people who probably know more about Monster Hunter than I do, Ashikaga Yoshiteru (?) might be dressed in Silver Sol (Silver Rathalos) armour, Shibata Katsuie is in Reia (Rathian) armour with an Insect Glaive, Ii Naotora is in Kirin armour and Gotou Matabee is a Dosuranposu (Velociprey Velocidrome).

The full details will be available once the magazine goes on sale on Thursday.

Another piece of Judge End merchandise appears

AmiAmi has posted details of another new Sengoku Basara Judge End merchandise item: a colourful accessory pouch. It's priced at ¥972 and due for release in late August 2015.

Are you ready... for Ieyasu noodles?

The latest character to join in with the Sengoku Basara tenth anniversary celebrations is Tokugawa Ieyasu, who has teamed up with Sugakiya Foods to release a Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi Collaboration Packaging version of Okazaki Mazemen Stock.

Mazemen is a dry noodle dish which happens to be a local speciality in Ieyasu's birthplace of Okazaki. The stock in the pack is made with the famous hatcho miso, which has a long tradition stretching back to the Edo period. You can serve it with your favourite noodles to create a tasty dish steeped in local history.

The packs of noodle stock will sell for ¥380 each when they go on sale in the Chuubu area from 21st July 2015.

Each pack will also include one of four original postcards. The designs are previewed below:

News roundup: Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi can now be preordered digitally on PSN

Preorders open on the Japanese PlayStation Store

The official website updated this morning to announce that Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi will be available for preorder on PSN starting from today.

The PS4 version will cost ¥6,990 and have a file size of 28.2GB, while the PS3 version will cost ¥5,990 and have a file size of 18GB. There are a few extra bonuses on offer:

1. A DLC bundle: Full set of 11 types of weapons with inscriptions (small). This includes the inscription packs Attack, Maximum Style & Basara, Defense, Healing, Coins, Experience, Hit Count, Whetstone & Tamahagane Steel, A Card Played, Extreme, and Change.
2. Ashikaga Yoshiteru's Rinne Genkou DLC weapon (the same one you will receive if you purchased the first press of the physical edition).

Yoshiteru's weapon will be available for all orders up until 31st August 2015, but the inscription bundle is only for people who preorder through PSN before 19th July 2015. The game will start downloading on 21st July 2015 and unlock ready for play on release day (23rd July 2015).

To claim the bundle of weapons with inscriptions, you have to go to the Basara-ya shop in-game where they'll be available for free one-time-only purchase.

From the picture it looks as though each inscription pack contains a weapon with six pre-determined inscription sets, for example, the 'A Card Played' pack has six of that inscription on one weapon, while the Attack pack has six inscriptions chosen to boost attack damage.

Please note that the four exclusive 'early reservation' DLC weapons are not included for PSN customers.

B-Side label teams up with Capcom to produce Sengoku Basara stickers

A set of Capcom x B-Side Label collaboration stickers have gone up for order on the e-Capcom website, due for release on 24th September 2015. They're billed as being suitable for use on a bike or car since they're waterproof and UV coated to resist damage from the sun.

The ¥400 stickers are available in four different designs: Masamune, Yukimura, Mitsunari and Ieyasu. There's also a set of four with all of the different stickers for ¥1,600.

News roundup: This week's sparse Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi magazine coverage

The latest Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi updates from this week's gaming magazines

This week is a Dengeki PlayStation week which means a recap of last week's announcements in Dengeki PlayStation issue 592, and nothing much more. Series director YamamotoD provided some brief comments about Kenshin and Kasuga returning for Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi:

Kenshin was affiliated with the Ashikaga faction historically, and he's rushing around for the sake of the chaotic world Yoshiteru created. Since his story is based on tales from actual history, as you wait please go ahead and imagine the 'dramatic' demise of Kenshin's dealings with Yoshiteru, and how things will be settled with rival Takeda Shingen.

Kasuga is tremendous this time around! Her usual 'heart full of Kenshin-sama' is overflowing. And if your timing is good enough and you're able to keep it going, it reaches a crescendo at the end of her pole dance technique! While Kasuga is performing that move, the soldiers surrounding her cheer and applaud, so please do your best to concentrate.

(Raindrops' note: I guess there's a big flowery finish at the end of the move if you press the buttons correctly?)

The big news from Dengeki PlayStation is that will be a gameplay event on 4th July 2015 for 100 lucky fans in Japan, where they'll get to try out Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi before its release and be treated to a presentation from series producer KobaP. There will also be a SCE x Dengeki PlayStation presentation on the subject of this year's E3 trade show. It's free to attend and applications will be accepted until noon on 22nd June 2015. If you'll be in the Tokyo area at the time, check this article for further details and application instructions.

The game is now sitting in 10th place in the magazine's ranking of upcoming games with a 34.8%/65.2% split in favour of the PS3 edition.

The 25th June 2015 issue of Weekly Famitsu magazine was also released today so I checked that out too. The PS3 version of Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi has crept up one spot to 21st place in the list of upcoming games while the PS4 edition has sprung back into 26th place this week. There was nothing else of interest in the entire magazine; we'll probably have to wait until next Wednesday/Thursday for the next batch of information. I'm guessing that the final tie-in costumes will be announced on the Famitsu website in advance since Monster Hunter is such a popular series.

Production I.G.'s Sengoku Basara anime adaptation will be rebroadcast this summer

It's been announced that the first Sengoku Basara anime will be broadcast on television once again as part of the late night MBS Anime Shower block from 11th July 2015, to celebrate the series' tenth anniversary. The broadcaster plans to show the first twelve episodes (i.e. the whole first season). Let's hope that people check it out; television broadcasts often seem to increase interest in a series and it's been quite a long time now since Sengoku Basara originally aired.

Preorder the upcoming drama CD at Dengekiya for some extra goodies

I last mentioned the Sengoku Basara 4: Sanbee Souran ~Oushuu Ni Teru Hikari~ Kouhen ('Three '-bee' Mayhem ~The Future Which Shines On Oushuu~') drama CD back when it was announced in the last issue of Sengoku Basara Magazine, but a listing has since appeared on the Dengekiya website with details of a special preorder bonus. Customers who place their orders on the site by 6th July 2015 will earn a set of three interchangeable cards to customise their CD jacket. One of the three illustrations will be drawn by Yokota Mamoru, who also illustrated the original scenario novel upon which the story is based.

In addition, the CD will include a brand new BASARA Challenge skit with all five of the characters who appear in the main story! The theme for the skit will be 'Riddles'.

The cast list is as follows:

Nakai Kazuya (Date Masamune)
Morikawa Toshiyuki (Katakura Kojuurou)
Ishida Akira (Takenaka Hanbee)
Koyama Rikiya (Kuroda Kanbee)
Miki Shinichirou (Gotou Matabee)

The story is credited to the game series' scenario writer Matsuno Izuru.

The CD will be released on 27th August 2015 and costs ¥3,240 including tax. A preliminary sample of Yokota's cover artwork is also available on the listing.

Video: Game Crazy previews some Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi gameplay with KobaP

It seems that the GNN News Game Crazy show recently featured an 11-minute Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi gameplay demonstration where series producer Kobayashi 'KobaP' Hiroyuki talked the Chinese-speaking reporter through the game's three newly-playable characters. It's rare to see him playing the game himself these days.


KobaP was mostly explaining the mechanics and I didn't notice any new information in his comments.

Even though the screen is quite small, the video quality is arguably better than the previous video streams if you switch up to HD quality. The Maria gameplay starts around 8 minutes into the clip.

A big thank you goes out to DarkMantisTalon for finding the video!

News roundup: A few miscellaneous updates, all of which somehow involve Sasuke

More information about Sasuke's real-life top secret mission in an Osaka shopping centre

This weekend marked the opening of the Osaka: Mysterious Rebellion ~Escape From Namba's Hidden Castle Town~ (Side Story) event in the Namba Walk complex, so Capcom posted an update with details of the 'top secret mission' that visitors can sign up to help with.

The update also showed off the set of three exclusive postcards which are being given out to visitors who manage to successfully clear the mission. The strange dog is the shopping centre's Namba Wan (a deliberate pun on 'Number One') mascot character.

It seems as though the first day was a success as several fans I follow on Twitter were tweeting pictures from the area showing the mini gallery (with seiyuu signature boards) and Sengoku Basara booth. The whole thing reminds me of the room escape puzzle challenge from a few months ago; I hope they can keep running fun events like this to encourage fans of all ages to learn about history and the Sengoku Basara games.

Sample artwork for the next Sengoku Basara Magazine rubber strap

There still hasn't been much information posted about the next issue of Sengoku Basara Magazine due out at the end of this month. However, a preview picture was published a while ago showing artist Sumeragi's illustration which will be used for the rubber strap; it looks as cute as expected.

Bonus: Two more of Yamamoto Makoto's BASARA Sengoku HERO articles

Here are the most recent BASARA Sengoku HERO columns from Sengoku Basara series director YamamotoD, which discuss how the characters were originally created and the historical references they incorporate. There are still ten more of these columns I have yet to track down, since it took me a while to realise they were running bonus 'excursion' chapters in Dengeki Maoh as well as the normal ones from Sengoku Basara Magazine.

The very latest column coincides with the upcoming issue of Sengoku Basara Magazine where Sarutobi Sasuke is headlining most of the coverage. Since there's not so much real-world history associated with Sasuke, there were a few hints about the upcoming game woven into the article too.

• The column sets the tone with a headline which sums Sasuke up as someone who can be both a serious realist and a comical 'straight man'.
• Back when they were coming up with characters for the first Sengoku Basara, they wanted to include some 'ninja stylishness'.
• YamamotoD has loved ninja ever since he was a child; he was raised on tokusatsu shows like Kamen No Ninja Akakage and Kaiketsu Lionmaru. Later on, he got into manga such as Shirato Sanpei's Kamuiden ('The Legend Of Kamui')... and joked that he was showing his age by mentioning these particular titles.
• In any case, he thought that if he was going to make a Sengoku-era series he definitely wanted to include ninja too. And the one he chose for his idea of 'ninja stylishness' was Sarutobi Sasuke.
• The interviewer remarked that the ninja Hattori Hanzou is probably very well-known amongst the general populace. Why did they choose Sasuke over Hanzou?
• YamamotoD personally favours Sasuke over Hanzou when he thinks about famous ninja. So much so that he'd have liked to create stories about the Sanada Ten Braves outside of Sengoku Basara if possible.
• Incidentally, while the other Sanada Ten Braves don't appear within the Sengoku Basara games, Kosuke, a young boy who appeared in the Takarazuka musical Sengoku Basara -Sanada Yukimura-hen-, was based on Anayama Kosuke from the group.
• With Takeda Shingen and Yukimura being the way that they are, the team gave Sasuke the roles of level-headed 'straight man' and narrator in the Takeda army to complete his personality.
• In the first Sengoku Basara game his job was to assist Yukimura, but when Yukimura drops down to rock bottom in Sengoku Basara 3, Sasuke confronts him properly for the first time and even ends up supporting his master emotionally. To Yukimura, Sasuke is like a reliable older brother.
• From Sengoku Basara 4 onwards, Yukimura has matured and the pair's relationship develops into a more equal, close friendship. Of course, Sasuke is still the more grown-up of the two of them.
• Sasuke's more serious side was evident in Sengoku Basara 3 and Sengoku Basara 3 Utage. YamamotoD thinks that he displayed a rather 'severe' streak in Sengoku Basara 3 Utage in particular.
• One part he liked a lot was a scene where Sasuke infiltrated the Mouri army in the first chapter of his story mode, exchanging secret codes with his subordinates. It's a scene which depicts Sasuke acting like a genuine ninja on a covert espionage mission.
• However, there were some comments that the way he was depicted in Sengoku Basara 3 Utage was way too serious, so with Sengoku Basara 4 he's back to being the 'usual Sasuke' with his running commentary.
• The interviewer asked YamamotoD to talk about Sasuke's relationship with Kasuga since she often seems to be involved with what he's doing. YamamotoD disagreed; even though they have a lot in common - they're both ninja, after all - the team hadn't really settled on any solid links between the two of them back when the series began. It was only from Sengoku Basara 2 onwards that their relationship began to take shape.
• Although Sasuke is often hitting on Kasuga, it's not due to unrequited love. His feelings are more like those of an older brother looking out for his little sister.
• He can't reveal the full details yet, but in Kasuga's story in Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi there's a scene which touches upon the pair's past. It's a fragmented scene which shows the connection between the former Sasuke, who could only view other people as 'monkeys', and the current Sasuke. Fans who are interested in that should definitely check it out.
• (Background information: A footnote in the article explains that there's a line in Sengoku Basara 3 Utage where Sasuke says "I wonder how long it's been... since I saw adversaries, and those who may as well be dead, as monkeys?".)
• Other things that Sasuke fans should look out for in Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi include his new story where he becomes involved with Matsunaga Hisahide for the first time in a while.
• With regards to his move set, we can look forward to him fighting in a more and more 'ninja-like' way; there's a new technique where Sasuke suddenly vanishes and reappears behind the enemy, and they've added a dash attack too.
• Finally, the interviewer asked how YamamotoD would like depict Sasuke in the future. He answered that it might be interesting to see a trip back to his village or something similar .
• However, even Sasuke doesn't tend to want to talk about things relating to his past. There was a scene in the second chapter of Kojuurou's story in Sengoku Basara 3 Utage where he mentioned his village; anything more than that might be tough.

I also got hold of the previous issue which talked about Takeda Shingen.

• Shingen was introduced as a hot-blooded, heroic man of fine calibre; a wise ruler in a turbulent era. The interviewer called him a 'big name' (in English) who is said to represent the warlords of that time. Naturally, the first topic was YamamotoD's favourite story about the real-life Shingen.
• When it comes to Shingen, it has to be the 'Fuurinkazan' written on his banners. YamamotoD considers him a great man on par with Oda Nobunaga - yet there are a surprising number of anecdotes about Shingen which give a sense of his day-to-day lifestyle. His love of flushing toilets, promoting the consumption of houtou stew in his camp; even Shingen's Tsutsujigasaki Yakata castle seems more like a home than a fortress. These stories about Takeda Shingen are somehow reassuring.
• He's portrayed as a man of substance in the Sengoku Basara series too; a high-ranking, celebrated lord. While he's deeply benevolent and warm, he's also able to act with decisiveness in combat. As a ruler, Shingen's attitude makes Yukimura - and even Masamune - appear inexperienced and easily swayed by emotion in comparison.
• The first meeting between Yukimura and Shingen still hasn't been depicted in the game series to date. There are plenty of story ideas YamamotoD still has for the games which he hasn't had a chance to include yet. The meeting between the two men featured in the Takarazuka musical and the Shukumei! Kawanakajima No Kassen ('Destiny! Battle Of Kawanakajima') drama CD, so people who are interested can go ahead and pick those up.
• Incidentally, in real-life history Yukimura's father Sanada Masayuki was a hostage at first before being noticed and singled out by Takeda Shingen. YamamotoD really likes their relationship so he incorporated some of those elements into Sengoku Basara's Yukimura.
• He thinks that Shingen doesn't want Yukimura to grow up to become a regular warrior. He wants him to have a broader outlook and rule his people with compassion, so he gradually sets trials for Yukimura to overcome in order to help him grow as a person. One example of this was in the Sengoku Basara Judge End TV series when we see Yukimura meeting Sasuke; Shingen set it all up as part of Yukimura's training.
• The interviewer noted that Yukimura's fist fights with Shingen are a Sengoku Basara tradition, and it's amazing how they keep coming up with new ways for them to beat one another up each time.
• YamamotoD admitted that actually, when they're making the games the evolution of those fist fights is the hardest thing about Takeda Shingen. Performing a drop kick, tossing Yukimura with a giant swing, hitting one another at the same time; it's getting harder and harder to incorporate new material. They'll do their best with the next game too since it's something they definitely want to keep including!
• Both Shingen and Hideyoshi fell in Sengoku Basara 3, and Shingen's illness left a deep impression on the interviewer. Yet Shingen didn't die. YamamotoD thought that if Shingen had died outright, Yukimura's despair would have been too great and it would all have been over. Shingen had to live so that they could show Yukimura maturing.
• Shingen's full recovery at the end of one of Yukimura's story routes was a big surprise! Yukimura was depressed throughout Sengoku Basara 3 so the staff felt that they wanted to show 'the usual duo' right at the end.
• There was also a little more to it. The real-life Shingen made a request that his death should be concealed for three years, so they decided to turn it around. Instead of Shingen actually being dead, the Sengoku Basara version made it so he was really alive after all.
• They're using the Sengoku Basara 3 Utage version of Takeda Shingen as a base for his move set in Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi, with additional tuning and new skills.
• A 'certain person' will be hijacking the Takeda Dojo in the storyline. (Raindrops' note: Some people have theorised that this will be Naotora, based on what we've seen so far.)

Notes on the most recent Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi website update

A super-short update today, as there's not a huge amount of new content.

• Kenshin is being jokingly billed as 'The Basarasienne known as the God of War'. It's a pun on the Takarasienne, the glamourous actresses from the Takarazuka Revue.
• Kasuga is billed as 'The 'ayatorist' of fantasies who devotes all she has to Kenshin'. (Ayatori is a game you play with string, equivalent to cat's cradle.)
• Both of the returning characters will have drama routes as well as the usual stories.
• Kenshin's main story: Even in possession of so much power, Uesugi Kenshin doesn't seek to seize the country for his own sake but declares himself part of the Ashikaga faction. Over the course of his many interactions with Ashikaga Yoshiteru, Kenshin and his kunoichi follower Kasuga travel all over the land of Hinomoto together, waging war after war.
• Kenshin's drama story: Although Kenshin was working faithfully for the Ashikaga faction, during a conversation with everyone in the Maeda army - headed by Maeda Keiji - he gradually begins to think about the matter of seizing the nation, and a showdown with his rival Takeda Shingen...
• Kasuga's main story: Kasuga. The kunoichi who devotes herself to serving the Uesugi Kenshin she adores. Although she's repeatedly immersed in battle day after day, Kasuga reflects upon the happiness of being with Kenshin. She continues to travel around the land of Hinomoto even as she drifts off into a dreamlike state of mind.
• Kasuga's drama story: Marching along the path towards seizing the whole country together with Kenshin, Kasuga is tormented by countless nightmares. In the midst of this, the battlefield they finally managed to reach has an unsettling atmosphere...
• The site update also remarks on how uncannily 'Poem Amago' seems to resemble Shikanosuke's master Amago Haruhisa.
• From the wording, it sounds as though there might be a few other ways that Battle Roulette can transform the battlefield on top of those that have already been announced. I guess we'll find out soon.
• Katsuie's medal costume is confirmed to be helmetless in the description.
• Keiji's striped medal costume is supposed to evoke an image of clear blue skies and white clouds, fitting for a festival-loving guy. That's what it says even if most people are just thinking of a Lawson outfit (like the one Masamune wore last year).

The latest updates for those buying Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi

Fans who are planning on picking up the Asian version of the game might want to shop around, as it seems that there are some stores listing the 'early reservation' weapon DLC for PS3 (Play-Asia only lists it for the PS4 edition). In addition, it seems a few places are offering a bonus in the form of one of four Sengoku Basara 10th Anniversary smartphone cases.

I'm afraid that I don't know much Chinese so I can't advise on which stores are offering the game to customers overseas and which are trustworthy, but it's probably worth investigating further if you want those weapons and missed out on the Japanese preorder period.

Speaking of the 'early reservation' DLC, the deadline for registering a Sumeragi ID to qualify for the weapons is this Sunday. Please don't forget to register yours on the website if you preordered the Japanese edition in time!

That's all for now. I'm hoping for a surprise video to appear on the official website tomorrow but that's probably impossible; the next one will probably arrive when I least expect it.

News roundup: Kenshin, Kasuga and Street Fighter IV headline today's Weekly Famitsu article

Here's all of the new Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi information from the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu magazine, which just went on sale in Japan. Like before, I'm using the same numbering system as the magazine to break the announcements into categories.

29. Presenting the pair's 'speedy action'!

They were unplayable in the previous game but Uesugi Kenshin and Kasuga have been confirmed this time, and they even have some new moves. The R2 specials are numbered in the article so they're presented in the same order in my list.

Uesugi Kenshin

• R2 #1: Shinran ('Divine Storm') - A new addition since the previous game. A freezing blizzard appears around the enemy soldiers in front of the player. The enemies can be frozen to the ground and prevented from moving as Kenshin continues to attack.
• R2 #2: Shinkyoku ('Divine Thorns') - A new special technique which combines a high-speed unsheathing of the katana with a slash. If you time the button press correctly, you can create a huge rose made of ice which blasts the enemies away then slows everything down in the area, putting it into the 'Divine Region' state.

There's a note that Kenshin still has his Shin Iki ('Divine Region') slowdown trait on other moves, in case anyone was wondering.

Kasuga

• R2 #1: Mitsugi: Maitsubomi ('Secret Rite: Dancing Flower Bud') - Kasuga climbs a pole and performs a seductive dance technique. It can be used to charm the surrounding enemy soldiers into handing over koban coins.
• R2 #2: Mitsugi: Nijikage ('Secret Rite: Rainbow Silhouette') - A new special technique involving clones created from threads. The threads add a binding effect to all of Kasuga's attacks. Furthermore, by using a particular move it's possible to make the clones add follow-up attacks.

For some reason Kenshin is wearing the Echigozuka costume previously shown as a Tenka Medal reward in all of the screenshots, and Kasuga is wearing her Tenka Medal spectacles (see below). The enemy soldiers in the pictures of Kenshin are the Kyougoku-Azai troops accompanied by Nagamasa.

The Weekly Famitsu writers comment that seeing these nostalgic old characters returning with the new gameplay system is one of the game's charms. There's no explanation for the story which led to the picture of the pair entangled in 'rose-hued Sengoku drama' at the top of the page so I expect that will be part of the next official website update in a few hours.

30. Strike 'Poem Amago' to receive Tenka Medals!

When certain conditions are met, the Battle Roulette begins to spin. The roulette's outcome can change the battlefield in a variety of ways. For example, if you achieve the 'Tenka' (red) result, the mysterious warrior 'Poem Amago' might appear. Poem Amago moves around the stage submerged below ground. If you're able to attack him when he appears above the surface, you'll receive Tenka Medals which you can trade in for fantastic rewards.

There's a special pink icon with Poem Amago's name and face which indicates the place where he will appear.

(Poem Amago is Amago Haruhisa from Sengoku Basara 3 with a pink veil partially covering his face, in case that wasn't obvious.)

31. Check out the next batch of Tenka Medal rewards.

There's another batch of reward descriptions, as usual. Some have already been shown at events.

• 24 of 167: Date Masamune's Fake 'Date Megane' Glasses Ver. costume.
• 25 of 167: Katsuie's red/white/blue costume is called the Tricolor Ver. - however it's written with the ateji for 'capture', 'kill' and 'yield' which makes the name quite strange.
• 26 of 167: A new blue/white costume for Keiji, the Clear Skies Striped Ver.
• 27 of 167: Kasuga also has a pair of glasses to wear; the Crimson Spectacles Ver.
• 28 of 167: A skill enhancement for Matsunaga Hisahide. It's a move where Hisahide sprinkles the enemy in front of him with gunpowder, then wraps a fuse around them so that they explode. The gunpowder can be sprinkled over a wider area by holding down the button.
• 29 of 167: A skill enhancement for Fuuma Kotarou. He instantly teleports from the ground to the air, or vice versa. After moving, it's possible to follow up quickly with a kick if he's on the ground, or a shuriken attack if he's in the air.
• 30 of 167: A skill enhancement for Uesugi Kenshin. If used on the ground, it launches the surrounding enemies upwards and acts as a combo opener. If used in the air, it changes into a lunging attack which can be used to pursue enemies.
• 31 of 167: A skill enhancement for Kasuga. Kasuga lands after an aerial spin, blasting the surrounding enemies away. The move can also be triggered while using other techniques in order to work as a follow-up, or to end a combo.

32. The Street Fighter IV crossover costumes are unveiled!

There's a little more detail on the outfits which were revealed on the Famitsu website yesterday.

• The screenshots show that his fans are emblazoned with the words 'Shouryuuken' and 'Hadouken' when Rikyuu is dressed up as Ken. The outfit is called the Street Fighter IV Ken Ver.
• Maria's outfit is called the Street Fighter IV Rose Ver. and all that the notes say is that fans can look forward to seeing Rose wielding cloth rather than 'soul power' this time.
• Ieyasu is described as being the perfect fit for the white gi of the Street Fighter IV Ryu Ver. outfit since he's the martial arts type. He also has a move which resembles the Shouryuuken.
• Kasuga's costume is the Street Fighter IV Chun-Li Ver. and the writers remark that it will be fun to use lots of stylish kick moves while dressed as Chun-Li. Another screenshot sets up Kasuga blasting an enemy with a move the staff compare to Chun-Li's Kikoushou.

The best part of this feature is probably the screenshot where they've lined the characters up as though it's a 2D fighting game and made Ieyasu uppercut Kojuurou while both characters' partners look on from the sidelines.

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The PS3 version of Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi is back up to 22nd place in the magazine's list of upcoming games while the PS4 version has vanished.

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That's all of the Weekly Famitsu content, but another piece of news came up today which I think is worth mentioning!

The game's opening theme DOUBLE-DEAL will be released as a single

The official T.M.Revolution website has announced that DOUBLE-DEAL will be released as a single - and the details will be of interest to Sengoku Basara fans. There will be two variants available.

The 2CD version of the single (ESCL-4490~4491) will cost ¥1,500 before tax and include a 'T.M.Revolution x Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi' trading card. To go with the CD with DOUBLE-DEAL, the second disc will include newly recorded, rearranged 'Re:boot' versions of Count ZERO, crosswise, FLAGS, SWORD SUMMIT, UTAGE, Naked arms and The party must go on. The bonus disc is being called Sengoku Basara Re:boot Tracks.

The CD+DVD version (ESCL-4492~4493) will be priced at ¥1,800 and include a different 'T.M.Revolution x Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi' trading card. It will include the DOUBLE-DEAL CD and a DVD with special video footage.

Both versions of the single will go on sale on 5th August 2015.

News roundup: Famitsu reveals the first details about those Street Fighter IV DLC costumes

The game's four upcoming Street Fighter IV costumes are revealed

The usual spoiler-filled preview of the next issue of Weekly Famitsu was posted on the official website today and it's another generous reveal, with pictures of Rikyuu as Ken, Maria as Rose, Ieyasu as Ryu and Kasuga as Chun-Li in Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi. The article's main feature will be about the return of Kenshin and Kasuga as playable characters and their movesets. In addition, there will be more Tenka Medal updates.

Full details will be included in the magazine, which goes on sale on Thursday (Japan time). I'll update with a summary of the article on Wednesday night.

Sabisuke looks the part as Ken, but I'm curious how Wabisuke is going to look dressed in that kind of outfit...

Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi will be featured at two upcoming events

I guess promoting Sengoku Basara at the regular Jump Festa events has been successful as it's now been announced that Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi will be featured at the Jump Victory Carnival 2015 event on 18th July 2015 (Tokyo) and 25th July 2015 (Osaka). The game will be exhibited together with Monster Hunter Spirits and Dai Gyakuten Saiban. Visitors are being promised the chance to try a demo of the game at the Capcom stand.

Speaking of events, it's also been confirmed that Capcom will be running prerelease demo events at the HAL vocational colleges (they did the same thing in the run-up to Sengoku Basara 4's release). The 'open campus' events for prospective students will take place on 21st June 2015 (HAL Osaka) and 27th June 2015 (HAL Tokyo). As well as the chance to try the game out before release day, attendees will be able to experience a lecture from Sengoku Basara series director Yamamoto Makoto!

Preorders open for a Sengoku Basara study book

Amazon Japan is now offering the book of questions which was promised when the official Sengoku Basara exam was announced back in April. Scheduled for release on 25th June 2015, the Sengoku Basara Kentei: Koushiki Mondaishuu ('The Sengoku Basara Qualification: Official Exam Questions') will cost ¥1,080.

According to the book's description, it will include a total of 300 questions on topics such as famous scenes, dialogue and characters and cover all of the titles in the series, from the first Sengoku Basara through to Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi. It can be used to help study for the official test or simply as a fun way to increase your general knowledge, whether you're a newcomer to the series or a dedicated fan already. There will also be plenty of full-colour pictures of the characters.

Merchandise based on the Judge End anime continues to appear

Ami Ami is listing another new Sengoku Basara Judge End item in the form of this sticker folder. It's priced at ¥1,080 and due for release in late July 2015.