Volkswagen Sharan II

While most of the European families readying themselves for their long summer getaway, it is not surprising that the brand behind the Beetles, Golfs, and Polos has just launched the second-generation Sharan just in time to prepare themselves for their long getaway.

Launched at the Geneva Motor Show since March and sales start this August, the new VW Sharan is mainly the target of small-sized minivans such as the second-generation Opel Meriva, Honda Freed, and the new Honda Freed Spike. With its trademark Volkswagen design, spacious seating arrangements, and good for seven people, especially the kids, this VW-made minivan is the main choice for the European families, even when the previous model made a milestone of having more than 600,000 Sharans sold worldwide.

Under the hood, the new Sharan covers 2 available engines such as the 1.4 TSI BlueMotion Technology engine, and the 2.0 TDI BlueMotion Engine. Both of these engines combine the aesthetics of being clean, powerful, and fuel-efficient engines, and henceforth the new Volkswagen Sharan dubbed as the perfect European eco-car for the masses. In addition, there are two available transmissions available for the new Sharan such as the 6-speed manual transmission and the 6-speed DSG.

The new Sharan's EasyFold seating system with EasyEntry function allows passengers to gain access to the third row seats without hassles. It can be folded for various seating arrangements available for multiple uses. These arrangements look perfect to bring more stuff around the average European family before beginning their big European summer break.

My thoughts about the Sharan:
While it may not seem to be a fun-to-drive minivan, this best-seller is now evolved to be a fuel-efficient eco-car targeted for European families readying themselves for summer break, from camping trips, wild adventures, tailgate parties, entrapment operations, or just for fun. Its downsize was the pricing because the Sharan's introductory price of 28,875 Euros is somewhat higher than the new Opel Meriva's introductory price of 15,900 Euros. However, the base 1.4L variant of the new Sharan's power output is 150PS, is higher than 100PS power output of the new Meriva's base 1.4L variant, which brings the new Sharan closer to its performance core. In my highest expectations, when Volkswagen returns to the Philippines, the new Sharan would be a hard-to-get among high-class Philippine people, especially the celebrities, because the pricing would reach to a Mercedes-Benz level.

Something's odd....

Every time when I switched the TV on to watch Hole In The Wall Season 2 on GMA, it shuffles me to some question why Ogie Alcasid often keeps his Kim Min-Yung role while Michael V switching roles week by week from Bianca, Min-Yung's die-hard fan, from week one, then he became as Kim Min-Yung's mom from week 2, and for this week, um, I think he dressed like Kim Min-Yung, only different, I wonder....

And if someone realized that did Bubble Gang made some sketch involved in fan service, hmmm, if you rewind your minds back at the May 21 episode (there was a Jejemon sketch) and if you saw the "Clothes Out" sketch, I think this is fan service.

Also, did you stay all afternoon long to see Banana Split Daily Servings? There is a mini-drama with the title so gross, you'll end up laughing and crying. It's titled "Ang Babaeng Hindi Maitaas Ang Kili-kili" (The girl who can't raise her underarm) and it makes me laugh and cry on Banana Split's mini-drama involving on the heroine named Josephina (Nina Jose) who struggles to fit in as the girl who can't raise her underarm. At first, we find out that whoever saw her shining underarm will end up being out of control, or even killing themselves, later, that shining part on her underarm was a monster inside Josephina vowing revenge on the death of Josephina's father who was killed by the cops, including her childhood friend Tonyo (Zanjoe Marudo), also, she was targeted by the enemies who can't show their bellies. Now, it seems that the underarm that made everyone idiots became a miracle. Whoever swallows the sweat of Josephina's underarm will cure themselves. Hmmm... scary but funny at first, and miraculous at later.

Oh well, an apple a day "melf me all da way" ROFL.

A very special font....

Last I heard, there was a very special font designed from the likes of popular K-On character Mio Akiyama.

It's called the "Mio Font" and here's the link:

http://www.flopdesign.com/font2/mio.html

To download this special Mio Font, scroll down and click the yellow square to download it. Whatever floats your boat....

Crissy's back! YAY!

That night's episode of Banana Split marks the return of our favorite Banana Split-gagged version of Kris Aquino, Crissy (played by Angelica Panginiban) in Banana Split's NNNN (Ntertainment News Na Naman)! Wow, seems we missed her, um you guessed it, her back, and now she's really back. She's really really really back.. With Crissy back to mess some with Bhoy (Jayson Gainza's take on Boy Abunda) and some showbiz news, Banana Split's NNNN is complete.

After NNNN, there's some Egyptian Fashion Show jokes where there's some part where, um, I don't know how to say it, but it's darn funny. Later on, some crazy tips from Melai from M3: Melai Mo Magwork, some dances, and another Mutanglawin episode where we learn about magic lamps and genies.

Think you can outsmart the third wish with another wishes? Think so!

Busou Shinki or Loveplus?

Cuteness is in the eye of a Japanese otaku. In the hands of the troops from Konami, the words "Buso Shinki" and "Loveplus" seems to be differ depending on which Konami fan decide on those two. Could an otaku choose a "take-everywhere virtual girlfriend" or figures with movable parts most Konami fans love especially the PSP game where they show who's Busou Shinki is the boss?

CASE ONE:

Konami's not all things Metal Gear, DDR, Silent Hill, and Castlevania. These troops also specialize in all things "moe" and cute, especially animes with their own Konami-branded games, goods, and others.

About Busou Shinki, these were the figures that were cute and customizable. It uses MMS (Multi Movable System) to move the figure's parts freely as the customer wishes to do with it. It debuted since fall 2006 with the introduction of the very first two Busou Shinki figures, Arnval and Strarf, following with different Busou Shinki variants in the following years.

The Busou Shinki shock in Japan is not just the success of these figures, but also online (http://www.shinki-net.konami.jp/) and now on the PSP video game Busou Shinki Battle Masters. From the net to the PSP game, most Busou Shinki enthusiasts in Japan can customize their Busou Shinki the way they want, and pit them to battles. Reputation is the key in the eyes of the Busou Shinki owner and his/her Busou Shinki, and the only way to gain reputation is to win battles. If they win battles, the Busou Shinki will gain experience based on their performance. A key reminder is its respect, if his/her Busou Shinki wins more, it will respect more on the owner. Talk about a part-dating sim, part fighting-game....

CASE 2:

Since its debut from fall 2009, Loveplus is a real-time dating sim game that pits lonely male Japanese players to choose either Manaka Takane, Rinko Kobayakawa, or Nene Anegasaki. What the player do to the selected virtual girlfriend is spend time together any way a player wants.

Since the Loveplus shock that made this game successful in Japan, the R&D of Konami decided to give Loveplus some minor changes and the Loveplus's facelift, called Loveplus Plus, debuted just in time for the long Japanese summer vacation.

Fast fact: Some Japanese guy tied a knot with the choses Loveplus gal, Nene. Read the scoop: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10404956-71.html

My Comment: Seems the Konami name is not just a "Militaires Sans Frontieres", the R&D of Konami also specializes in all things "moe" and cute, especially the wide success of either the Busou Shinki figures and the Loveplus game. Hope I can find one of those in selected Comic Alley stores...

Kia K5 to be featured in IRIS Spin-off

Back in late 2009, with IRIS making a huge success thanks to actor Lee Byung-hun and others, Taewon Entertainment made tie-ups with Kia Motors for the vehicles shown in this Korean action drama, including the K7 premium sedan.

Coming late 2010, Taewon Entertainment is planning a spin-off from the successful IRIS action drama, titled Athena.

Read the article:

http://www.dongdrama.com/action-spy-korean-drama-athena-releases-teaser-poster.html

And also according to the Korean car enthusiast site, Megaauto, the Kia K5 will be making an appearance in this IRIS spin-off drama.

Last they heard, they've seen the K5 during the Athena shooting, as far as I know. It seems to be a cold principle, but the K5 is a hard-hitting blockbuster car, defeating the Hyundai Sonata as the top-selling car of this category.

Thumbs up to Taewon Entertainment and good luck for this project, and thumbs up for Kia Motors for making the K5 successful.

Trick DS -Kakushigami no Sumu Yakata-

With the success from the 2000 mystery J-drama series and movies especially the latest Rei Noryoku Sha Battle Royal movie, Konami (famous for its flagship titles such as Metal Gear, DDR, Silent Hill, and Akumajo No Dracula, otherwise known as Castlevania) has decided to bring the mystery drama straight to Nintendo DS, as a direct alternative to PSP's Misshitsu No Sacrifice.

This Trick game made exclusively for the DS is far more to be a mixture of visual novel that covers the new adventures of talented magician Naoko Yamada and eccentric professor Jiro Ueda and as a searching game to look for items and puzzles that proceed you to different aspects.

It might seem rough to do it but this game is much more like the PSP game called Misshitsu No Sacrifice, but the storyline is original, showing not only characters from the TV drama but in-game characters as well. I think this game is rather more primitive than other games that were visual novels at first but its a puzzle-solving game that requires the player's mind to solve puzzles for a very long time.

My point: The TV drama seems to be OK in the eyes of a J-dorama addict but fans are going to be frustrated when they're playing this DS game. It's worth attempting...