If you are unfamiliar with Tokyo Ghoul, this hit manga series is about a young man who became a human-ghost hybrid with the iconic mask we are familiar with while dealing with the supernatural threats among us. It spawned two anime shows, numerous OVA projects, video games, and a stage play, making it a worthy popular franchise in its own right. Thanks to Tokyo Ghoul's hit success, there is now a live-action film which is part of the summer of live-action movie adaptations of this year and there's a lot of talking to be done.
Tokyo Ghoul (2017 film)
This live-action adaptation of the hit anime/manga franchise stars Masataka Kubota as Ken Kaneki, Fumika Shimizu as Toka Kirishima, Yuu Aoi as Rize Kamishiro, Nubuyuki from EXILE as Kotaro Amon, and many other names from the Japanese showbizness. It's directed by Super Star and like the manga it started it all, it''s about Ken who goes out on a date with Rize until he became a bait of Rize's appetizing interests and upon his unknown rescue, Ken transformed into a human-Ghoul hybrid (yes, he's bearing the iconic mask like you saw) and now drawn into a supernatural conflict in our world as the man about a Ghoul.
Reminiscent of those live-action Death Note films witnessed in your high school years, Tokyo Ghoul is a dark and gritty horror film that keeps on getting exciting as the tension builds up through the very end and because most moviegoers in Japan are in a middle of the summer-live-action-movie-adaptation-rush as demonstrated by this, Gintama, Jojo's and Ajin, you can expect that this live-action take on a cult favorite will become the talk of the town to write about it at the end of the day and it is and because the devil's in the details, Tokyo Ghoul really is a fun and exciting film to watch with your mates as you will be intoxicated by the sheer level of intense thrills this man about a Ghoul can do as well as the storyline which is as dark as the winter nights.
Obviously, the crowd's going abuzz over the live-action Tokyo Ghoul film and when it demonstrates is success as a film, you'd better stop using your mobile right now because you'll find others chattering about how awesome this film is and when you talk about Tokyo Ghoul right now, all you will see for the time being is nothing but movie tickets posted by moviegoers to see a man about a Ghoul.
"The first female 007 is here" or so they say as Charlize Theron proves to the world that even femme fatales can be as deadly as men when it comes to spy thrillers and this film, Atomic Blonde, is the perfect example of what happens when you put her in a dark storyline that blows all the action films away in a jiffy.
Atomic Blonde
Based on a popular comic book of the same name, Atomic Blonde takes place in Berlin during the final days of the Cold War, where MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton, played by Theron, sent on an assignment to take down a ruthless espionage ring that just killed an undercover agent for unknown reason. She teams up with station chief David Percival, played by James McAvoy, and together, they use whatever means necessary to gun down the target before it's too late.
When you see Theron pulling all the stops to deliver a massive action thriller unlike any other, everything you know about Atomic Blonde feels like every other spy movie you've ever know, especially though Bond and Bourne films from the past, and even though the film's dark storyline suits rather well for a Cold War-era timeline, it really is the perfect action thriller you can enjoy during the summer blockbuster season. It may not be one of the best action films of all time but for a margin of doubt, Atomic Blonde is a real "atomic" bomb to blow them away in a darker kind of way.
Throughout the month of July, Eat Bulaga celebrated their 38th anniversary with the ultimate battle of the EB presenters known as #DabarkadsGoals. In here, the presenters are split into teams and do some performances as seen throughout 38 years of Eat Bulaga.
Photo: Official Eat Bulaga Facebook page
Before the grand finals, the show debuted their brand new Miss Millennial Philippines 2017 where millennial Filipinas from across the Philippines represent their home cities through this brand new beauty pageant happening only in Eat Bulaga where those who will make it in the grand finals very soon will win more than just big prizes but also represent her state or province as an ambassador.
Anyway, with the Miss Millennial Philippines 2017 contestants introduced and expect more in this brand new segment, let's move on to the #DabarkadsGoals Grand Finals. In here, it's all down to four teams comprising of Baste and That's My Bae Kim's Team Jupiter doing the Ricomambo, Alden Richards and Pareng Sinon's Team All Out doing the Let's Get Physical, Patricia Tumulak and That's My Bae Joel's Team Laban doing the Xanadu, and Maine Mendoza's Team Ramen.
After their star-studded performances, the judges has reached the verdict and the winner of the #DabarkadsGoals grand finals is Team Ramen!
So, with Maine's team won the #DabarkadsGoals, the month-long Eat Bulaga 38th anniversary celebration came to an end. Can't wait to see what's in store for next year's celebration!
- Prepare for an all-out war against the Islaw Tampisaw International!
- Another Buhay ng Bakla Session
- Bea Bangenge and Toto Batotoy are talking about condiments!
- A lady tries to look like her idol...
- Mas Pinabonggang Sumbong Sumbong Kay Bonggang Bonggang Bongbong takes on men trying to use other forms of media to attract dates, people posting stuff about helpless people, and people became sports fans after a single conversation.
- A BF feels like he's not getting used to the messy neighborhood.
- Senator Manny Pacquiao visits Marawi City to help boost the soldiers' morale. The People's Champion and politician arrived in full military gear prepared to have conversations with soldiers who have been in war against the ISIS-sympathizer, the Maute group.
- After a long battle at the Senate, the latest attempt to repeal the Obamacare has failed as three Republicans, including John McCain, voted against the bill, which needed a simple majority to pass. About 51 senators voted against it, including three Republicans, and 49 senators, mostly Republicans, voted for it. The so-called "skinny" repeal, which would have scaled back some of the more controversial provisions, is the third failed attempt to repeal Obamacare.
- The United Kingdom plans to send a warship to the South China Sea in the latest move to irk the Chinese government.
- The Regalia from FINAL FANTASY XV arrives in Forza Horizon 3. Starting the 1st of August, those who played either of these games will receive a special gift containing the car Noctis and The Brotherhood used for their adventures in the game.
- Actor Jared Harris will star in the upcoming HBO miniseries inspired from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
- Pagani made another special Zonda called the Fantasma Evo.
Malaysia will begin the trial of two female suspects accused of the dramatic murder of the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on the 2nd of October, according to the High Court.
Appearing at the Shah Alam High Court near the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, Indonesian Siti Aisyah, and Doan Thi Huong from Vietnam, are charged with murdering Kim Jong Nam at Kuala Lumpur airport on Feb. 13 by smearing his face with VX, a chemical the United Nations describes as a weapon of mass destruction. If convicted, both will face the death penalty.
Defence lawyers have warned previously that they feared “trial by ambush”, with police not sharing evidence. Prosecutor Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad said the prosecution had given a further 33 documents and CCTV recordings to the defence, and would call between 30 and 40 witnesses, depending on the progress of the trial.
- President Rodrigo Duterte revived his proposal for the rebels to surrender, without yielding their firearms. The President also offered jobs and housing to the would-be rebel returnees. Duterte revealed that this is in conjunction with his dream to end the decades of fighting between the government and the communist rebels.
- One local member and three other members of the New People's Army were killed in an encounter against government forces in the town of Casiguran, Sorsogon City.
- The Armed Forces of the Philippines is prepared to file charges against satirist Juana Change for unauthorized use of their military uniform during a protest amidst President Duterte's second SONA last July 24th.
- US President Donald Trump will travel on Friday to a New York community shocked by a recent spike of gang murders to highlights his efforts to curb illegal immigration and boost deportations. Trump will highlight his administration’s push to deport members of the Mara Salvatrucha gang, better known as MS-13, the existence of which his White House blames on lax enforcement of illegal immigration from Central America.
- Thailand marks King Maha Vajiralongkorn's 65th birthday with major religious ceremonies and public display of loyalty around the country.
- Apple announced they will stop production of the iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle as consumers no longer have the need for the device due to advent of better smartphones. Both the Nano and Shuffle came out 12 years ago as cheaper alternatives to the Apple iPod.
- The all-new, eighth-generation, Rolls-Royce Phantom has been unveiled and it's now the most luxurious Phantom ever made, armed with the brand new 6.75L V12 Twin Turbo engine that produces 563HP of power and 900Nm of torque while mated to a brand new Satellite-Aided 8-speed automatic gearbox.
2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom
- Kemono Friends will return for second season but details remain unclear for now.
Surprised? You might thought that it was the same special WRX STi that I drove before in the festival but by the looks of it, it's different than the specially-prepped STi I made a couple a while back. Look closely what's new with my Subie from side to side.
As you may be aware, the S4-themed STi, so literally named because the current VA-spec WRX STi is based on the WRX S4, the one my cousin currently drives every day, has been changed to accommodate the latest members of S4, as showcased in the current season of Aikatsu Stars. I know, don't try to talk but I hope you'll like the latest redesign for my STi I made just for everyone.
The VA-spec Subaru WRX STi has always been my favorite Subaru since its inception and whether this sports sedan competed in the likes of rallycross or the Nurburgring 24-Hour Race, the one Subaru proudly calls its home after their WRC stint, it always suits itself to take on any battlefield it desires like a lone ronin without a fierce rival to fight on. I know that the decade-long rivalry between the Subie and the Evo is over because Mitsubishi killed the Evo after its two-decade-long presence in the world of street cars, but come on, this Subie still stands and loves to pick on any fight it lands on, whatever lay ahead.
Since I got all of the three areas around us after tackling a Goliath of challenges at each area, I decided to give the Subie a fresh new look a new kind of challenge to pick fights against the world's best but we're not doing it on the Land Down Under just yet because the Subie has to take on places beyond Down Under. Something like...
Blizzard Mountain! With such a snow-filled wonderland, it's the ideal place to see if the STi is as rally-proven as its ancestors. In order for the Subie to accommodate such frigid conditions Blizzard Mountain has to offer, some rally equipment has been made in order to survive such a harsh winter wonderland, and with the proper gear, let's see if the Subie loves snow...
So, if the WRX STi enjoys playing snowball fights, how about something a bit more extreme?
Ah! The Hot Wheels Thrilltopia, an orange-track rollercoaster ride that pushes your driving skills to the extreme limit, and with the Subie swapped its rally-tuned equipment to track-tuned equipment enough to take on Thrilltopia's terrifying twists and turns only the bravest can survive, it's now time to see if the Subie can feel the orange-track heat. Ready?
The Subie not just mastered snow but also mastered Hot Wheels! It's incredible that no matter where you put the WRX STi, it just keeps on going until the battle has been won and this car really is a defiant one thinking that even with its long-time rival gone, it just feels like it won the battle but even though the WRX STi ended the war between the Subies and the Evos by unanimous decision, there are countless battles this car will face and it never loses the art of war ascended by its ancestors.
So, with the job done, looks like this Subie is ready to head back Down Under to take some rest but there's a welcome home present awaiting this fierce Subie; a race!
Man, I love this Subie when it takes on all comers it came across the road and no matter the verdict, it will keep on fighting until its last drop.
Suzuki's SX4 S-CROSS, a fully-imported compact crossover from Europe, has gained a recent minor change, and needless to say even though the facelifted model looks upwardly different than the previous model, it feels pretty much the same as the SX4 we are familiar with, having been on Japanese roads for two years now.
2018 Suzuki SX4 S-CROSS
2018 Suzuki SX4 S-CROSS
So, what's new about the 2018MY Suzuki SX4 S-CROSS? On the outside, it now has a new front design that looks conspicuously similar to, let's just say a BMW X1 or so they say. If you manage to squint your eyes even a tiny bit, you know that it looks very similar to the X1 but that new front grille adds a very dramatic look to the S-CROSS's exterior design because it adds some feel to it that you get from a compact crossover ready for every man for himself. On the inside, there's a hint of piano black paneling on the dashboard for a bit more feel to it as well as some redesigned climate control switches. Either way, it's still as accommodating as the last one and still has decent boot space depending on the seating arrangements as well as its luggage board to store some more.
2018 Suzuki SX4 S-CROSS interior
2018 Suzuki SX4 S-CROSS interior
Of course, you still have the same 1.6L petrol engine as the last time mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox. It delivers a reasonable 117PS of power output and 151Nm of torque, which is the same as last time, but in the case of fuel efficiency, you might want to look away now because the figures have been slightly decreased to around 15.2 (for 4WD models) and 16.2kmpl (for 2WD models). Well, that can't be right, but it's for honest reasons having found out that their old model cheated the fuel efficiency stakes, as well as a theory.
Joy of joys, the S-CROSS still has the revolutionary ALLGRIP system for the 4WD model, only this time it comes with the feed-forward function that allocates torque to the rear wheels before any slippage can occur. That sounds like an improvement by Suzuki standards and that feels like more than enough to believe for those who are too dynamic, too smart, and too exciting for Suzuki may need to reconsider before trying out the improved S-CROSS for a change.
So, how much is the new S-CROSS now? Suzuki's S-CROSS is now available for just 2,062,800 Yen for the front-wheel drive model up to 2,278,800 Yen for the four-wheel drive model. That sounds like a slight price bump but it remains a bargain for a compact crossover fully imported from Europe.
Available colors: Sphere Blue Pearl, Energetic Red Pearl, Cool White Pearl, and Cosmic Black Pearl Mica.
- The death penalty, which has been passed on the third reading last March, was not part in the list of 35 bills that the Senate and the House of Representatives have decided to prioritize in the second regular session of the 17th Congress. Though on Wednesday, the Senate instead decided to pass the bills on Traffic and Congestion Crisis Act, National ID System, Tax Reforms, End of Contractualization, Anti-discrimination Bill, the revise 1987 Constitution, and the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.
- Department of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre will temporarily head the Bureau of Corrections, while there is no replacement yet for Director Benjamin Delos Santos.
- Officials of Marikina city hall are tightly monitoring the possible overflow of water from Marikina River. Around 1030, the water level in Marikina hits to 14.3 meters or Alert level No.1.
- US President Donald Trump announced that transgenders are barred from entering the military, reversing a year-old policy reviled by social conservatives. He made the declaration on Twitter, saying that American forces couldn't afford the "tremendous medical costs and disruption" of transgender service members. This announcement angered most of civil rights and the LGBT community.
- Meanwhile, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on 13 senior Venezuelan officials as the country’s opposition launched a two-day strike against President Nicolas Maduro to scrap plans for a controversial new congress.
- Technology that allows alternation of human embryos have been carried out for the first time in the United States, according to Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, which carried out the research. The research is believed to have broken new ground both in the number of embryos experimented upon and by demonstrating it is possible to safely and efficiently correct defective genes that cause inherited diseases, according to reports.
- Need For Speed Payback's customization trailer streamed. In this upcoming installment, you'll find many ways to upgrade your rides as well as expanding your garage for your future car collections.
- THE IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls' Rin Shibuya gets figurized by Aquamarine and this time, she's wearing the Starry Sky Bright as seen from the Starlight Stage app game. This figure's available to order starting at 13,000 Yen plus taxes and delivery and arrives this November.
- Conan Edogawa, the star of the Detective Conan franchise, gets his own Nendoroid! You can now order your favorite junior detective starting at 4,259 Yen plus tax and delivery and market launch will be this February.
Launched in the 1996 holiday season, Rage Racer is known to be as the sequel to the popular RIDGE RACER franchise on the PlayStation, Rage Racer delivers arcade-style racing at the comfort of their homes with a wide array of customizable machines while taking on four different circuits vying to become the real Rage Racer. This is the first time the mascot character, Reiko Nagase, made her appearance in this installment. Supersweep celebrates Rage Racer's 20th anniversary with the long-awaited soundtrack complete with remixes of BGMs heard from the PSX game.
This two-disc tribute to one of the most memorable Ridge Racer installments in its over two-decade history features remixed tunes as well as remastered background musics as heard from the game. Crafted by some of Bandai Namco's well-respected music composers in history, every music track is in tune to the high-octane sounds of Rage Racer and they're all revved up for your listening pleasure, wherever you may be.
The RAGE RACER REMIX two-disc compilation is a must-have for every racing video game aficionado who truly wish that Bandai Namco should make a brand new Ridge Racer for the new era of console game and with the franchise is nearing its 25th anniversary since the first Ridge Racer went out in the arcades since 1993, Bandai Namco should break its silence over this long-forgotten racing franchise with the most memorable techno music ever heard in the history of video game musics.
The current-generation Suzuki Escudo, fully imported from Europe, has received a brand new 1.4L turbocharged petrol engine for the 2018 model year.
This new variant for Suzuki's Euro import crossover comes with the brand new 1.4L Booster Jet turbocharged engine producing 136PS of power (19PS more than the 1.6L variant) and 210Nm of torque. Mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox, fuel economy is expected at 16.8kmpl based on Japan's JC08 Mode standards.
To differentiate the turbocharged variant to the non-turbocharged Escudo, it's been given an X-TRAIL-inspired front face, red accents on the interior, and a brand new Bright Red 5 Black 2-tone roof exterior color.
Like the non-turbocharged Escudo, it still remains the ALLGRIP system as well as Radar Brake Support II system for this variant.
The Escudo 1.4L Turbo variant starts at 2,586,600 Japanese Yen.
