From a lacerated sky

In the 1980s, an abundance of horror movies hit the U.K. shores overnight, all thanks to the affordable invention of the VHS player. The then-British film censor, James Ferman, went on a zero-tolerance crusade against these "video nasties" which Ferman felt w?ere oozing onto his country's shores and slowly corrupting the nation and its youth.

Ferman and the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) swiftly and hysterically drew up a list of on-screen elements that the board should always consider taking the scissors to - should they ever crop up in any film under review. Among the material Ferman was convinced?? posed a risk to British sanity were sexual titill?ation mixed with violence, Asian/ninja-style weaponry, and, most importantly, "blood appearing on breasts".

Fortunately for Ferman, D3 Publisher's OneChanbara series would not make its debut until 2004, some years after the censor's retirement and passing. Given the stringent bullet points listed above, I can't help but feel that maybe, jus?t maybe, he would not have looked too kindly upon it.

Onee Chanbara Origin (PS4 [reviewed], PC*)
Developer: Tamsoft
Publisher: D3 Publisher
Release Date: October 14, 2020
MSRP: $59.99

Developed by series veterans Tamsoft, Onee Chanbara Origin is a "soft remake" of two of the Onechanbara franchise's earliest entries: 2004's THE OneeChanbara and 2005's THE OneeChanbara 2. The stories of these former PS2 releases have been smartly fused together into a single ent??ity, then given some storytelling tweaks to iron out the continuity, before finally being splashed with a fresh coat art aesthetic and some attractive new character models.

The OneeChanbara games were early adopters of the "stylish hack 'n' slash" genre, as typified by titles such as Devil May Cry, No More Heroes, and Lollipop Chainsaw. As bikini-bearing monster hunter Aya, players cut a bloody swathe through armies of zombies, utilising limb-lopping combos, pin-point button timing, evasive maneuvers, and frame-perfect parries in order to lay waste to hordes of the undead. This results in the surroundings, the camera, and our heroes themselves being sodden in a tidal wave of gore - one of the Onechanbara series' defining trademarks.

At the end of each stage, the player is graded on their combat skills, taking into account speed, damage, and efficiency. This score is then converted in XP and currency, to be spent on raising Aya's skills, or at the local store on stat-boosting gems and accessories. As the story progresses, Aya is joined by her younger sister, Saki, allowing players to tag-in the siblings for extended combo potential. Literal sisters literally doing it for themselves.

It can't be denied that Onee Chanbara Origin offers its fair share of catharsis. Slicing ''n' dicing zombies, hell-hounds, and other beasties certainly makes for a sadistic way to let off some steam. Slipping in frame-perfect parries, acrobatic dives, and "Cool Finish" maneuvers - all while watching the combo meter rack up triple figures - can be immensely satisfying. Unfortunately, while the visuals have received a meaty overhaul, Onee Chanbara Origin has no??t made little effort to update its gameplay and, as such, the ??general combat is a rudimentary and archaic example of the hack 'n' slash genre.

Today, Onee Chanbara Origin feels shallow, its gameplay lacking the depth and creativity of the excellent titles that followed in its stead. A serious lack of enemy variety, along with repetitive locations, fails to engage, and while the action does pick up in the latter half of the adventure, ultimately Onee Chanbara Origin's story mode consists of a series of above-ave??rage boss fights, linked by du??ll waves of cut-and-paste underworld dwellers.

On a more positive note, an excellent job has been done with the visual redesign. The character models for Aya, her sister Saki, Eva, and a slew of boss characters are all very cool, animating beautifully in battle. In addition, the colorful special effects that rainbow out of our girls' attacks are dazzling, lending a real vista of excitement to the claret-covered chaos. While the resolution appears a tad "fuzzy" - which perhaps prevents the visuals from shining as crisply as they might have - Tamsoft has done a stellar job in bringing the PS2 visuals into the modern era, resulting in a smooth, slick, and attractive-looking remake.

Aside from the main story - which will run the average player about five/six hours - Onee Chanbara Origin does not have much to offer. There is a selection of bonus missions, as well as a challenge tower, but little else. Die-hard fans will enjoy re-running the adventure time and again - tightening up combos and flashy counter-attacks while increasing their score grading - but for the most part, Onee Chanbara Origin is ??a scant package in rega??rds to content and replay value.

The decision to retail Onee Chanbara Origin at a full $60 is mind-boggling, offering what is ultimately a six-hour-long PS2 remake at full AAA pricing. The new audio/visual elements are absolutely up to par, that's not in any doubt, but Origin's gameplay feels every bit of its 15 years. Nobody but franchise devotees should consider paying full price for the experience on offer - even then I??'d still s??trongly encourage waiting for a discount.

Onee Chanbara Origin remains a cathartic, bloodthirsty, and goofy bit of chaos, whose aesthetic charms have been boosted thanks to Tamsoft's excellent audio/visual upgrade. Unfortunately, the passage of time has somewhat dulled Origin's gameplay, which has been far superseded by other franchises. Offering a short campaign, above-average action, and a slim package, Onee Chanbara Origin is fo??r franchise fans only - and not at its $60 asking price.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher. This review is for the PS4 edition of the game. *On Steam, some players are ?citin??g multiple issues with the PC port, which I have been unable to test myself.]}

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Kill the undead, again

What started an entry in the budget-minded Simple Series of games in Japan has blossomed into one of developer Tamsoft's most well-known franchises. Onechanbara, the zombie-killing hack 'n slash series that stars beautiful bikini-clad girls, has blossomed since its 2004 debut with multiple sequels spread across several consoles, but next month, it's taking the series back to the beginning with Onee Chanbara Origin.

Like the recently released Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 + 2, Onee Chanbara Origin -- and yes, that is the proper spelling of the series now -- is a remake of the first two games in the franchise that released as part of the Simple Series in Japan, and apparently in Europe as Zombie Hunters. To give you ?an ide?a of what it'll play like, check out this totally metal trailer.

The decision to go cell-shaded with this one is a massive step up from the visuals of the past. Onee Chanbara Origin will release on PS4 ?and PC via Steam on October 14 for $59.99/€49.99.

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Remakes of the PS2 classics

Announced at TGS yesterday, D3 publisher will be remaking the original PS2 Onechanbara games for PS4 in a bundle called Onechanbara Origin. Originally launched in 2004 and 2005, the history of this series in the West is kind of complicated. Each game has seen an enhanced re-release in Japan, while the US receives only that enhanced version. To that end, the original game was called Zombie Zone (with a Zombie Hunters re-release) and the sequel was brought over as Zombie Hunters 2. Not confusing in the slightest.

There isn't any confirmation of a Western release yet, but we do have some screenshots that you can ogle. We also know that famed artist Katsumi Enami will be doing the art for this release. Enami is famous for a tremendous amount of anime productions and for working with Nihon Falcom on the Legends of Heroes series.

Onechanbara Origin announced for PS4 [Gematsu]

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Could make your head explode

Publisher D3 announced that their PS2-looking cheesecake shooter School Girl/Zombie Hunter is now available on ??Steam, giving budding undead slayers a new platform for all their Zombie x Pantsu needs.

For those less inclined, Onechanabara spin-off SG/ZH sees five girls trapped within their dormitory when a zombie (or "zom-zom") apocalypse takes over the city. Asuka, Sayori, Chinami, Saioka and Koari must ?fend of the ravenous beasts equipped with high-kicking melee skills, an armoury of automatic weapons, and the ability to take their clothes off.

Because? of reasons, this particular horde are easily d??istracted by the characters flinging their garments elsewhere with reckless abandon, that's convenient. Players will guide the intrepid quintet on their lead-spraying quest to get the hell outta school with their brains - and their dignity - intact.

The Steam trailer below should tell you everything you need to know, or you can check out our previous PS4 review by our own Kevin Mersereau. School Girl/Zombie Hunter is available now on PS4 and PC. The latter is available at a d?iscounted ??price until June 12.

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A real class act

This is a game that knows exactly what it is. Even the title doesn’t leave a hell of a lot to the imagination. You’ve got school girls, and you’ve got zombies. These high school ladies don’t appear to be too worried about getting bitten though. In fact, they’re constantly throwing their clothes and used underwear into the hordes of undead enemies. They don’t give a fuck about common sense or the practicality of covering yourself up when surrounded by things that are trying to bite you. Welcome to School Girl/Zombie Hunter. 

The story focuses around five ladies as they battle their way through, the adorably named, zom-zoms. The best parts have almost nothing to do with any overarching plot, it’s the inane dialogue exchanges where it really shines. I touched upon it a bit during my review in progress a few days ago, but eve?rything is presented in a deliriously fashioned B-movie sheen. The cast is split between generic, shy types and ultra-vain, over-the-top badasses. The one thing all of them have in common is t?heir desire to escape the school where they’re stranded. Also, that they really don’t like wearing clothes. 

School Girl/Zombie Hunter (PS4)
Developer: Tamsoft
Publisher: Aksys Games
Release: November 17, 2017
MSRP: $39.99

The combat is comprised of third-person, Earth Defense Force-styled gunplay, a one-button melee attack, and the ability to use various items like grenades and tripwires. It’s incredibly bare bones, but it’s also very functional. The missions each offer different objectives, but they all amount to the same basic premise: Kill a bunch of ??zom-zoms.

If you ever find yourself overwhelmed by enemies, you can tear off your clothes and throw them as a distraction. This is never not funny. You only get to do this ?once per mission though, and your character will be running around in their underwear until you reach the end. Watching all five of the lingerie-clad leading ladies pran??ce around rotting corpses while shooting rocket launchers and automatic weapons is just as hilarious as it sounds. 

Another thing that I spoke about during my previous report was how the game never really feels all that “sexy.” It almost seems like the developers are mocking their target demographic to a degree. However, as I found out once the game launched on PSN, that’s because they locked all of the truly skimpy outfits away as pai?d DLC. They’re only $0.99 a piece, but it’s something to consider. They range from different colored thongs to one that is literally just cherry tomatoes covering their nipples and a single, small leaf of lettuce between the legs. I can’t help but wonder how exactly those tiny pieces of produce are staying in place, but I suppo??se the game was never meant to be realistic. 

I did have the chance to test out the online component, and it’s safe to say that it’s a total mess. Zom-zoms will go sliding sideways across the floor like a drunkard attempting to impersonate Tom Cruise in Risky Business, and the lag is genuinely, all around, pretty terrible. Still, I had a good time running through it with my roommate and three other strangers. There are only ten levels to choose from, but it was? fun while it lasted. Unfortunately, split-screen local play isn’t an option. If you want to play with a friend, it’ll have to be over an internet connection on separate consoles. 

The thrill of just how batshit insane everything was started to wear a bit thin by the time I got to the last chapter of the game, and the ending was way too serious. It’s mostly fine but extremely anti-climactic. I’d have loved to see them kick things up a notch and get really weird but, instead, it all felt ??a bit uneven and rushed. 

Despite it’s many, many flaws, School Girl/Zombie Hunter was a solid, camp-drenched romp, and it left me craving more. It may be a bit pricey for a budget title, but I found myself smiling constantly throughout the experience. It’s all so obscenely trashy and tongue-in-cheek that it’s hard not to wonder how the developers plan to follow this up. It never quite reaches the glory promised in the first half of the game, but this spin-off of the Onechanbara franchise definitely has potential.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Release date finally confirmed

Set in the Onechanbara universe, School Girl/Zombie Hunter is exactly what ?its name says it is: a game where you hunt zombies as a school girl. It's got sexual aspects that are more amusing than they are arousing, such as having a dedicated "remove clothes" button and being able to distract zombies by throwing your underwear around.

Publisher Aksys Games announced it will hit North America on PlayStation 4 this November 17, 2017. Just in time for Thanksgiving so you can play with your family! They also released some new screenshots in?? English and described the game a fighting zombies with "overwhelming firepower, surprisingly specialized skills, and a wardrobe full of fashionable underwear!"

I played it at Tokyo Game Show 2016 last?? ?year and it plays as you'd expect a budget game to play, but you know if you're interested or not already.

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I'm still alive folks

Is it weird I'm not surprised School Girl/Zombie Hunter is coming to North America late 2017? To be honest I thought it already did, ??but then the announcement at the Anime Expo in LA reminded me that oh yeah these sorts of things don't always release in the west. Not always, but far more in the past when everyone had to rely on imports. And just who could go anothe?r day without throwing underage girls' clothes at zombies?

I highly doubt the game will get an English dub, but I always fantasize young voice actresses and actors walking into a recording studio to see the script for the first time and thinking "I have to say what!? What?? is this game!?" My fantasies are not always in tune with reality but I bet something like that happened at least once.

School Girl Zombie Hunter announced for localization on PS4 - late 2017 release. pic.twitter.com/Exq3AT9SHr

— RPG Site (@RPGSite) July 1, 2017

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Ninjas and vampires and samurai! Oh my!

A pair of Tamsoft's sexed-up action games, Senran Kagura: Shinovi Versus and Onechanbara Z2: Chaos, made their debuts on Steam in the past few days after previously releasing as PlayStation exclusive??s.

While both games were published by XSEED Games in North America, Onechanbara rights holder and Bandai Namco subsidiary D3 Publisher curiously went ahead and stealth-released Z2: Chaos ??;on ??its own without the Marvelous-owned localization house, despite using XSEED's localization and English dub.

You can find our full reviews for Shinovi Versus and Z2: Chaos here and here, respectively.

Senran Kagura: Shinovi Versus [Steam, Onechanbara Z2: Chaos]

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Bikini zombie slayers return August 28

Onechanbara Z2: Chaos is coming to Europe sooner than anticipated. After NIS initially announced the sexed up zombie slaying game for an autumn release, the publisher has ??revised those plans, saying the PlayStation 4 exclusive is now targeting an August 28 launch.

In the meantime, XSEED is bringing the title to North America this Tu??esday, July 21.

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Subheaders are the bane of my existence

Onechanbara Z2: Chaos is coming?? to North America on July 21, XSEED Games just announced.

After a brief hands-on session with the upcoming PlayStation 4 exclusive at E3 the other week, I'm actually looking forward to this one -- which is surprising, given how forgettable my last taste of the series (Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers on the Wii) was.

It's still dumb, gory fanservice, but the combat mechanics actually feel solid this time around and the soundtrack is pretty killer as well. Speaking of which, in addition to the standard edition (releasing digitally via the PlayStation Store for $40), Z2: Chaos is receiving a limited physical release featuring an 80-minute soundtrack CD, 80-page book (guess they like the n????umber 80), and DLC costumes. 

NIS America will be publishing Onechanbara Z2: Chaos in PAL territories sometime this fall.

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Don't act like you're surprised

If you want to play Onechanbara Z2: Chaos at TGS 2014, this is how you'll be playing it: looking into windows strategically placed over where nipples would be. Obvious?ly. Were you expecting something else? It looks like an extremely stimulating setup. The game must be absolutely titil??lating. Breast joke. 

But this kind of setup looks extremely uncom??fortable. I suppose it might be a better setup than PR representatives breathing down your neck to make sure you follow their directions, but it's still a little ridiculous.

I am curious, though -- is the game any good?

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Surprisingly SFW

Onechanbara Z2: Chaos' c?over art has been revealed, and it's actually a lot less risqué than I thought it was going to be. I was hoping they'd just forgo clothes entirely -- you know, for sales. Just kidding. I actually like the artwork. It's quite simple and crisp. Should it ever come Stateside, you can bet they'll be given some gene?ric background clipart.

The reversible, two-sided cover will feature Kagura ?and Aya on the front and Saaya and Saki on the back.

Onechanbara Z2: Chaos will ship in Japan ?on October 30 for PlayStation 4.

Onechanbara Z2: Chaos Japanese box art [Gematsu]

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Yes, please.

Never you mind that these outfits are Japanese retailer-specific pre-order bonuses. That's just stupid reality obscuring the fact there will be a Pale Wing costume in Onechanbara Z2: Chaos. Yes, folks will be able to kill zombies as the angel of death from Earth Defense Force. This is brilliant. 

Onechanbara Z2: Chaos [Rakuten, Amazon Japan via 4Gamer]

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Kill zombies, wear bikinis

??Holy crap, that song it goes in??to around the 45-second mark is so damn bad.

Onechanbara Z2: Chaos is hitting PS4 in Japan this October, where it can hopefully help shift some units, as the PS4 library isn't tickling the country's collective fancy. Looks I lot better than the Onechanbara I played on Wii. 

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The scantily-clad zombie slayers return to Japan this October

Sony's PlayStation 4 isn't setting Japan ablaze just yet, like it is in much of the world. Part of that has to do with the dearth of software specifically targeted toward Japanese audiences. Enter Onechanbara Z2: Chaos, the latest hack and slash from T?amsoft and Bandai Namco subsidiary D3 Publisher.

Onechanbara Z2: Chaos was announced in the latest edition of Weekly Famitsu, and now we get our first look at the title's zombie-slaying heroines courtesy of the publication's website. Th??e PS4 action game is slated to arrive in Japan this October.

Though the Onechanbara series has a relatively limited appeal and likely won't spur PS4 sales in any significant way on its own, Z2: Chaos is an indicator Japanese developers are starting to support the machine. It wouldn't be at all surpr??ising to see Sony's new console take off in its domestic market once the first substantial wave of homegrown software arrives?.

Whether Onechanbara Z2: Chaos ever gets localized for western audiences is another matter entirely. The series hasn't made an appearance in North America or Europe since Onechanbara: Bikini Samurai Squad and Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers hit Xbox 360 and Wii in 2009.

『お姉チャンバラZ2～カオス～』敵をバラバラに斬り刻む快感が味わえるシリーズ第2幕が始動 [Famitsu]

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YesYesYes?

Hey! Remember the Onechanbara series? You know, the game featuring bikini wearing vampire sisters figh?ting zombies and stuff.

Onechanbara Z: Kagura came out for the Xbox 360 a while ago, but it's now finally heading to the PlayStation 3 in Japan. This is an enhanced port, featuring NoNoNo from the Dream Club Zero games.

Onechanbara Z: Kagura With NoNoNo! debut trailer, scre?ensh??ots [Gematsu]

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D3 Publisher is putting out a new Onechanbara starring two vampire sisters named Kagura and Saaya. Other than the vampire part, these new girls in Onechanbara Z: Kagura look just like the last two heroines from the last Onechanbara. D3 is keeping the theme the same though as you have to ??fight monst??ers while wearing next to nothing. 

Seriou??sly. It's like Kagura's (the one in the cowboy hat) is just wearing some small napkins on her boobs and around her waist. Her ass is hanging out there and her boobs jiggle? violently at every small movement. Not that I'm complaining. 

The combat is largely the same too. Kagura has her two swords, a boomerang-like weapon and two extendable blades in the same style as Kratos's Blades of Chaos from the God of War series. I have no idea what was going on with the story since it was all in Japanese, but does it really matte?r? Kagura is sent on a mission, jumps out of a plane, slams i??nto the ground below and then kills hundreds of zombies as blood flies everywhere. Cool.

It was fun, but it's one of those games that will be fun in small bursts before you get bored and want to play something with actual substance. As it is, Kagura is only scheduled for Japan as an Xbox 360 exclusive sometime in 2????012. 

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D3 Publisher has released the trailer announcing the impending arrival of Onechanbara Z Kagura for Xbox 360. The zombie-slashing Cheesecake Factory, Aya is back for another round and you can see her gearing up for combat against a variety of vicious beasts. There are also gratuitous flashes of bare flesh because this is Onechanbara, after all.

The last Onechanbara had a lot of problems but the setting is so kooky and weird that I'll still give it another chance if it looks like some lessons were learned. I just can't resist the stra??ngeness of it. Of course, that assumes D3 even wants to bring it to the west at all. Here's hoping.

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D3 Publisher has a brand new Onechanbara game in the works, and it'll be ditching series heroine Aya for a pair of vampi?re sisters, Kagura and Saaya. I doubt many people will notice the difference, since anime children with massive breasts all tend to look the same.

Onechanbara Z: Kagura is the name of t?he game, and Famitsu says it will feature plenty of blood, which isn't exactly a radical departure for the ??series. It's planned as a 360 exclusive and is due to launch in Japan this Winter. 

The last 360 Onechanbara to make it Stateside was pretty damn awful, w?hich is hardly surprising from a game that chews a single gimmick like a dog does a bone. I can only hope Kaguara is good, but ... y'know.

Onec?hanbara Z: Kagura Coming To Xbox 360 Wi?th New Vampire Sisters [Siliconera]

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UK retailer Play.com recently brought interesting news for fans of child-faced girls in bikinis who fight zombies for some reason. It recently listed Onechanbara 2 with a February 2012 release date, hinting at yet more half-naked undead ridiculousness in the?? future. 

We contacted D3 Publisher for word on what this title could be and whether or not a brand new game was in the works, and heard back from Michael Cerven, who said that his company ??would love to make another one, but has nothing to say for itself at the moment.

"Regarding the news in Europe, unfortunately there is not much to say," he stated. "We have an amazing fan base that are huge fans of the Onechanbara games and we would love to do another game but at t??his time there isn’t any new announced Onechanbara game in the works."

Not exactly a deni??al, but far from a confirmation. What do you reckon? Would you like to slay yet more zombies in your bikini?

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