Entertainment

Now Playing: Digimon Survive, Rise TMNT, Tekken

Right in the childhood

Published

August 23, 2022

Rodneil Quiteles

Nostalgia is in full swing in some of the recent media I’ve consumed. Some of these franchises are near and dear to my heart so I figured I’d dedicate a space where I talk about them for a little bit.

I’ll primarily talk about the game Digimon Survive, the movie Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie, and the Netflix animated series Tekken: Bloodline. But I did see and play a few other things in between and around my travels during the last two weeks so I’ll touch on those too, briefly.

The main trio

Digimon Survive

I’m in the minority on this but I’ve always been a Digimon over Pokémon type of person. I was a big fan of the 1999 animé and its banger of an opening song. And I also dedicated an entire summer to playing the Digimon World game. I missed the train on the Digimon World: Next Order game so I was elated that Digimon Survive came out recently.

I haven’t played it as much, but I feel like I’ve played it enough to let you know if this is something you should buy now or just wait for its price to drop. We got a review code from the publisher which is why I was able to play.

To properly set expectations, Digimon Survive is a visual novel first and turn-based strategy game second. From what I’d experience so far, it’s about a 70-30 split. There’s a lot of dialogue to get through, and the prologue part is a bit of a slog.

That said, the story is engaging. While it’s nothing entirely new, there’s enough care put into the characters and the narrative to keep you invested in the story. And how you interact with characters will ultimately decide their faith in the game. It’s not a light story by any means. If you neglect certain characters, they will ultimately meet their demise.

The turn-based combat, though, is child’s play. It doesn’t really require that much thought and anyone should be able to pick it up without any trouble. If you’re looking for a challenge, this isn’t it.

Digimon Survive is a tide-you-over kind of game. It’s mostly an okay way to gauge interest in the franchise but I don’t see this as something a lot of people will play. Even if you’re a die-hard Digimon fan, it might be prudent to wait for its price to drop or for it to show up on subscription services.

Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie

It’s not something I’m loud about, but I really like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. As a kid, my first exposure to these heroes in a half shell was through the 1987 cartoons. They were so big in the early 90s I remember we even had towels and bedsheets featuring the turtles (Team Mickey over here).

There have been many iterations of these crime-fighting turtles since, and I never really got to follow any of those series. I did, however, enjoy all the live action movies. Yes. All of them.

So, when the Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie dropped on Netflix, I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t even on my radar at all. And I didn’t know I needed a Turtles flick until I watched it.

The movie serves as a sort of sequel to the two season cartoon series on Nickelodeon. But I hadn’t seen a single episode of that series before jumping into this movie. And that’s fine. If you have any sort of prior knowledge about the franchise, you won’t feel lost at all.

This version of the Turtles mixes things up a little bit with Raphael taking the role of the leader first. And the movie primarily deals with the transition of leadership with Leonardo learning exactly what it is to be a leader.

It’s a fun flick with some “Sakuga” level animation. Some characters might be jarring for long-time fans. But I think it’s a nice, fresh take on the franchise. The action is unrelenting and Leonardo’s character arc is one worth learning from especially if this will be seen by many kids around the world.

Watch Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The movie on Netflix.

Tekken: Bloodline

I wasn’t too hot on the art style when I first saw the trailer for Tekken:Bloodline, But between this and the Ultraman anime on Netflix, I guess I’m starting to warm up to it.

I’m not too familiar with the story behind Tekken. And the only game I really spent a significant amount of time on is Tekken 3 – which is great because it seems like it’s the game that the show is most loosely based on.

Netflix’s take focuses squarely on Jin Kazama and his family, hence the “bloodline” tag. I watched all six episodes in one sitting and, more than anything, I feel like it could have used a few more episodes.

The only character you can really invest in is Jin. And perhaps that’s by design. But Tekken is filled with plenty of colorful characters that can certainly be fleshed out with more episodes.

I sincerely hope more people watch it because I’d love to see more of it animated.

Watch Tekken: Bloodline on Netflix.

Other things I’ve dabbled in

Sonic The Hedgehog 2

I missed this in the cinemas but thankfully, I was able to catch it as an in-flight entertainment. It’s a little more unhinged than the first one. The whole sequence with Sonic and Tails together was pretty darn weird. I’m not sure Idris Elba was the best choice to voice Knuckles. And Jim Carrey was fantastic as always. It’s a wild ride but there are probably better things to do than spend over two hours watching this. Unless, you’re in a long-haul flight like I was.

Tower of Fantasy

The Tencent game that boldly claimed to be the next Genshin Impact. As of writing, Tower of Fantasy seems to be enjoying a plethora of players. But with any MMORPG, the challenge is being able to sustain this momentum. I’ve played a little bit and as I was thinking about what to write, I realized one thing – I’m not an MMO enjoyer. I totally skipped the whole Ragnarok wave and everything else that came after. That’s not to say that I think the game is bad. I was just not looking at it properly.

What I’m looking forward to

She-hulk

I have surprisingly been able to keep up with Marvel’s offerings. I guess I’m an MCU nut after all. Ms. Marvel was fun but teenager me would’ve enjoyed it more. It was great for representation and the finalé had a couple of big reveals that’ll affect the greater MCU picture.

Now comes She-Hulk. I’ve seen the trailers and reactions to the first episode but I have yet to watch it myself. I’ll probably wait until the series has wrapped up and binge it on a weekend. I’m excited to do so because it looks like it might not be a usual MCU thing. Hope it turns out great.

Watch She-Hulk on Disney+

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero

Gohan is my favorite Dragon Ball character. After his being relegated to the side since the Buu Saga in Dragon Ball Z, Gohan has been on a downward spiral with his lowest moment probably coming in the Resurrection F movie.

But Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero looks to rectify that. I’ve already been spoiled with the transformation he’s going to make but I still am looking forward to watching the movie and seeing how it unfolds. Bad-ass Gohan is back and I’m here for it.

NBA 2K23

NBA 2K is my comfort game. I have been playing NBA simulations since NBA Live 98. And I use basketball to relax my mind. 2K seems to be adding plenty of new things to keep it interesting. I’ll detail everything that’s new in a separate article. But as always, I can’t wait to play it.

Entertainment

A Minecraft Movie is getting a sequel

It’s scheduled to premiere in July 2027.

Published

October 10, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

A Minecraft Movie was decidedly not for me. However, there’s no denying how much the movie was so effective for younger fans and gamers who grew up with Minecraft. It’s one of the highest-grossing movies this year. Even if I didn’t personally like it, I still consider it a success for videogame adaptations. Now, recognizing the film’s success, Warner Bros. has signed off on a sequel to Jack Black’s blocky caper, as confirmed by Variety.

It’s a mystery where the sequel will take players. Not to spoil anything, but the original movie did end with virtually loose ends neatly tied into a bow. Then again, Minecraft is an endless well of content. Where one story ends, another can just as easily open up in its place. As a game, it’s a completely open sandbox where nothing is limited.

However, to establish continuity, the sequel is reportedly tapping the talents of director Jared Hess once again. Chris Galleta might also come back to write the screenplay.

Interestingly, Jack Black is not confirmed yet. But given how much of a star he was as Steve, it’s hard to imagine a sequel without his energy, so it’s likely that he’s coming back. On a more positive note, Jason Momoa, who co-starred as Garrett Garrison, is expected to co-produce the sequel.

Warner Bros. has currently scheduled the sequel’s premiere on July 23, 2027.

SEE ALSO: Now Playing: A Minecraft Movie

Entertainment

Is this baby Rosalina in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie?

The unnamed baby is wearing the same colors and has a wand.

Published

October 8, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

Less than a month ago, Nintendo announced a sequel to the widely lauded Super Mario Bros. Movie. The upcoming Super Mario Galaxy Movie will take audiences to outer space. It’s based, of course, on the game of the same name. Since the movie is coming out in the first half of 2026, Nintendo doesn’t have a lot of time to hype audiences for the sequel. However, the company might have just sneakily released its first teaser.

Right now, we don’t know much about the sequel’s story. All we know is that most of the main cast is coming back to reprise their roles, including Jack Black as Bowser. However, we still haven’t seen hints of a new character critical to the Galaxy series: Rosalina.

Today, Nintendo posted a mysterious video, titled Close to You, on its social platforms. The four-minute animated video shows an unnamed baby playing in their room. Suddenly, their pacifier starts floating away. The baby tries to get it back, but it floats to a mobile high up above the baby’s crib. The baby then presumably takes their first steps and falls before their mom catches them. Then, the video ends abruptly without so much as a title card.

Though the video is a mystery, there’s a high chance that the baby is Rosalina, Super Mario Galaxy’s space princess. The baby, who is also blonde, is coincidentally wearing the same colors as Rosalina. For a short time, they’re also holding what looks like a wand. Could this be a baby Rosalina?

Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait for Nintendo to confirm the baby’s identity… or even what this video is about. If it is a teaser for the movie, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie premieres on April 3, 2026.

Entertainment

I took the vivo V60 to Han So Hee’s fanmeet

Fan energy, camera tested

Published

October 3, 2025

Rodneil Quiteles

Photos shot on the vivo V60

It’s not every day you get to see Han So Hee in person. On September 13, I found myself at her Manila fan meeting. This was my first time at a fan meet, and the energy was noticeably different from the K-Pop girl group concerts I frequent—softer, more intimate, but just as filled with devotion.

Han So Hee was visibly tired, but that almost made the night more moving. You could see her push through with genuine effort to show appreciation for her fans. At one point, she even stepped off the stage to take a selfie with a fan who had shared a deeply personal story. I wasn’t fast enough to capture it, but the moment spoke volumes.

This isn’t the aforementioned moment. Close enough, though.

The fanmeet

The program had playful bits too. A highlight was when she was asked to copy poses from fan art. It was a treat both for the fans and for my camera—visually sharp, fun to shoot, and perfectly suited for social feeds.

Somewhere in between, she also revealed a small but telling personal preference: she’s a binge-watcher. She wants to know how a story ends, so she’d rather power through a series than wait week after week.

So Hee thinking about her answer during the quiz session where we learned she’s a binge-watcher.

And then there was the hi-touch session. I wasn’t sure how I’d react until it was my turn. I walked up, scrunched my nose at her, and she did the same back.

It wasn’t a hi-five, it was a firmware upgrade for my soul.

We weren’t allowed to take photos or videos during hi-touch so this is So Hee with a cute pouty face instead.

The funny thing is, before the event, a friend had asked me which of her dramas they should watch. Without hesitation, I rattled off a list—My Name and Soundtrack #1 topping my recommendations. That’s when I realized I wasn’t just there to test a device. Somewhere along the way, I’d actually become a fan.

vivo V60

Still, I did bring along the vivo V60. Seated further from the stage, it became the perfect challenge for the phone’s telephoto camera and Stage Mode. I was a bit disappointed to learn that Stage Mode only worked for photos this time around. I’d had such a good time using it for fancams on the vivo X200 Pro that it felt like a step back.

Even so, the V60 held up. Shots within a reasonable range looked clean, and those where I didn’t push the zoom too hard were the best. Once you go beyond 10x, things get dicey.

At that point, it’s less ‘zoom’ and more ‘interpretive art,’ but Han So Hee’s face card refused to fold.

But that’s also the charm—having a camera that helps you capture fleeting moments, even from a distance, made me appreciate the fan meeting differently.

That night wasn’t really about testing tech. It was about being present for a star who, despite the fatigue, showed up wholeheartedly. The V60 was just my lens into it all—a reminder that sometimes the best shots are the ones that let you relive how it felt to be there.