Ikaruga in Stores Today, PLUS Contest Rules!

From the front page (slightly modified and with a link to artwork):

To commemorate the release of <i>Ikaruga</i>, we are giving away a gift package that includes

<ul type="square"><li>one copy of Ikaruga for the Nintendo GameCube</li>
<li>one <i>limited-edition</i> poster</li>
<li>one oversized <i>Ikaruga</i> box</li>
<li>one <i>Ikaruga</i> sake set</li></ul>In addition, <b>two runners-up will each receive a copy of the game</b>. Pretty darn sweet, eh?

All you have to do to enter is find our review of <i>Ikaruga</i> for the Dreamcast (HINT: Use the "Reviews" link at the top of the page, then go to the Dreamcast section of our Review Archive) and e-mail us the name of the staff member who wrote that review, along with your full name and shipping address. We will draw three names at random (from all the correct entries) on May 1st to decide the winners. Prizes will be shipped shortly thereafter.

Only one entry is allowed per person and per address, and we will only ship to the U.S. and Canada. We reserve the right to add to or otherwise modify every element of this promotion at any time, and all our decisions in this giveaway are final and not up for debate. We got this stuff and we're sharing it with you. So let's all be nice.

Entries will be accepted at contests@the-nextlevel.com up until the end of the day April 30 (EST). Of course, staff members of The Next Level and their immediate families are not eligible to win.

(We're not going to be tricky, so all of you that have already mailed in the writer's full name can chill out. The nickname is just fine. It's us, dude! The Next Level!)

<center><img src="http://www.the-nextlevel.com/news/0304/ikaruga/sakesakenow.gif" width="400" height="300"></center>
<i>Ikaruga</i>, of course, is the Treasure shooter that came out in Japan last year and nearly caused this forum to implode. The GameCube release adds a World Ranking mode so you can post your high scores on the Internet for all to mock . . . er, all to see. There is also a slow-motion mode to help you perfect your timing and a Challenge mode for those not disciplined enough to confine themselves to one continue without computer intervention.

For some <i>Ikaruga</i> artwork, go here:

<a href="http://www.the-nextlevel.com/news/0304/ikaruga/image_01.html" target="_blank">http://www.the-nextlevel.com/news/03.../image_01.html</a>

We have thirty-one color and black-and-white renderings of various ships and characters. Give it a look. There is some nice work in there.

At the risk of sounding retarded, what the fuck is a sake?

A Japanese alcoholic drink made from rice. It's pronounced "SAH-kee" and drinking it seems to be a profoundly significant event to some people.

Seriously, I live in europe, if I'm allowed to enter the contest and against all odds win I will pay for the shipping. For the love of god don't refuse me the right to enter the competition!

Hm. Let us get back to you on that.

Don't let him in, he looks shady...

If the gift pack does not go to the Treasure Fanboy here, people may get hurt.

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Originally posted by bbobb
If the gift pack does not go to the Treasure Fanboy here, people may get hurt.

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No, the grand prize should obviously go to the starter of the legendary Ikaruga thread. :D

I'm gonna enter this puppy, this is one of my most anticipated GC games of the year.

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Originally posted by Nick
It's pronounced "SAH-kee"

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Actually no. If you mean "ee" as in "feet", then I'm afraid you're mistaken. It's really pronounced "sa-kay", with NO syllable stress, though the "kay" is short, not long (english doesn't have a short "ei" sound, only the long dipthong--unlike Japanese). The "a" sound in "sa" is the same "a" sound in a word like "father".

I'm a linguist BTW.;)

Thanks for not mentioning that the staff couldn't enter, Nick. :p

Blueskied, every time I have heard the anglicized version of the word, it has had the long "i" ("double e") sound at the end. I know the Japanese language doesn't have syllable stresses like English, but I am not going for the Japanese pronunciation here, anymore than I would use the Japanese word for "rice" when describing what sake was made from.

I am a budding philologist, BTW. ;) Nice to meet you.

Horray more contests! Too bad I lack a Gamecube (now atleast)

If I quit, can I enter? :lol:

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Originally posted by Nick
Blueskied, every time I have heard the anglicized version of the word, it has had the long "i" ("double e") sound at the end. I know the Japanese language doesn't have syllable stresses like English, but I am not going for the Japanese pronunciation here, anymore than I would use the Japanese word for "rice" when describing what sake was made from.

I am a budding philologist, BTW. ;) Nice to meet you.

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Japanese loans in English are often butchered (Sake, Karaoke, Kamikaze, etc), much the same as English loans are butchered when borrowed into Japanese. This butchering process is usually due to the phonological makeup of the borrowing language, but with words like "sake", it's mainly due to ignorance of the true native pronunciation and general laziness by the populous. So it rather irritates me. :lol: Any English speaking person can say "sa-kay" just as easily as they can mutter out "SAH-kee". The analogy of using the Japanese word for "rice" (which is 'kome' BTW) when describing 'sake' is not accurate--you're comparing substituting an entire (alien) morpheme to a relatively minor phonological alteration in the pronunciation of a loanword.

Some dialects of Japanese DO actually pronounce "sake" as "saki". But I'm referring to standard Tokyo dialect here, much as you'd refer to Standard English when describing the pronunciation of a word like "three" (which, for example, in Hawaii Creole English, is pronounced as "tree").

Nice to meet you too.:D

What the winner's sake set MAY or MAY NOT look like:

[thumbnail]http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/pubimage.asp?id_=1916704[/thumbnail]

Photo lovingly stolen from a post on our forums.

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Originally posted by blueskied
I'm a linguist BTW.;)

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Quote:

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Originally posted by Nick
I am a budding philologist, BTW. ;) Nice to meet you.

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I'm an alcholic, and a smoothie maker.

Pleasure to meet the both of you...

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Originally posted by burgundy
What the winner's sake set MAY or MAY NOT look like:

[thumbnail]http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/pubimage.asp?id_=1916704[/thumbnail]

Photo lovingly stolen from a post on our forums.

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That's pretty freaking nice. Maybe I'll take up sake drinking if'n I win. :D

This would be great for my , oh so close to completed , collection

Is everyone collecting Treasure items nowadays?

Face it, the word "sake" has been assimilated into the language and it has an accepted American English pronunciation.

I speak Greek. Do you know how many times a month I hear bastardizations of Greek pronunciation that almost burn my ears (figuratively ^_^ )? Words like "beta" in English sound so different from the Greek originals that a native speaker would probably never realize they were related if it were never pointed out. Can people in the English-speaking world say "VEE-ta"? Yep.

But when I hear how famous names like Praxiteles (GREEK: prah-ksee-TEL-ees, ENGLISH DUDE: prah-KSIT-uh-lees) and Demosthenes (similar situation) are pronounced in humanities classes, do you think I raise my hand and provide the "correct" pronunciation? Nope, because the "wrong" way is the right way here, just like in "SAH-kee." Those pronunciations became standard over time because they roll off the untrained tongue and out of the mouth-on-the-street just that much more smoothly.

Now, if you'll excuse me, friend, I'm kinda hungry. I think I'll go grab some MAY-hi-can food. :p

(The above rant is meant in the sincere spirit of brotherhood and intellectual debate, and should in no way be taken as pig-headedness or argumentitiveness. Who loves ya, baby?)

In case anyone cares its acutally in stores tomorrow

today is the shipping date

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Originally posted by Shin Johnpv
In case anyone cares its acutally in stores tomorrow

today is the shipping date

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Ha, that goes without saying (I've been tricked too many times by these so called "release dates").

Very cool giveaway, BTW.

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Originally posted by Nick
Face it, the word "sake" has been assimilated into the language and it has an accepted American English pronunciation.

I speak Greek. Do you know how many times a month I hear bastardizations of Greek pronunciation that almost burn my ears (figuratively ^_^ )? Words like "beta" in English sound so different from the Greek originals that a native speaker would probably never realize they were related if it were never pointed out. Can people in the English-speaking world say "VEE-ta"? Yep.

But when I hear how famous names like Praxiteles (GREEK: prah-ksee-TEL-ees, ENGLISH DUDE: prah-KSIT-uh-lees) and Demosthenes (similar situation) are pronounced in humanities classes, do you think I raise my hand and provide the "correct" pronunciation? Nope, because the "wrong" way is the right way here, just like in "SAH-kee." Those pronunciations became standard over time because they roll off the untrained tongue and out of the mouth-on-the-street just that much more smoothly.

Now, if you'll excuse me, friend, I'm kinda hungry. I think I'll go grab some MAY-hi-can food. :p

(The above rant is meant in the sincere spirit of brotherhood and intellectual debate, and should in no way be taken as pig-headedness or argumentitiveness. Who loves ya, baby?)

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I hope this is enough to stave off any other posts from blueskied on this topic.

Just the fact that we aren't using the character set native to Japan, or Greece, or Russia, or China, or Korea, or wherever else that doest use a Roman alphabet should tell you that pronunciations will get lost, hell its like that with everything.

If you speak the language, or know how to pronounce it right, just say it like that, but dont act like an ass when somebody pronounces it wrong. I always ask for "yeeros" when Im at "Gyro Place" in the mall, for example. And I would say I want to go to "ka-ra-o-kay" instead of "kareeokee". But I dont know how to say much else in Greek correctly, and if someone goes off on me like a lunatic, or even like a half-lunatic/intellectual snob, thats the last time Im gonna talk to them. I mean, just think about it - unless your in French class, like youre in say a Writing course, how often does your professor correct you on butchered prononciations of French words? Even if they pronounce it "proper". If they do instead of focusing on the discussion at hand, they are a lousy professor. Which is what is happening now - instead of talking about Ikaruga people are arguing over KEE or KAY.

But this is a stupid stupid argument.

Yeah. This is getting cheesier than a box of Vel-beta.

*wonders if people should be directed to his earlier post*

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Originally posted by J2d
Is everyone collecting Treasure items nowadays?

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It's starting to seem that way. :mad: Well my collection was complete long before all these posers though. :p

People that insist it's "sah-kay" instead of "sah-kee" are the same people that insist it's "enjambement" [en-jam-bay-mah] instead of enjambment--they're just trying to be bad.

If I won, I couldn't help but feel bad for all those people who jerk off to Ikaruga, and Treasure in general...

...but holding in all that laughter towards bbobb would be really hard.

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Originally posted by bbobb
It's starting to seem that way. :mad: Well my collection was complete long before all these posers though. :p

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Yea that's a fine collection you got there bbobb, but do you own every soundtrack? Seems like a must have for a Treasure nut like yourself.

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Originally posted by OmniGear
If I won, I couldn't help but feel bad for all those people who jerk off to Ikaruga, and Treasure in general...

...but holding in all that laughter towards bbobb would be really hard.

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Just for the record, I would be forced to kill you if you were to win. :wiley:

Your bolbous ass wouldn't stand a chance.

In fact, I say fuck the contest. Let's pick the two biggest Treasure fans, and have 'em duke it out. We could tape it and everything.

It just seems like the only right way to do it.

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It's starting to seem that way. Well my collection was complete long before all these posers though.

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I started collecting before I ever came to TNL and saw your collection bbobb, but you definatly get points for being done way before me. I started a year and half ago I think, can't remember exactly.

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Originally posted by bbobb
Well my collection was complete long before all these posers though. :p

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Have the Arcade versions of Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga, and Gunstar Heroes? Have the Game Gear versions of Gunstar Heroes and Dynamite Headdy? Have all regional versions of each game? If so, I'm impressed. If not, your Treasure collection is not yet complete :p

Edit: Forgot the arcade version of Gunbeat.

Thanks for the art gallery, by the way. Great stuff!

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Originally posted by Shin Johnpv
In case anyone cares its acutally in stores tomorrow

today is the shipping date

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Actually EB already has it :p

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Originally posted by bahn
Actually EB already has it :p

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DAMN EB TO HELL!!!!

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Originally posted by Nick
Yeah. This is getting cheesier than a box of Vel-beta.

*wonders if people should be directed to his earlier post*

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This, I found, was particularly funny. :D

Er, I'm inclined to agree with blueskied. It's not like Japanese is tonal or anything; with only about 120 sounds (compared to the thousands in English and Chinese), it's not too much to ask for a ballpark correct pronunciation, is it!? :confused: I know I cringed when I heard "harey carey" (harakiri) on Smallville... ugh.

Besides, the game is called "Ikaruga." No doubt there have been discussions on the pronunciation of the word, much less the meaning, so this is still relevant! :p Even if you don't "flick the tongue" for the Japanese "r" sound, for god's sakes, don't pronounce it "eye-kuh-roo-guh" or some crap like that! :o

I'm no linguist or anything, just a lowly Japanese 3 student. But that's about 270 kanji more than the rest of ya! ;)

(I, uh, hope I didn't just disqualify myself, here)

I call it Eye-kah-roo-gah, because I am an American. It doesn't bother me when I talk to Asians and they don't pronounce American words exactly like I do. Words are just words, and they become the property of whomever has them on their tongue, to do with what they wish. You say toh-may-toe, and I say toh-mah-toe.

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Originally posted by LX
Edit: Forgot the arcade version of Gunbeat.

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...Which would require breaking into Treasure's offices and hoping they still have the partial production stuff on hard drives somewhere.

http://www.system16.com/sega/hrdw_naomi_page2.html#gb
I thought at least the NAOMI version was released... If not, my bad :)

Ick-ah-roo-guh. Oh, and for good measure- sah-kay, because I heard it pronounced that way in subbed anime first. Hell, if I'd read it first it might have come out "sayk", because that's how it's spelled. :)

James

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Originally posted by LX
http://www.system16.com/sega/hrdw_naomi_page2.html#gb
I thought at least the NAOMI version was released... If not, my bad :)

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Nope, it was never finished. Those screens are among only a handful ever released (about five or six total, I think).

Reno: Die. Painfully.

There is now a picture of PART of the grand prize in the first post in this thread. Thanks Reno. Not sure why Mech wished death on you there.

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Originally posted by Triple Lei
I'm no linguist or anything, just a lowly Japanese 3 student. But that's about 270 kanji more than the rest of ya! ;)

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Japanese students dont (or shouldnt) care about how many characters they know, or brag about it... when it comes to reading Japanese, either you know all of them (or pretty much all of them), or none at all. Knowing 270 isn't that much different from knowing 20. You can't really read a book or newspaper by knowing 300, or 500, so why bother bragging about it.

I mean, congrarurations, you know 270 out of what, 2600? :rolleyes:

Diffusionx continues his inevitable descent into EThuggery. :p

for real. this inevitable trolling must cease. ;)

On topic:

Even the narrator in the Einhänder intro mispronounced the name of the game.


Off topic:

diffusionx, are you really an asshole or is this just a friendly, sarcastic ribbing, like what I wrote? The newspaper list is 1,945 if I remember. What you wrote is true (and you didn't even mention the "name only" readings), but there are always dictionaries for that, right?

Of course I know about "enryo," but I didn't think anyone would really care when I mentioned a number. Personally I keep count for fun, as it is one of my hobbies. And unlike 90+% of the people in my Japanese 1 class, I didn't take the class because of anime or videogames. At least I find Chinese characters interesting... so interesting I went and bought a book called "The Chinese Language: Fact and Fantasy." 700 is my short-term goal, since according to some reviewer on amazon.com, it's then when I should get one of those famous "Nelson" dictionaries.

I'll end with this, which I found on one of my favorite sites:

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Now a bit of statistics. If you have learned 500 Japanese kanji (out of the 2000 required to read the Japanese newspapers), you can read 60% of the entire Japanese dictionary (excluding proper names). How is that? The first 500 kanji represent the most used kanji in Japanese and many of them are used in hundreds of Japanese words. If you have learned 1000 kanji, you can read 85% of the Japanese dictionary (excluding proper names). Kanji after the first 1000 are mostly used in very few words (often, it is only used in 1 word).

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I think he's really ...n/m

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Originally posted by Nick
Diffusionx continues his inevitable descent into EThuggery. :p

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Hey, problem resolved, nothing more to see... I want that fucking Ikaruga sake set, btw.

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Originally posted by diffusionx
Hey, problem resolved . . .

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Good. Let's talk hosting.

Im gonna brainstorm a little bit when I have some free time (my brain is mired in a mess of real analysis, japanese, medieval artwork, Aimee Cesaire, and Fanon right now, you must forgive me) and Ill get back to you tomorrow.

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Originally posted by OmniGear
Your bolbous ass wouldn't stand a chance.

In fact, I say fuck the contest. Let's pick the two biggest Treasure fans, and have 'em duke it out. We could tape it and everything.

It just seems like the only right way to do it.

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BUMFIGHTS 2003!!!

I'd gladly fight Mechdeus for the title of biggest Ikaruga fan. :) *-neo

So Nick, have you decided yet if europeans etc can enter the contest(if they pay the shipping themselves of course)?

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Originally posted by neoalphazero
BUMFIGHTS 2003!!!

I'd gladly fight Mechdeus for the title of biggest Ikaruga fan. :) *-neo

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I don't know dude. Nick says, "Don't be a loser." He'd get major points for that.

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Originally posted by neoalphazero
BUMFIGHTS 2003!!!

I'd gladly fight Mechdeus for the title of biggest Ikaruga fan. :) *-neo

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I'm down with it. We can even videotape and post it on the net, where it will be sure to be passed around on messageboards. Well, TNL, in any case.

This is sickening. You should all be ashamed.

I'm sorry... who are you again?

He joined to enter the contest.

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only entries from the United States and Canada will be valid.

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:rolleyes:

something wrong with your eyes? ;)

*takes break from punching the wall*

yes..

ah. hope a doctor can help you with that. ^_^

So...When does the drawing take place?

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Originally posted by Captain Vegetable
So...When does the drawing take place?

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It already happened, you don't visit the main page much do you ;) :)

http://www.the-nextlevel.com/

congrats to the winners. thanks lords of tnl for offer such great contests...

Congrats to the winners!

Damn the winners. :p

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Originally posted by bbobb
Damn the winners. :p

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johnk_, you'll send me that Iky grand prize pack if you know what's good for ya... :p