The latest instalment in the “Iwata Asks” interview series on the official Nintendo website, focuses on Link’s Crossbow Training. As he chats to Shigeru Miyamoto about the development process of the game, you’re bound to learn lots about the making of this thrilling instalment in the critically acclaimed Zelda franchise…

 …who am I kidding? Did you even buy it? I’ve told you it’s there, I’ve done my part. Read it if you want. It’s actually quite interesting, for what it’s worth.

Iwata Asks: Link’s Crossbow Training

The first of many community-wide projects, the Zelda Blog has relaunched. It already has some cracking editorial, for example:

“…a crybaby, really turned people off.” in Zant: A Story of Revenge

“(Insert link to image)” in Ocarina of Time for the DS?

 ”Any real fan knows that Link is silent, but deadly.” in Link Keller - The Silent Hero

“Suffice to say, FSA was no more than a series of cruel genetic abominations that involved LttP’s Link and Minish Cap’s Link, combined together to and cloned into four mutated, bastardized Links that spread havoc and chaos throughout Hyrule with endless supplies of annoyingness.” in The Hylian Collective

Fans won’t have long to wait after getting their first taste of the Zelda manga series (volume 1 of which is released October 7th), as Amazon.com are listing volume 2 (of 2) of the Ocarina of Time adaptation for a December 2nd release - less than two months after the first. A good move for Viz Media, who often use lengthy release schedules for short, popular series.

A few months ago you may remember I made a shameless plug to a new site I’d opened, Saved or Sinner. Well, this is the sequel, though slightly more justified than the first because over the past couple of months I’ve (oddly) had some emails asking whether I was ever going to reopen my long-defunct blog. Well, yes and no. The Escapades is my blogslashportfolio, though these days I happen to be less concerned about things that are going on in the world so I’d expect less blog than portfolio. Still, if you don’t mind articles of an 18+ if not downright illegal nature, check it out!

The concluding chapter of the hilarious ”The King of Hyrule is a Jerk” webcomic, providing an twisted retelling of the Wind Waker, has been posted on the creator’s livejournal (beware, there are plot spoilers). And it looks like the king has left a bad influence on Link!

Super Smash Bros. Brawl - 27th June

 In an interview with video game site 1UP, Shigeru Miyamoto made an interesting statement about the status of the “Zelda team” working at Nintendo.

 ”(…) we do have the existing teams at Nintendo working on the kinds of products we’ve always made over the years. The Zelda team is forming again to work on new games! But to me, it’s about finding these new interactive experiences and bringing them to people.”

 Interesting, yet ambiguous. While it’s easy to assume the new games are Zelda games, Shigsy didn’t actually say that. So you could gather from this short quote that the Zelda team are working on something completely new! Though if Shigsy is referring to a Zelda game, this is just another of the many whispers we’ve heard about it - we know it exists, or will exist in the near future, but there’s still no real information about it. The Nintendo Media Summit recently passed without a peep of Zelda. Perhaps at this year’s E3? Stay tuned…

 (I apologise for the slightly late arrival of this news nugget - I have spent the last two days of my life starving myself for charity, eating to make up for it, sleeping (because starving yourself leaves you with little energy), then going to a Ceilidh. It’s pronounced “Kayleigh” and is a Scottish dance thing. They’re fun, you should try them.)

Part 1
Parts 2 and 3

You can imagine how they’ll spin the game’s ending for the concluding chapter! Brilliant.

Zentendo have published more information about the recently discovered American publication of the Zelda manga series. Both volumes follow the story of the most successful Zelda yet, Ocarina of Time, and volume one should be out this October. Presumably, should the manga be successful Viz will translate and publish others in the series, which cover everything from A Link to the Past through to Four Swords Adventures.

Various shops are listing an October 7th release date for a curiously titled book, “The Legend of Zelda: Volume 1″. This appears to be the long-awaited English release of the Zelda manga series by Akira Himekawa (which is actually the pen-name for a creative duo). Himekawa has (have) created manga adaptations of many Zelda video games, including Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask and Link to the Past, creating nine volumes (or ”Tankobon” for you Japan-jargon-lovers) to date. While faithful adaptations, some changes are made to the plot, there are some bonus side-stories not featured in the games, and most notably, Link speaks!

Viz Media, one of the US’s biggest manga publishers which have popular titles such as Naruto, Bleach and Fullmetal Alchemist under their belt, appears to be the publisher. It is unknown where exactly they are starting with the releases, though it would be logical to assume they will start with the Ocarina of Time adaptation - the first created, and undoubtedly the most popular. Also, due to the ambiguous title on the listings, we don’t know if Viz are planning to release each separate game adaptation as separate series or as the one, nine-volume series.

Regardless of the trivialities, the Zelda manga series has always been a grey area for Western fans - many resorting to reading online translations (or even importing and pretending they understand Japanese!), so this news will undoubtedly please, especially Zelda fans who dabble in anime.

(Note: While Viz Media are an American company, their titles are quite easy to get ahold of in UK bookstores, and especially on shopping sites such as Amazon. So don’t worry about that costly importing, fellow Brits.)

Source (Anime News Network)