The Panasonic 15mm f/1.7 Leica Summilux DG ASPH is a Micro Four Thirds lens with an equivalent focal length of 30mm and a short minimum focusing distance.

These days, it seems like every protagonist is edgy and serious--with maybe the exception of cartoon mascots--across movies, games, TV, and wherever else you can imagine. Leave it to the Like a Dragon game series, which is essentially a playable Japanese-crime soap opera when you get down to it, to rethink that idea. Ichiban Kasuga is a refreshing, powerful antithesis to that, and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth put his optimistic, unironic outlook on the world to the test--one he passes with flying colors.Warning: We'll be discussing some spoilers from very early and very late in the game. This picture of Ichiban is your chance to back out now.Like a Dragon: Yakuza introduced us to Ichiban for the first time. As a longtime fan of the series, I was initially suspicious. I wondered, who's this guy? Who's this goofy-looking dork with hair like he bit down too hard on a live wire?Continue Reading at GameSpot

One of the most recognizable and beloved aspects of the entire Dragon Ball power system has to do with the ultimate attacks of each character. Though most characters in the series have attacks that are quite varied and serve many functions, they tend to have one ultimate technique that leaves all others in the dust in terms of power and effectiveness. These are the iconic ones whose names are typically yelled out before the user fires them.

Does Torterra even know what's happening on its back?

The world of anime is no stranger to power-ups. In fact, this is one of the most exciting parts of this medium. From Dragon Balls Super Saiyan to Jujutsu Kaisens Domain Expansion, its always exciting to watch heroesand sometimes villainsunlock incredible abilities to overcome their foes. With that in mind, lets dive into some of the most iconic power-ups in Naruto, one of the most legendary Shounen series of all time.

Were already at the end of 2024? They say time flies when youre having fun, and boy, did we ever have a blast this year. We started with top-notch RPGs Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, dove headfirst into the multiplayer chaos of Helldivers II, enjoyed gorgeous combat in Stellar Blade, went on a nostalgia trip with Astro Bot, revisited old gaming grounds in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and Silent Hill 2 and so much more. But with a new year comes the promise of many new gaming experiences, and the first four months of 2025 are already jam-packed with standout titles. Lets look at some of the great games youll have the opportunity to experience in the next few months.Note: all release dates are subject to change.January 17 | Dynasty Warriors: OriginsPlay VideoGamings most epic retelling of the historical Three Kingdoms saga returns in its most ambitious entry yet. Dynasty Warriors: Origins begins at the start of the story, as a new martial artist hero encounters the soon-to-be-legendary figures Guan Yu and Zhang Jiao just as history takes drastic turns. Origins features the most detailed battlefields in the series to date, each one packed with soldiers that you and your allies must overcome with a mix of action and strategy. Whether youre a fresh-faced recruit or a seasoned Warriors expert, Origins is bound to surprise and exhilarate with story and action.Publisher: Koei Tecmo | Developer: Omega Force | PS5January 23 | Synduality: Echo of AdaPlay VideoMecha combat and exploration combine in a gorgeous but dangerous post-apocalyptic third-person shooter. Based in the same universe as the Synduality: Noir anime, Echo of Ada is a stand-alone story based in a future where the remnants of humanity have been forced into small clusters due to the double threat of deadly rainfall and the vicious creature it spawns. As an apprentice Drifter, you use a mech called a Cradlecoffin to collect essential energy sources, accompanied by an intelligent and powerful AI called a Magus. Customize your mecha and use Maguss abilities to conquer the fierce Ender creatures and other players.Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment | Developer: Game Studio | PS5January 30 | Marvels Spider-Man 2Play VideoMarvels Spider-Man 2, the acclaimed, award-winning sequel, is swinging on over to PCs early next year. This game is a web-slinging open-world adventure on the streets and in the skies around New York City. It stars Peter Parker and Miles Morales, two of the greatest to don the Spider-suit. Theyll use a repertoire of skills and gadgetryalong with the fan-beloved symbiote suitto battle Kraven and his gang of Hunters.Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Developer: Insomniac Games | PCFebruary 11 | Sid Meiers Civilization VIIPlay VideoStrategy fans, get ready for the game that will consume you. Yes, the legendary Civilization series has returned. Once again, youll lead your little pocket of humanity to grow and thrive over the ages into a culture envied the world over. Choose one of three distinct historical agesAntiquity, Exploration, and Moderneach offering bespoke gameplay elements and playable civilizationsand confront a challenging Crisis before moving into the next historical period. With leaders, you can choose to be independent of your civilization, follow the path of established history, or veer off into wild what-if scenarios.Publisher: 2K | Developer: Firaxis Games | PS5, PS4February 14 | Assassins Creed ShadowsPlay VideoOne of the most beloved and revered series in gaming returns with a new setting, dual protagonists, and all of the mystery and intrigue youve come to expect. Set in Sengoku-era Japan, youll control both female ninja Naoe and samurai warrior Yasuke in an ever-changing open world filled with friends, foes, quests, and secrets. Not only will you use the series trademark stealth elements to explore and take down foes and targets, but youll also be able to utilize new tools and wield various traditional Japanese weapons. Your skills and senses will prove as essential to victory as your prowess with the blade.Publisher: Ubisoft | Developer: Ubisoft | PS5February 14 | Tomb Raider IV-VI RemasteredPlay VideoIts time to revisit an oft-forgotten period in the history of one of gamings leading ladies. Lara Croft returns to the spotlight with three more remasters of vintage Tomb Raider titles. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Tomb Raider Chronicles, and Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness. Besides a host of graphical improvements and a choice between classic and modern controls, players will have access to a brand-new photo mode with plenty of poses and outfits to create cool, stylish showcases for Lara.Publisher: Aspyr | Developer: Crystal Dynamics | PS5, PS4February 21 | Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in HawaiiPlay VideoLongtime followers of the Like a Dragon saga know that Mad Dog Goro Majima has typically been slightly strange. His latest escapade, however, is wickedly bizarre even by Majimas standards. After getting stuck on a faraway island and losing his memories, Majima emerges as a new man: a scoundrel of the seas! But since hes still Majima at heart, prepare for delightfully unhinged seafaring beatdowns. Use Majimas Mad Dog and Sea Dog combat styles to lay the smackdown on punks on the shores of Honolulu and Madlantis, or take to the seas for really old-school cannon combatalongside all the odd jobs, minigames, and karaoke youve come to love from the series.Publisher: Sega | Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio | PS5, PS4February 28 | Monster Hunter WildsPlay VideoNo matter where you go in the vast universe of Monster Hunter, theres no shortage of really, really big game to take down. When a region is called Forbidden Lands, you know its probably bad newsand everyone thought it was completely uninhabitable. That is, until a young boy from the Forbidden Lands shows up, saying that a monster called the White Wraith ransacked a previously unknown settlement. Time to grab your weapons and gear to hunt down that sucker (and a whole rogues gallery of nasty critters). Whether you hunt in the Forbidden Lands solo or online with companions, youre bound to have a thrilling adventure.Publisher: Capcom | Developer: Capcom | PS5March 6 | Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification WarsPlay VideoStaging a rebellion against a corrupt government isnt easy, but the odds look slightly better when youve got 107 friends standing behind you. Suikoden I & II HD Remaster is a collection of two of the original PlayStations finest turn-based RPGs, each featuring a twist-filled story of conflict, heartbreak, friendship, and perseverance in times of war and strife. In both games, youll go from a small band of rebels to building a formidable fortress by recruiting members of the 108 Stars of Destiny, warriors, wizards, and lovable weirdos who unite under your banner to fight for your cause.Publisher: Konami | Developer: Konami | PS5, PS4March 25 | Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of The Rings GamePlay VideoWhat if you could just spend your days among happy little hobbits in the lush green lands of the Shire? Thats the question answered by Tales of the Shire, a cozy little life-sim game focused on the daily existence of delightful little demi-humanoid hobbits. Travel to the village of Bywater and enjoy some of the finest fishing, crop-raising, foraging, and culinary delights the Shire has to offer, taking in the sights and sounds of daily lifeall while getting to know your fellow hairy-footed neighbors better.Publisher: Private Division | Developer: Weta Workshop | PS5April 21 | Fatal Fury: City of the WolvesView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageOne of the longest-running, most beloved fighting game series of all time returns in a big way. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves brings the saga of Terry Bogard, Rock Haward, and the eclectic citizens of Southtown back to center stage with gorgeous new visuals, finely-tuned combat, and an all-new Rev system that enhances movement and offense options. The cast of characters includes returning favorites like Mai Shiranui, Joe Higashi, and B. Jenet, newcomers like Preecha and Vox Reaper, and Street Fighter guest stars Ken and Chun-Li. Longtime Fatal Fury fans and newcomers alike will enjoy City of Wolves stylish visuals, fast-paced gameplay, and cinematic presentation.Publisher: SNK | Developer: SNK | PS5,PS4To discover more anticipated games of 2025, head to playstation.com.

A recent analysis of Pokmon Trading Card Game Pocket tournaments revealed Gyarados ex is slightly edging out Pikachu ex during serious competition, chipping away at the reputation of a card thats dominated online play since the mobile games Oct. 30 launch.Super Smash Bros. scientist PracticalTAS came to this conclusion by collecting data from three dozen Pokmon TCG Pocket tournaments over a period of nine days in December and assigning decks a meta weight based on both usage and win rate. The result is a handy graphic showing Gyarados ex with a 0.4% advantage over Pikachu ex, Mewtwo ex rounding out the top three, and Celebi ex a distant fourth.Gyarados ex was introduced to Pokmon TCG Pocket two weeks ago via the games first expansion, Mythical Island. Its a powerful card in its own right, boasting 180 HP and a four-energy, 140-damage attack that removes a random energy from the game. The fact that it only requires only one evolution means it can start wreaking havoc early into the game with a lucky Misty.The versatility of Water-type decks also means Gyarados ex can be supported by a bunch of different cards based on personal preference and availability. Current favorites include Greninja, an annoying card that snipes the opponents active Pokmon from the bench, and Mythical Islands new Vaporeon, which allows the transfer of Water energy between Pokmon.But thats not to say Mythical Island hasnt benefited Pikachu ex decks as well. A variant on the rise sees players pair the deadly electric mouse with a regular Pikachu who takes advantage of the same bench-stacking mechanic, an old Raichu that deals a ton of raw damage, a Dedenne that can keep an opponents Pokemon locked in paralysis hell, and a new Electabuzz, like Zebstrika before it, can beat up benched Pokmon.Pokmon TCG Pocket is a much simpler game compared to its big brother, but its fun seeing how much competition has evolved in such a short time despite there being fewer cards and different rules. And honestly, anything that cuts down on the amount of Pikachu ex and Mewtwo ex decks I see while grinding out wins with Golem and Dragonite is a welcome addition.

Elf is one of the few modern Christmas movies to stand the test of time. Star Will Ferrell was just 37 when Jon Favreaus comedy hit theaters in 2003. The films success, combined with a breakout role in Old School, minted the Saturday Night Live vet as a movie star (and Anchorman was just a year away). Ferrell has gone on to do a tremendous amount of work in the last 21 years since Elf, both as an onscreen buffoon and an influential producer (his recent credits include Succession, The Menu, and May December). As showcased in his recent Netflix documentary Will & Harper, which documents his road trip with longtime friend Harper Steele shortly after Harper came out as transgender, he also seems like a genuinely nice guy. So its heartwarming to see him pay respects to Elf, a movie that made him, years and years later in the most Will Ferrell way imaginable. At Sunday nights Los Angeles Kings game, Ferrell rolled in with his family dressed as Buddy. He was very aware that the cameras would inevitably point his direction. I choose to believe this is what the real Buddy the Elf looks like today.Perhaps adding to Elfs everlasting glow as a holiday-timed favorite is the fact that Ferrell never cranked out a sequel. Elf eventually got the Broadway musical treatment and Warner Bros. Animation premiered a stop-motion animated Buddy adventure on NBC in 2014, but there was never real momentum on an Elf 2, despite suggestions by those involved that a screenplay was written. The late actor James Caan, who portrayed Buddys dad in the movie, has suggested that Ferrell and Favreau did not see eye to eye on the set of the original and the friction killed any hope of a sequel. But in an interview earlier this year, Ferrell says he just wasnt happy with the script, which felt like a rehash.I would have had to promote the movie froman honest place, he told The Hollywood Reporter, which wouldve been, like, Ohno, its not good. I just couldnt turn down that much money. And I thought, Can I actually say those words? I dont think I can, so I guess I cant do the movie.So instead we have Ferrell occasionally turning up at live events in his Buddy costume, chugging beer and letting a cigarette dangle out of his mouth. Honestly, it might just be the best pitch for Elf 2 that anyones actually come up with.

For a lucky few, doodling online can be a full-time career. At VidCon Anaheim 2024, Polygon spoke with three artists Haminations, BrodyAnimates, and illymation who turned their love of art and cartoons into full-fledged careers as YouTubers.All three YouTubers create content in the storytime animation genre. This is when an artistnarrates a story, usually comedic or lighthearted in nature, while depicting its events in an animation or animatic an animated storyboard with fewer frames than a traditional animation. The videos usually range somewhere between five and 20 minutes.They also all started their channels around the same time Haminations in 2017 and both illymation and BrodyAnimates in early 2018.For illymation, starting their channel was just an escape from college, she said. I was in animation school and I was only animating to get good grades and that was a pressure I didnt love and I was like, I need to do things for fun again with art, and then unexpectedly I blew up on YouTube.Haminations started by doodling with friends. Hed draw a panel of a comic and pass it to a friend. They wouldnt tell each other what they were planning for the comic, so itd always go in crazy directions, Haminations said. He never thought that people would be very interested in it, but his dad encouraged him to start sharing his comics, and Haminations was created.Animation storytelling is one of several genres that BrodyAnimates has tried on YouTube since he started creating content at the age of 8.Over the past decade, Brody tried videos playing with Mario toys, sketch videos inspired by Smosh, and gaming videos inspired by CaptainSparklez.I was just replicating things I was inspired by, Brody said. In 2018, storytime animation became really popular and people like TheOdd1sOut and JaidenAnimations were really hitting the scene [] and it was the first thing that I was consistent with and people enjoyed.Animators have been on YouTube since its launch in 2005, but storytime animation as a genre didnt start taking off until the 2010s. TheOdd1sOut and JaidenAnimations each hit 1 million subscribers in 2016 and sparked a plethora of similar animation channels popping up in the subsequent years, including these three interviewees.Growing and maintaining their channelsHaminations, BrodyAnimates, and illymation all hire individual teams now to help make their videos. An average Haminations video these days consists of 30-plus workers, helping with tasks such as storyboarding, backgrounds, animation, and audio editing. On the lighter end, an average illymation video credits six people, and BrodyAnimates credits 10 to 15 people per video. Despite the help, generally these three YouTubers like to stay heavily involved with their channels.When I do hire someone on its because we really need it. Because if I were to just think about I dont wanna do this, I dont wanna do that, then I would basically fire myself from my own team, illymation said. There would be nothing left for me to do except manage and thats not fun.Staying heavily involved in each video keeps you aware of how the pipeline is going, so you dont lose focus on the big picture and how everyone has to pass things on to the next person.While some people might jump at the opportunity to hire help, it can be hard letting go of control, particularly when making personal art.Out of my friends, I definitely struggled the most out of giving up control, Brody said. Because as a creative [] you know exactly how you want it, but it got to a point where I was progressing as an artist I was feeling more comfortable in my abilities, which meant I was spending more time on the things I create, which meant I was uploading like every six months. And you know, you kinda just have to find the balance between passion and productivity. And I realized that Im gonna have to make a sacrifice. Im gonna have to either lower my quality or Im gonna have to bring people on to help me maintain that quality.Advice for artists wanting to make YouTube videosAll three YouTubers had similar advice for artists aspiring to make it on the platform: Start, have fun, and follow your passion.Id say the best ways to learn are from other people, illymation said. You dont need the fanciest tools to do what other people do because everyone starts somewhere. [] Just make sure its you having fun.Meanwhile, Brody emphasized the need for passion and persistence. Push through and if youre passionate about it, keep doing it, he said. Pretty much the only thing that can stop you is whenever you decide to stop. [] I think a lot of people stop something before theyve even started it.Start. Simply start, Haminations said. Perfectionism kills peoples journey before it even starts off. [] Everyone has 5,000 bad drawings in them they have to get out first before they can start making the good ones.Evolving beyond YouTubeBoth illymation and Haminations are working on graphic novels.Illymation said to be on the lookout, but that the process takes a lot longer than [she] thought it would because its a book.Itll definitely take a long time to come out, Haminations said of his novel, before mentioning that the writing is pretty much complete. He also gave a quick synopsis of his novels plot:Bryson is trying to get people to like him by being what he thinks they want him to be instead of being himself. Then he gets transported to another dimension and he thinks, Oh maybe the missing piece is magic! So he does a stand up magic act, and it works, but he stepped on someone to do it and accidentally summoned beasts that are manifestations of his negative thinking patterns. Basically, Bryson has to fight the beasts and save the kingdom from himself.So hes kind of an antihero, said Haminations. He also snuck in a lot of therapy stuff that hes a big nerd about and hopes to secretly teach kids about accountability in a way that little [him] wouldve liked to read.If youd like to keep up with these artists, subscribe to their YouTube channels:BrodyAnimatesillymationHaminations

Your flexible spending account (FSA) funds expire tomorrow (or shortly thereafter if you have a rollover periodcheck with your employer on that). This means it's time to scan your medicine cabinet, make a list of anything you need to stock up on, and click "add to cart." The FSA store is an obvious choice for making the most of your remaining funds, but you can also turn to your go-to retail giants. Amazon, Target, Walgreens, and more all offer a dedicated FSA/HSA Shop to help you find eligible items quickly.How to shop FSA-eligible items on AmazonHere's how you can take advantage of Amazon's FSA-eligible items before the end of the year.1. Visit Amazon's FSA Store at amazon.com/fsa2. Look for the "FSA/HSA Eligible" label on product listings3. Use the FSA/HSA filter in search results4. Pay with your FSA debit card at checkoutSimilarly, Target has an FSA filter in their healthcare section, and pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens have dedicated online FSA shops.What to buy with your remaining FSA fundsMany over-the-counter medications and health items are FSA-eligible, including cold medicine, bandages, dental care products, menstrual products, and more. You can also grab:First aid supplies (bandages, antibiotic ointment)Over-the-counter medicationsContact lenses and solutionsReading glassesSunscreenPain relieversBlood pressure monitorsCOVID-19 testsAgain, most FSA plans require you to spend funds by December 31, though some offer grace periods. Check with your plan administrator for specific deadlines. Just make sure to save receipts for all FSA purchases in case you need to verify eligibility with your plan administrator after paying.