I picked up Lunar Knights wednesday afternoon. Stoped by a Barnes and Nobel and got myself a Carmel Macchito and a Orero Dream brownie as poped in to play Lunar Knights. First thing I did..... change the names of the main characters to Sabata and Django.

I do think it's a bit shameful that they are rebranding Lunar Knights since Boktai was considerably unsuccessiful... but it never was a bad game. I don't want to be ashamed to loving Boktai, so it bothers me to see the names Aaron and Lucien.

Although, going back to their original source of inspiration, there were 3 Sabata films and 2 Django films. But Django also had over 31 spiritual sequels and rumored to be over 100 more. I was lucky to recieve all the Sabata and Django films as a christmas gift from my girlfriend. Immediatly, in the extra trailers there are several dozen Django sequels with different characters, different actors, and different plots.




Okay, there is Sabata, the sequel is "Adios, Sabata" with Yul Brynner, and the final film is "Return of Sabata" with Van Cleef repraising his role. All of them have that feeling of a 60s bank heist film with over the top villians who duel in over the top elaborate games of death, characters who leap 20 feet into the air and have unique killing people. Or other characters "who dance and when they are done dancing you DIE!"

Django is a HUGE influence onto Boktai itself. Dragging a coffin and redscarfs, it's sad to see these iconic designs leave in the series immedatly into the game. Although Django is a gritter and violent film then the tounge and cheek fun of the Sabata series. Django isn't as widely known as the Good the Bad and Ugly or Wild Bunch, but was one of those key films that help push the darker and gritter film. Which is something I'm surpriced with teh Boktai series as to how dark some of their subject is but still make it appealing for kids. The first scene opens up with characters wollowing their sorrows in a bar over how in order to survive you need to subject your neck to let the vampires to collect your blood on a daily basis.

Aside from the rich influences Hideo Kojima had with Boktai, I'm just sadden to see some of the characters themes and events leave. Although Lunar Knights is a bit better with a more complex, stronger social themes and deeper story. This is probably my own critique since I grew attached to Boktai even if that wasn't as popular as it should have been.

Reminds me of Otenko as he says, "Django, what a proud and noble name."


..... at least I didn't have to catch a cold from playing Lunar Knights in 12 degree weather.