BlazBlue Radio

BlazBlue Radio, also known as BlueRadio (ぶるらじ), is a radio show that started on April 9, 2009 on Nico Nico Douga. The main purpose of the show is to support and promote the BlazBlue franchise. The radio show is unique in that it is not only a voiced show, but also contains animations and art by the staff to create a more active and lively radio show. The main animations are super deformed versions of each character, such as those seen on Teach Me, Miss Litchi! and Help Me, Professor Kokonoe!.

As of June 3, 2010, a continuation show called Continued – BlueRadio (続・ぶるらじ) began appearing on Nico Nico Douga. Similar to the first series of radio shows, this series also supports BlazBlue, specifically BlazBlue: Continuum Shift.

Yet another series called BlueRadio – Wide (ぶるらじW) began on March 31, 2011 on Nico Nico Douga. As with before, supporting BlazBlue is the radio show’s main goal, but they concentrate more on BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II this time around.

The 4th installment of the Radio series, BlueRadio – Hyper  (ぶるらじH) began on November 21, 2012, on Nico Nico Douga.

The 5th installment of the Radio series, BlueRadio – Ace  (ぶるらじA) began airing on October 24, 2013, on Nico Nico Douga.

The 6th installment of the Radio series, BlueRadio – Quick  (ぶるらじQ) began airing on April, 2015.

The 7th installment of the Radio series called BlueRadio – Dynamic as its pilot airing began on July 28, 2016 until April 7, 2017 as they celebrate its 100th episode during the radio airing on its eighth and final episode.

The 8th installment of the Radio series called BlueRadio – Neo began on May 31, 2018 on Nico Nico Douga and YouTube. This one is considered as a reboot to Radio series as this series also promotes BlazBlue similar to before, but they concentrate currently on promoting BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle this time around. The main difference in this series compared to the previous installments is that this one is in 3D, using the lobby avatars and entrance lobby from BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle.

There are also special episodes for the public recordings during BlueFes. On October 9, 2014, Radio: XBlaze aired – in many ways, it can be seen as the XBlaze counterpart to BlueRadio.

Information
The main three members of BlueRadio are Ragna the Bloodedge’s Tomokazu Sugita, Noel Vermillion’s Kanako Kondō, and Tsubaki Yayoi’s (Izayoi in BlueRadio Hyper and onwards) Asami Imai. Amongst regular radio show activities such as reading fan letters, they also partake in different corners every airing. Almost every time there is a guest voice actor from BlazBlue who joins them. There are officially 12 episodes, a special episode after BlazBlue: Continuum Shift’s release, and a 4-part release of the BlueFes Spring Raid convention.

Continued – BlueRadio is much the same as the original BlueRadio but with different corners. Continued – BlueRadio ended with 13 episodes.

BlazBlue – Wide brings something new to the formula by widening the screen from 4:3 ratio to 16:9 ratio. Other than that, it is the same type of show.

Main Corners (First BlueRadio)
Scold him/her (More), Ragna-kun – A fan submits a letter about a recent embarrassing event in their life, and Ragna (Sugita) scolds him/her. The scolding person occasionally changes depending on the nature of the letter and guest present. Variations includes Hime-sama, Taokaka, Jin-sama, Kon-chan, Tsubaki/Izayoi/Imajin, MoriP (Toshimichi Mori) and Sol-kun.

'''What if? BlazBlue''' – A what-if battle situation is read, and the BlueRadio members have to think of something to say in ad lib.

Faint Memory Grimoire – A physical subject is read, and the BlueRadio members try and draw the subject. For example, once they are told to draw “the final boss in BlazBlue.”

'''Battle! Battle!''' – A competing event is done so that Kondō, Imai, and the guest (if there is one) try and take away all of Sugita’s 100 tentama points away.

Noel Poem – Kondō, as Noel, reads a poem usually written by a fan. Also known as the public execution segment.

Tsubaki’s Whisper – Imai, as Tsubaki, shares her thoughts on a subject, usually something random or spontaneous. Similar variations includes Jin’s Murmur, Makoto’s Whisper, Bang’s War Cry, Rachel’s Contempt, and Azrael’s Strife.

BlueRadio Shopping – Introduces various goods for sale, which can be purchased through the Arc System Works Official Web Shop.

Main Corners (Continued – BlueRadio)
Carried over from BlueRadio:
 * 1) Scold him/her More, Ragna-kun
 * 2) Noel Poem
 * 3) BlueRadio Shopping

Military Academy Art Room – A (usually) simple drawing is made, and the BlueRadio members must expand upon it based on a certain theme. The chosen drawing is displayed in the background in future episodes.

This is the Power of the Blue! – The chant Ragna says during his Astral Heat is broken up via mad lib and the BlueRadio members must filled in the empty portions with something that pertains to a certain theme.

'''Fight!! Kagutsuchi Dojo''' – The first few episodes has Sugita asking the other members what the meaning of a certain fighting game term means. The latter episodes has Sugita reading sentences with missing words, and the remaining members must guess which word fits in the missing areas from a list of choices.

Tsubaki’s Report Book – Imai, as Tsubaki, gives an interview to the guest, also playing as his/her own character.

Main Corners (BlueRadio Wide)
Carried over from BlueRadio:
 * 1) Scold him/her More, Ragna-kun
 * 2) Noel Poem
 * 3) BlueRadio Shopping
 * 4) Tsubaki’s Report Book

'''What happens if? BlazBlue''' – 1st episode only. Members think of a new mode that is in BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II.

'''Teach me! Master!''' – 2nd episode only. Members learn different things from the guest.

BlueRadio Ranking Island (Hyper) – Members look at the results of surveys were conducted before each episode on the official site. Becomes “Hyper” in episode 7, but contents did not change.

Choose and Answer Extend – A simple version of ranking island, as the surveys conducted only had 3 choices.

What if Continuum Shift – A what if situation arises and members think of what the character would say in response. Unlike in '''What if? BlazBlue'''

Faint Memory Grimoire Judgment – A combination of Military Academy Art Room and Faint Memory Grimoire.

The 7th Agency Merchandise Development Department – Members picks one merchandise idea from the various ideas submitted by listeners. The final remaining ones were picked again, with Kokonoe in episode 13, where it becomes a real merchandise for sale.

I’d hate BlazBlue if this happened – Listeners provide themes where they would hate to see them happening in BlazBlue.

Main Corners (BlueRadio Hyper)
Carried over from BlueRadio:
 * 1) Scold him/her More (and more), Ragna-kun
 * 2) Noel Poem
 * 3) BlueRadio Shopping
 * 4) Tsubaki’s Report Book　(2 episodes only)

A pen is mighter than a sword (Arch-Enemy) - Members finish a half-finished drawing, which features the new characters from BlazBlue: Chronophantasma. The staff of the show then votes on the best drawing, in which it gets featured in the background during the segment.

Faint Memory Grimoire Hyper - Similar to the previous Faint Memory Grimoire.

Tsubaki’s Conviction - Tsubaki hands down judgment to a fan letter that was address to '''Dcold him/her (More), Ragna-kun. '''

Main Corners (Public Recordings)
'''What if? 1 frame BlazBlue''' – A picture with empty speech bubbles is presented to the members and guests, where they come up with the words to fill in.

Our Six Heroes – Members and guests comes up with one of the six parts that makes up the theme. If their answers doubles up with other people, they have to proclaim something good about themselves as a punishment game.

What’s inside Arakune? – Each team of three has to guess the items inside the Arakune Box. They have to get all three correct.

Bullet has locked onto your eyes – Each team of three guesses what is thrown between two panels.

BlueRadio Shopping
BlueRadio shopping as showcased many goods and merchandises, and most were only available to be purchased on BlazBlue’s official website or during special events. Among various games from Arc System Works, special T-shirts/key chain/straps, and hugging pillow covers, notable items include:
 * Ouroboros Wallet Chain
 * Hazama Bath Poster
 * Platinum purachina (Platinum) Necklace @ 210,000 yen – made with real Platinum.  Limited 1 and was sold out immediately soon after announcement.
 * Platinum Peachy Bum Mouse Pad – limited in numbers, also used by Sugita.
 * Azrael Manly Breast Mouse Pad – by being 1st place in the popularity contest in player’s guild, Azrael gets his first ever merchandise. However, pre-orders had to reach at least 300 for it to be a real item.

Trivia

 * The backgrounds used in the Shop in the PSP version of BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger are based on BlueRadio.
 * The DSi game BlazBlue: Battle × Battle, as well as its sequel, BlazBlue: Clonephantasma, are based heavily on BlueRadio.
 * The roles of the three main members was established early in the series. Sugita as the funny man (Boke), Imai as the straight man (Tsukkomi), and Kondō as the assistant.
 * Members and guests (mainly from Sugita or Isomura) references many other copyrighted contents. Sugita especially has a wide range of source material, from various other fighting games, anime, manga, and popular Nico Nico Douga topics.
 * BlueRadio also occasionally features guests outside the voicecast of BlazBlue, represented by other characters from other games. Thus far they have included Daisuke Ishiwatari (represented by Sol Badguy of Guilty Gear). In BlueRadio Ace, he is now represented as a Chimaki while Joji Nakata (Sol’s current Japanese voice actor) is currently represents the former and later fellow voice actor Takeshi Kusao (represented by Ky Kiske) joins with Nakata during the special edition of BlueRadio GGXrd Home console release Anniversary Special. Toshimichi Mori (represented by Paracelsus wearing sunglasses), Mikako Takahashi (represented by Heart Aino of Arcana Heart, to promote Arc System Works porting Arcana Heart 3 to PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles), Iori Nomizu (Celica Ayatsuki Mercury), Faylan (represented by a cat, to promote the OP of BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend), Shōtarō Morikubo (represented by Yosuke Hanamura of Persona 4, to promote Arc System Works collaborating with Atlus in creating Persona 4: The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena), Rina Satō (represented by Mei Asō of Getsuei Gakuen -Kou-), and Saori Ōnishi (represented by Phonon of Under Night In-Birth series, to promote Arc System Works collaborating with French Bread and Ecole, in co-creating and publishing the second update of Under Night In-Birth, Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[st]). In BlueRadio Dynamic, Mayuka Nomura (Es), Nobunaga Shimazaki (Naoto Kurogane), Saori Hayami (Mai Hazuki) and Kenta Miyake (Susanoo) are the guests throughout the latest installment to promote their character roles in Centralfiction and during the GGXrd special edition, Aya Suzaki (represented by Elphelt Valentine) along with Daisuke Ishiwatari are promoting the sequel of Xrd SIGN, Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR-
 * Up until BlueRadio Dynamic, Tomomi Isomura has showed up as a guest the most (14 times). She substituted Asami Imai when she was away, and Kanako Kondō when she was late. She also showed up as a semi-regular member as Isocchi Button.
 * In BlueRadio Dynamic, the chibi versions of the BlazBlue characters are now seen wearing different outfits aside from their primary attires which it was seen in its initial segment before the start of the airing.
 * For the current installment BlueRadio Neo, the chibi versions of the BlazBlue characters are now in the style of BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle's lobby avatars. Because of this, Izayoi's appearance in BlueRadio Neo is in this style, partially confirming Izayoi for the game before a potential official announcement for her.
 * BlueRadio Neo is the first installment in the series to be available on YouTube via the official Arc System Works YouTube account. In addition to this, Neo is the first BlueRadio series to have official English subtitles.