The Japanese have found a rather interesting use for two obsolete air traffic control radars, which had previously been used at the Osaka International Airport. Instead of trashing them, they installed them in a nearby park - built on an artificial hill, go figure - and are now using the radars as gaming platforms of sorts.

Nothing fancy, though, just a simulator game for children, "in which they can control landing planes following guidance on a screen", Mainichi writes today (here's a backup of that page, since their stories have a habit of going M.I.A. real fast). Had it been put to proper use - and by "proper" I mean "hardcore" - this would've surely qualified as the most advanced and realistic flight control simulator.

The only issue that remains is mass-producing real radars for common gamers (who wouldn't want one in their backyard?), not to mention the questioning appeal of a flight control sim. As if flight sims weren't unpopular enough.

Taking a cue from the hollywoodian habit of milking games from movies before they even premiere, the Japanese anime and gaming industries are coming together in the production of a Wii game based on the upcoming The Sky Crawlers animation film. The project was revealed in the pages of Famitsu (via Gamersyde), who say that the Wii game is being developed by the Namco Bandai team responsible for the Ace Combat series.

The only reason I give a damn is that the Sky Crawlers anime is directed by Mamoru Oshii, who made a name for himself by directing the Ghost in the Sell animation film and its sequel Innocence (among other anime and live-action stuff). It's based on a novel series which follows a group of young fighter pilots involved in dogfight warfare, during an alternate historical period, and it's animated by Production I.G. The film premieres on August 2 and, by the way, I lied: I don't really give a damn about the game.