Character intros animate at 15fps at deliberate points - a noticeable drop, but one that plays to its anime influence. To dip into tech territory, it's also a bonafide 1080p60 fighter to match the best of them. It works amazingly well, and it's impossible to see exactly where its DNA overlaps with other Unreal Engine 3 titles.
In battle, what unfolds is an explosion of vivid cel-shaded colour - of flame trails, lightning arcs and whiplashes of gold hair. The sprite artistry of Arc System Works has served the series well till now, but the move to 3D characters and stages is impeccably handled, mimicking the hand-drawn style of earlier games.
