title: Red-crowned crane

text: On average, adult males from Hokkaidō weighed around and adult females there averaged around , while a Russian study found males averaged and females averaged ; in some cases, females could outweigh their mates despite the males' slightly larger average body weight. Another study found the average weight of the species to be . The maximum known weight of the red-crowned crane is . Among standard measurements, the wing chord measures , the exposed culmen measures , tail length is , and the tarsus measures .


title: Red-crowned crane

text: In the spring and summer, the migratory populations of the red-crowned crane breed in Siberia (eastern Russia), north-eastern China and occasionally in north-eastern Mongolia (i.e., Mongol Daguur Strictly Protected Area). The breeding range centers in Lake Khanka, on the border of China and Russia. Later, in the fall, they migrate in flocks to the Korean Peninsula and east-central China to spend the winter. Vagrants have also been recorded in Taiwan. In addition to the migratory populations, a resident population is found in eastern Hokkaidō, Japan. This species nests in wetlands, marshes and rivers. In the wintering range, their habitat consists mainly of paddy fields, grassy tidal flats, and mudflats. In the flats, the birds feed on aquatic invertebrates, and, in cold, snowy conditions, the birds switch to mainly living on rice gleanings from the paddy fields.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: Red-crowned cranes have a highly omnivorous diet, though the dietary preferences have not been fully studied. They eat rice, parsley, carrots, redbuds, acorns, buckwheat, and a variety of water plants. The animal matter in their diet consists of fish, including carp and goldfish, amphibians, especially salamanders, snails, crabs, dragonflies, small reptiles, shrimp and small birds. The daily food requirement of adult red-crowned cranes is 750 g.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: They seem to prefer a carnivorous diet, although rice is now essential to survival for wintering birds in Japan and grass seeds are another important food source. While all cranes are omnivorous, per Johnsgard, the two most common crane species today (the sandhill and common cranes) are among the most herbivorous species while the two rarest species (the red-crowned and whooping cranes) are perhaps the most carnivorous species. When feeding on plants, red-crowned cranes exhibit a preference for plants with a high content of crude protein and low content of crude fiber. In Hokkaido, fish such as Tribolodon, Pungitius, Sculpin and flatfish was major prey of adults, while chicks mostly feed on various insects. In Zhalong Nature Reserve, small fish less than 10cm, such as common carps, pond loach, and Chinese sleeper was mainly taken as well as aquatic invertebreas like pond snails, dragonflys, water beetles and large amount of plant matter. Elsewhere, mudflat crabs are locally important food source in Yellow River Delta.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: They typically forage by keeping their heads close to the ground, jabbing their beaks into mud when they encounter something edible. When capturing fish or other slippery prey, they strike rapidly by extending their necks outward, a feeding style similar to that of the heron. Although animal prey can be swallowed whole, red-crowned cranes more often tear up large prey by grasping with their beaks and shaking it vigorously, eating pieces as they fall apart. Most foraging occurs in wet grasslands, cultivated fields, shallow rivers, or on the shores of lakes.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: The population of red-crowned cranes in Japan is mostly non-migratory, with the race in Hokkaidō moving only to its wintering grounds. Only the mainland population experiences a long-distance migration. They leave their wintering grounds in spring by February and are established on territories by April. In fall, they leave their breeding territories in October and November, with the migration fully over by mid-December.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: Flock sizes are affected by the small numbers of the red-crowned crane, and given their largely carnivorous diet, some feeding dispersal is needed in natural conditions. Wintering cranes have been observed foraging, variously, in family groups, pairs, and singly, although all roosting is in larger groups (up to 80 individuals) with unrelated cranes. By the early spring, pairs begin to spend more time together, with nonbreeding birds and juveniles dispersing separately. Even while not nesting, red-crowned cranes tend to be aggressive towards conspecifics and maintain a minimum distance of to keep out of pecking range of other cranes while roosting nocturnally during winter. In circumstances where a crane violates these boundaries, it may be violently attacked.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: The red-crowned crane is monogamous and long-lived, with stable pair-bonding both within and between years, and believed to mate for life. The breeding maturity is thought to be reached at 3–4 years of age. All mating and egg-laying are largely restricted to April and early May. A red-crowned crane pair duets in various situations, helping to establish the formation and maintenance of the pair bond, as well as territorial advertisement and agonistic signaling. Both males and females may start a duet with the production of a start call, but the main part of the duet always began with a long male call. The pair moves rhythmically until they are standing close, throwing their heads back and letting out a fluting call in unison, often triggering other pairs to start duetting, as well. As it occurs year-round, the social implications of dancing are complex in meaning. However, dancing behavior is generally thought to show excitement in the species. Also, the performance of duet displays increased the probability of staying in a favorable area, supporting the hypothesis that duet displays function as a signal of joint resource defense in the flock.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: Pairs are territorial during the breeding season. Nesting territories range from and are often the same year after year. Most nesting territories are characterized by flat terrain, access to wetland habitat, and tall grasses. Nest sites are selected by females, but built by both sexes and are frequently in a small clearing made by the cranes, either on wet ground or shallow water over waters no more than deep. Sometimes, nests are built on the frozen surface of water, as frigid temperatures may persist well into nesting season. Nest building takes about a week. A majority of nests contains two eggs, though one to three have been recorded.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: Both sexes incubate the eggs for at least 30 days. They also both feed the young when they hatch. Staying in the nest for the first few weeks, the young start to follow their parents as they forage in marshes by around 3 months of age. New hatchlings weigh about and are covered in yellow natal down for two weeks. By early fall, about 95 days after hatching, the young are fledged and are assured fliers by migration time. Although they can fly well, crane young remain together with their parents for around 9 months. Young cranes maintain a higher-pitched voice that may serve to distinguish them from outwardly similar mature birds, this stage lasting until the leave parental care. The average adult lifespan is around 30 to 40 years, with some specimens living to 75 years of age in captivity. It is one of the longest-living species of bird.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: The red-crowned crane is a big-sized bird and there are no natural predators within their wintering ground. With their height averaging 1.5 m (5 ft), their large size deters most predators. As a result, red-crowned cranes often react indifferently to the presence of other birds such as small raptors; with harriers, falcons, owls, and usually buzzards being allowed to hunt small prey near a crane nest without any of these parties harassing each other. However, birds more likely to be egg or nest predators, such as corvids, some buzzards, and various eagles, are treated aggressively and are threatened until they leave the crane's territory. Mammalian carnivores, including red foxes, badgers, raccoon dogs, martens, and domestic dogs which pose a threat to eggs and chicks, are attacked immediately, with the parent cranes attempting to jab them in the flanks until the predators leave the vicinitly. These small predators do not present any danger to chicks in the presence of adults and are chased away by the crane without difficulty. Larger predators such as gray wolves and large dogs can be repelled by aggressive crane pairs.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: Occasionally, losses at the nest occur to some of the above predators. Introduced American mink on Hokkaidō are one of the most successful predators of eggs and nestlings. Also, immature and unwary subadult or even adult cranes may be ambushed killed by red foxes in Japan and leopard cats in South Korea, though this is rare reports, especially with adults. More often, these birds can easily defend themselves by using sharp beak or just fly away from danger.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: Smaller white-naped cranes often nest near red-crowned cranes, but competition between these species for food in a common nesting area is lessened due to the greater portion of vegetation in the white-naped crane's diet. In cases where interactions turn aggressive between white-naped and red-crowned cranes, red-crowned cranes are dominant, as expected due to their considerably larger size. As reported researchers trying to band or examine the cranes or their nest, this powerful species is considered mildly hazardous and prone to respond quickly with considerable aggression to being approached or handled by humans and are able to inflict painful injuries using both its kicking feet and dagger-like beak.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: The population of red-crowned cranes is split into a migratory continental population in Korea, China, Mongolia, and Russia, and a resident Japanese population in Hokkaidō. The estimated total population of the species is only 1,830 in the wild, including about 950 birds in the resident Japanese population. Of the migratory populations, about 400-500 winter in China (mainly at the Yellow River delta and Yancheng Coastal Wetlands), and the remaining 1000-1050 winter in Korea. It received endangered status on 2 June 1970.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: The National Aviary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, ran a program where U.S. zoos donated eggs which were flown to Russia and raised in the Khinganski Nature Reserve and released into the wild. This program sent 150 eggs between 1995 and 2005. The program has been put on hold to concentrate on different crane conservation programs in Russia, such as education and fire suppression. Several hundred red-crowned cranes are kept in zoos around the world. Assuredly, the international efforts of Russia, China, Japan, and Korea are needed to keep the species from extinction. The most pressing threat is habitat destruction, with a general lack of remaining pristine wetland habitats for the species to nest. In Japan, little proper nesting habitat remains and the local breeding population is close to the saturation point.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: In China, the red-crowned crane is often featured in myths and legends. In Taoism, the red-crowned crane is a symbol of longevity and immortality. In art and literature, immortals are often depicted riding on cranes. A mortal who attains immortality is similarly carried off by a crane. Reflecting this association, red-crowned cranes are called "xian he" (). The red-crowned crane is also a symbol of nobility. Depictions of the crane have been found in Shang Dynasty tombs and Zhou Dynasty ceremonial bronzeware. A common theme in later Chinese art is the reclusive scholar who cultivates bamboo and keeps cranes. Some literati even reared cranes and trained them to dance to "guqin" music.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: The Ming and Qing Dynasties endowed the Red Crowned Crane with the cultural connotation of loyalty, uprightness and noble morality. Red Crowned Crane is embroidered on the clothes of a civil servant. It is listed as an important symbol next only to the Loong and Fenghuang used by the royal family. Therefore, people also regard the crane as a symbol of a high official.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: The image of Red Crowned Crane generally appears in Chinese cultural relics and works of art.Because of its importance in Chinese culture, the red-crowned crane was selected by the National Forestry Bureau of the People's Republic of China as a candidate for the title of national animal of China. This decision was deferred due to the red-crowned crane's Latin name translation as "Japanese crane".


title: Red-crowned crane

text: Robert Kuok's Kerry/Kuok Group also uses the red-crowned crane as its logo for operations in Hong Kong, Singapore, PR China, and overseas.


title: Red-crowned crane

text: In Japan, this crane is known as the "tanchōzuru" and is said to live for 1,000 years. A pair of red-crowned cranes was used in the design for the Series D 1000-yen note (reverse side). In the Ainu language, the red-crowned crane is known as "sarurun kamuy" or "marsh kamuy". At Tsurui, they are one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan. Cranes are said to grant favours in return for acts of sacrifice, as in "Tsuru no Ongaeshi" ("crane's return of a favor").


title: Red-crowned crane

text: Given its reputation, Jerry Huff, an American branding expert, recommended it as the international logo of Japan Airlines, after seeing a representation of it in a gallery of samurai crests. Huff wrote "I had faith that it was the perfect symbol for Japan Air Lines. I found that the crane myth was all positive—it mates for life (loyalty), and flies high for miles without tiring (strength).”


title: Red-crowned crane

text: In Korea, the red-crowned crane is called "durumi" or "hak" and it is considered a symbol of longevity, purity, and peace. Korean "seonbis "regarded the bird as an icon of their constancy. The red-crowned crane is depicted on the South Korean 500 won coin and is the symbol of Incheon.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Phantasy Star Online is an online role-playing game (RPG) developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega in 2000 for the Dreamcast. It was the first online RPG for game consoles; players adventure with up to three others over the internet to complete quests, collect items and fight enemies in real-time action RPG combat. The story is unrelated to previous games in the "Phantasy Star" series.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Before "Phantasy Star Online", online gaming was limited to western PC games, particularly RPGs such as "Diablo", "Ultima Online", and "EverQuest". Believing online play was the future, Sega chairman Isao Okawa instructed Sonic Team to develop an online game for the Dreamcast, produced by Yuji Naka. Sonic Team's experiments led to the development of "ChuChu Rocket!", the first online Dreamcast game. Using what they learned from the project, and taking significant inspiration from "Diablo," Sonic Team built "Phantasy Star Online". As Japanese internet service providers charged for dial-up access per minute, and high-speed connections were not yet widely available, Okawa personally paid for free internet access bundled with Japanese Dreamcasts.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: "Phantasy Star Online" was highly anticipated and launched to positive reviews and commercial success; critics praised the online gameplay as addictive but criticized the single-player mode. It received the Japan Game Award for "Game of the Year" and is recognized as a landmark console game, influencing multiplayer dungeon crawlers such as the "Monster Hunter" series.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: "Phantasy Star Online" was ported to Windows and rereleased on the Dreamcast as "Ver. 2" with expanded content. Following Sega's exit from the console business in 2001, the game was ported to GameCube and Xbox as "Episode I & II", featuring new characters, environments and other features. "", released for GameCube in 2003, was a turn-based card game. The online series continued with "Phantasy Star Universe" (2006) and "Phantasy Star Online 2" (2012). Sega decommissioned the last official servers in 2010; "Phantasy Star Online" is still played on private servers.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: "Phantasy Star Online" is an action role-playing game primarily played with other players cooperatively over the internet. Players take on the role of adventurers sent to explore Ragol, an uncharted planet. To create their character, they choose between a handful of races and classes, which define their abilities and statistics; for example, some types are better with "techniques" (magic spells) while others are more skilled with ranged or melee weapons.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Players can play either online or offline. Online, players are brought to a lobby where they can chat and organize teams of up to four. Team members can communicate by typing using a physical or onscreen keyboard, even when in different environments. Preset phrases are automatically translated between languages, and custom emoticons are also supported. Players can also exchange "guild cards" to exchange private messages and see when the other is online.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: After organizing a team, players are transported to their own instance of the hub spaceship "Pioneer 2", where they can buy and sell items, store money and items, heal, and browse quests. At any time, they can transport to Ragol, where combat and exploration take place. The four environments – forests, caves, mines, or ruins – comprise winding passages and large areas where enemies spawn. Players fight enemies in real time, using weapons and techniques and collecting items. Attacks can be chained for more accuracy and speed. Typically, all the monsters in a room must be defeated to advance. Each environment ends in a boss battle, which rewards the team with a large sum of experience points. Quests, taken on "Pioneer 2," task players with specific challenges; once completed, the team returns to "Pioneer 2" to collect their reward. Higher difficulties reward players with more experience points and better items. Some items can be used to feed the player's mag, a small creature that follows the player character and aids them in battle.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: The story of "Phantasy Star Online" is unrelated to the original "Phantasy Star" series, and is less substantial. Threatened by the imminent destruction of their home planet, thousands of refugees arrive at planet Ragol aboard the spaceship "Pioneer 2." As they establish contact with colonists sent ahead on "Pioneer 1", an enormous explosion shakes the planet. Adventurers from "Pioneer 2" land to investigate the explosion and search for Rico Tyrell, daughter of the head of "Pioneer 2". They discover the planet overrun by monsters, and follow messages left by Rico leading to an ancient evil, Dark Falz.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: By the late 1990s, the popularity of online gaming on personal computers had grown substantially in the west, but was almost nonexistent in Japan, where consoles were more popular. Sega chairman Isao Okawa believed the internet was the future of gaming and wanted a flagship online game for Sega's Dreamcast console. None of Sega's development studios wanted the project, as they were occupied with their own ventures, such as "Jet Set Radio" (2000) and the "Sakura Wars" series. Okawa gave the responsibility to Sonic Team, led by Yuji Naka. Sonic Team was not particularly receptive to the decision, but continued with development. After Okawa became ill, Naka sent reports to the hospital to update him on progress.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Sonic Team began experimenting with the Dreamcast's network capabilities after completing "Sonic Adventure" in 1998. They saw the creation of an online game for Japan, a nation of console gamers, as a serious challenge, akin to creating a new genre. Much of their time was spent learning the basic elements of online gaming; they wanted to make sure the network functionality worked before developing the gameplay, setting, and story. Their network experiments became "ChuChu Rocket!", released in 1999 as the first online game for the Dreamcast. Sonic Team used the lessons learned from "ChuChu Rocket!" to implement network technology in the larger project.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Because of the lack of Japanese online games, and the developers' experience with the genre, Naka looked to western games for inspiration, and studied three online RPGs popular at the time: "Diablo" (1996), "Ultima Online" (1997), and "EverQuest" (1999). "Diablo" in particular impressed him on a gameplay and technical level; he enjoyed how smooth the graphics and action were despite requiring significant system memory. "Diablo" was a 2D game, however, and Sonic Team wanted to develop a 3D game with the same degree of smoothness and gameplay. This concerned Naka, as he did not want his game to use the cheap and bland graphics associated with online games.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Naka decided against creating a massively multiplayer game similar to "Ultima Online" and "EverQuest", which would handle many players simultaneously in a persistent world; the necessary servers would have required two years of programming, and the Dreamcast did not have a hard disk drive to support continuous online patches. Naka was also more interested in working on new projects instead of continuously updating the same game for years, and doubted Sonic Team would be able to keep the game interesting. The team therefore adopted "Diablo" as their main inspiration, determined to outclass it.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Sonic Team built a science fiction-fantasy game under the working title "Third World". The art style was "comic-like" at first, but became more realistic. One of artist Satoshi Sakai's early concept drawings of a dragon reminded Naka of Sega's "Phantasy Star" series; which had been dormant since "" (1993) for the Genesis. Naka had served as main programmer on "Phantasy Star" (1987) and "Phantasy Star II" (1989). He had always wanted to develop a multiplayer "Phantasy Star" game, but previous hardware did not allow for it.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: With the "Phantasy Star" series chosen as the setting, Sonic Team continued developing the gameplay and story. The team was given freedom not to adhere strictly to elements from earlier "Phantasy Star" games. The game would not continue the story from the previous "Phantasy Star" games, something that made Naka feel liberated. Since few of the "Phantasy Star IV" staff still worked at Sega, the art team felt little obligation to adhere to the previous games' style, retaining only the science fiction look and some enemy and item names. Naka and Sakai believed factors such as the change in graphical fidelity and genre were enough to differentiate it from previous "Phantasy Star" games.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: The soundtrack was composed by Hideaki Kobayashi using a Roland JV-2080 synthesizer, with live orchestration on some tracks, including the theme song. Kobayashi composed ambient music for calm scenes, and incorporated more rhythm and melody for battles. He composed short four-bar melodies that are sequenced depending on gameplay; for example, when an enemy appears, the system plays music associated with that enemy. The process was a drain on the Dreamcast hardware, and gained the nickname "the crasher" among staff for how often it would crash the game during development.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Sonic Team had conceived their 1998 Saturn game "Burning Rangers" as an online game for four players, but abandoned the idea due to insurmountable network problems. They used the "ChuChu Rocket!" networking system as a template for the online functions for "Phantasy Star Online". This presented new challenges, as the new network would connect players between different countries. Sonic Team ran experiments with different internet service providers, dial-up modems, cable modems, and other networking configurations to ensure the game would work for all players. In Japan, Sonic Team gave beta versions to 10,000 users who pre-ordered the game, so they could work with a variety of equipment and internet services to eliminate problems. They wanted to run a worldwide test but did not have time. 90% of the testers were able to play online. Despite technical success, Sega was concerned that the high cost of internet access in Japan would be prohibitive for gamers and reduce sales. Japanese internet service providers charged per-minute fees for dial-up access, and high-speed options such as broadband were not yet widely available. To combat this, chairman Okawa personally paid for free internet access for one year to be bundled with each Dreamcast.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: One of the biggest challenges was bridging the language barrier between global players. Sonic Team felt that developing a universal language system would be the largest barrier to a global gaming network. The team started by developing the word select system, which allows players to select predefined expressions to be translated to other players. The system had about 2000 words near the end of development, and Naka found it difficult to add more words to satisfy all player needs. Sonic Team built support for five languages: Japanese, English, Spanish, German, and French. They omitted Italian and Portuguese due to time constraints. Korean was also considered because of the internet boom in Korea at the time. Japanese and English were easier to implement because the only concern is the word location in the sentence, whereas Spanish and French have grammatical gender. The language system had to be fully redesigned at least once.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Each server could accommodate one thousand players. Sega initially prepared 20 network servers to accommodate 20,000 online users for game's launch, with room to add more servers as necessary. This was increased to support up to 36,000 players right before launch. Sonic Team partnered with Swatch to use Swatch Internet time (or "beat time") as a universal clock for the game. The clock was implemented so players could coordinate with those in other countries on when to play online. The clock system divides each 24 hours into 1000 beats, with one beat equaling one minute and 26.4 seconds. The time was maintained directly on the server and not based on the user's clock on their system. Sonic Team decided not to add jumping to keep the levels simple and simplify the network code.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Naka joked that future gamers would laugh at the word "Online" in the title, as he believed that online gaming would become standard; it was included as the concept was new and so important to communicate.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: "Phantasy Star Online" was planned for release in March 2000, but was delayed so more features could be added. The team planned 18 character types, and had male and female sketches for each, but settled on nine. A player-versus-player mode was included in beta versions given to journalists, but this was omitted in the final version because it distracted players from the cooperative focus and introduced game balance issues; additionally, as the console-playing audience was younger than the PC audience, Naka did not want to evoke competitive behavior. The development team had more ideas for features to implement as development came to a close, with Naka wishing he had six additional months to add more features. "Phantasy Star Online" took two years to develop. Naka found it difficult to make a networked game for consoles, and developed an appreciation for Microsoft for supporting online games so well.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Sega unveiled "Phantasy Star Online" at the 1999 Tokyo Game Show with a gameplay demonstration. Naka called it the "killer app" for the Dreamcast as it used all aspects of the system, most importantly the modem.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: As the first online RPG for consoles, "Phantasy Star Online" was highly anticipated. Journalists saw it as the next evolutionary step in console-based role-playing games. Francesca Reyes of "Official Dreamcast Magazine" proposed that it would be an "industry-changing title", a landmark in the history of console gaming. "Computer and Video Games" wrote that the Dreamcast was quickly becoming the platform for innovative games, and wrote that "Phantasy Star Online" was "arguably the most revolutionary - not the mention most ambitious - console game ever". "GameSpot" believed it would "change the way we think of RPGs" and could possibly be "the most exciting console RPG ever created". "Edge" wrote that the multiplayer mechanics "would lay the foundations for a new era of console gaming". "Video Gamer" called it the "Dreamcast's most ambitious project yet". Some journalists had concerns about the viability of the online modes, and saw the single-player option as a fail-safe should it not function correctly.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: To promote the game, Sega bought a star on the International Star Registry and named it "Ragol". The first 100,000 people to pre-order the game in Japan received "Phantasy Star Online" branded dog tags. A limited edition in Japan including a branded memory card was canceled and the memory card sold separately on Sega's website. Early copies of the game included a demo for "Sonic Adventure 2".


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: "Phantasy Star Online" was released in Japan on December 21, 2000. The language could be changed to English or any of the other supported chat languages, making it "import-friendly". Naka had hoped for a simultaneous global release, but the western release was delayed for beta testing and marketing reasons. While subscriptions would be free in North America, in Japan the game included a 30-day free trial, after which Japanese players were required to purchase 30-day or 90-day subscriptions. Immediately after the Japanese release, Sonic Team began maintaining the overworked servers and investigated network problems in Hiroshima and Okayama.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Sonic Team hoped that "Phantasy Star Online" would be successful in Japan; international sales were seen as a bonus. In North America, which Naka believed would be the biggest market, "Phantasy Star Online" was released on January 23, 2001. It sold 75,000 copies there on the first day and was the bestselling game that week. Sega's North American online gaming service SegaNet was not required for online play. While the Japanese version supported the modem and broadband adapters, the North American release did not support the broadband adapter, but "IGN" explained how to use it by swapping discs with an import copy.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: "Phantasy Star Online" sold 500,000 copies in Japan and one million worldwide, meeting Sega's expectations almost exactly. Naka had hoped to sell more, but believed the servers may not have carried the load. Before its western launch, nearly 100,000 players had registered. By April 2001, over 235,000 players had registered worldwide: 130,000 in Japan, 70,000 in North America, and 35,000 in Europe. By May, over 270,000 had registered. The peak number of users connected simultaneously was 26,000.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: "Phantasy Star Online" suffered problems common with other online games, with players cheating and selling rare items online. Several weeks after launch, Japanese players began exploiting bugs to duplicate items, enhance their stats, and kill other players. Sonic Team announced they would ban players found cheating or disrupting other players, starting in May 2001. According to "IGN," cheating was prevalent because "Phantasy Star Online" used a peer-to-peer communication system. Blizzard Entertainment had similar problems with "Diablo", but after moving to a client-server system for "Diablo II", cheating became more difficult.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Sonic Team added more quests for players to download, translated into the five languages used in the game. In Japan, a special "Fan Cup" quest was held from March 23 to April 6, developed with the game magazine "Famitsu". In the event, over 70,000 players competed for the fastest time; the winner received a cash prize and a rare game item. As he had with "ChuChu Rocket!," Naka played online and was happy to see American and Japanese players playing together using the communication system.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: In April 2001, Sega announced "Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2," an updated version of the original game with new content and improved features, including an increased level cap (to 200), a new difficulty mode for players over level 80, a battle mode that pits players in one-on-one or team battles, a soccer minigame with balls shaped like characters from "ChuChu Rocket!," new weapons and monsters, gameplay balance alterations, day and night effects, an improved user interface, and two new areas exclusive to online quests. "Ver. 2" also adds a challenge mode, which places teams in a stage with starting equipment and stats; if a teammate dies, the mission ends. Players could import their character from the original game or create a new one; characters registered for "Ver. 2" could not be used in the original game. Any illegal items were also deleted during the upgrade.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Sonic Team worked a tough schedule to develop "Ver. 2" in under six months, releasing it on June 7, 2001, in Japan and September 25, 2001, in North America. Unlike the original North American release, "Ver. 2" required subscription fees to play. Three months of unlimited gameplay could be purchased at a time. The game still had no dependencies on SegaNet, however. In Europe, DreamKey 3.0 was required. "Ver. 2" was ported to Windows in Japan and released on December 20, 2001.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: On January 31, 2001, following years of losses, Sega announced it would discontinue the Dreamcast and restructure as a third-party developer. In May, Sega announced an expanded GameCube port of "Phantasy Star Online," which became "Phantasy Star Online: Episode I & II." Sega chose the GameCube because it had similar architecture to the Dreamcast and supported dial-up, which Sega believed was important despite the approach of broadband internet. Sonic Team created a GameCube demo of "Phantasy Star Online" within a month.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: To make the game more viable for Nintendo's family-oriented consumers, Sonic Team added a split-screen multiplayer mode. Since the GameCube had no out-of-the-box network capabilities, Nintendo developed a modem and broadband adapter and sold them separately. The servers were maintained by Sega. GameCube players could not play with Dreamcast players.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: "Phantasy Star Online: Episode I & II" comprises two "episodes": Episode I is a port of "Ver 2" with improved graphics, whereas Episode II comprises entirely new content, which Naka described as a true sequel. The game adds characters, environments, quests, a split-screen mode, and updated graphics and interfaces. Some quests reward players with minigames based on Sonic Team games "Puyo Pop" and "Nights into Dreams," which can be played on a Game Boy Advance connected to the GameCube. A Chao resembling Tails, a character from the "Sonic" games, can be imported into "Sonic Advance" and "".


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Sonic Team ran a beta trial for some players who had pre-ordered "Episode I & II," starting on May 31, 2002. The game sold 70,000 copies within the first month in Japan, and by October had sold over 100,000. It was released in North America in October, and in Europe on March 7, 2003. Like "Ver. 2", "Episode I & II" required a paid monthly subscription. ASCII Corporation developed a keyboard controller for the game, released only in Japan, though plans were announced for a keyboard controller to be released in America. Some players resorted to importing the controller from Japan. An enhanced version of the game, "Episode I & II" "Plus," was released for the GameCube later. This version included many quests originally distributed exclusively online, a new challenge mode, and new items.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: "Episode I & II" was ported to Xbox on April 15, 2003. Servers were hosted through Xbox Live and did not interface with the GameCube or Dreamcast servers. Because of its Xbox Live foundation, the Xbox version supports voice chat but did not connect players across regions. The game required an Xbox Live account to play online or offline; as the game was packaged with Xbox Live in Japan, to localize the game quickly, Microsoft did not remove the limitation. In addition to Xbox Live fees, Sega charged players an extra subscription fee to play online.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: In 2003, Sega announced "Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution". The game is a sequel to the story presented in "Episode I & II", but replaces the action RPG gameplay with a turn-based strategy card game; after developing "Episode I & II", Sonic Team thought that players may want a new experience. Players of "Episode I & II" and "Episode III" can chat and interact in common lobbies, but cannot enter game instances together. The online servers for the game shut down at the same time as the GameCube Servers for "Episode I & II".


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: A new version for Windows, "Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst," was released in Japan on July 15, 2004, following an open beta that began on May 22. It is a port of "Episode I & II" with another episode of new content. It features enhancements including a system allowing players to communicate across different servers; the most significant change is that the game is online-only, with user data stored on the servers, reducing cheating. In January 2005, "Blue Burst" was released in China, Sega's first online game there. It was released in beta in North America in May 2005, and fully in June.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: The North American Dreamcast servers operated until September 30, 2003. The North American and Japanese GameCube servers as well as the Japanese Dreamcast servers were shut down on March 30, 2007, following a month of free service. The Japanese Xbox servers were shut down on January 31, 2007, and the North American servers followed on April 22, a week earlier than the announced date of April 30. The North American and European "Blue Burst" servers were shut down following a free period lasting from January 12, 2008, until the server's closing on March 31, 2008. This was followed by the shutdown of the Japanese "Blue Burst" servers on December 27, 2010, the last official Sega servers. Hobbyists have developed private servers, and so the game retains a cult following and can still be played online.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: "Phantasy Star Online" received "generally favorable" reviews per ratings aggregator Metacritic. "Dreamcast Magazine" (Japan) wrote that the cooperative play was an interesting shift from a trend in multiplayer games being mostly competitive. "Edge" agreed, writing that the variety of gameplay experiences shared with other players kept the game fresh. Spanish magazine "Dream Planet" and "GameSpot" praised how the players can take on different roles in the teams, such as a supporting healer or ranged attacker. "IGN" commended the extensive amount of equipment and items for eliciting friendly competition to collect them. The chat system was also praised for making communication easy, especially between players speaking different languages.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Critics agreed that the single-player mode was boring compared to the addictive online multiplayer. "GameSpot" and "GameSpy" wrote that it lacked life and became tedious and repetitive when played alone, and "GameSpot" advised players not to try the game unless they were planning to play online. Other common complaints included poor camera control, the lack of map and quest variety, and poor storyline. Despite the concerns, critics agreed that the fun had in online multiplayer overshadowed these problems. "Edge" wrote that the changes in gameplay experiences with different players replaced the variety that normally be expected in the quest design. Critics also praised the freedom for players to design and equip characters and develop their own playing style. "Computer and Video Games" wrote that ""PSO" marks a step in a new direction for console adventures and there's so much right with the game that to even mention these faults doesn't quite feel in the spirit of what "PSO" represents".


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: Reviewing "Ver. 2", "Dreamcast Magazine" (UK) felt that it would renew interest in the game for those that enjoyed it, but would not convert new players. "GameSpot" and "IGN" agreed, saying that the core gameplay remained the same, but the new features may be worthwhile for dedicated players, even with the new subscription costs. Reviewing "Episode I & II," critics praised the split-screen mode, Game Boy Advance downloads, graphics improvements, and gameplay tweaks. "GameSpot" wrote that the new material in "Episode II" was not significant enough for veteran players to return, and criticized some practical issues with how split-screen multiplayer was handled. "Eurogamer" criticized the cost for a network adapter, subscription fees, and the "almost obligatory" keyboard. Several critics complained about the lack of a keyboard available in the Americas.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: "GameSpot" named "Phantasy Star Online" the best Dreamcast game and eighth-best console game of 2001. It was a nominee for the publication's "Best Role-Playing Game" prize among console games, but lost to "Final Fantasy X". "Episode I & II" was a runner-up for "GameSpot"s 2002 "Best Role-Playing Game Game on GameCube" award, which went to "Animal Crossing".


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: As the first online role-playing game for home consoles, "Phantasy Star Online" is considered a landmark game. It won several awards, including Japan Game Award for "Game of the Year", awarded three days after the death of Sega chairman Okawa, over the likes of "", "Dragon Quest VII", and "Kōkidō Gensō Gunparade March". "VentureBeat" dubbed it "one of the most important games in console gaming evolution". "IGN" named it one of the best RPGs of all time for being the first online experience for many gamers.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: "1UP.com" called "Phantasy Star Online" one of the most revolutionary games of the 2000s, crediting it for creating "an entire pantheon of multiplayer dungeon crawlers that continue to dominate the Japanese sales charts" and making "both online gaming and the concept of fee-based services a reality for consoles". Hiroshi Matsuyama, president of CyberConnect2 and developer of the ".hack" series, cited the game as an influence. It is also believed to be a major influence on Capcom's "Monster Hunter" series.


title: Phantasy Star Online

text: According to "GamesTM", the "Phantasy Star" series has struggled to live up to the legacy of "Phantasy Star Online". Sega has been slow to localize "Phantasy Star" games, and the PSP entries in the series did not capture the attention of the west. Concurrently, "Monster Hunter" had a similar formula to "Phantasy Star Online" and became successful. Later "Phantasy Star" games, such as "Phantasy Star Universe" (2006), share similar gameplay with "Phantasy Star Online" but failed to reach the same critical and commercial success in the West. In Japan, "Phantasy Star Universe" became the best selling game in the franchise. "Phantasy Star Online 2" was released in Japan in 2012, and localized for the west in 2020. "Phantasy Star Online 2" made over 900 million dollars since its release.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: The Government of Malaysia, officially the Federal Government of Malaysia (), is based in the Federal Territory of Putrajaya with the exception of the legislative branch, which is located in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is a federation comprising the 11 States of Malaya, the Borneo States of Sabah and Sarawak, and 3 Federal Territories operating within a constitutional monarchy under the Westminster system and is categorised as a representative democracy. The federal government of Malaysia adheres to and is created by the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, the supreme law of the land.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: The federal government adopts the principle of separation of powers under Article 127 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, and has three branches: executive, legislature and judiciary. The state governments in Malaysia also have their respective executive and legislative bodies. The judicial system in Malaysia is a federalised court system operating uniformly throughout the country.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: The federal or central government is the ultimate authority in Malaysia and located in Putrajaya. It is headed by the Prime Minister of Malaysia who is also known as the head of government.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: The bicameral parliament consists of the lower house, the House of Representatives or "Dewan Rakyat" (literally the "Chamber of the People") and the upper house, the Senate or "Dewan Negara" (literally the "Chamber of the Nation"). All seventy Senate members sit for three-year terms (to a maximum of two terms); twenty-six are elected by the thirteen state assemblies, and forty-four are appointed by the King ("Yang di-Pertuan Agong") based on the advice of the Prime Minister. The 222 members of the "Dewan Rakyat" are elected from single-member districts by universal suffrage. The parliament follows a multi-party system and the governing body is elected through a first-past-the-post voting system. Parliament has a maximum mandate of five years by law. The "Yang di-Pertuan Agong" may dissolve parliament at any time and usually does so upon the advice of the Prime Minister.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: While the Monarch is the head of state, real executive power is vested in the cabinet, led by the prime minister as the head of government; the Malaysian constitution stipulates that the prime minister must be a member of the lower house of parliament who, in the opinion of the "Yang di-Pertuan Agong", commands a majority in parliament. The cabinet is chosen from among members of both houses of Parliament and is responsible to that body.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: The Executive branch of the Government of Malaysia consists of the Prime Minister as the head of the government, followed by the various ministers of the Cabinet.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: The highest court in the judicial system is the Federal Court, followed by the Court of Appeal, and two High Courts, one for Peninsular Malaysia, and one for East Malaysia. The subordinate courts in each of these jurisdictions include Sessions Courts, Magistrates' Courts, and Courts for Children. Malaysia also has a Special Court to hear cases brought by or against all Royalty.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong (, Jawi: ), also known as the Supreme Head or the King, is the constitutional monarch and head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957, when the Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia) gained independence from the United Kingdom. The "Yang di-Pertuan Agong" is elected by the Conference of Rulers, comprising the nine rulers of the Malay states, with the office "de facto" rotated between them, making Malaysia one of the world's few elective monarchies. In accordance with Article 41 of the Constitution, the "Yang di-Pertuan Agong" is Commander-in-Chief of the Malaysian Armed Forces. As such, he is the highest-ranking officer in the military chain of command.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: The Prime Minister of Malaysia (Malay: "Perdana Menteri Malaysia") is the indirect head of government (executive) of Malaysia. The Prime Minister is appointed by the "Yang di-Pertuan Agong", the head of state, who in His Majesty's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House of Representatives ("Dewan Rakyat"), the elected lower house of Parliament. The Prime Minister heads the Cabinet, whose members are appointed by the "Yang di-Pertuan Agong", on the advice of the prime minister. The Prime Minister and his Cabinet shall be collectively responsible to Parliament. The Prime Minister's Department (sometimes referred to as the Prime Minister's Office) is the body and ministry in which the Prime Minister exercises their functions and powers.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: Each state government in Malaysia is created by its respective state constitution. Each state has a unicameral state legislative chamber (Malay: "Dewan Undangan Negeri") whose members are elected from single-member constituencies. State executive councils ("abbr." EXCO) of states of Malaya, Cabinet of Sabah and Cabinet of Sarawak are led by Menteri Besar or Chief Ministers in states without hereditary rulers, who are state assembly members from the majority party in the state legislative chamber. They advise their respective sultans or governors. In each of the states with a hereditary ruler, the "Menteri Besar" is required to be a Malay, appointed by the Sultan.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: The local government or local authority (Malay: "kerajaan tempatan" or "pihak berkuasa tempatan" (PBT)) is the lowest level in the system of government in Malaysia—after federal and state. It has the power to collect taxes (in the form of assessment tax), to create laws and rules (in the form of by-laws) and to grant licenses and permits for any trade in its area of jurisdiction, in addition to providing basic amenities, collecting and managing waste and garbage as well as planning and developing the area under its jurisdiction. Local authorities in Malaysia are generally under the exclusive purview of the state governments and headed by a civil servant with the title Yang Di-Pertua (President). Local government areas and the boundaries is usually consistent with district boundaries but there are some places where the boundaries are not consistent and may overlap with adjoining districts especially in urbanised areas.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: Unlike the federal and state governments, the local governments in Malaysia are not elected but appointed by the state government after local council elections were suspended by the federal government in 1965.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: The Malaysian Armed Forces are the military body of Malaysia while the Royal Malaysia Police are in charge of law enforcement.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: The law of Malaysia is mainly based on the common law legal system. This was a direct result of the colonisation of Malaya, Sarawak, and North Borneo by Britain between the early 19th century to 1960s. The supreme law of the land—the Constitution of Malaysia—sets out the legal framework and rights of Malaysian citizens. Federal laws enacted by the Parliament of Malaysia apply throughout the country. There are also state laws enacted by the State Legislative Assemblies which applies in the particular state. The constitution of Malaysia also provides for a unique dual justice system—the secular laws (criminal and civil) and sharia laws.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: Articles 73 to 79 of the Federal Constitution specifies the subject in which the federal and state government may legislate. Parliament has the exclusive power to make laws over matters falling under the Federal List (such as citizenship, defence, internal security, civil and criminal law, finance, trade, commerce and industry, education, labour, and tourism) whereas each State, through its Legislative Assembly, has legislative power over matters under the State List (such as land, local government, Syariah law and Syariah courts, State holidays and State public works). Parliament and State legislatures share the power to make laws over matters under the Concurrent List (such as water supplies and housing) but Article 75 provides that in the event of conflict, Federal law will prevail over State law.


title: Government of Malaysia

text: Elections in Malaysia exist at two levels: national level and state level. National level elections are those for membership in the "Dewan Rakyat", the lower house of Parliament, while state level elections are for membership in the various State Legislative Assemblies. The head of the executive branch, the Prime Minister, is appointed among members of the winning coalition.


title: Brogue shoe

text: The brogue (derived from the Gaeilge (Irish), and the Gaelic (Scottish) for "shoe") is a style of low-heeled shoe or boot traditionally characterised by multiple-piece, sturdy leather uppers with decorative perforations (or "broguing") and serration along the pieces' visible edges.


title: Brogue shoe

text: Brogues were traditionally considered to be outdoor or country footwear as the perforations were originally intended to allow the upper to dry more quickly in wet climates. As such they were otherwise considered not appropriate for casual or business occasions, but brogues are now considered appropriate in most contexts. Brogues are most commonly found in one of four toe cap styles (full or "wingtip", semi-, quarter and longwing) and four closure styles (Oxford, Derby, ghillie, and monk). Today, as well as their typical form of sturdy leather shoes or boots, brogues may take the form of business dress shoes, sneakers, high-heeled women's shoes, or any other shoe form that utilises or evokes the multi-piece construction and perforated, serrated piece edges characteristic of brogues.


title: Brogue shoe

text: Modern brogues trace their roots to a rudimentary shoe originating in Ireland and Scotland that was constructed using untanned hide. Modern brogues feature decorative perforations. These are often said to stem from the original Irish brogues as well, specifically from holes intended to allow water to drain from the shoes when the wearer crossed wet terrain such as a bog. However, contemporaneous descriptions of the original brogues do not mention such holes. The word "brogue" came into English in the late sixteenth century. It comes from the Gaeilge "bróg" (Irish), Gaelic "bròg" (Scottish) "shoe", from the Old Norse "brók" meaning "leg covering". The Scots word "brogue" is also used to denote a bradawl or boring tool as well as the action of piercing with such a tool.


title: Brogue shoe

text: The word "brogue" was first used to describe a form of outdoor, country walking shoe in the early twentieth century traditionally worn by men. At that time the brogue was not considered to be appropriate for other occasions, social or business. Over time, perceptions have changed and brogues are now considered appropriate footwear in most contexts, including business. Brogues continue to be most common as leather dress shoes, casual shoes and boots, but can be found in other forms including canvas and leather sneakers and high-heeled women's shoes.


title: Brogue shoe

text: Brogue styles are determined by the shape of the toe cap (a separate piece of leather or material added over the toe box) and include the commonly available full brogue (or "wingtip" in the United States), semi-brogue and quarter brogue styles, and may be found in the less common longwing brogue style. Closure style is not a defining characteristic of the brogue and therefore brogues can be found in closure styles that include laced Oxford, Derby or ghillie styles, but can be found as buckle and monk strap shoes and slip-on shoes with or without elastic closures. Most commonly offered as a leather dress shoe, brogues may also come in the form of boots, canvas or leather sneakers, or any other shoe type that includes or evokes the multi-piece construction and perforated, serrated edges characteristic of brogues.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: Valliyappan Olaganathan Chidambaram Pillai (5 September 1872 - 18 November 1936), also known as Kappalottiya Tamizhan ("Tamil Helmsman"), was an Indian freedom fighter and former leader of the Indian National Congress. He founded the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company in 1906 to compete against the monopoly of the British India Steam Navigation Company (BISNC).


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: He launched the first indigenous Indian shipping service between Tuticorin (India) and Colombo (Sri Lanka) with the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company (SSNC), competing against British ships. Tuticorin Port Trust, one of India's thirteen major ports, is named after him. At one time a member of the Indian National Congress, he was later charged with sedition by the British government and sentenced to life imprisonment, and his barrister license was revoked.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai was born in a Vellalar family in Ottapidaram, Tirunelveli District to Olaganathan Pillai and Paramayee Ammal. When Chidambaram was six years old, he learned Tamil from teacher Veeraperumal Annavi. He heard stories about Shiva from his grandmother and stories from the Ramayana from his grandfather. He heard stories from Mahabharatha told by Allikulam Subramanya Pillai. In his childhood, he learned horse riding, silambattam, archery, sword fighting and played kabaddi, swimming, stilt walking, wrestling and chess.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: He learned English from a Taluk officer named Krishnan Iyyengar in the evenings. When Iyyengar was transferred, Chidambaram Pillai's father built a school for him and appointed Aramvalarthanatha Pillai from Ettayapuram as the English teacher. The school was run by a priest at Pudhiamuthur. At fourteen, Chidambaram Pillai went to Thoothukudi to continue his studies. He studied at CEOA High School and Caldwell High School and in Thoothukudi at the Hindu College High School, Tirunelveli.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: Chidambaram Pillai worked as Taluk office clerk for some time before his father sent him to Tiruchirappalli to study law. He passed his pleadership exam in 1894, returning to Ottapidaram to become a pleader in 1895.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: In Madras, Chidambaram Pillai met Swami Ramakrishnananda, a saint who belonged to Swami Vivekananda Ashram (monastery), who advised him to serve the nation. Here he met the Tamil poet Bharathiyaar who shared his political ideology. The two men became close friends.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: In the 1890s and 1900s India's independence movement and the Swadeshi movement, which confirms the politic parcel initiated by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Lala Lajpat Rai of the Indian National Congress (INC), were at their peak. From 1892 Chidambaram Pillai was influenced by Tilak Maharaj and became his disciple. Along with Subramanya Siva and Subramanya Bharathi, he became a prominent spokesperson for the cause in the Madras Presidency. Following the partition of Bengal in 1905, Chidambaram entered politics, joining the Indian National Congress and taking a hardliner stance. He also presided at the Salem District Congress session.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: Chidambaram Pillai established many institutions like Yuvanesh Prachar Sabha, Dharmasanga Nesavu Salai, National Godown, Madras Agro-Industrial Society ltd and Desabimana Sangam.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: In response to the British India Steam Navigation Company's trade monopoly, Chidambaram started an Indian-owned shipping company. He registered the Swadeshi Shipping Company in October 1906. The capital of the company was ten lakh rupees. The number of shares was 40,000 and the face value of each share was Rs. 25/-. Any Asian could become a shareholder. The director of the company was Pandi Thurai Thevar, Zamindar of Palavanatham and the founder of "Madurai Tamil Sangam".


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: In the beginning, the Company owned no ships, instead leasing them from Shawline Steamers Company. The B.I.S.N.C. pressured Shawline Steamers to cancel the lease; in response, Chidambaram Pillai leased a single large freighter from Sri Lanka. Realizing the need for the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company to own its own vessels, Chidambaram Pillai travelled around India selling shares in the company to raise capital. He vowed, "I will come back with ships. Otherwise I will perish in the sea". He managed to secure sufficient funds to purchase the company's first ship, the S.S. "Gallia"; shortly afterwards, they were able to acquire the S.S. "Lavo" from France.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: In response to the new competition, the B.I.S.N.C. reduced the fare per trip to Re.1 (16 annas) per head. The S.S.N.C responded by offering a fare of Re.0.5 (8 Annas). The British company went further by offering a free trip to the passengers with a free umbrella; however, nationalist sentiment meant that the free service was underused. The B.I.S.N.C. attempted to buy out Chidambaram, but he refused the deal.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: The ships commenced regular service between Tuticorin and Colombo (Sri Lanka) against opposition from British traders and the Imperial Government.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: On 23 February 1908 Chidambaram Pillai gave a speech at Thoothukudi, encouraging the workers at Coral Mill (now part of Madura Coats) to protest against their low wages and harsh working conditions. Four days later, the workers of the Coral Mill went on strike lead by Subramanya Siva and Chidambaram himself. Their demands included incremental earnings, weekly holidays and other leave facilities.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: Chidambaram ensured the strike was widely publicised, and it quickly gained popular support. On 6 March the head clerk Subramanya Pillai met Chidambaram and said that the management was ready to concede their demands. Chidambaram went with 50 workers and met the managers, who agreed to increase the wages, to reduce the working hours and to give leave on Sundays. The workers went back after a nine-day strike. The outcome of the strike encouraged the workers of other European companies, who also gained increased wages and better treatment. Sri Aurobindo appreciated Chidambaram and Siva for the unequalled skill and courage with which the fight was conducted in his Vande Mataram daily on 13 March 1908.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: By 1908, Chidambaram's political involvement drew the attention of the British. Hearing of his intention to speak at a rally celebrating the release of Bengali leader Bipin Chandra Pal, Winch, a British official invited Chidambaram to meet him in Thirunelveli with his political comrade Subramanya Siva. At the meeting, Winch expressed concern about Chidambaram's activities and asked him to give assurances that he would not participate in any political revolt. Chidambaram refused to accept his conditions, so he and Siva were arrested on 12 March 1908.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: The arrest was followed by widespread protest. In Thirunelveli shops, schools and colleges were closed in protest, and rioting broke out. The Thirunelveli municipal office, post offices, police stations and municipal courts were attacked. A general strike was declared in Thoothukudi, which was the first political strike in India. Public meetings and processions were held, and four people were killed by the police.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: Although his supporters were able to raise sufficient funds for bail, Chidambaram refused to leave the jail without the release of Siva and his other comrades. Subramanya Bharathi and Subramanya Siva also appeared in the court for questioning for the case instituted against Chidambaram. He was charged under sections 123-A and 153-A of the Indian Penal Code for speaking against the British and giving shelter to Siva. Chidambaram refused to take part in the proceedings.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: He was charged with sedition, and a sentence of two life imprisonments (in effect forty years) was imposed. He was confined in the Central Prison, Coimbatore from 9 July 1908 to 1 December 1910.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: The judgement was widely condemned in the popular press, with even the British "Statesmen" magazine claiming that it was unjust. Chidambaram appealed the sentence in High Court, gaining a reduced punishment of four years imprisonment and six years in exile. An appeal to the Privy Council led to a further reduction in sentence.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: Chidambaram was interned in Coimbatore and Kannanoor jail. He was not treated as a political prisoner, nor was the sentence "de facto" of simple imprisonment; rather, he was treated as a convict sentenced to life imprisonment and required to do hard labour, which caused his health to suffer. Historian and Tamil scholar R. A. Padmanabhan later noted in his works that Chidambaram was "yoked (in place of bulls) to the oil press like an animal and made to work it in the cruel hot sun...". From prison Chidambaram continued correspondence, maintaining a steady stream of legal petitions. He was finally released on 12 December 1912.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: To his dismay, the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company had already been liquidated in 1911, and the ships were auctioned to their competitors. The company's first ship, the "SS Gallia," was sold to the British Shipping Company.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: Upon Chidambaram's release he was not permitted to return to Tirunelveli district. With his law license stripped from him, he moved to Chennai with his wife and two young sons. There he ran a provisions store and a kerosene store.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: Chidambaram had a long correspondence with Gandhi, not yet Mahatma, from 1915 to 1920. In 1915, when Gandhi visited Chennai (Madras then), both had met. Some people in South Africa of Indian origin had collected money to help Chidambaram and transmitted the amount through Gandhi. However, Chidambaram did not receive the money. He had some lengthy correspondence with Gandhi on the subject. In one instance Gandhi wrote a postcard to Chidambaram in Tamil with his own hand. Chidambaram was delighted on seeing the postcard and, for a moment, forgot about the money dispute. However, on 4 February 1916, Chidamabaram wrote to a friend, "Rs. 347-12-0 has come from Sriman Gandhi."


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: In 1920, Chidambaram quit the Indian National Congress, citing ideological differences with Mahatma Gandhi. He focused his efforts on establishing labor unions in Madras and on writing.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: After moving to Coimbatore, Chidambaram worked as a bank manager. Dissatisfied with the income, he petitioned the court, seeking permission to practice law again. Judge E.H. Wallace gave permission to restore Chidambaram's pleadership license; to show his gratitude Chidambaram named his last son Valacewaran.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: Chidambaram moved to Kovilpatti and practiced as a lawyer. He rejoined the Congress Party in 1927 and presided over the third political conference held at Salem. He said that he wanted to join Congress again because he noticed a remarkable change in the policies of Congress and was happy to note that the policies of which he did not approve were withdrawn one by one. However, after the Salem conference Chidambaram again severed his contact with Congress.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: In 1929 he moved to Thoothukudi, where he spent his time writing and publishing Tamil books. By 1935, he had written commentary on the first book of the Tirukkural (Book of Virtue) and was published under a different title. However, it was only in 2008 that the complete work of his commentary on the Kural was published.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: Chidambaram Pillai spent his final years in poverty. He died on 18 November 1936 at the Tuticorin office of the Indian National Congress.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: Posthumously, Chidambaram is known by the titles "Kappalottiya Thamizhan" ("the Tamizhan who drove the ship") and "Chekkiluththa Chemmal" ("a great man who pulled the oil press in jail for the sake of his people"). His ship is situated near Marina Beach.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: The Indian Posts & Telegraphs department of India issued a special postage stamp on 5 September 1972, on the occasion of his birth centenary.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: M.P. Sivagnanam, popularly known as Ma. Po. Si., wrote a biography of Chidambaram titled "Kappalottiya Tamizhan". Later Chidambaram was remembered as 'Kappalottiya Thamizhan'. Ma. Po. Si. brought the fame of Chidambaram to the limelight.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: Books written by Ma. Po. Si. on V.O. Chidambaram Pillai are "Kappalottiya Thamizhan" (1944), "Kappalottiya Chidambaranar" (1972) and "Thalapathy Chidambaranar" (1950).


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: R.A.Padmanabhan, popularly known as Bharathi Aringnyar . He has written an authenticated biography of V.O.Chidambaram Pillai in English printed and published by the National Book Trust in 1977. R A P gives a greater insight into the life of Chidambaram Pillai focussing Chidambaram Pillai's achievement as the pioneer of Swadeshi Shipping company.


title: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

text: In 1961 Kannada film director B.R. Panthalu made a film of Chidambaram's life titled "Kappalottiya Thamizhan". Chidambaram was portrayed by Sivaji Ganesan, Subramanya Siva by T. K. Shanmugam and Subramanya Barathi by S. V. Subbaiah. The story of this movie is based on Ma. Po. Si.'s biography 'Kappalottiya Tamizhan'.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: You Are the Apple of My Eye (, ) is a 2011 Taiwanese coming of age romance film. It is based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Taiwanese author Giddens Ko, who also made his directorial debut with the film. The film stars Ko Chen-tung as Ko Ching-teng, a prankster and a mischievous student who eventually becomes a writer. Michelle Chen stars as Shen Chia-yi, an honor student who is very popular amongst the boys in her class.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: "You Are the Apple of My Eye" was filmed almost entirely on location in Changhua County, including at the high school which Giddens attended. The lyrics of "Those Years", the film's main theme, were written by Giddens. The song, which was well received by the public, was nominated for Best Original Film Song at the 48th Golden Horse Awards.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: The film's world premiere was at the 13th Taipei Film Festival on 25 June 2011, and it was subsequently released in Taiwanese cinemas on 19 August. Well received by film critics, the movie set box-office records in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Ko Chen-tung won the Best New Performer award at the Golden Horse Awards for his role in the film.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: The story begins in 1994. An outstanding student, Shen Chia-yi, is popular among her teachers and classmates. Ko Ching-teng, a mischievous and poor student, claims that he has no interest in her, despite being her classmate since junior high school. One day, Ching-teng is caught masturbating during class, and the principal reseats him, placing him in front of Chia-yi.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: One day, Chia-yi forgets her English textbook. Ching-teng slips her his own book and tells their teacher he forgot his own textbook; he then endures a long lecture and is punished. Chia-yi, touched by Ching-teng's generosity, prepares a practice exam for him in return, to encourage him to study. She also convinces him to stay after school to study with her. Their relationship grows, and Ching-teng's grades gradually improve.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: On graduation, Ching-teng enrolls at the National Chiao Tung University. Chia-Yi, who did not do well on the admission exam because she was ill on that day, only manages to enter the National Taipei University of Education with her mediocre test results. Depressed and upset, she is consoled by Ching-teng, who calls her long-distance almost every night from the university. During the winter holiday season that year, the two go on their first "date", during which Ching-teng asks Chia-yi if she loves him. However, fearing she would say no, he decides that he would rather not hear her answer (it is revealed later that her reply would have been "yes"). Ching-teng later organizes a fight night and invites Chia-yi to watch, hoping to impress her with his "strength". On the contrary, Chia-yi finds it childish for Ching-teng to injure himself for no reason. This upsets Ching-teng, sparking a quarrel that causes the two to break up.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: During the two years after their breakup, Ching-teng has no contact with Chia-yi. He qualifies for a graduate research course at Tunghai University, where he begins writing stories online. Ching-teng only regains contact with Chia-yi after the 921 earthquake, when he calls to see if she is okay. During their long conversation with each other, they both lament the fact that they were not fated to become a couple.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: Years later, in 2005, Chia-yi suddenly calls Ching-teng to tell him that she is getting married. All of her old friends gather at the wedding, making jokes and trying to embarrass her somewhat-older husband. They are surprised that their past emotions have transformed into deep friendship and serenity. Ching-teng begins to work on a web novel about his experiences with Chia-yi.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: Later, when they gather to congratulate the bride and groom, the friends joke that they should be able to kiss the bride. The husband says that anybody who wants to kiss the bride has to kiss him like that first. Ching-teng grabs the groom and pushes him onto the table, kissing him like he would kiss Chia-yi. During their kiss, he remembers how he regrets their fight from years ago, and what could have happened had he apologized for being childish.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: "You Are the Apple of My Eye" is based on Giddens' semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. He changed some details of the story to make the film more dramatic; for example, Ching-teng and Chia-yi's fight actually took place over the phone, not in the rain as depicted. Giddens said, "although some of the reasons for the events in the film were changed, the main storyline remained unchanged". Asked if he was pressured by the recent success of Taiwanese films at the box office, he replied "No, I am more pressured by whether the film is nice to watch, whether it will succeed in the box office, and whether it will become an embarrassment for me. Also, if the film is not nice, it will be a letdown to Chen-tung and Michelle, who have been working so hard".


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: At first, the film was on a tight budget; Giddens used his entire savings and mortgaged his house to raise money, saying that he did it to impress ex-girlfriend, who provided the inspiration for this film's female protagonist, Shen Chia-yi. Executive producer Angie Chai also played a key role in raising money for the film.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: Michelle Chen was the first cast member confirmed by the director. "Mypaper" reported that Giddens was attracted to her during their first meeting, saying that she resembled the real Shen Chia-yi. Chen had previously starred in Taiwanese television drama series such as "Why Why Love" and "Miss No Good", although she was better known for her 2009 film "Hear Me". Chen went on a diet to lose weight for the role, saying she wished to "not disappoint the director". Giddens later used her as a basis to select the other cast members.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: The selection process for the male lead was the longest, and a series of auditions attracted several celebrities. Giddens chose first-time actor Ko Chen-tung because he felt he showed great improvement in his acting skills in each successive audition. Giddens liked his attitude, having seen Ko Chen-tung hiding in a corner, frantically studying the script just before his audition.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: The director chose Ao-chuan, Yen Sheng-yu, Hao Shao-wen, and Tsai Chang-hsien to play the roles of his high school friends. He described Hao Shao-wen as being a persuasive speaker, Tsai Chang-hsien as being a very good prankster, and Ao-chuan as self-confident. Hu Chia-wei played herself as a teenager. Giddens describes the two of them as "the Jay Chou and Jolin Tsai of the [Chinese] publishing world".


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: Giddens' mother told him that she would like either Lotus Wang or Phoebe Huang to play her in the film. In the end, Giddens settled on Lotus Wang, because she did not have any other work commitments at that time. Ko Chen-tung's real father plays the father in the film.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: "You Are the Apple of My Eye" was primarily filmed at Ching Cheng High School (精誠中學), the school Giddens and Shen Chia-yi attended. The director said he chose the school because "he wanted so badly to see Ko Chen-tung and Michelle Chen in the school uniform that he remembered vividly". The filming of the school scenes could only be done during the Taiwanese school holidays. Because the main location was at the school, it was decided to film the remainder of the film on location throughout Changhua County. The filming had a reported budget of NT$50 million (approx. US$1.67M in January 2012).


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: "Childish" (孩子氣), a song from the film, was written and sung by Michelle Chen. Giddens was so touched by the song that he shed tears "on the spot" after first hearing it; in particular, he liked the song's lyrics. He also praised Michelle's dedication to her role, saying "I believe that the reason that she managed to get inspiration to write this song is because she likes her role [in this film]".


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: Giddens was also involved in some of this film's theme songs, including "Those Years" (那些年). At first Giddens could not decide on the closing theme for this film; however, after hearing one of Japanese composer Mitsutoshi Kimura's new compositions he chose it and added lyrics. "The Lonely Caffeine" (寂寞的咖啡因) had been composed by Giddens for Shen Chia-Yi when the two were in a relationship. He asked the male lead actor to sing the song in the film, because he felt this would convey the song's original meaning.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: "Those Years" was an instant hit. The music video on YouTube logged its ten millionth viewer on 11 November 2011, leading Giddens to note that the song "broke every notable viewership record set by a Chinese-language video on Youtube". In the Taiwanese KKBOX singles daily charts, "Those Years" remained at the top for 64 consecutive days, from 22 August to 22 October 2011, breaking the previous record of 45 consecutive days. The song was nominated for the Best Original Film Soundtrack award at the 48th Golden Horse Awards.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: "You Are the Apple of My Eye" was edited over for its various releases due to its controversial content. In Taiwan, the film was initially given a "Restricted" film classification. Giddens was extremely upset by this, and even personally went to Government Information Office to appeal. The film had to be edited 4 times in order to lower its classification. In the end, the film received a "Guidance" classification, meaning that children above 12 are able to watch it. In Malaysia, the scene where the students masturbated in the classroom was deleted. In Singapore, the film remained unedited, but it received a NC-16 rating, thus restricting the film to viewers above 16.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: The film was heavily edited for its Mainland China release. The scene where a flag-raising ceremony was taking place was edited away, as were the scenes involving masturbation. In total, six scenes involving "negative sexual and pro-Taiwan content" were either edited away or changed. The director also had to add new scenes in order to make the story flow more smoothly after editing.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: The original soundtrack album for "You Are the Apple of My Eye" was released by Sony Music Entertainment Taiwan on 5 August 2011. It contains six songs with vocals and nine instrumental pieces that were used in this film.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: "You Are the Apple of My Eye" made its debut in competition at the 13th Taipei Film Festival on 25 June 2011. The film made its international debut as the opening film for the sixth Summer International Film Festival in Hong Kong. It then had its general release in Taiwan on 19 August 2011.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: The film was screened at the 24th Tokyo International Film Festival on 24 October 2011, where the director and cast were present. It was well-received, with audiences reportedly squeezing into the cinema to the extent that people had to sit in the aisles. Internationally, the film was released in Hong Kong and Macau on 20 October and in Singapore and Malaysia on 10 November 2011.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: On 21 December, Giddens announced on his blog that the film passed the censorship board in China and would debut in that country on 6 January 2012. Giddens had previously expressed a wish for the film to be screened in China so Shen Chia-Yi, for whom he had made the film, could see it and comment. Giddens was unhappy when Chinese censors cut much of the film's "negative sexual and pro-Taiwan content". He apologized to viewers in China for being unable to deliver on his promise to show the full story, saying that he "blamed only himself". He added that he "did not think that the China's version was better [than the other overseas versions]."


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: Giddens revealed that negotiations were ongoing for the film's release in Europe and the United States. The film subsequently made its North American debut at the New York Asian Film Festival on 2 July 2012. It was later screened at the 2012 Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal. Giddens also announced that a sequel will be produced; it will begin production in 2013, and is expected to be released in cinemas in 2014.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: "You Are the Apple of My Eye" was first aired on television on 24 March 2012 on the STAR Chinese Movies network. It became the most-watched film on television in Taiwan, having attracted an audience of almost 3 million people. In the 15 to 44 years old audience, it had an average rating of 7.14, with the rating peaking at 9.27 during the screening. It was also the most-watched television program on both cable and free-to-air networks in Taiwan. STAR Chinese Movies reportedly purchased the rights to the film for the price of NT$2 million (approx. US$69,000).


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: "You Are the Apple of My Eye" grossed more than NT$$20 million at the Taiwanese box office during its soft launch. This makes it the first Taiwanese film to gross over NT$$20 million before its official release date. The film crossed the NT$200 million mark ten days after its official opening. In total, the film earned over NT$420 million at the Taiwanese box office, making it the third-highest-grossing film of 2011 in Taiwan.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: In Hong Kong, "You Are the Apple of My Eye" grossed a total of HK$1,397,571 during its premiere (representing 50.6 percent of Hong Kong box-office earnings) on 20 October 2011. Four days after its release the film had earned a total of HK$11,525,621, breaking the record for the highest-grossing film debuting in the month of October. It also set a record for the highest-grossing opening weekend for a Taiwanese film at the Hong Kong box office, previously held by "Lust, Caution" in 2007 with a gross of $11,441,946. The film recorded the highest Hong Kong opening-four-day attendance in 2011 with 211,163 attending, breaking "" previous record of 143,222. The film also has the highest four-day gross of a 2D film in 2011, and remained the highest-grossing film in Hong Kong cinemas for four consecutive weekends. During the final hours of 2011, it was announced that "You Are the Apple of My Eye" had grossed over HK$61.28 million, making it the all-time highest-grossing Taiwanese film at the Hong Kong box office. At the Macau box office, "You Are the Apple of My Eye" earned more than HK$100,000 in its opening weekend, with nearly 100-percent attendance.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: In Singapore "You Are the Apple of My Eye" earned a total of SGD$675,000, making it the second-highest-grossing film in Singapore that weekend despite the film's NC-16 rating (which meant that only viewers over age 16 were admitted); this surprised the film's distributor, 20th Century Fox. The film broke the record for highest opening weekend for a Taiwanese film in Singapore, previously held by the 2007 film "Secret". It surpassed the performance of other Taiwanese films such as "Monga", "Cape No. 7" and "Lust, Caution". "You Are the Apple of My Eye" was the highest-grossing Asian film of 2011 at the Singapore box office, with earnings of SGD$2.93 million.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: At the Chinese box office, "You Are the Apple of My Eye" became the most popular Taiwanese film, surpassing the previous record set by "Cape No. 7" in 2008. It was the third-highest-earning film on its debut weekend, grossing about 27 million yuan. The film subsequently crossed the 50-million-yuan-gross mark on 13 January 2012.


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: Maggie Lee of "The Hollywood Reporter" described the film as a "larky retro coming-of-age confection". She praised the film, saying that it "injects a fresh, tart edge to the genre with a constantly self-mocking boys' angle", which she described as an "alternative to Asian teen movies that tend to be syrupy". She said that "the youthful cast has a limited register but offer enough self-conscious blasé posing." She described the film's texture as "slightly over-bright". Russell Edwards, reviewing for "Variety", criticized the second part of this film, which he says is "unable to maintain the outlandish phallocentric humor of its first hour". He further criticized the last quarter of the film, which Edwards says "sees Giddens overestimating the charm of his own story". Edwards praised the film's cast which, he said, were the film's "greatest asset". He also praised the film as "a much more robust production than many similar youth-skewing Taiwanese romancers over the past decade".


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: Serene Lim, a reviewer for "Today", labelled the film a "gentle tale of a teenage romance". She said that "Ko's talents as a novelist are evident", although his "attention to detail can get indulgently long-winded at times". Lim singled out Ko Chen-tung for praise, saying that "[he] thoroughly deserves his Golden Horse nomination for Best Newcomer, given his turn as the impetuous rebel made good"; overall, she gave the film a rating of 3.5 out of 5. Yong Shu Hoong, writing for Singapore-based "Mypaper", said that the "flashback sequences can reek of oversentimentality", although the reviewer added that "the thrills, rivalries and heartbreak associated with high school romance are well depicted with nostalgia and humour" and gave it a rating of 3 out of 5. The film was rated by Mtimes Movies as the "2nd Best Chinese Film of 2011".


title: You Are the Apple of My Eye

text: "Film Business Asia" gave the film a rating of 7/10, with Derek Elley describing it as "a confident feature" and "slickly packaged in every department", the latter making it "easy to miss the fact there's nothing at all original here". He praised the cast as "well-chosen individually and relaxed as an ensemble". He added, "apart from a slightly draggy second half, the material sustains itself at almost two hours, with generally trim editing by co-executive director ." He concluded by summarizing the film's plot as a "simple teenage rom-com, a will-they/won't-they between two opposites, but capped by a neat finale that does deliver some real emotion".


title: Decapitated (band)

text: Decapitated is a Polish death metal band formed in Krosno in 1996. The group comprises guitarist, founder and composer Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka, vocalist Rafał Piotrowski, bassist Paweł Pasek and drummer James Stewart. Decapitated have gained recognition as one of the genre's most widely respected bands and one of the finest exponents of technical death metal. The band earned an international fan base in the underground music community and became an innovating act in the modern death metal genre.


title: Decapitated (band)

text: Vogg and his younger brother, drummer Witold "Vitek" Kiełtyka, founded Decapitated along with vocalist Wojciech "Sauron" Wąsowicz in their mid-teens, joined by bassist Marcin "Martin" Rygiel a year later. After releasing two demos, the band signed with Wicked World (subsidiary of Earache Records) and, in 2000, released their debut album, "Winds of Creation". In 2002 and 2004 the band released the albums "Nihility" and "The Negation", respectively. The band's fourth album, "Organic Hallucinosis", was released in 2006 and featured vocalist Adrian "Covan" Kowanek, who had replaced Wąsowicz the year before.


title: Decapitated (band)

text: In late 2007, the band was involved in an automobile accident. Vitek died at the age of 23 on November 2, 2007 from the injuries he suffered from the accident; Covan survived, but he slipped into a coma as a result. After a period of disbandment, Vogg reformed Decapitated in 2009 and the band has released four more studio albums since then: "Carnival Is Forever" (2011), "Blood Mantra" (2014), "Anticult" (2017) and "Cancer Culture" (2022). "Alternative Press" described Decapitated as remaining one of "death metal's elite" bands.


title: Decapitated (band)

text: Decapitated was founded in Krosno, Poland in 1996, by guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka, who was 15 at the time, his brother drummer Witold "Vitek" Kiełtyka, who was 12 years old, and vocalist Wojciech "Sauron" Wąsowicz, who was 16. One year later, bassist Marcin "Martin" Rygiel, 13, joined the band. Decapitated released its first demo, "Cemeterial Gardens", in 1997 and its second demo, "The Eye of Horus", in 1998. After signing to Earache Records subsidiary Wicked World, the band released its debut album, "Winds of Creation", which included a cover version of Slayer's "Mandatory Suicide", and was produced by Piotr Wiwczarek from the Polish band Vader, in April 2000. The band toured with Vader in early 2001 in the United Kingdom. Allmusic states that "Decapitated have quickly gained recognition as one of Poland's, and even Europe's, finest exponents of ultra-technical death metal."


title: Decapitated (band)

text: Decapitated's self-produced second album, "Nihility", which was released in February 2002, fulfilled the high expectations that followed the well-received debut album. "Nihility" also included a cover version of Napalm Death's "Suffer the Children". Decapitated was chosen to perform at the Polish Ozzfest event in late May and toured in North America and Europe in August. Sławek and Wojtek Wiesławscy produced the band's next album, "The Negation", which was released in February 2004. The album received a positive response from critics and was followed by a tour in Europe and the United States throughout 2004.


title: Decapitated (band)

text: In mid-2005, Sauron announced his withdrawal from Decapitated, stating: "It was not an easy decision. However, I could reconcile the welfare of the band with my personal plans, and hence quitting appeared to be the best solution not hampering the evolution of Decapitated.(...) Moreover, another reason that contributed to my decision have been some health complications." The band chose Adrian "Covan" Kowanek, a previous member of Atrophia Red Sun, as his replacement and entered Hertz Studios in Białystok in August to record their ambitious fourth album "Organic Hallucinosis", which was released the following February. According to Allmusic, the band's musical change of direction on this album was "likely to polarize longtime Decapitated fans".


title: Decapitated (band)

text: During the following tour in December 2005, Marcin could not perform with the band due to military conscription issues and was shortly substituted by Richard Gulczynski, but joined again in February 2006. During the year, Decapitated toured with American bands Suffocation, Six Feet Under, Fear Factory, and others. In June and July 2007, Decapitated played with Cephalic Carnage and others in the Summer Slaughter trek across the US. Once the tour ended, Marcin departed from Decapitated to live with his family and to move to California.


title: Decapitated (band)

text: On October 28, 2007, the remaining three band members were involved in an automobile accident that injured Vitek and Covan. Their tour bus collided with a truck carrying wood in Gomel, near the border from Russia to Belarus. Vitek died on November 2, 2007 at the age of 23 in a Russian hospital from the injuries. Covan slipped into a coma and was later moved to Poland. In 2008, Metal Mind Productions released the concert DVD "Human's Dust".


title: Decapitated (band)

text: On March 8, 2009, after a period of disbandment, Vogg announced he was planning to continue the band and was searching for a new drummer and vocalist. Covan was unable to continue with Decapitated due to the slow improvement of his condition. In early 2009, Vogg participated on recording of the guitars for Vader's album "Necropolis" and continued with the band on a tour in support of the album, starting in September.


title: Decapitated (band)

text: In mid-2009 Vogg stated: "It has been the hardest thing for me to move on without Vitek by my side, but he would have wanted me to continue with the band. Finally, I have found some great musicians who can continue the work of Vitek and Covan." "There's no sense in stopping this amazing thing we built up so many years ago together with Vitek, Sauron, Martin and Covan."


title: Decapitated (band)

text: On July 31, 2009, the Austrian drummer Kerim "Krimh" Lechner of Thorns of Ivy joined Decapitated. On November 20, 2009, the new line-up was completed with the vocalist Rafał Piotrowski of the band Ketha and bassist Filip "Heinrich" Hałucha of Vesania and Masachist. Decapitated continued with support of Nuclear Blast record label and Hard Impact Music management. The band toured in United Kingdom in February 2010 as well as in April and May in Australia, New Zealand and European festivals and the Summer Slaughter tour in United States in mid-2010.


title: Decapitated (band)

text: The band entered RG Studio in Gdańsk on February 9, to begin recording their fifth studio album entitled "Carnival Is Forever". The album was produced by Vogg; while mixing and drums production was done by Swedish producer Daniel Bergstrand, who previously worked with Behemoth and Meshuggah among others. Heinrich departed from Decapitated after the recording in order to concentrate on Vesania, and "Carnival Is Forever" was released on July 12, 2011.


title: Decapitated (band)

text: On November 1, 2011, the band was on board LOT Polish Airlines Flight 16 when the crew were unable to extend the landing gear and were forced to land the aircraft on its belly. Everyone aboard the flight survived. Decapitated went on a European tour with Meshuggah in mid-2012. Lechner left the band in September 2012 and was replaced by former Vader drummer Paweł Jaroszewicz. In late 2012, Decapitated played concerts in Nepal, Japan, and Thailand, among others. In 2013, the band joined Lamb of God on a tour in North America.


title: Decapitated (band)

text: On March 13, 2014, the band announced the addition of drummer Michał Łysejko to its lineup, who had been touring with Decapitated since January 2014. Decapitated recorded "Blood Mantra" during March in Hertz Studio in Poland, and released the album in September. During a tour in United States in October, the band was involved in serious van accident on the way to a show in New Orleans, Louisiana. Nobody was seriously injured and the band continued on tour. Decapitated accompanied Soulfly on their 2015 We Sold Our Souls To Metal Tour.


title: Decapitated (band)

text: The album "Anticult" was released on July 7, 2017. Vogg stated about the songwriting process: "[This] album is one that we created together as a band. Our drummer, Michał [Łysejko], [helped] a lot with the arrangements and the songs. He's like the co-author of the songs. It's like I used to do with Vitek [Witold Kiełtyka]."


title: Decapitated (band)

text: On 9 September 2017, all four members of Decapitated's line up at the time (Michał Łysejko, Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka, Rafał Piotrowski and Hubert Więcek) were arrested in Santa Ana, California after a show. Prior to the arrest, the band members had offered to surrender to the police as soon as they had learned of an investigation, but never heard anything back. After being extracted to Spokane, each band member was formally charged with rape in October 2017. Piotrowski and Kiełtyka were both charged with second degree rape, while Łysejko and Więcek's charges were for third degree rape. All members of the band plead not guilty to their respective criminal charges. All charges were dropped by prosecutors in January 2018, citing the "well-being of the victim" and "in the interest of justice", and the scheduled trial later that month was cancelled. According to Piotrowski's attorney Jeffry Finer, the accuser was heavily involved in the decision to drop charges and the band's defence attorneys also highlighted testimonies from numerous concert attendees and musicians from other bands in support of the band's version of events. In March 2018, Kiełtyka wrote a statement explicitly rejecting the accusations and describing the experience as "one of the most terrible and irrational times in our lives""."