When it comes to the PlayStation 2, publisher Atlus USA is certainly not afraid to point out where its loyalties lie. The company indicated as much when we spoke to them last month, as Atlus PR front man Aram Jabbari called Sony's venerable console "a viable platform," adding that "there is no reason to abandon a veteran system just because it isn't the newest thing around."

What this translates to is that players can expect to continue to see Atlus' unique brand of niche Japanese titles coming stateside for some time. The latest to be confirmed of which is Examu's all-female fighting game Arcana Heart, which promises PS2 owners all the girl-on-girl 2D action they can handle when the game drops in North America on April 8. With 11 different customizable gals and a budget price of $29.99, Arcana Heart certainly has all the markings of a game worth picking up, though given Atlus' history, we expect that it will become near impossible to find at retail just hours after it's released.

Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Arcadia's annual fighting game tournament has begun. Tougeki -- better known as Super Battle Opera -- can easily be considered the world cup of fighting games, drawing competitors from all over the world and for a variety of different titles. This years line-up consists of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, Hyper Anniversary, King of Fighters 98, Melty Blood: Act Cadenza, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core, Arcana Heart, Virtua Fighter 5, Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection and Soul Calibur III: Arcade Edition.

"Competitive gaming" may be a dirty word to some, but unlike the spoiled brats that make up the "professional" scene, the players of the fighting game community tend to keep it real with no sponsors to foot their bills or debatable endorsements to pimp out. The players that make up Team USA are the winners of this years EVO regional tournaments. Their reward? A trip to Japan to compete in SBO and a chance to bring it to them before they bring it back to us later this month at the EVO world finals. We're rooting for you, boys.

Today's videos are the 2006 finals for some of the returning Super Battle Opera games. Enjoy!

A gameplay clip of Arcana Heart is today's most-watched YouTube game video. This footage shows the new, Japan-only, arcade fighter. The 2D gameplay -- with all-female characters -- looks pretty close to Street Fighter and others; we don't quite understand the appeal of this version, but many Japanese gamers are excited about its release.

See the video after the break.