Hero of the Week: Miroku

This week's hero is the perverted monk from the warring states era. I'm of course talking about the man with the wind tunnel, Miroku.



At this point, Miroku may be nothing more than a shallow archetype, but he was actually an original and refreshing character when Inuyasha started. A man of worship yet a pervert; not many can pull that off. His constant womanizing is a breath of fresh air and a nice change and pace from all the "KAGOME!" and "INUYASHA!" screaming.

He also has a pretty interesting power. With the ability to suck anything into his hand, he is somewhat overpowered, but seeing him one shot several enemies is definitely enjoyable. Too bad it goes so underused whenever Naraku's bullshit bugs make an appearance. Of course we can't blame bad plot progression on the character (I wouldn't be using a character from Inuyasha in that situation).

Anime Seasons: Winter 2009/2010

As the year comes to a close, news of the upcoming anime season makes its way onto the net. Take a look.



Honestly, I'm interested in literally nothing on that list. Maybe I'll check out Durarara!! but I'm not expecting much. Oh well, maybe next season will be better.

Hero of the Week: Battler Ushiromiya

This week's hero is the calculating and intelligent member of the Ushiromiya family. I'm talking about the witch denying protagonist of Umineko no naku Koro ni, Battler Ushiromiya.



As with most of the heroes from this segment, Battler's heroics are not immediately noticeable and may be questionable in the first place. Also like many of the heroes I have chosen, he is not typical by any means. In fact, the main reason I would call him a hero of sorts lies in his unwavering resolve (and stubbornness) rather than his actions.

Despite overwhelming evidence, Battler will not budge in his belief that witches and magic are nothing more than fantasy. While this may make him seem like the typical horror movie victim, he is actually far from it. Unbeknown to him, his disbelief is what is preventing the antagonist, Beatrice, from becoming a full-fledged witch. Ironically, he has gained a great deal of anti-magic powers because of this.

While he is unable to save his family for the majority of the series, his determination and attitude make him very likable and makes the audience not want to give up either. Even when a new "game" starts, his ability to "flip the chess board" gives Beatrice a run for her money on more than one occasion despite being a supernatural being.

While cliche in some ways, Battler is a refreshing and cocky character that fits the series perfectly. Definitely wouldn't be as entertaining without him.

Back From AC

Sorry about not updating with the Hero of the Week. I was at Atlantic City for the holidays. It should be up tonight or tomorrow.

MAD Time: Code Geass and Yu Yu Hakusho

Now here's an unlikely combination. Most fan-made opening crossovers at least make sense but this one is...well, it's pretty out there. Enjoyable nonetheless. Check it out.

Hero of the Week: Kazuma

This week's hero is the reckless "Shell Bullet" from the Lost Ground. I'm talking about one of the most dangerous alter user's on the planet, Kazuma.



I've made it quite clear why I like the hot-headed angry protagonist, so let's talk about Kazuma's other major draw; his ability. With an alloy imbued arm, he is the perfect embodiment of a severely underused ability; thrust. By disintegrating the fins on his shoulder, he can propel himself at ridiculous speeds. This is one of the more badass powers that exist, period.

While Kazuma's rivalry with the other protagonist, Ryuho, is nothing new, the presentation and content of the battles are incredibly entertaining. Nearing the scope of a DBZ battle, these two can cause so much devastation that you find yourself rooting for neither one. Of course at the beginning of the series, Kazuma is the easily the more likable one being the underdog and all while Ryuho is just a smug douche.

Cameron's Battle Angel Has a Script

With all the hype surrounding Avatar, you might have forgotten that James Cameron is also working on a live action adaptation of Battle Angel Alita. It seems the film already has a script and a year of design work. While I can't say I know much about the original, it is encouraging to know another Hollywood anime adaptation is coming along nicely. Good or bad, it will get a lot of coverage with Cameron being involved. I'll have more when we know a bit more.

Hero of the Week: Mugen

This week's hero is the breakdancing bad boy from the Edo period. Unconventional swordsman and co-protagonist of Samurai Champloo, I give you Mugen!



In a series about stylish break dancing swordsmanship and catchy hip-hop tunes, Mugen excels and almost epitomizes the themes conveyed. While Jin is also iconic for his role as the other protagonist, no one represents the soul of Samurai Champloo like Mugen. Of course this comes with many negative connotations. Womanizing, illiteracy, lack of intelligence; could you ask for a more perfect hip hop setup? Stereotype or not, Mugen is the personification of pre-hip hop era hip hop.

So his role works in the themes of the show, but how does he hold up as a character? Pretty damn good. His backstory is in line with the problem of Japan's closed country policy at the time and makes him more than just a "style over substance" throw away.

Let's not forget his fights. I'm not gonna lie; he has some of the most entertaining fights in the medium. Despite my apathy toward hip hop as a whole, I've always thought of break dancing as one of the most badass things you can do. Combine that with another badass thing humans can do (fighting) and you got yourself a double dose of unadulterated badassery.

While he never does settle his quarrel with Jin, he does grow as a person and doesn't die like the overall narrative would have you believe. It's nice to know history wasn't all boring.

Bakuman Getting Anime?

It seems slice-of-life series "Bakuman" may be getting an anime adaptation. From the duo that brought us psychological thriller, Death Note, Bakuman follows two teens as they attempt to get serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. The series is almost a fictional documentary detailing the workings of the Shonen Jump office and what it takes to get in. For me, it doesn't hold a candle to Death Note, but it's amusing enough to be excited for an adaptation like this. Let's hope it's handled well.

The Shonen Formula Part 7: You Are Special

Being a shonen protagonist is tough. They have to face countless enemies with supernatural abilities capable of decimating entire cities. Surely they can't compete without being "special". Yeah, we all get the standard "you are special in your own way" bull shit from our parents, but that's not the kind of "special" I'm talking about.

Even when looking past the human abilities of the protagonist, they still have something that gives them an edge in battle and sets them apart from the rest of humanity. If Goku wasn't a Sayian, he would never be able to fight on such a ridiculous level. Ichigo and Yusuke would not have so much spirit power without the help of their family ties. Naruto is an idiot but he can still fight on the level of S-class Ninjas due to his heritage and the fact he has a friggin demon inside his body. Even the seemingly normal boss of the Vongola family, Tsuna, is blessed with some random BS known as "hyper intuition".

Theoretically, this shouldn't be a problem. I mean, we're talking about super hero fantasy stuff here. However, this sometimes contradicts the themes of the series. Naruto can convince himself all he wants that the result of his power comes from hard work, but the fact of the matter is that he has the stamina to do a few years worth of training in a couple of hours thanks to a supernatural entity living in his body. Adding insult to injury, he has the blood of one of the best ninjas in the world, only adding to how misguided his resolve is. Edward Elric can spout nonsense about equivalent exchange being the rule of the world, but the fact is that he was born with the talent and intellect to succeed in alchemy far beyond the boundaries of a normal human.

Ignoring the themes, there is something that almost all shonen protagonists share when talking about their strength; they get it from their family. Goku, Naruto, Ichigo, Gon, Luffy, Tsuna, Yusuke, Jojo(s), Negi, Maka, Yoh. There is not a character in that list that isn't related in some way or another to a person of immense strength.

It may be cliche, but do you really want "Joe Blow" taking on hundreds of super villains without the means to defend himself? Okay, maybe that would be amusing for a little bit, but that's not how shonen works. Those special people are those that protect the world while entertaining us in the process. Normal is boring; that's just how it is.

Hero of the Week: Yusuke Urameshi

This week's hero is the hot blooded delinquent with a heart of gold. I could only be talking about the semi-misanthropic spirit detective, Yusuke Urameshi.



Yusuke is an intriguing hero. While he has some of the traits of an anti-hero, he really doesn't take that archetype to the extreme. This is odd when you take into account his casual acceptance as a misanthrope. He still saves those in trouble and fights those that are dangerous. In a way, Yusuke is a the delinquent version of Goku. He won't hesitate in a fight at all but his friends still take priority.

Another interesting trait is Yusuke's abnormal yet inconsistently high luck. He would not have one several fights (most notably Rando's) had it not been for his ridiculous luck. Of course, that same luck lead to two exhausting battles in a row.

With his smack talking and clever use of signature techniques, Yusuke usually ends up with some entertaining fights. Yeah, the spirit gun may just be "generic beam attack number 3384" but at least he looks badass performing it. In fact, I would say the fight against Toguro is one of the best fights in Shonen Jump history.

Overall, Yusuke is the standard shonen hero before that archetype became generic. Still, his social incompatibility yet charismatic demeanor make him stand out. Like I always say, actions are greater than personality.

Toriyama's Next Series

The year ends on a high note as world renowned mangaka Akira Toriyama (Dragonball) releases a new series with the help of DNA²'s Masakazu Katsura known as "Jiya" in the Dec 10 issue of Young Jump. Yes, it is only a mini-series, but anything Toriyama does at this point is worth mentioning no matter how insignificant. I'll have updates when it actually releases.

Filler Time: Awesome Soul Eater Halloween AMV

I know I'm a month late for an AMV like this, but it's still pretty damn awesome. Can't say I'm a big Marilyn Manson fan, but this song fits the series perfectly. The strong focus on insanity as well as the numerous ghastly creatures make Halloween the perfect holiday representative of Soul Eater. Enjoy.

Hero of the Week: Alan

This week's hero is the hardened warrior from Mar-Heaven. I could only be talking about the dog-inhabiting fighter, Alan.



Alan isn't your typical hero. As he was sealed in the guard dog, Edward, he spends most of the day lying dormant. However, when he does get released, he can cause quite a bit of havoc to the chess pieces, even being able to fight on par with a knight. Of course this is expected. He did fight in the previous war alongside the hero, Danna. That of course, does not stop him from being badass.

He always puts the interests of the team above his own. This is apparent when taking into account his treatment of Alvis and Snow. Even though he has experienced the nightmare before, he won't rest until the world is safe from the chess pieces and the queen.

After being separated from Ed, Alan becomes one of the main fighters of Mar. He is an asset to the team and they wouldn't be where they were without him.

Liar Game

Since the end of Death Note, I've been craving an intelligent series filled with suspense and excitement. I came upon a little seinen series known as Liar Game. After the first few chapters, I was hooked. A week and a half later, I'm all caught up and anticipating the next chapter.

The premise is both unique and complicated. The protagonist, Kanzaki Nao, is an honest college student that gets sent 100 million yen as an invitation to take part in the "Liar Game". As the name suggests, this game encourages dishonesty and theft. The 100 million must be paid back at the end of the game by each player. Players try to steal from each other in hopes to profit from the game while driving the others in debt. A game of wits, perserverance, and pyschological torture begins, and that's just the first round.

The characters are fantastic. The other protagonist, Akiyama, is very reminiscient of L from Death Note. Whenever the situation looks hopeless, you just know he'll have a plan that can bring the team out unscathed and even profit from it. Nao also has her moments despite her constant stream of idiotic outburts. Fukunaga, the team's hot headed transvestite, is another interesting and unpredictable character that adds some spice to the series. The current antagonist, Yokoya, is a fitting rival for the genius Akiyama and makes for perfectly suspenseful scenarios.

The games the LGT come up with are interesting and clever. While they initally seem like games based on luck, many are in fact conduits for exposing human error and using it to the player's advantage. Sometimes the games get so complicated that it's difficult to keep up with the rules. I'n not gonna lie; sometimes I had no idea what was going on. Akiyama's explanations would usually confuse me even more, but at least he looked cool doing it.

Nao's noble ambition to take on all the debt herself really keeps you coming back for more to see how it all will end. As we're only in round 4, I expect this series to go on for a while. Let's hope for an anime adaptation.

Funimation Co-producing Anime

If you needed any more evidence that anime is a world wide phenomenon, here it is. As localization and distribution is mostly a hands-off job, Funimation seeks to change that. They will be co-producing several new series along with the actual production studio. This could do wonders for cementing anime as a medium that surpasses regional expectations. I'll have more information when we start hearing about the titles.

Trigun: Badlands Rumble Teaser

Any fans of Trigun should be excited for the 2010 film. To help hype you up even more, the official website has released a teaser. Check it out.



Seeing Vash the Stampede move around in modern animation is definitely awesome. The film releases in April in Japan. Here's hoping for a quick sub whether it be fan made or official.

Hero of the Week: Lelouch Lamperouge

This week's hero holds the title of Zero so he can lead the Elevens to freedom. I could only be talking about royal gone rogue with the Geass of absolute obedience, Lelouch Lamperouge.



Lelouch isn't your typical hero. Few have gone through the same amount of changes as him. While he started out as a psychotic anti-hero with questionable values, Lelouch overcame adversity and became worthy of the hero title. With help from those he cares aobut, Lelouch went through a major realization leading to a heroic feat few can even come close to taking credit for.

By shouldering the world's hate, he was able to prevent wars and discrimination, at least for a little while. Even though he exploited humanity's need to hate something, who cares about the method? Exploiting human nature is a job for the villain, and it takes guts to take up the gauntlet as a villain. The term hero isn't tossed around lightly, but the importance of the "villain" is often underplayed. "Heroics through villainy" is something I can get behind when it's absolutely necessary.

By giving his life, Lelouch will live on as a harbinger of peace through the actions of a dictator. Both ironic and clever, but if it unites the world, who cares? He will be missed regardless of the heinous deeds he committed in the beginning of the series.

Hunter x Hunter returning in January

I know I'm super late on this, but it's news nonetheless. After an incredibly long hiatus, Hunter x Hunter will finally make it's return in January. I don't know about you, but I'm excited that this damn Chimera Ant arc will finish this batch. I just hope it lasts longer than a few months this time.

Fullmetal Alchemist X Final Fantasy 6

Sorry about the lack of posts this past week. Not much is going on in the world of aninme and manga. I have started reading Liar Game, but I'll let you know about that another time when I'm not as tired. Now, I'll give you an nice MAD that I enjoy. This time, the cross-over in question is Final Fantasy 6 and Fullmetal Alchemist. Check it out.

Hero of the Week: Leorio

This week's hero is the seemingly greedy Emission type from Hunter x Hunter. I could only be talking about the doctor hunter, Leorio.



Leorio may not have the assassination skills of Killua or the badass hatsu of Kurapica, but there is something he does have; the unending determination to save people. While on the surface, his desire for money comes off as pure greed, but under the notions of avarice and perversion lie a noble goal; the desire to become a doctor. With the money he earns as a hunter, he will pay for med school and even the equipment he needs. He even plans on helping those who don't have the funds for expensive operations without compensation.

Leorio may be a bit behind in learning Nen, but he mostly makes up for it in physical strength. Despite his struggle, the guy has proven to be a qualified hunter.

Unfortunately, Leorio is a criminally underused character, especially recently. With the other 3 main characters hogging the spotlight, it may be unlikely at this point to wish for Leorio's spectacular comeback. Of course, I am still hopeful as there's still a lot to be done with the character. Everyone is still growing and if Togashi every gets back on a consistent schedule, maybe he'll decide to flesh out the characters that need it.

Old Boy Adaptation Gets Canned

If anyone was looking forward to the Spielberg remake of the acclaimed Korean thriller based off a manga, Old Boy, then I have some bad news for you. The project is officially dead. Seems there was a bit of a rights struggle going on and all parties involved didn't think it was worth the trouble.

As for me, I don't really have an opinion. I definitely enjoyed Old Boy, but not enough to worry about Spielberg butchering it. It would've been nice to see the movie get some mainstream coverage in the states, but perhaps this is for the best.

The Shonen Formula Part 6: Train, Train, and Train Some More

The lamp aliens are on their way to destroy the Earth. Only our heroes, the G Warriors, can stop them. However, they are not strong enough to deal with the illuminated extraterrestrials. Fortunately, the aliens will not arrive for another a year. In that time, our heroes must train their bodies so they will be ready.

Does this situation look familiar to you? It should if you like Shonen series even a little. Sure, many characters get stronger in battle, but very rarely will they be able to grow enough to tackle the next main villain. As a result of this power discrepancy, training arcs are almost a necessity. Pretty much all the big series do them. DragonBall, Naruto, Bleach, JJBA, Reborn, Hunter x Hunter, etc. Some opt to not show the actual training like One Piece, but we know it's going on between islands.

While what is often seen as tedious cool down between major arcs, there are definitely some fun training arcs out there that serve as more than just a transition. The early Naruto training arcs come to mind. There was some nice interaction between team 8 and the training itself was pretty ammusing as well (walking up trees, walking on water, etc.).

It isn't often that we see the full pay off of the training during the actual training arc. Gotta have some surprises for the fight or things will get boring. I'm only talking about techniques of course. Strategic use of already known techniques can be pretty surprising even when extensively used during the training. A good example would be Goku's using his instant transmission against Cell with a fully charged Kamehameha. There's also Naruto legitimately using Rasengan for the first time against Kabuto. Even though we saw the full effects of the attack during the training, Naruto was able to make the scenario interesting by allowing Kabuto to pierce his hand with the kunai and hold it in place.

Some series tend to skip ahead after the training begins. The most recent training arc in Katekyo Hitman Reborn was like that as were most of the training arcs in Flame of Recca. Sometimes there will be flashbacks during the actual fight to signify what the fighter has learned during their training (usually displayed in emotional epiphanies).

While definitely a negative for some, the training arc is a necesary evil. When all is said and done, the main character must grow. He/she can't take out everyone from the beginning or else it would be boring. It seems some manga-ka are fine with only implying the training happened to move things along faster, but they're still prominent enough to mention. Love em or hate em, they're just another part of the genre we all love.

Fall 2009 Anime Openings

It's that time of the year again. All the long running anime series (mostly which consist of Shonen Jump adaptations) have received new openings. Let's take a look at the ones I care about starting with Bleach.



The song has its moments, but I wouldn't call it "good" per se. The visuals are nice and probably pretty epic for an anime-only watcher. Unfortunately, it's hard to get psyched for a filler arc even with a decent opening like this. I'm not a "purist" by any means, but I can't deny knowing what is and isn't canon can alter your opinion of what didn't actually happen.

Moving onto Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood



This one is definitely high quality. Bones has been on a roll with the Brotherhood openings. Fantastic foreshadowing with Greed-Ling and Kimbley as well as Olivia's introduction along with the base faculty. I'm having a hard time deciding which opening is better; this one or the last one.

Now here's Katekyo Hitman Reborn



As with the previous OP, the visuals are impressive and do a good job displaying the events to come and seeing the real Funeral Wreaths make the jump to animation is impressive. However, the song is incredibly irritating to me. At least 1 out of 2 is better than nothing.

And finally, Naruto Shippuden



Overall, this is my favorite new opening of the season. Everything is put together perfectly from the visuals to the music. It fits great and doesn't under emphasize Jiraiya's fight against Pein like I had feared. The allusion to Jiraiya's death is fantastic and emotional. The inclusion of young Nagato's team is also a nice touch and the transition from young Yahiko to Pein is fantastic.

As usual, there were some winners and some stinkers. I would say the Naruto opening makes it all worth it seeing as it's the best one since Shippuden started. Perhaps the rest will get better openings next season.

Hero of the Week: Shinji Mimura

This week's hero is the kind-hearted rebel from Battle Royale with the balls to go against the system. I'm of course talking about the athletic hacker, Shinji Mimura.



While the term "hero" can refer to most of the students forced to fight in the horrible and inhumane "Program", Shinji stands above the rest. His unending courage, his ability to take actions even when the odds are against him, the unwavering will, the plan. It's not hard to see why Shinji was one of the most popular characters while the manga was going on. No matter what happened, Shinji was vigilant to the end. In a way, he was the perfect good guy and the most likely out of all the players to get off the island with his fellow classmates still alive.

Of course, fate was not kind to the young athlete. With the dangerous stoic, Kazuo Kiriyama lurking in the shadows, Shinji Mimura met his end. However, he went out with a bang in one of the most enjoyable confrontations in the entire story. Even with the prior knowledge that he would lose, it is almost impossible not to root for him as if there was a sliver of hope. His death was indeed tragic and was one of the few that evoked an emotional response from me. When you end up crying over the death of a fictional character, you know he's gotta be a hero.

Regardless of the outcome, Shinji is a fantastic and likable character that you don't find very often. It's especially rare for a character will skills all around to be so likable. I want to say his lack of arrogance makes sure of that. Without him, the world of Battle Royale would definitely be a lot less enjoyable.

Filler Time: Gurren Lagann X Brawl

Let's get some MAD action in here. As a huge fan of both Super Smash Bros Brawl and Gurren Lagann, You could imagine how much win this video holds for me. Check it out.

One Piece Volume 0 Gets Animated

You remember that limited edition "volume 0" of the One Piece manga? The one that moviegoers checking out the 10th movie will receive? Well, it seems like the story won't be limited to the first 1.5 million viewers. The prequel will be getting an animated adaptation as well. While there's even a more limited release than the manga, I doubt we'll be waiting too long for it to wind up on the internet. I'll have impressions on both when they get scanslated/subbed.

Hero of the Week: Touma Kamijo

This week's hero is the unlucky student from Academy City. I could only be talking about the holder of the great Imagine Breaker ability, Touma Kamijo.



Touma is a peculiar hero. He has a special ability, but it definitely isn't the norm for shonen protagonists. He can't materialize some elemental substance nor does he possess super strength. However, he does have the ability to negate other abilities with his right hand. Neither a psychic nor a magician, Touma is an odd ability user with a hand that can deny even God (and God's blessings as well, explaining his bad luck).

Touma's sense of justice is also peculiar. Going to great lengths for unknown people isn't exclusive to any one hero, but Touma's way about doing it is admirable for reasons beyond what you would expect. One major reason is both a cliche and an anti-cliche at the same time.

I'm talking complete and utter memory loss of all prior experiences. Simple amnesia is one thing, but something that will doubtfully ever return is another. Unlike most protagonists plagued with this cliche plot device, Touma loses his memory after the series begins. However, he makes no effort to get it back and has accepted it may be useless to even try. Not many people could cope with such a severe condition, but Touma takes it one step further. He hides the fact from all of his loved ones and actually pulls it off. If this ridiculous display of willpower and sensitivity to others doesn't warrant the title of hero, I don't know what does.

So what does the unlucky, amnesiac student do? In addition to babysitting the terribly annoying and titular character, Index, he goes around fighting against actual psychics and magicians to protect his friends. Most students in his situation would just go through the motions hoping their memory will one day return, but this guy just can't sit still knowing an injustice is being committed.

Hopefully Touma's luck gets better by the time the series ends. After all he's been through, I think he deserves a little bit of downtime with no bitchy kid to worry about.

Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni and the Cultural Conflict

I don't like to brag, but I've made it clear I know something about Japanese culture. Sure, I'm no Debito Arudo, But I've been around the block. However, that doesn't mean there aren't aspects to the culture that absolutely baffle me. I could get into the social and political problems, but since this is an anime and manga site, I'll have to limit myself to that.

I'm talking about the conflicting nature of Visual Novel turned hit, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (AKA "When They Cry"). Now don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of the series. It wasn't until earlier when I listened and guiltily enjoyed one of the tracks off the CD, Nano Desu. Take a look if you dare.



Yeah, cuteness overload and all that. If you aren't familiar with the series, you'd be surprised to find out that it's actually a psychological horror dealing with interdimensional gods, teenager's going crazy and murdering people, and children having their stomachs ripped open. I think this scene shows what I'm talking about (WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS)



The whole "cute and deadly" deal has been going on in Anime for a while (See Elfen Lied), but never before have both been given an equal amount of attention. Not only do these conflicting and opposite genre aspects mess with the individual fan but the fanbase as a whole. Who is the target audience here? Is it the standard otaku open to all genres? The term niche is thrown around all the time when talking about these things, but in theory, this should be in a category of its own. Of course that isn't true considering the series popularity, but when you have a track like that, you gotta wonder if this unholy blending of genres is actually a viable combination with untapped potential.

Ponyo Becomes Highest Grossing Miyazaki Film in US

I haven't seen Ponyo yet, but that hasn't stopped it from becoming a huge success in America. Taking in a good 15 million, Ponyo has become the highest grossing Miyazaki film in America. Add that to the instant success of anything with Miyazaki's name attached to it in Japan and you've got a hit on your hands. Doesn't seem like Studio Ghibli will be having financial problems any time soon.

Astro Boy Flops: Takes in 1.8 Mil

This can't be good news for Imagi. The CGI adaptation of famous anime, Astro Boy, was only able to take in US $1.8 million on opening day. Seeing as the film cost 65 million, this can only be considered a major flop. I'm hoping the film has long legs and it does well internationally for Imagi's sake as well as for the future of anime adaptations overall. I can say I will definitely be doing my part once I get my friend to go.

Live Action Ghost in the Shell Gets a Writer: Laeta Kalogridis

It seems that screenwriter, Laeta Kalogridis, will be penning the live action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. Those unfamiliar with Kalogridis will be surprised to know she wrote the upcoming Shutter Island. Having not seen any of her previous work, I can't quite say what this means for the film, but she seems to be competent enough. I'll keep you updated when we get more info.

Hero of the Week: Adam Blade

This week's hero is the badass priest residing in Black Spot. I'm of course talking about the man with the memory fragment, Adam Blade.


The world of Needless is a dangerous place. Take a few steps and you're right in the middle of a fight between two super power wielding brutes. Of course, this is one of the main reasons Blade is so useful. With his memorization ability, he can copy any fragment out there. This definitely helps him get out of some less than desirable situations.

Personality wise, there is very little to hate about the priest. His wacky and over the top fighting style makes his battles very entertaining even if the result is usually overkill. While he may have a few quirks that...may be met with scorn (lust for underage girls), at least it's presented in a hilarious way even if there's no way something like that would fly in reality.

While Blade's grudge against Arclight may have lead to some fatal situations, the priest will not be beat. He's gotten out of every bad situation in the past and I don't see that changing in the future. Here's hoping he gets his wish and takes down the original once and for all.

Soul Eater English Trailer

Seems like Funimation is pushing Soul Eater a bit. They have just released a trailer for the DVD. While I think we could do without the narrator, it was a good way to describe the series. Check it out.

One Piece Volume 0

It seems Oda is in the process of making a "0 volume" in his critically acclaimed series, One Piece. They will be given to those who see the 10th movie in theaters and will take place 20 years prior to the beginning of the story. Apparently, it will tie into the movie somehow, most likely involving the escape of Kinjishi from Impel Down. What's interesting is that possibly makes the movie canon, a first for One Piece movies. You can look forward to both the movie and the 0 volume this holiday (if you live in Japan).

Simulcast

A few anime distribution companies that hold the licenses of several series have started a simulcast. This allows people in other countries to watch a specific series with subtitles as it airs in Japan. The best part is that it's free. I personally welcome this as it's helping the distributors while still keeping the convenience of being able to watch your favorite series online. While it isn't widespread yet, there are a few staple series that utilize the simulcast, the most prolific one being One Piece. You can check that out here.

Hopefully more companies adopt this strategy.

Hero of the Week: Kunihiko Moji

This week's hero is the cunning Zearth pilot with the heart of gold. I'm of course talking about the kindest amongst the children, Kunihiko Moji.



















Being a Zearth pilot isn't easy. Not only do you have to be careful of your surroundings, when fighting against other giant mechs, but you also die after the battle is over. Many of the children could not accept their fate, but Moji was one of the few that not only accepted it, he welcomed it with open arms.

While the other children were anxious over when their time would come, Moji was learning the system so he could eventually formulate a plan to give his heart to the childhood friend that needed it and crush of his crush. Not only was he giving away his most precious organ, but he was giving it away to his rival in love. After piloting Zearth and saving our universe, he heads straight to the operating table before his heart stops entirely. If that isn't a hero, I don't know what is.

It's easy to see why Moji is the most likable character in Bokurano. In a tragic story where death is inevitable, one little boy goes to great lengths to keep the group from breaking down. Yes, most of the children are heroes, but it takes a special hero to stay calm and kind in a situation where 6 billion lives are extingued in an instant on an almost weekly basis. Just like the rest of the children, Moji will be missed.

Fairy Tail Anime Begins

As I've said before, this is the series I was most hyped for this season. Not only is it the second series from Rave creator, Hiro Mashima, but it also has a chance of being the next long-running shonen anime since Katekyo Hitman Reborn.

For those that are unfamiliar with the series, Fairy Tail is pretty much One Piece with magic. Wizards conduct their business via guilds. The infamous guild, Fairy Tail, is known for causing trouble due to their over the top antics and ways of doing missions. Natsu is a member of the guild and searches for the dragon that took care of him named Igneel. He uses fire magic, being able to eat, breathe and even punch with fire imbued hands.

While I stopped around chapter 7, I can't say much for what form the series will take, but I can say the first episode was a good retelling of the first chapter. The voice acting is good as is the music. You can see all this for yourself here. I'll leave you with the opening.

Soul Eater Dub Preview: JYB and LB Workng Together Again

Funimation released the preview of the Soul Eater dub. Any voice acting aficionado should have no problem recognizing the voices of the two protagonists. Take a look.



So did you figure out who Soul and Maka are? If not, you can bet they are industry veterans. They are none other than the famous Johnny Yong Bosch and Laura Bailey. I personally think they are very fitting considering their roles. While Soul's American voice is very different than his Japanese one, I actually think JYB may be more fitting for the role. As for Maka, Laura Bailey is easily more experienced than her Japanese VA equivalent.

It will be interesting to see how they grow into their roles. Hopefully Adult Swim can pick up Soul Eater so I won't have to buy the DVDs to find out.

Hero(ine) of the Week: Haruhara Haruko

In a special segment of Hero of the Week, we take a look at a hero of the fairer sex. This week's heroine is the beautiful but deadly alien working for the Galactic Space Police Brotherhood. I'm talking of course about the guitar wielding diva, Haruhara Haruko.






















The next time you're having a chat with one of your anime fan friends, ask them who they remember the most from FLCL. If they say anyone other than Haruko, slap them in the face. I think I speak for the masses when I say she MADE the series. While the rest of the cast was preoccupied with philosophical bullshit and subtle innuendo, Haruko was out being crazy, making for some hilarious and awesome scenes.

Let's not forget her purpose in the series. Without her, Naota would never end up with robots shooting out of his head. I guess from his perspective, that would've been a good thing, but we're talking about entertainment here, not the wishes of the protagonist. Her hilarious antics and visual non-sequitars exhibit a type of humor that any fan of the absurdist variety would enjoy. From posing as a nurse to breaking the 4th wall by acting out everything in "manga format", Haruko is easily one of the funniest characters in anime.

Let's not forget her power. Seeing her fight against Naota in his Atomsk form, you would never tell the difference between her and a Dragonball Z character. Take a look (Starts around 3:50)



Yes, it is hard to hate Haruko if you are a fan of FLCL. Despite her selfish and manipulative nature, she has a somewhat endearing personality even though it seems like she doesn't. Villain, anti-hero or just plain heroine, it doesn't matter. Analyzing Haruko's goals can wait as we have a legitimately fun and interesting character on our hands.

Letter Bee

The fall anime season is really starting to heat up with all the high profile series showing up. The next one on the list is Letter Bee (Tegami Bachi in Japan). Not being a fan of the manga, I didn't know much about the series prior to the first episode. However, I did know it was serialized in Jump Square, so it being good enough for a famous montly shonen manga, I thought "how bad could it be?".

In this world, there are delivery boys known as Letter Bees that use dogs known as "dingos" to help them across the dangerous land. They use guns that utilize energy from the user's heart, giving an obvious limit to the bullet use. That and the steampunk feel is really all I gained from the first episode about the universe this series takes place in.

The first episode involves the main protagonist, Lag Seeing, a young boy who has recently witnessed the kidnapping(?) of his mother. An 18 year old Letter Bee by the name of Gauche finds him and confirms that he is actually the package he has been sent out to receive and deliver. Some giant bugs attack, causing Gauche to use the gun a few times leaving him incapacitated by the end of the episode. Lag takes hold of the gun but ends up passing out as what seemed like an aura brought on by seemingly strong heart energy. That's about all that happened.

Obviously, I don't have enough to go on to determine the quality of the series. I could read the manga but I think I'll stick with the animated format for now to see if it's worth checking out. The opening implies the series will end up with a somewhat subtle tragic feel to it. I'll have more when the series gets a little farther in (or ends if it's ends up cancelled like all monthly adaptations do). You can watch the first episode here.

Inuyasha: The Final Act

As I've said on a few occasions, my relationship with the Inuyasha series is purely a masochistic one. While it started out as a fun time travelling adventure, it quickly descended into a pit of episodic filler. Hell, even the canon was episodic. The general formula was this: Find Naraku>Get beat up by Naraku>Get power up>Beat Naraku, causing him to hide>Find Naraku again, but the power up is now uselss. Repeat that a 5 times or so and you have the series that is Inuyasha. Of course, considering the part it played in my early anime experience, the series does hold some importance to me despite the major flaws. For this reason, I have decided to watch the new anime picking up where the last one left off and continuing to the end. You can watch the first episode here.

To be honest, I completely forgot what was going on during the ending of the original anime series. The characters were familiar, but the current plot point (or repeat of) was not familiar. Two important pieces of Naraku fought the main gang and Kohaku ended up reunited with his sister. In addition, one of the body pieces of Naraku ended up absorbed my Miroku's wind tunnel. All in all, an episode where a lot of stuff happened.

I don't know if it's because of the lack of filler, but this lightning fast pace was incredibly rare in the old anime. Hopefully things continue to move fast so it doesn't get boring. I'll have more when we're a little further in.

Astro Boy Marketing Going into High Gear

As Anime News Network reported,the marketing for the CG Astro Boy movie is starting to pick up. Commercials, toys, ads, etc. There's even an exclusive clip over at Apple's website. I don't know about you guys, but I'm starting to get hyped. This could be it; a real western anime adaptation that doesn't suck. Look forward to my review of the movie around the release.

Hero of the Week: Guts

This week's hero is the Black Swordsman with the crossbow equipped mechanical arm. I could only be talking about the vengeance seeking protagonist of Berserk, Guts!

















On the surface, Guts just seems like any other angry anti-hero on a quest for revenge. This couldn't be more wrong. It might not even be possible to put Gut's depth into words.

While I tend to disagree with the notion that "tragic past=deep character", this is a perfect example of where the story mechanic actually works. I can't think of one character in all of fiction that has gone through more than Guts has. After being raped by his adoptive father, losing nearly all of the people he cared about thanks to his former leader, having his lover raped by said former leader and having his child be born prematurely due once again to his douche bag former leader, it's hard to believe the man has the emotional fortitude to carry on. It's no wonder he's pissed off at Griffith (the former leader).

Speaking of Griffith, he actually helps make Guts all the more likable. In any other series, it would be hard to sympathize with Guts considering the amount of people he himself has killed. However, Miura does such a good job at portraying Griffith as a villain that you'll find pretty much everyone rooting for Guts. Very rarely can an author make you hate a character so much. Guts can decapitate a thousand soldiers if it gets him to Griffith faster for all I care. Not saying Guts is impossible to sympathize with as he is easily one of the nicer ones in this universe, though it may be hard from an outsider's perspective.

While Berserk isn't exactly known for its consistent schedule, we are finally getting back to Guts after following Griffith for a long time. I have been anticipating the return of the protagonist for quite some time now, something I rarely do when it comes to the absence of main characters. Hopefully it doesn't take another 20 years for him to get his revenge on Griffith.

The Death Note Phenomenon

Death Note is popular; there's no denying that. This popularity is enjoyed worldwide. The problem is that sometimes when a work of fiction gets popular, their concepts and creations carry over into the real world, which is not always a good thing.

For those unfamiliar with the plot of Death Note, it is a series built around a supernatural notebook whose names written in it will die. A series of twists and suspense lead Death Note to worldwide popularity. It became so popular that students and other people would actually create their own Death Note and write the names of those they disliked.

In 2007, a high school student in Virginia was suspended for having a Death Note with the names of fellow students in it. In 2008, a middle school student in South Carolina was caught with a Death Note and disciplined accordingly. Also in 2008, two sixth grade boys in Alabama were actually arrested for having Death Notes, also with the names of fellow students in them. Once again in 2008, four middle school students in Washington were caught with a Death Note and disciplined.

This phenomenon is not unique to the United States. In 2005 A full out banning took place in many parts of China due to students altering existing notebooks to look like Death Notes.

The worst offender is the alleged copycat crime that took place in Belgium. A mutilated corpse was found in Brussels with a note nearby that read "watashi was kira dess" which translates to "I am Kira", the code name used by the main character to carry out his murders.

The reason I bring this up is that another incident involving the fictitious notebook has recently occured. An 8th grader in Sydney was found with a Death Note, but this one was more intricate than just having names in it. It actually had plans for planting bombs in the school. It also was not devoid of names, but the deaths actually had descrpitions rather than just names.

While I think the whole phenomenon is mostly harmless, there is the possibility that disturbed youths can be identified much easier if they have a Death Note. If it's a way for troubled teens to vent, I don't see any reason why they can't have one. They also might have one because they plan to cosplay as a character from the series or just might think having one is cool with no intention of writing any names down. The problem is seperating the disturbed from the fans that just thought it would be cool to have one. While I don't think anyone should be arrested for owning one, I also don't think it should be ignored.

Live-Action Cowboy Bebop being Re-Written

Those who have been waiting for the live action Cowboy Bebop movie will have to wait a bit longer. It seems the script is being re-written because it was "too good". Had they gone with the script, it would've cost the studio half a billion dollars. As much as I hate to say it, I don't see anyway to take this as anything but bad news. A script extremely faithful to the anime is going to be destroyed because the budget didn't call for it. I'll remain optimistic that a faithful adaptation can be made, but even if the movie is amazing, the lingering thought of "what could've been" will most likely never go away.

I'll have more on this once we have more info.

Hero of the Week: Vash the Stampede

This week's hero is the Gun toting pacifist with the destructive arm. I could only be talking about the protagonist of Trigun, Vash the Stampede.





















Vash is an interesting character. On one hand, he covers the shonen protagonist archetype of not wanting to kill anyone. On the other hand, he is a destructive force that has killed in tens of thousands, albeit unintentionally. While the archetype of "pacifist that brings about destruction" is nothing new, Vash is an anomaly even in his own category. He is an extreme contradiction, going so far as to make graves and cry for the villains that massacred his loved ones.

This sentiment is echoed through his memory of REM, the girl that taught him human emotions in the first place. Even with horrible scars all over his body as a result of years of mistreatment, he will not falter in his belief that no one deserves to die.

Throwing the tree hugger tendencies aside, Vash is actually a very capable fighter. Despite seemingly having a disadvantage in every fight, Vash pulls through with fantastic marksmanship and maneuvering. Simply wrapping a string around his gun can be used to disarm one of the world's greatest swordsman.

Let's not forget how funny Vash can be. Even the most dangerous of situations, the man won't hesitate to make a joke about groping breasts or play around with a rubber band. Add this to the wide array of face faults displayed by the vigilante and you got a genuinely funny and likable character. After all he's been through, it's amazing Vash can still smile and crack jokes.

In a world where killing is a standard of living, one man goes against the grain, hoping to bring peace to both the western and final frontiers. Admirable and inspirational, it's almost impossible to find a nicer character than Vash the Stampede.

Mini Break Due to TGS

As the gamer readers know, the Tokyo Game Show is this week. While this is almost as important if not as important as E3, I will be focused on that for the next few days. I'll be posting the coverage over at Level One - Start, so you guys should go check it out if you play video games.

You can look forward to the Hero of the Week segment on Friday.

Bakuman

The duo that did Death Note is back, but the dark and philosophical nature of their previous work has been traded in for a comedic slice of life that details the workings of the very magazine they are published in. What starts out as the dream of two middle school students quickly becomes a reality as they become established manga-ka and become well recognized in the industry.

Join Takagi and Masahiro, two boys with a dream of becoming serialized in the country's number 1 manga, Weekly Shonen Jump. After a series of mishaps and style changes, the duo finally makes it into the coveted manga via contest. After a few more contests and rank shuffling, Takagi and Masahiro do what very few highschool students have ever done before; become serialized.

While this may sound boring on the surface, the ambitions of two young boys coupled with other important commitments makes for a funny and dramatic story. In addition to their dream chasing, the highschoolers must juggle school work, relationships, hanging out with friends, and taking care of their health. As you may have guessed, some of these life necessities crumble at one point or another due to the stressful nature of being part of both the Japanese school system and a business that requires long hours.

Interestingly enough, the series tackles some very visible issues with Shonen Jump such as the popularity being equivalent to the page placement in the magazine. With the main characters and several supporting ones optimism toward changing Jump, you would almost expect it be serialized in an anti-jump magazine.

The series is only a year in, so making a final judgement now would be unfair. However, I will say it is much weaker than the duo's previous work. I'll give Ohba and Obata a break since a series like Death Note is hard to follow no matter who you are. I have been enjoying it, but I do miss the shocking plot twists and thriller nature of Death Note. Perhaps my expectations of the duo shouldn't be represented in a post about a romantic comedy, so I'll just say it's a nice time-waster with a somewhat unpredictable plot. I would reccomend it to anyone that is looking for another series to read, but not another action one.

Remains of Shin Chan Creator Found?

This is sad, sad news. The remains of someone believed to be Shin Chan creator, Yoshito Usui, were found yesterday in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture. While I wasn't the biggest fan of his acclaimed series, I did watch it from time to time on Adult Swim despite the complete butchering of the script.

Whatever happens to Shin chan happens, but may Usui R.I.P. He deserves it.

Hero of the Week: Haru Glory

This week's hero is the silver-haired boy on a quest to rid the world of Dark Bring. Hailing from Garage Island, the outgoing Rave Master; Haru Glory!

















So what is it that separates Haru from those other shonen heroes? It can't be his big-ass sword or endless determination. It can't be his "friends come first" mindset either. Actually, Haru is a very by the book shonen protagonist...But what's wrong with that!? Cliche but effective.

As the successor to Rave, Haru is pretty much catapulted into a quest to rid of the world of the evil equivalent, Dark Bring. As a shonen hero, he is thrown face first into several high action fights against several characters with interesting powers. With the power of his rave stones and a large sword known as the Ten Commandments, he is often victorious. Facing many strong foes and eventually the main villain, Lucia Rarengrove, Haru is every bit deserving of his title as Rave Master and hero.

Of course like all shonen heroes, there's also a fun side to him. He isn't above getting drunk and stripping down completely to "protect the honor" of the female protagonist, Elie. In addition to this, his face faults usually end up being pretty hillarious (when he isn't the one causing them for the other characters).

While Haru is just like any other shonen hero, he can hang the title high in the air and be proud of who he is. After all, saving the world isn't something just anyone can do.

The Shonen Formula Part 5: A Little bit of Help Justifies Forgiveness

So you've just beaten a major villain. A few friends may have died, but at least you beat that pesky evil man and/or woman; too bad he/she escaped. Well, at least you're safe until the next villain shows up. Oh, but what's this? It seems like the new enemy is also the enemy of your old enemy (trying saying that six times fast). You know what they say; the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

There are several examples of bad guys becoming good guys just because of a mutual enemy or goal. Vegeta, Scar, Mukuro, Franky, Gaara, every JJBA character that isn't the main, Kurei, all of Soul Society, Kon, Faust VIII. They are given a clean slate as all the horrible things they did to the main characters are forgotten. It doesn't matter how many they maimed, raped, killed or prank called. As long as they help out with the fights, they might as well be the main character's best friend. Hell, even if they don't help out with the fights, they're pretty much forgiven as long as they don't cause any trouble.

This wave of forgiveness also spreads to the secondary characters. It doesn't matter if he killd her ex boyfriend; Bulma will still hook up with Vegeta beccause he "tries hard". Even though Faust VIII cut open his chest, Manta won't hold a grudge and even trust him to fight alongside Yoh.

Sometimes a major villain becoming an ally almost downplays the trouble the protagonists had with said villain in the first place. With the recent temporary alliance between Crocodile and Luffy, you almost forget the Strawhats spent around 80 episodes tracking this guy down and beating him, suffering two total defeats in the process. I have to admit, it does make rewatching the battles a little less epic, but who cares when you have a total badass like Crocodile on your side?

The former enemies may also be forced to interact with the protagonists. Maybe they fell into the same trap or entered the same tournament or something like that. Either way, the malicious feeling and tension is either gone or has deteriorated significantly. I guess all these characters needed was a little time apart to prevent them from going at each others throats.

Obviously the severity of the former villain's actions varies from character to character, but enemies becoming allies is a part of shonen and isn't going to change any time soon. It's a great way to gather more main characters in the beginning as most pre-chapter 30 villains become allies in some shape or form. Look at it this way; a villain you might have loved but got taken down pretty quickly will now get significant air time.

2 Cons for the Price of 1: NY Anime Fest and NY Comic-con

The New York Comic-Con is the only convention I've ever been to. I'm not really big on the whole "Con" scene but I definitely had a blast. While the next one is more than a year away, it seems we have a very extensive event to look forward to. That's because it's actually two conventions in the same place at the same time. Anime Fest and Comic-Con will be in the Javits Center from Oct 8-10 2010. Paying for a ticket at either event gets you access to both. It'll be interesting to see how the staff handles this. Hopefully it won't end up being a mess.

Hero of the Week: Sakata Kenzo

This week's hero is the laid back psychic and master to other psychic, Cherry. I'm of course talking about one of Gantz's Tokyo Team's most gifted fighters, Sakata Kenzo.




















Like most of the Gantz team, Sakata was just a normal boy before his death and revival in the Gantz game. But unlike the rest of the team, Sakata actually discovered he had powers before his death at the hands of Izumi. After discovering his psychic powers, it is implied he killed a few bullies that decided to mess with him. This may not sound like a very good hero, but like most of the characters in Gantz, Sakata grows to appreciate life a bit more.

In fact, Sakata is the first to bring up a very philosophically sound argument involving the deaths of those around him. Is it right to continue to bring those in the database back to life? Even though Sakata brought Cherry back to life a few days earlier, his point is valid. From his viewpoint, bringing those back that have died honorably just cheapens their death and makes their life out to be a joke. Even when coming face to face with the 100-point alien, intending to die, he hopes he is not brought back to life. While this could be seen as an empty sacrifice as his organs were failing due to overuse of his powers, it is still a nice notion.

Currently, Sakata is dead as a result of holding off the Nurarihyon alien. Considering the nature of Gantz and his ability to revive those in the database, it is unclear if he will stay dead, but even if he does, his death was definitely heroic.

Awesome Baccano AMV

Through my daily checking of Youtube and Japantor, I found a really cool Baccano music video. It really fits with the jazz inspired soundtrack and early 20th century setting. Check it out.

More Negima Anime on the Way

After a flurry of Negima OVAs, it looks like slowly but surely, the more badass parts of the Magister Negi Magi series are being pieced together in animated form. The short batch of episodes will be joined by what seems to be a feature film set to release in 2011. While it doesn't appear that any details have been given, there's a good chance it will involve an adventure in the magic world. Considering the magical world has already shown up in the OVAs, each new feature or OVA brings us one step closer to the ridiculously badass fight between Negi and Rakan. Who knows, maybe even this feature will cover it.

Hero of the Week: Bando

This week's hero brings us the man that never gives up, even when going up against a psychopathic horned girl that dismembers her victims with invisible arms that can cut through steel. I'm of course talking about the bionically enhanced member of the Special Assault Team, Bando.




















Bando may not be the nicest guy in the bunch, but he's got the balls to do something very few do; fight against the Diclonious. Those who are unfamiliar with Elfen Lied would think of these horned little girls as nothing more than that, but the ones shown are all monsters with no regard for human life, decapitating and ripping apart even children with their transparent limbs. But this doesn't scare Bando one bit. Even with the loss of his eyes and a few body parts, he continues to clean the beach so he can have a rematch with Lucy, preventing her from throwing any objects with her 2 meter vectors.

Despite Bando's rage filled attitude and personality, he is not completely devoid of human emotion. He has saved Mayu's life and even showed sympathy to Nana who did not want to fight despite her Dicloni instincts activating a few moments earlier. He also has at least some morals as shown by his disgust of the mysterious man's perverted actions and keeping alive the torso of a Silpelit.

He's also pretty damn durable. Being able to survive multiple run-ins with the horned psychos is nothing short of a miracle. Even being torn in half to save Mayu didn't stop him from getting a new bionic lower half.

Yes, Bando's badassery and inability to die along with his deceptively heroic exploits make him a man to be admired. Afterall, an anti-hero is still a hero.

Shaman King

After a surviving a massive dip in ratings and even a cancellation, Shaman King has finally ended at 300 chapters. It was a long ride, but now that it's finally over, we can take a look at the series as a whole.

If you aren't familiar with the story, here's a synopsis from Anime News Network:

"Asakura Yoh is a shaman, a person who communicates with ghosts. He enters the Shaman Fight, for whoever wins the tournament gets to commune with the Great Spirit, God . . . that and his fiance Anna wants to be the wife of the Shaman King. Helping him are his friends Manta, Horo Horo, Ryu, and his samurai ghost partner, Amidamaru."

For those of you that wish to get into Shaman King that haven't already, you should know what you're getting into. Shaman King is a prime example of a fun little shonen series that becomes way too convoluted for it's own good. What starts out as a nice story of a lazy boy and a middle schooler complete with goofy interactions and cool fights quickly descends into the depths of dark drama and philosophical nonsense.

In the beginning, there are many awesome battles that utilize the shamans' unique way of fighting. Everyone is having fun as many enemies become friends and genuinely hilarious scenes take place. Things take a turn for the worse when the shaman tournament begins and several new and existing plot points are shoddily integrated into the story amongst all the fighting. This leads to a total negligence of the tournament while the same damn villains appear numerous times to put a stop to the protagonists' progress or outright try to kill them. Why they couldn't wait for their match in the tournament is beyond me. The whole structure of the manga pretty much collapses while stuff no one cares about ends up taking precedence over what should've been a truly badass tournament. With many fights lasting less than a chapter and a few genuinely interesting teams dropping out of the tournament, Takei has succesfully blue balled the reader out of what might've been the most interesting tournaments in Shonen.

The post-tournament is even more of a mess than the tournament itself. After the two main teams drop out, Hao's team wins the tournament, making him the next shaman king. Of course this was seemingly a well thought plan made by the protagonists so they could stop Hao while he's asleep before he becomes part of the Great Spirit. This leads to the introductions of the plants, which is a cool concept but is horribly executed. As the series got cancelled right around that part, Takei had to rush through the plant battles, limiting all of them to about a chapter. The creative battles that the series once boasted were no more as each fight was simply the characters uing their powers without any twists or unexpected techniques at all.

Ironically, I really enjoyed the final battle with Hao. It was actually extremely epic and desrving of a shonen series finale. Earth vs. the universe is an awesome idea even if it just was a metaphor. Unfortunately, the "power of love" winning the battle completely killed the mood, though it was nice to see every single character that appeared in the story make a return, even the dead ones.

So would I reccomend Shaman King? If Takei didn't wrap things up recently, I would say no, but it definitely deserves a read now that it's ended. It may not be on par with many popluar Shonen Jump series and it is an example of lost potential, but there are definitely good parts and a nice week read if you have the time.

Afro Samruai: Ressurection Gets an Emmy!

To be more precise, the art director got an Emmy. Still, this is a great achievement for the western world's opinion of the medium. Yes, it may be a project funded by American's with big Hollywood names attached, but that doesn't change the fact that it's the first Japanese animation even to receive an Emmy. While it definitely isn't as big a win as Spirited Away receiving an Oscar, it definitely shows that anime is a growing part of our culture even if it's origin is on the other side of the world.

Hero of the Week: Keiichi Maebara

This week's hero is the charismatic teenager from Hinamizawa. I could only be talking about the baseball bat wielding "magician of words", Keiichi Maebara.





















Keiichi is different from all those other heroes. Despite being the protagonist of a series plagued with supernatural occurences, the young Maebara is nothing more than a normal teenager that cherishes his friends. While his descent into madness during the question arcs is apparent, his belief in his friendship and desire to prevent more deaths leads him to actually seeing the mistakes he made in a previous universe.

Keiichi's sheer power of will lead to a surprisingly badass battle on top of the school between him and Rena. Check it out (sorry, only found the dub).



While the focus shifts off of Keiichi during the last few answer arcs, his importance is still made apparent numerous times. Without Keiichi, Rika most likely would have never found the courage to actually fight against her fate and the endless rewinds. Even if there was a lot of trial and error, Keiichi helped bring the "cursed" Hinamizawa out of the supposed eternity of 1983. He truly is a hero, albeit an unconventional one.

Heading to the Poconos, be Back Wednesday

I'm going to a condo tomorrow in the Poconos with the family, so I might not be able to make an actual post until Wednesday. Apparently there's internet there, but I might not get a chance to update anyway. If I don't, you can expect a Hero of the Week post when I get back.

Hero of the Week: Kazuma Yagami

In honor of Yamato's passing, I'd like to dedicate this Hero of the Week segment to him by using the badass wind mage from his series. I could only be talking about the protagonsit of Kaze no Stigma, Kazuma Yagami.




















As a man that cast aside his family for power, Kazuma may seem like a bad guy at first. Oh, there's no denying the moral ambiguity of his actions, but that just makes him all the more interesting. Besides, the results are definitely enjoyable. In reality, Kazuma is a classic example of the "loser" archetype gaining immense power. After entering a contract with the wind spirit lord, you could imagine what the reaction was of those that called him weak.

One unique aspect to Kazuma is his complete immunity to the "Love Hina Conundrum". I'll have a full post about this pesky stereotype, but for now I'll just summarize it in six words: Accidental perversion leads to violent girls. Whenever Kazuma finds himself in an awkward or perverted position with the female lead, Ayano, he will not submit to the stereotype and let the bitch hurt him. Oh no, he'll dodge the shit out of those fireballs and other flame related projectiles. He doesn't fuck around when it comes to violence and he won't let some bitch that isn't even 1/10th as skilled as he is get a hit in.

A "takes no shit" attitude is good and all, but what Kazuma's fights? I won't mince words here; they're friggin awesome! With his total control of wind, he rarely finds himself on the losing side. Right at the beginning of the series, the man is mostly unrivaled and still hasn't really shown the full extent of his power.

It's unfortunate that the story will never get an ending and we won't see Kazuma's full potential, but it nice to think there is a shonen (seinen?) hero that consistently outclasses his enemies. Once again, R.I.P. Takahiro Yamato.

Takahiro Yamato Passes Away Leaving Kaze no Stigma Unfinished

Kaze no Stima might not be a household name in the states (or even in Japan), but the light novel series does have a bit of a following. After all, it was popular enough to get a manga and anime adaptation. Unfortunately, the man responsible for the super powered action series has passed away. It seems Kaze no Stigma will not get the ending it deserves. My condolences go out to the friends and family.

D.Gray Man Returns...aaaaaaannnd it's on Hiatus Again

For those that don't know, Hoshino recently put out a new chapter of D.Gray Man in Akamaru Jump. You can check it out here. Of course this was essentially just a preview of the series real return in November when it moves to Jump Square. While I do feel like turning D.Gray-Man into a monthly series will only mess up the pacing even more, I am glad that it's finally returning in some form. Hopefully Hoshino will actually stay consistent with her schedule this time.

Astro Boy Trailer: Americanization or Badass Adaptation?

Up until now, all we've seen from the CG Astro Boy adaptation was a simple teaser. Well, now we have a trailer that should actually give us a pretty good idea of what to expect. Check it out.



As you can see, there is some level of Americanization. The childish puns and visual gags often seen in Pixar movies are present, which may anger some long time fans. What the fans probably don't want to admit is that Astro Boy was a kid show to begin with that's with a comedy style reliant on the same gags used in the trailer. As an adaptation, it still looks amazing and very true to the original despite a few minor nuances. I am still looking forward to the movie very much and expect it to be classic. Yes, there will be whiners, but I'm predicting fan acceptance even from some of the purists. You can catch the movie in theaters this October.

Hero of the Week: Ryunosuke Umemiya

This week brings us the 20 year old pompadour sporting shaman that hits on 15 year olds. I could probably think of a better introduction than that, but I'd say it works. I could only be talking about one character (I think); Ryunosuke Umemiya, AKA Wooden Sword Ryu.


















Originally seen as a villain delinquent, Ryu quickly becomes one of the more likable characters in Shaman King. With his optimistic attitude and desire to find his "best place", Ryu becomes a strong factor in affecting the overall morale of the group.

In addition to his great personality, Ryu is one of the more important figthers in the series. Despite not being one of the chosen 5, very few characters outclass him in strength and shaman powers. With his spirit Tokagero, he can recreate the mythcial beast, Yamato no Orochi, an 8-headed snake. Along with his sword that shoots insects, Ryu can make interesting combo attacks that make him incredibly deadly. He is an asset to Yoh's team as displayed numerous times during the shaman tournament.

While he and Faust VIII are far outclassed by the chosen 5, Ryu is not a liability by any means. Even though his role in battle dwindles by the end of the series, he acts as a mode of transportation for the group before they face the dreaded Shaman King, Hao. The group owes him their lives.

My opinion of Shaman King as a whole might be mediocre-average, but if there's one character I'll remember, Ryu will be that character. Let's hope he finds his best place.

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair

If you're a fan of Kill Bill, you probably remember chapter 3 from the first movie, an animated 8 minute sequence detailing O-Ren's past and her rise to glory as an assassin.

Well it turns out Tarantino had more plans for the anime-styled sequence. In an interview about his upcoming film "Inglourious Basterds", he talks about an elaborate followup to the clever antagonist's past, one that would show O-ren going after her father's killer.

There isn't much information as of this writing, but fans of the film series should be excited.