Anime Outbreak

Not Dead!

2010-12-16T01:44:00.002-05:00

Yo everyone (no one)! Just wanted to let you guys know that I'm not dead. I just kind of lost interest in this blog along with Level-one Start after taking care of the Dudebro site for so long. I planned on going back to LOS but not here. However, I just marathoned a great series by the name of Psyren and I realized I should have an outlet to talk about whatever my current obsession is in the world of anime and manga. Should have a post about it pretty soon :D

The Sadistic Harem Returns: Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou

2010-05-04T00:24:00.003-04:00

While this season hasn't exactly been stellar, it's definitely an improvement over the last few. One notable title is Ichiban Ushiro no Daimou, a magical harem series. I know what you're thinking; the harem genre isn't exactly synonymous with quality. I'm not going to lie; this is no different. However, it is enjoyable due to the colorful cast and pure ridiculousness of the setting and how things play out.

The main character, Sai Akuto, wants to be a priest. He goes to some magical school in hopes of achieving this goal. Unfortunately, it is predicted by some weird parrot that is apparently never wrong that he will be a demon lord. This throws the school into a panic. After several antics and the main character's true persona appearing, it becomes more apparent that he may afterall become a demon lord.

If I were to compare this series to anything else, it would be Maburaho. Oddly enough, the target of everyone's affection is also the target of everyone's hatred. Despite being apparently hated by the masses, Sai still finds a way to have a harem of at least 5. Some just have the hots for a demon lord while some are typical "childhood friends". Either way, the use of magic and mild action sequences lend itself to Maburaho more than anything else.

I might have more when the series finishes. Being based on a Light Novel, that probably means it will be prematurely. Either way, check out the cool opening.

New Opening Season: Epic Has Arrived

2010-04-13T13:32:00.003-04:00

With many series entering "war" arcs or just plain actiony ones, the recent batch of openings can only be described in one word; epic. Let's take a look at the big ones.

Katekyo Hitman Reborn

With the Millefiore arc nearing its end, the animation crew went all out to depict the insanity that would unfold. The Funeral Wreaths' fight against the Vongola family is definitely one of the more intense parts of the series.

Fairy Tail (flipped)

With the tower arc coming up, Fairy Tail's new opening encompasses several stories that I'm worried will be rushed. However, that doesn't stop it from looking damn good and exciting. If you want to get someone into Fairy Tail, show them this opening.

Bleach

Now THIS is what I call epic. So much is going on that it's amazing they were able to fit it into a minute and a half intro. The Fake Karakura Town arc is just heating up as the captains take the stage while Ichigo has one of the most epic fights in the series with current nemesis, Ulquiorra. Again, this might be the opening to show if you want to get your friends into Bleach.

Naruto Shippuden

With the Pain War arc starting, this is another epic opening with perfect timing. With multiple fights happening in one scene, things are sure to get crazy and I can't wait to see how the animation team handles this series changing event.

Time For Another Bastardization: Live Action Bleach Movie

2010-03-22T03:29:00.002-04:00

Hollywood really is out of ideas. I thought Bleach of all things would be safe for at least another decade. Guess I was wrong. Not only that but it's being produced by the guy that did 50 First Dates. Quite an odd choice.

Well, this will at least be entertaining to follow. There's probably a good chance it will fall into development hell sooner or later but I'm definitely interested in how it'll turn out. I'm really just hoping for a breakout anime adaptation within the next decade like comic books had. Hopefully we won't have to wait until James Cameron gets off his ass and makes Battle Angel.

Samurai Champloo Composer Passes Away

2010-03-19T02:28:00.002-04:00

Lot of big names in the industry have been dying recently. The most recent victim is Jun Seba, better known by his stage name, Nujabes. The hip-hop producer was involved in a car accident on February 26. Obviously I'm a bit late but my prayer still go out to the family. While he didn't bring the genre out of the niche it holds in Japan, he produced some fantastic tunes and may have helped broaden the horizons of anime music.

I'm Not Dead

2010-03-12T02:57:00.001-05:00

I know I haven't been posting much. It's mainly been a combination of writer's block and nothing going on in the world of anime. I should have a few posts up soon and the return of the Hero of the Week segment.

Ever Hear of Incarnate? Well the Artist is Apparently Being Accused of Plagiarizing Bleach

2010-02-28T00:37:00.002-05:00

Title says it all. Nick Simmons, son of rock legend Gene Simmons, has an OEL manga series known as Incarnate. I have not heard of it prior to these accusations. As you can see in this article from ANN, there are a few panels that almost seem copy and pasted from Tite Kubo's Bleach. Radical Publishing has halted the series so they can get to the bottom of this. Of course I imagine they're more afraid of a lawsuit from Shueisha than anything else. Kubo seems to be more concerned with the fact that Gene Simmons' son is a comic book artist than the actual plagiarism.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Premiers on Adult Swim

2010-02-15T18:43:00.002-05:00

Back when anime wasn't restricted to Saturday nights on Adult Swim and was actually a prominent part of the block, Fullmetal Alchemist was one of their flagship shows. The true manga adaptation has started playing this past Saturday. Other than Al's voice being changed (previous VA is too old now) and a gimped OP/ED, I would actually consider it a pretty decent dub. I'm glad AS finally acquired another flagship series if it is part of the same franchise. Maybe this could lead to more frequent acquisitions in the future.

Regarding the "Hero of the Week" Segment

2010-02-11T03:24:00.003-05:00

I apologize that I have missed last week and a few others at the beginning of the year. My original intent was to use characters from different series for an entire year. There were numerous occasions where I had to look through a list of anime/manga that I've watched/read just so I could be safe for another week. I had to refresh my memory on many of those series by re-reading parts or looking up summaries. It's hard to keep that up every week when I usually only follow 3-6 series at a time.

Well I have not given up on that segment. I still intend to have a post every week with a character from a series I haven't used until the 1 year anniversary in a few months. I am going to try my best to not miss a week from now on. Seeing as I'm reading/watching a few new series, I should have fresh character material by next week. You can look forward to it ;)

Spring 2010 Anime Season: Getting Better

2010-02-10T23:53:00.003-05:00

Looks like the loli-fest of last season is not continuing into the warmer parts of the year. The spring season is shaping up to be much better in appealing to the non-pedophile crowd. Take a look.

There are a whopping 6 series I'm interested in on that list. I'm especially interested in how Iron Man and Heroman turned out. It isn't every season that we get an adaptation from an American comic book series or the involvement of a big western name in the graphic novel industry like Stan Lee. I'll keep you guys updated.

Highschool of the Dead Getting Anime

2010-02-04T02:30:00.002-05:00

While I haven't read Highshcool of the Dead in 2 years, I did think it was an interesting little series for what it tried to do. With the announcement of an anime adaptation, I may give it another shot. I'll have impressions when it actually hits.

Live-Action Gantz Teaser

2010-02-02T02:10:00.002-05:00

Here's a bit of news I apparently skimmed over. It seems seinen manga Gantz is getting a live action adaptation. It isn't a western one that seems to be sweeping the world but rather a domestic one. Check out the teaser.

Hero of the Week: Happosai

2010-01-30T00:05:00.006-05:00

This week's hero is the original perverted old man. Okay, maybe that's not true, but he still helped popularize the archetype. I'm talking about one of the few tolerable characters in Ranma 1/2, Happosai.

Unlike the other old perverted hero, Happosai has little remorse for his actions. He knows why he's there for and occasional bursts of morality is not it. He is a lying, despicable panty thief that cares only for himself.

So how does this make him a hero? Other than being a hilarious and powerful character in a world of teenagers that need to be slapped half the time, Happosai is a "pure" character. The term "black and white" gets thrown around a lot these days, but I'd rather have a black and white character than a failed layered character. Happosai is a testament to the perverted old man and plays his role perfectly. Asking for anything more convolutes things.

Live-Action Bible Black? What the Fuck!?

2010-01-30T00:04:00.002-05:00

While I don't know a lot about hentai, it's hard to be an anime fan without have at least heard of Bible Black. In a way, it's the 2 girls 1 cup of the anime world. You watch it just to see how fucked up it is. Some people laugh; some vomit.

Well, it seems like gross classic is somehow getting a live action adaptation. If you've seen it, you're probably just as grossed out yet oddly intrigued at the thought of this news as I am. Half the stuff wouldn't even make sense in a real world setting. I guess I'll have more news as it comes, but I honestly have no idea what to think about this.

Hero of the Week: Shinichi Akiyama

2010-01-20T23:55:00.002-05:00

This week's hero is a genius swindler that took down an entire corporation. I'm of course talking about one of the key players in the Liar Game, Shinichi Akiyama.

So why is a swindler like Akiyama a hero? Well first of all, his resolve and ideals are similar to another hero that has appeared in this segment; L. Despite his calm exterior, he will go to great lengths to stand up for what he believes in. Oh, and when he gets revenge, he REALLY gets revenge. He took down an entire corporation to avenge the suicide of his mother. There's an eye for an eye and then there's...that.

He is also a competent leader in the Liar Game. While Kanzaki Nao steals the spot light from time to time, Akiyama is the real one running the show. His incredibly well thought out plans make for some entertaining banter between him and the arc villain. His unwavering confidence really makes it hard to worry when he's around. He'd even go so far as to shoulder everyone's debt, sacrificing himself to once again bankrupt an evil corporation.

As far as enigmatic heroes go, I would say Akiyama is right up there with L. Without him, Liar Game wouldn't be entertaining at all.

Mr Satan's (Hercule) Voice Actor Passes Away

2010-01-19T00:55:00.002-05:00

Another big name in the anime/manga industry has sadly passed away. The voice actor of Mr. Satan (Hercule in America) from Dragonball Z was discovered by a passerby in Nakano ward with blood dripping down his wrist. While nothing has been confirmed, it definitely sounds like a suicide. My condolences go out to the family.

In Florida

2010-01-09T13:01:00.002-05:00

I want to keep this breif since the connection has been really shaky here. I will be on vacation until Friday the 15th in Orlando, so I most likely will not be making any posts until then. Hope everyone has a good week.

Code Geass Producer Wants to Announce Animated Project Soon, Musical Possible?

2010-01-06T22:40:00.006-05:00

In an interview, Code Geass producer Yoshitaka Kawaguchi talks about his hopes of announcing a new Code Geass animated project soon. He also talked about the possibility of a musical adaptation appearing at some point down the line. Hell, I'd probably see it on the .000000002% chance it made it to the states.

Top 5 Manga of the Decade

2010-01-04T22:59:00.007-05:00

Since I had a "top ___ list of the decade" over at Level One - Start, I thought I might as well do one here. Seeing as most of the series I read began in the 90s (Naruto, One Piece), I will be limiting the list to 5. Still, these series are high quality in every way. I have poured countless hours into getting caught up with each ones. As some are still going, they will obviously be judged by what is currently out.

Now let's get the ball rolling.

5. Elfen Lied

Elfen Lied turned the world of anime and manga on its head. Before this unique series, extreme violence that wasn't used as over the top comedy was restricted to particularly dark art styles. Elfen Lied switched things up by utilizing cute characters including children drawn in typical manga style being dismembered by an invisible force. Several mature themes including extreme prejudice and genocide are present in the series. The tragedy of the Diclonius and the people they murdered really makes it difficult to pick sides. It also doesn't help that one of the main protagonist is also the main antagonist. Morally grey doesn't even begin to describe half the characters in this series. Yes, there are a few no brainers like the enigmatic man, but pretty much every character will give you conflicted feelings. Lucy in particular is a fantastic character. Decapitating children one second and comforting the protagonist the next; Lucy is definitely a strong character. If you want something dark and emotional, you really can't go wrong with Elfen Lied.

4. Battle Royale

Normally I wouldn't include an adaptation from another medium in any medium-specific list, but I'll make an exception for this. This point is only driven home more when I say the enjoyment I got out of the movie doesn't even come close to that of the manga. The cast is much more fleshed out than in either the movie or (I assume) the novel. Each character has a story and like Elfen Lied above, none of them are pure black or white. It's really amazing how cruel the villains were yet still be so pitiful. A sexually abused teenage girl and a teenage boy that lost all his emotions in a car accident are usually portrayed as victims, but they are incredibly effective antagonists here. You legitimately feel bad for many of the characters and I was incredibly sad to see one of them die (hint: hero of the week). Even though you know most of them will be dying, that doesn't make the gruesome death scenes any less emotional.

3. Death Note

With all the battle manga and perverted juvenile thrills that make up the majority of Shonen Jump's roster, Death Note was a breath of fresh air. It was actually a mature and suspenseful story that really makes you question your own morality. "Is killing a mass murderer okay? Should the world be void of criminals? Is it okay to restrict our actions to the rules set by an omnipotent force?" No matter which side you choose, you're in for quite the ride. The constant mind games between Light and L are more entertaining than a good majority of the "epic" battles out there. I was at the edge of my seat with every plot twist. It was impossible to predict what would happen next. There's a major split on the ending, but I honestly thought it was amazing. Even when it was all over, I continued to think about the series for weeks afterward and still do to this day from time to time. I would say that Death Note is the perfect series to get almost anyone into anime (and manga afterward if you're lucky).

2. Bleach

Being part of the "shonen trinity", Bleach is popular for a very good reason; mindless action. There are many ways to describe this series but there's one way that everyone can be understand; Dragonball Z with swords. There are plenty of memorable battles and unique designs. Despite severe inconsistencies and plot holes, Tite Kubo is one hell of an artist. Each fight feels like a rough draft for the anime version. Obviously that makes it flow much better in animated form but the source is still fantastic. While it has as many detractors as it does lovers, Bleach is a superb battle manga that helped fill the void left by Dragonball's serialization ending.

I thought about what series would take the number 1 spot and always came to the same conclusion. Not to downplay the previous placing series, but there is a clear winner. Had it been up against One Piece, I might've struggled with the decision, but since that isn't the case, here it is.

1. Fullmetal Alchemist

Fullmetal Alchemist covers a lot of genres. It's filled with action yet also has quite a bit of thought provoking philosophical insight. The brothers' struggle in their search for a way to restore their bodies all while staying firm in their belief of "equivalent exchange" is inspiring and even a little sad. The universal hunt for the philosopher's stone and the will of the homunculi have lead to some incredibly creative battles and enjoyable character interactions. Character development is great even if it does fall back on the standard cliches from time to time. Either way, FMA is a series that all fans of anime/manga need to watch/read.

Well, there's my list. Let's hope I actually have 10 entries for the top __ of the 2010s.

Hero of the Week: Miroku

2009-12-30T23:27:00.003-05:00

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

2009-12-30T23:26:00.003-05:00

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

2009-12-28T01:36:00.004-05:00

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

2009-12-26T17:29:00.001-05:00

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

2009-12-22T03:37:00.003-05:00

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

2009-12-17T22:46:00.003-05:00

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

2009-12-15T23:49:00.003-05:00

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

2009-12-10T22:36:00.000-05:00

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?

2009-12-08T01:19:00.002-05:00

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

2009-12-06T01:11:00.002-05:00

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

2009-12-02T22:57:00.004-05:00

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

2009-12-01T23:55:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-29T22:57:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-25T23:55:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-24T23:52:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-23T22:10:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-21T23:09:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-18T23:43:00.006-05:00

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

2009-11-18T21:51:00.007-05:00

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

2009-11-17T23:01:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-11T23:20:00.005-05:00

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

2009-11-10T23:58:00.005-05:00

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

2009-11-09T23:21:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-06T23:23:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-04T23:56:00.004-05:00

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

2009-11-03T23:44:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-02T23:45:00.004-05:00

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

2009-10-28T23:40:00.004-04:00

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

2009-10-27T23:56:00.003-04:00

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

2009-10-26T23:14:00.003-04:00

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

2009-10-24T23:38:00.004-04:00

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

2009-10-23T23:55:00.003-04:00

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

2009-10-21T22:16:00.007-04:00

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

2009-10-20T23:40:00.003-04:00

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

2009-10-19T23:35:00.002-04:00

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

2009-10-18T00:04:00.002-04:00

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

2009-10-14T23:31:00.010-04:00

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

2009-10-13T23:20:00.001-04:00

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

2009-10-10T01:43:00.002-04:00

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

2009-10-07T22:12:00.005-04:00

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

2009-10-07T01:28:00.004-04:00

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

2009-10-03T23:42:00.003-04:00

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

2009-10-02T00:06:00.004-04:00

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

2009-09-30T23:29:00.006-04:00

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

2009-09-29T23:43:00.003-04:00

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

2009-09-28T23:48:00.004-04:00

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

2009-09-25T23:49:00.005-04:00

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

2009-09-23T23:46:00.003-04:00

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

2009-09-22T02:17:00.002-04:00

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?

2009-09-20T01:12:00.002-04:00

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

2009-09-16T23:43:00.003-04:00

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

2009-09-15T23:29:00.007-04:00

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

2009-09-10T23:54:00.003-04:00

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

2009-09-09T23:50:00.004-04:00

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

2009-09-07T23:21:00.003-04:00

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

2009-09-06T23:28:00.003-04:00

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

2009-09-03T00:38:00.004-04:00

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

2009-08-31T22:57:00.002-04:00

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!

2009-08-29T03:46:00.002-04:00

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

2009-08-27T13:58:00.002-04:00

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

2009-08-23T01:28:00.002-04:00

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

2009-08-21T01:47:00.004-04:00

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

2009-08-18T23:51:00.004-04:00

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

2009-08-17T23:37:00.002-04:00

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?

2009-08-13T16:22:00.003-04:00

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

2009-08-12T22:43:00.003-04:00

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

2009-08-10T21:15:00.004-04:00

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.

Darker than Black Season 2 Promo

2009-08-09T21:57:00.002-04:00

A promo for the upcoming sequel to Darker than Black showed up on the internet recently. Being a 15 second promo, there isn't really much to it, but the animation looks top notch and what little story I've gathered from the video seems interesting. I'll definitely be watching it when October roles around. Check out the promo.

Hero of the Week: Arystar Krory

2009-08-05T22:25:00.008-04:00

D.Gray-man may be on hold, but that won't stop us from talking about the series' naive but badass vampire exorcist. I could only be talking about the man with the blood sucking innocence, Arystar Krory.

Believed to be a villain at first, Krory is blamed for the disappearances of several villagers in a little town in Romania. After finding out his lover was the true villain, he becomes an exorcist, aiding Allen and the group on multiple occasions. As he struggles to get used to his new life as an exorcist and without the woman he loved, Eliade, we are treated with some amusing scenes all while learning of the hidden depth of the young vampire.

He also isn't too shabby in a fight. He has a surprisingly versatile fighting style. With his ability to suck the blood of the akuma as well as inject his friends with an antidote to those infected with the akuma virus. Of course this isn't all he can do as seen in his fight against Jasdevi. Take a look.

Did you just see that!? Even after being trapped by an iron maiden, he had his blood leave his body and REFORM AS A BODY OF BLOOD! Not only is that one of the most painful and badass things in the world; it's also one of the most unique powers in the history of shonen.

With D.Gray-man returning soon, I hope to see more of Krory. He may have already had his time in the spot light, but that doesn't mean the spotlight won't come back for him. Let's hope when that happens, his blood form will make another appearance.

Anime of Fall 2009

2009-08-03T21:45:00.004-04:00

We may have more than a month left in summer, but that doesn't mean we can't be excited for the fall anime season. As usual, the list is plagued with what will most likely end up as crap, but there are a few highly anticipated titles and some possible hidden gems. Take a look.

I've already said how excited I am for Fairy Tail finally getting an animated adaptation. The rest of the list doesn't really have anything mind blowing, but there are definitely a few shows I'll check out. Despite my overall dislike of Inuyasha, it was a part of my childhood (AKA teen years) when it appeared on Adult Swim. I'll probably watch it for the completionist in me. I'll also look into the Darker than Black sequel as I enjoyed the first one but I don't expect it to be anything special. Letter Bee and 11eyes might be cool but I'm going in with low expectations.

So yeah, Fairy Tail seems to be the highlight of the season, and personally, that's all I need. I'll have more when the season actually starts.

Beelzebub

2009-08-01T23:56:00.003-04:00

Normally I wouldn't read a series this early in it's serialization, but I had an hour to kill so I breezed through the 23 available chapters of this action-comedy.

The premise is mostly original. The main character, Oga, finds the son of the devil king and is forced to take care of the child as a catalyst until he destroys the human race. Considering Oga's constant fighting and less than stellar attitude toward humanity, he is the perfect catalyst and isn't too shabby as a parent. Since he isn't crazy about the idea of taking care of the devil's kid, the only solution is to find someone stronger and more evil than himself. Being from a delinquent school, he has plenty of candidates to choose from, but unfortunately goes through most of them somewhat quickly. With more delinquents after him each day and him taking them down with relative ease, there's no telling if he'll ever get his wish.

Since there have only been 23 chapters, there hasn't been an epic defining arc yet nor has there been a major villain that lasted more than 3 chapters. It seems like things are heating up as a major delinquent capable of taking down hundreds has appeared but the fight hasn't started yet. With Oga gaining demonic power, there's no telling if the series will reach DBZ levels of insanity but it's definitely possible. I'll have more on the series once we get further in.

Hero of the Week: Onigiri

2009-07-29T23:52:00.004-04:00

This week brings us another high potential character that no one takes seriously. It's the pig of Kogarasumaru. I'm of course talking about the most perverted character in Air Gear, Onigiri.

He's rude, stupid, perverted, and rides on one air trek on his head upside down so he can look up girl's skirts. If that isn't commitment, I don't know what is. He takes pride in his perverted ways, not letting anyone out-pervert him. Considering how perverted the whole series is, that's saying something.

Of course Onigiri's perverted nature is just one aspect of this surprisingly versatile character. Yes, it may be a big part of his fighting and riding style, but he has shown that he is a great rider on his own. He is shown on a few separate occasions he has what it takes to fight on par with a road king. Whether his motivation lie in the sight of panties or in his own imagination is irrelevant if he can get the job done. No matter how unconventional his fighting style and use of sweat is, his battles are always entertaining albeit not really serious.

I hope to see more of Onigiri's wacky battle tactics soon, and being right in the middle of an Air match, I see that happening within the next few chapters. Let's hope he wins!

Marvel Anime (AKA Bishonen Wolverine)

2009-07-26T21:13:00.002-04:00

I've always had a weird relationship with western comics. The metaverse approach with thousands of stories going on at once was always incredibly intimidating to me. In a way, east vs. west for comics is the same as it is for video games; linear vs non-linear. It seems my alignment in gaming carried over to my interest in comic books.

Fortunately, us manga/anime fans with little interest in American made super heroes can enjoy a story stylized in our medium of choice. At Comic-con earlier in the week, two of the upcoming Marvel anime series were shown off in teaser form. Check out the Iron Man one.

I think it looks pretty good. I've always enjoyed the concept of Iron Man and I feel like this is a good way to really get into his world.

The Wolverine teaser also looks pretty cool...at least the action does. Unfortunately, long time fans of the century+ old Canadian anti-hero won't like the total bastardization of his design. Take a look.

Since these are only animation tests, long time fans won't have to worry just yet. Supposedly Wolverine will be based off an 80's iteration. Despite the completely inaccurate setting, the animation in both teasers looks fantastic and would be pretty damn impressive if it was that consistent. I'll have more on this closer to release next year.

Anime Related Stuff on Conan? +1 for Mainstream Acceptance

2009-07-25T20:52:00.005-04:00

Last Night on Conan, there was a segment about how he and Andy visited an anime studio. While they do poke fun at the medium a little bit, it isn't anything horrible and is definitely giving the medium more exposure. And like most stuff Conan-related, it's downright hilarious. Check it out.

Hero of the Week: Lambo

2009-07-22T19:27:00.004-04:00

This week's character is the young mafioso from the Bovino family. I'm of course talking about the lightning wielding bull, Lambo.

Lambo is an interesting character. He's actually 3 in 1. With the aid of the 10 year bazooka, he can summon his future self from 10 years in the future or 20 years in the future with a second use.

Lambo's youngest form does have much of a role in the battles. Despite his trigger happy attitude and endless supply of grenades, he is nothing more than adorable comic relief. Yeah, he may be the weakest member of the Vongola family (this could change with his box weapon) but he definitely knows how to lighten the mood. Hyperactive and annoying like all kids, 5 year old Lambo is the epitome of hilarious and cute.

After using the bazooka once, 15 year old Lambo shows up. Despite his increased power and intelligence, he still serves little more than comic relief. He may have adapted a "cooler" demeanor, but he's still the same crybaby from 10 years prior. His run-ins with Bianchi (mistaking him for her ex-boyfriend) make for some hilarious scenes that usually end up with the poor Bovino getting hurt.

Using the bazooka twice gets us the incredibly badass and arguably the most powerful character seen so far, 25 year old Lambo. The comic relief is thrown out the window as the lightning imbued hero adapts a "takes no shit" personality. Just take a look at his first and only fight so far (badassery starts around 0:58)

Powering up significantly and gaining red lightning, it's amazing to think this character was once a crybaby that complains every other minute in a normal episode/chapter.

Unfortunately, Lambo has been neglected for quite a while now. Now that he has what is possibly one of the stronger box weapons, we should see him get a bit more screen time but we have no idea what happened to the bazooka or even if the 15 and 25 year old versions will show up. I'm hopeful we'll see the badass 25 year old Lambo again.

Afro Samurai Ressurection Up for Emmy

2009-07-20T23:34:00.002-04:00

Few days late on this one but it's pretty cool. Afro Samurai: Resurrection has been nominated for an Emmy. I know this isn't the first anime movie that has been graced with such an honor, but it's still a pretty big deal. Anime being in the spotlight will only help its mainstream appeal. Let's hope it wins.

Lot of Anime Continuations Lately: Black Lagoon getting 3rd Animated Project

2009-07-17T17:41:00.002-04:00

I never finished Black Lagoon, but I will say it was one of the most stylish and badass series I've seen. It just...wasn't really going anywhere. Well, with the announcement of a new OVA, maybe I should pick it up again to see if anything really happened. If I do, I'll probably have impressions for you guys.

Let's Dive Back Into the World of the Sacred Jewels: New Inuyasha Series Greenlit

2009-07-16T16:41:00.003-04:00

Inuyasha has an interesting history. What started out as a decent time travelling adventure quickly became one of the later pioneers of western exposure to anime. Unfortunately, the stale pattern of "Inuyasha finds shard ->fight Naraku->fight Naraku's minions->fight upgraded Naraku" made it clear the series wasn't going anywhere. Combine that with the constant filler and it's easy to see why Inuyasha pretty much dropped off the map. The anime was eventually given an incomplete ending.

Fortunately (for some), a new anime will pick up where the last one left off to complete the manga's story. I for one am looking forward to it just for closure. Back when I watched pretty much anything that sounded mildly interesting to me, I had no problem watching every episode of Inuyasha, but I never read the manga. Now that the manga's over, maybe the pacing won't be so bad and we can rush through the filler that existed in the manga without detracting from the story. I'll keep you guys updated when it airs.

Hero of the Week: Eikichi Onizuka

2009-07-15T22:04:00.005-04:00

With GTO: Shonan 14 Days starting to get good, I think it would be appropriate for this week's hero to be the greastest teacher mankind has ever known. I could only be talking about Eikichi Onizuka.

On the surface, Onizuka is an unintelligent delinquent only good for beating people up and looking up girls' skirts. In reality, he is a strong and determined individual with superhuman strength and will power. When he sets his mind to something, you can bet your ass he's going to do it.

His desire to be a teacher is not to be underestimated. Despite his natural lack of book smarts, he gets assigned to a class. Multiple incidents happen that almost cost Onizuka his job, but he always comes out on top. Having to take the same standardized tests as the students is one of the many close calls throughout the series. Even after suffering multiple gun shot wounds, he still ends up taking a test, completes it early, and gets a perfect score all while blood drips down his body. If that kind of willpower doesn't amaze you, then you better be recreating Noah's ark while getting whipped and watching people eat delicious ice cream in triple digit degree weather.

Of course we can't deny his amazing ability to open the hearts of all his students no matter how messed up they are. Saving not 1 but 2 students by jumping off a building and catching them proves he is committed to keeping everyone in check. Whether it be by crazy antics or simply being nice, Onizuka will open your heart.

His compatibility with mostly everyone and his off the wall actions make Onizuka very hard to dislike. Send an army after him and he'll somehow come out of it unscathed, then he'll try to win you over. It's impossible to explain how he does it, but as long as he keeps doing what he does, the world won't be as dark as it seems.

Good Opening Weekend for Blood

2009-07-13T22:46:00.002-04:00

Blood the Last Vampire took in $103,000 over the weekend. While that doesn't sound like a lot, the very limited release actually makes it pretty impressive. While it would've been nice if the movie had a wider release, a niche movie like that would get destroyed by the likes of Bruno and other big movies. Hopefully some day we'll have an anime adaptation have a huge opening weekend in most local theaters. Maybe Cowboy Bebop will be able to do that (if it's any good of course).

FMA Brotherhood OP 2: Great Opening or the Greatest Opening?

2009-07-12T11:31:00.005-04:00

Like my AMV posts, stuff like this is usually filler, but this opening is way too good to not show off. Take a look.

An excellent blend of action and foreshadowing makes this one of the best openings I have ever seen. If this is a sign on what's to come, I think we can safely say Brotherhood will end up a lot more memorable than the first series.

Edit: Aniplex took down the high quality opening, so I put one up that isn't quite as good but still watchable.