Friday, September 30, 2011

Your weekly WTF - Azumanga Daioh...DDR?

One Piece's latest game collaboration is quite interesting indeed



One Piece is an anime series I've never gotten into, but I know it has an extremely rabid fanbase. I'm sure there are many, many reasons why people love this series. Perhaps one day I'll have the time to find out! Until then, I'll be watching the fans from the outside.

With a popular anime series comes games, and there have been plenty of One Piece games over the years. The best part is, most of them are pretty damn fun! You don't even have to know the One Piece series to really enjoy them, with is always the sign of a fantastic game.

Perhaps that'll be the case with One Piece: Kaizoku Musou. Yes, One Piece is crossing over with the Musou series, and it looks like you're going to do what everyone expects from a Musou game...beat the crap out of tons of enemies. Not exactly my cup of tea, but I'm thinking fans of the anime will eat this one up!

Blue Exorcist getting feature film adaptation


Yet another reason for me to actually start watching Blue Exorcist instead of waiting for the localization. A feature film is in the works for Japan, proving just how successful the series has been thus far. No word on when the film will be released, but the anime series is due to conclude this Sunday.

The first Blue Exorcist localized DVD release is due out this October, so those waiting for the official English disc-based release needn't wait much longer. The manga is also continuing on, with the 4th book due out next week. It looks like there will be plenty of Blue Exorcist love to come!

Are you already watching the simulcast of Blue Exorcist? Leave us a comment and tell us what you think!

Link

Anime is ahead of the tech game

Here at Anime Your Way, we put a very big focus on the content that anime creators pump out. We believe that anime offers up some truly amazing experiences, both from a visual standpoint as well as storyline. These are series' and movies that simply shouldn't be missed by anyone, which is why I do my best to spread the word on all that great stuff.

What I don't do often enough is marvel at one of the other important aspects of anime, the delivery system. When you compare anime to other entertainment mediums like movies and TV shows, anime really is ahead of the game. It's very clear that the anime industry is eager to jump on-board any and all technological delivery advancements that take foot.

Just think about the various ways that we can watch anime. Obviously we have TV broadcasts, as well as DVD/Blu-ray releases. That's just the very tip of the iceberg though. There are on-demand networks, support from Netflix and Hulu, various other streaming sites, digital downloads and so much more. You literally can get anime any way that suits your needs.

What I find most impressive is the simulcast option. How many other TV shows do you know of that support this? Anime fans in the states are very eager to see what Japan is watching, and we don't want to wait for that content. The industry recognizes that, and offers up simulcasts when possible. We literally get to watch anime series' right along with their Japanes airings, a couple days later at most. How is that for amazing fan support?

What method of anime viewing do you tackle most often? How do you feel about all the options out there for viewing? Doesn't it make you proud to be an anime fan and have all of these choices!? The content is great, and the anime industry wants to make sure you see it any way possible!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Anime Network to Simulcast Persona 4: The Animation


HOUSTON, TX - September 29, 2011 - Broadcast and digital distributor Anime Network announced today that they will begin simulcasting the anime adaptation of the bestselling role-playing-game PERSONA 4 the Animation. From AIC A.S.T.A. (Bamboo Blade, Blood+), and renowned director Seiji Kishi (Angel Beats!, Kamisama Dolls), comes a story of a group of students, their ability to harness the powers of supernatural Shadows, and the grisly murders that connect their two worlds together. The voice cast from the original game have reprised their roles for the series.

Starting on Thursday, October 6th, the series will stream every week for free on Anime Network Online at 3 PM Eastern, the same day that it airs on TV in Japan. In addition, the episodes will be available to watch on free, ad-supported Hulu and the Hulu Plus subscription service within 24 hours. Distribution on additional services and platforms will follow in 2012.


Man, things keep getting better and better for the Persona 4 anime! There are going to be so many different ways to watch it. Whether you want streaming, on-demand or even Blu-ray and DVD, you have all the options you could ever want. This has the potential to be pretty damn big. Let's hope the actual anime is worth all this attention!

What games deserve the anime treatment?

Video games and anime often go hand-in-hand. Many Japanese-developed games have a style and sensibilities about them that is very close to what anime offers. Character designs, story arcs and even just visuals in general can give off a very anime vibe. I think it might have been my love of games that lead me to a similar love of anime.

Just as I said a couple days ago, there have been a few anime adaptations based on games over the years. There's also been the flip side of the coin, where there are games that are based of anime. Obviously, games based off of anime come around a lot more, and are a common occurrence in the industry.

With that said, I feel there are some games out there that really deserve a chance to be turned into an anime. There's just a special something about certain games that leads me to believe an anime spin-off or single tale would work wonders for the series, and would be greatly appreciated by fans of the game franchise.

Personally, I'd love to see a StarFox anime. I think the characters really lend themselves well to a fun, yet engaging anime series. Perhaps it might be better as a light-hearted anime series that might appear on afternoon cartoons here in the states, but I'd take whatever I could get!

What game series' do you believe deserve an anime treatment? Leave a comment or send a tweet and let us know!

Sentai Filmworks Licenses ‘Horizon In The Middle Of Nowhere’



HOUSTON, September 28, 2011— Sentai Filmworks announces the acquisition of the upcoming anime mega-series HORIZON IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, based upon best-selling author Minoru Kawakami’s ongoing, eight-book franchise that has already sold over 750,000 copies in Japan. Directed by Manabu Ono (My Hime, Saki,) the huge and epic story that combines everything from giant robots and aerial ships to witches and werewolves will employ a staff of four Character Designers – Tomoyuki Fujii, Shinya Nishizawa, Yukiko Aikei and Kanta Suzuki- to adapt the original concepts by Satoyasu (TENKY), while script supervision and adaptation falls into the capable hands of Tatsuhiko Urahata (Nana, Master Keaton, Monster, Strike Witches 2.)

‘History’ is coming to an end. When humans came down from the sky they brought with them the Testament, the guide to the path they must follow if they wish to return to the skies again. Now, in a strange world where only the islands of Japan are inhabitable, the nations of the world vie for power and protect the portions of Japan that they have claimed, each armed with its own ultimate weapon: a Roysmoi Opro, the Armor of Deadly Sins. But there may be a far greater threat to mankind than the Roysomi Opro, for the Testament ends abruptly, and it is now the last year. Is this the end of humanity, or can Tori Aoi and his fellow students from the aerial metropolitan ship Musashi somehow affect the course of destiny? Who and what is the HORIZON IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE?

Weekly episodes of HORIZON IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE will begin airing digitally on The Anime Network on Tuesday, October 4, 2011 in Japanese with English subtitles. Additional digital outlets and home video releases will follow in 2012.


Link

How about some nice, relaxing anime theme covers to start the day?



Right now you're listening to one of the Naruto Shippuuden ending themes, as played on acoustic guitar. Pretty nice and soothing, don't you think? This is just the sort of thing you need to get the day going in the right direction. If only I had the talent to play an instrument this well!

Make sure to hit up the player's YouTube account for more musical anime greatness, as well as some video game themes in there. The guy obviously has some skill, and more importantly, he's got a love/passion for anime! This is definitely one great way to show it!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The anime that people don't view as anime



There are a lot of people today that say they dislike anime. They don't offer up any valid reasons for their interest, they just say that anime isn't for them. This is always a sad thing to see, but some people you just can't reach. No matter how hard you try, they aren't willing to open their eyes to the great collection of content out there.

Unfortunately, there's an even sadder position with these people. Most of them don't even realize that the programs they watched as children were actually anime. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people talk about the great cartoons they saw as kids, and how anime is nothing compared to that stuff.

Just like you see in the video above, there are many, many classic cartoons that were indeed anime productions. They may not have the 'typical' anime style that some people are so against, but they're anime productions nonetheless. How many people would look at the video above and classify it as anime? I would be willing to be that most would never make the connection.

What classic cartoons from your childhood were anime? Above is just one of many examples. Another classic example is Maya the Bee, an anime series that was aired on Nickelodeon in the states. Again, another show that many say they love, but don't realize that it's anime through and through.

High School of the Dead takes the Dec. 2011 cover of Otaku USA


Ah, it's a good day when the latest issue of Otaku USA shows up. This latest issue has given the cover to High School of the Dead, which I've been enjoying quite a bit. Sure, it may be a little heavy on the fan-service, but there's a fun an action-packed show in there as well!

I'll be skimming through the issue a bit later to see what shows are previewed. The last issue had a ton of content that looked interesting to me. Hopefully this issue has some great content in it as well. I can't wait to get some time to look through this baby!

Persona 4: The Animation set to release in the states



Man, there's a lot of game-related anime news floating around lately! This is one tidbit that I'm very, very happy to report. I've been looking forward to an announcement like this for quite some time, and thankfully the good news has just come through.

Sentai Filmworks has confirmed that they'll be releasing a localization for Persona 4: The Animation in the states. Talk about being on the ball, considering how the series hasn't even started airing in Japan yet! Now we know an official localization is going to head our way, but we don't know when exactly it will hit.

Even if you're not into the Persona line of games, the trailers above should do more than enough to get you excited!

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing free to watch on YouTube...legally!



Interested in watching all of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, but you don't have the cash to spend on it? No worries, because now you have yet another option to view it free. The best part about this is, it's 100% legal!

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing has been added over on YouTube by the license holders, making it all nice and legal. Feel free to hit up the link below and check out the series when you have some free time. Since I'm trying to get into Gundam, I think this is where I'll start!

Series here

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Share your anime wallpaper!


A simple but fun idea that I like to throw out on GoNintendo from time to time, and it makes perfect sense for this blog as well! I'd love to see what you guys have as your wallpaper on your PC/Mac. Of course, I'm looking for those of you that have anime wallpapers! I'm sure you've got some gorgeous ones on display.

I actually don't have an anime wallpaper on display right now, but the image above is the one that I had for quite some time. It's from the live-action adaptation of Death Note. Not exactly anime itself, but it's definitely stemming from my love of the anime/manga!

If you do have an anime wallpaper, link us in via the comments or Twitter! Also, please feel free to share some great sources for anime wallpaper resources. I'm always looking for more places to come up with great desktop art.

Game Get! Solatorobo: Red the Hunter

I think I'm going to start an official feature on the site called Game Get!, which will look at games that anime fans should find quite enjoyable. Obviously, a heavy mix of anime has to be thrown in with the gameplay! I'll tend to look at games that are up-and-coming or just released. We'll kick things off today with Solatorobo.


Looks like a pretty awesome anthropomorphic anime, doesn't it? Well, that's only part of the deal. This is some gorgeous artwork from Solatorobo: Red the Hunter, a DS title now available in North America, Europe and Japan. It's been a long time coming for this game. Actually, it's over 10 years in the making! If that's not worthy of a look, I don't know what is!

There's a ton of stuff in this title for anime fans to look forward to. First off, as you can see from teh image above, there's a lot of anime-style design and artwork. This character/game design spreads throughout the entire game, and there are event some anime cut-scenes thrown into the mix. If you're looking at things from a purely visual approach, anime fans should be quite happy.

Of course, there's a lot more anime sensibility than that! The story definitely would feel right at home as an anime, even if it's aimed more at the younger generation. Long story short, it's all about cats and dogs...living together...fighting...and struggling to make it through life. As you probably guessed, all of these animals can speak perfect English. What's not to love about this?!

I'm going to be picking up my copy of Solatorobo a little bit later today and I'm chomping at the bit to dive in. Do yourself a favor and read up more about this game at the official site. If the artwork, screens and trailers don't sell you on this epic adventure, I don't know what will!

Site here

Chances of another Dragon Quest-related anime are slim

"The players themselves have always been the main characters in the Dragon Quest series, and I think that each person who has played a game in the Dragon Quest series has a unique emotional experience. We've tried to turn Dragon Quest and spin-offs of it into anime before, but I think it's difficult to create an anime that can really resonate with each player's unique feelings." - Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 producer Taichi Inuzuka

If you follow the video game series Dragon Quest, you would think that another anime adventure would be perfectly in line. The series is often promoted with anime vignettes and other anime short stories, but the producer of DQM:J2 clearly feels nailing the all-important Dragon Quest feeling in anime form is something that hasn't quite been accomplished yet.

I'd love to see another Dragon Quest anime feature, if only to boost my interest in the game series itself. Traditional RPGs are always quite rough on me, but if I had a story and characters to really attach myself to through another means, I'd be more inclined to grind my way through Dragon Quest games.

As it stands, it looks like the only anime-related Dragon Quest adventures will be the ones that are already out there. Who knows what will happen 20 years from now, but as of today things are looking quite dire. At least the game series continues to thrive on!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Just learning about Mushi-shi



Over the weekend I had the chance to chat with one of my anime-loving friends. He doesn't purchase much, but instead watches a lot of the anime content that Netflix offers. As I said the other week, Netflix really is a fantastic source for those looking to check out some fantastic anime content.

This friend happened upon an anime that came out during the time where I had to sell my anime collection. Unfortunately that means I wasn't really following anime, and I missed out on a lot of great content. It seems that one of those features that passed me by was Mushi-Shi.

After hearing my friend talk about it, I've added the feature to my list of content to check out in the near future. Any fans of the series out there? It seems to have quite a following, and has also received quite a large amount of accolades since it released. I'd love to hear what some of you that have viewed have to say about it.

What if Naruto was live-action?

Well now...this is pretty damn good! Another perfect example of just how amazing anime fans can be. I hope this series continues on!

Death Note the best live-action movie adaptation of an anime/manga? Some of Japan thinks so

I've talked about Death Note quite a bit on this blog, and that includes the live-action adaptations. You know my thoughts on them, but here's an interesting bit of information from a survey.

This survey comes from What Japan Thinks, comprised of 1,114 members of the goo Research online monitor group. 65.4% of the sample were female, 12.3% in their teens, 16.5% in their twenties, 28.6% in their thirties, 24.8% in their forties, 10.1% in their fifties, and 7.7% aged sixty or older.

Q: What do you think were good live-action movie adaptations of manga and anime?

Rank Score
1 Death Note 100
2 Umizaru 89.0
3 Rookies -Graduation- 50.2
4 Nana 40.0
5 Gegege no Kitaro 30.6
6 Kaiji Jinsei Gyakuten Game 30.4
7 Gantz 29.7
8 Ping-Pong 28.7
9 Yatterman 27.8
10 Dororo 26.6
11 Detroit Metal City 24.9
12= Touch 22.7
12= Honey and Clover 22.7
14 Ashita no Joe 21.5
15 Kimi ni Todoke 20.6
16 Azumi 17.9
17 Satorare Tribute to a Sad Genius 17.2
18 20th Century Boys 14.4
19 Cutie Honey 14.1
20 Paradise Kiss 12.4
21 Beck 9.1
22 Kamue Gaiden 8.9
23 Love ★ Kon 8.4
24 Soranin 7.7
25 Saru Rock the Movie 6.2
26 Space Battleship Yamato 5.0
27= Prince of Tennis 4.5
27= Happily Ever After (Jigyaku no Uta) 4.5
27= High School Debut 4.5
30 Dragonhead 4.3
31= Casshern 2.9
31= Otakus in Love (Koi no Mon) 2.9
33= Cromartie High School THE☆MOVIE 2.4
33= Dragonball Evolution 2.4
35 Jigoku Koshien 1.9
36 The Neighbor No. Thirteen (Rinjin No 13) 1.7
37= Sakigake!! Otokojuku Be a Man! Samurai School 1.4
37= Boys on the Run 1.4

If people really liked those adaptations, so be it. I'm honestly quite surprised to see that they were so well received over in Japan. Perhaps it has something to do with the quality or expectations that Americans have from cinema when compared to what Japanese viewers think?

Did you guys see the Death Note live-action adaptations? Would you side with Japan on this issue, or do you see things a different way?

Link

The Question 9/26: What anime did you check out this weekend?


One of my favorite parts of the week! I get to turn to you guys and find out what you watched over the weekend. I think most of us get to enjoy our anime fix over the weekend, and I sure hope you guys got to indulge!

I actually started watching Full Metal Alchemist again. There's a reason why I'm doing that, and I'll get to that in an article later on! I plowed through the first 6 episodes and plan to get through a lot more this week!

Enough about me, now it's your turn! What anime did you take in the past couple of days?

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Too strange not to post - Pokemon in real life

I'm not even going to preface this with anything, other than you need to see it to believe it!

Your favorite anime song

On this blog, we've talked about anime music many of times. There are just certain soundtracks I can't get enough of. There are specific show intros and outros that melt me everytime I hear them. As much as there's great anime stories and artwork to be viewed, there's also a lot of fantastic music out there. It's a celebration for the ears, I tell you!

While we've talked about your favorite soundtracks in the past, now I'm going to make things even harder. I want you to look through all your anime music, be it in a physical collection, digital or even your memory. Sift through all that content and narrow it down into one single song that you give an edge to, above all others.

I thought long and hard about it, and I came down to the tune below. Obviously it means a lot to people that have seen the series, and while that certainly pushes it up in the ranks in my opinion, I also find it to be an absolutely beautiful piece of music. It gives me goosebumps every single time.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Durarara!! on Adult Swim - Episode 14 live-chat (starts at 12:30 AM EDT)

Reminder: Durarara!! Episode 14 live-chat tonight at 12:30 AM EDT!


I am a few episodes behind on Durarara!!, as I have had some very busy weekends lately. It's funny how my schedule keeps shifting the show around for me. Unfortunately this week I will not be able to attend yet again, as a friend is having a party/housewarming. As usual, I'll set up the live-chat for you guys anyway.

I truly apologize for not being able to attend recently. I really do want to be here, and I hope things calm down for me soon.

Your weekly WTF - Is this Death Note?!

I'll just let this one speak for itself...

Friday, September 23, 2011

MAD spoofs Naruto

This isn't the MAD TV that used to be on opposite Saturday Night Live. This is the newer MAD cartoon series that is on Cartoon Network. I actually just found out about this spoof because it's playing in the background right now!

MAD magazine and cartoon make it their goal to spoof and parody everything in popular culture. Absolutely nothing is safe, as the company has made its name lampooning everything. Some are better than others, of course. That's where this Naruto parody comes in.

Check it out and let me know what you think. Does this kind of stuff make you upset as a Naruto fan, or do you get a chuckle out of it?

Anime fans and their mash-ups



Anime fans are very, very talented people. Not only do they have a big passion for all things anime, they also like to take anime into their own hands. What better way to show your appreciation for an anime than by putting together your own video tribute?! It seems that many an anime fan feels this way.

The above video is a mash-up of the Durarara!! intro with some footage from Madoka Magica. I would never think to put these two together, but I'll be damned if it doesn't make for an entertaining video! While this is just one example, I think it goes to show how creative anime fans can be.

YouTube is absolutely littered with anime tributes, music videos and mash-ups from fans the world over. There are more and more features added every single day, with some truly amazing content being pumped out. It's almost like this tribute video anime content has become a subset of anime itself!

Are you a fan of fan-made mash-ups? Perhaps you've put together a few of your own! Feel free to share your opinions of this stuff as well as your own creations in the comments/Twitter.

To remake or not remake


This question goes hand-in-hand with yesterday's article about re-releases. There's a very big difference between re-releases and remakes. Re-releases are largely the same TV show or movie put out on new formats with a few bells-and-whistles added. Remakes are completely re-envisioned pieces of art that take inspiration from the original.

Some people are completely against the ideas of remakes, and I can understand where they are coming from. I'm not saying I completely agree with that point of view, but I can understand the argument. Sometimes people that don't understand the original will take a franchise and twist it into something that no one can appreciate. The only thing it ends up doing is tarnishing the original.

Then there are those remakes that are really in name and concept only. The original serves as inspiration for the jumping point of a new direction. When you're talking about franchises that are 20+ years old, sometimes a remake can help to introduce that beloved character to a new generation, and then they'll be inspired to check out the originals.

There are remakes I enjoy and remakes that I don't think need to happen. For example, I happen to love the 'retelling' or 're-envisioning' of Birdy the Mighty. I really think that show got better with each episode, and I'm happy the team behind it forged their own path, all while paying tribute to the original.

What side of the remake fence are you on? Leave well enough alone, or try to pay respects by doing things differently?

Change the style, change the vibe


While anime-style visuals may be distinct in and of themselves, there are still many different ways to portray anime content. Anime is an all-encompassing term, but within the genre there are many different styles. I think it's quite obvious to see the differences in design between shows like Shin-chan and FLCL. Whatever the reasoning may be, the creators pick a certain anime direction when putting a show together, and that direction can set the entire tone of a program.

While it may seem like a simple decision at first, it actually is a truly difficult one. When setting out to create an anime program, you have to find a visual style that compliments the story you're trying to tell. If you're going for something serious, you have to pick a style that doesn't hurt your story's intense moments. If you're doing something more akin to a comedy, a simply and quick-moving approach can fit the bill.

As we've said before, there are a few shows that employ various anime styles within one show. These cuts are done to show anime character emotions, exaggerated to the 10th degree. This is just a small slice of the action in an anime, though. You still have an over visual style that some characters never break from, and others jump in and out for a few moments.

Could you really imagine Death Note having the same impact if it had the style shown above? Keep the story and all the other elements exactly the same, but imagine it with those visuals. Without a doubt, I think it would hurt the impact of the show. It's a style that just doesn't mesh with what Death Note is all about.

Have you seen any shows that featured a story and characters that didn't come together nicely with the anime style?

Link

Thursday, September 22, 2011

To re-release or tweak

There are plenty of TV shows and movies that people hold near and dear to their hearts. They either grow up on these shows or see them at some point during their lives where they leave lasting impacts. Those memories not only stay fresh in that person's mind, they can also help shape the person they become. Sometimes I think it's hard for creators to realize just how much their works can influence a person.

Just take a look at the Star Wars DVD/Blu-ray re-releases out there right now. The biggest talk about the release has nothing to do with the series itself, but instead, the new round of cuts and edits that George Lucas has called for. These little tweaks just keep building up, and the series that millions once loved is now turning into a different beast in and of itself.

Some anime releases are seeing the same kind of treatment. Whenever a DVD or Blu-ray release of an existing property comes along, there are some changes made as well. Additions like resolutions and audio quality upgrades are always welcome, as those elements being improved can only help the experience. Throwing in 3D support, re-dubbing lines, re-coloring sections and stuff like that can lead to fans feeling slighted.

When a re-release is on the way, what are you looking for? Do you just want to get that anime you love in a higher quality format, or are you interested in the slight tweaks that are made along the way?

Glad I'm not the only one that experiences 'the void'

A few weeks back, I put together an article that focused in on that terrible feeling. You know, the feeling you get when an anime series ends. You're left staring at the screen after the final credits roll, and you aren't quite sure what to do with yourself. This feeling is usually accompanied by a deep, empty feeling in the pit of your stomach.

While I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that gets this feeling, it's definitely surprising to learn just how many people experience it. It's not something I ever really feel with traditional movies or TV shows. As a matter of fact, I can't even think of one that made me feel that way! I guess great anime series just have that special something in my eyes.

Anyway, the point of revisiting this topic is a thread that just recently opened up over at the subReddit for anime. Someone touched upon this 'emotional void' that is experienced when a great anime ends, and many others are chiming in to say that they get this feeling as well. Even better, some people are discussing how they deal with it and ideas as to why we experience it!

I thought you might want to check it out and chime in with your own comments. Hit up the link below to check it out, and share the pain!

Thread here

Does anime bootlegging lose the industry customers, or gain new fans?

I'm sure many of you heard the big anime news that has been circulating over the last 24 hours. Crunchyroll and TV Tokyo have joined forces to file lawsuit against a gang of anime fans that were illegally ripping/uploading anime to YouTube. The content include shows like Naruto and Bleach. YouTube was contacted and has since removed the episodes in question.

I can see how the act itself is illegal. There are certain streaming deals made between Crunchyroll and TV Tokyo, as well as other anime companies, and these rules give them rights to air certain anime episodes at certain times. People that take these episodes and upload them somewhere else are breaking the rules of the deal, and both companies have the right to legally go after them.

What's my issue with the story, then? Well, there's one line in the lawsuit that really has me scratching my head. According to the lawsuit, TV Tokyo claims that actions like this will "lose a customer opportunity". In other words, they say that anyone that watches these programs on YouTube is losing them viewers, as well as customer opportunities.

I have to ask you guys, do you agree with this line of thinking? I don't believe what the people did is right, but I'm not sure I agree with what TV Tokyo is saying. Much like letting friends borrow games, books or music, I would think that spreading the word on anime might actually net new customers. They watch the upload, want to see more and head to the official sources to do so. Not every view goes that way, but I would think that a good amount do.

Again, I'm not saying what these uploaders did is right. I'm just trying to decide if TV Tokyo's reasoning makes sense.

Dragon Con 2011 shows off some major cosplay love

I'll admit, I didn't know all that much about Dragon Con until this year. It seems like the show really got some major attention this time around, and I think that has a lot to do with the cosplayers. My, oh my...how some of these people amaze me with their costumes!

If there were ever a video to show off the skill and passion that cosplayers have, this would be the one. It's a fantastic quick-look at the Dragon Con cosplay scene, and there's tons of anime love in there. How many anime-related cosplayers can you spot?

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

You don't have to understand the lyrics to enjoy the song!

According to long-standing sayings, both love and music are the universal language. I'd say both are true, as anyone can understand/appreciate what music and love are all about. Some might say that both love and music go together perfectly, with enjoyable elements from each side relating to the other. The two can make beautiful music together, shall we say?!

What in the hell does any of this have to do with anime, you ask? Well, it relates directly to my iTunes playlist. While a large majority of it is game music, there's also a healthy helping of anime tunes in there. Not a day goes by where I don't end up hearing at least one song from an anime. Without fail, the tracks always put a smile on my face...even when I have no idea what the singers are saying.

While there are a lot of instrumental tracks on anime soundtracks, there are also tunes that have singers belting their hearts out. This is where I tend to get ragged on. I have no idea what these singers are saying, and plenty of friends ask how I can listen to music when I have no idea what the singers are saying. Seems like a valid argument, no?

Actually, I'd have to say that it doesn't hold water. When it comes to music, there are many more elements than just understanding the lyrics. The music itself, as in, the tune being played by instruments, is an extremely important part. On top of that, you don't need to understand a language to hear the passion in a singer's voice. That comes through no matter what is being said. On top of all that, these anime tracks instantly bring me back to a scene in an anime, or to that anime in general. That makes for a great memory, and a rush of good feelings.

In my opinion, it doesn't matter one bit that I don't understand the lyrics. I can even sing along in my own backwards Japanese, sounding out words phonetically as I go along. I may be destroying the language as I sing along, but damnit, I'm having a fantastic time!

How open are you with your anime fandom?

Everyone has their hobbies.  Some people like to watch sports.  Others enjoy putting together model planes.  I don't need to go through all the types of hobbies there are, because you already know that there are millions upon millions!  To each his own, and if you're reading this blog right now, one of your hobbies is sure to be anime.  For your own reasons, you find anime to be an enjoyable way to spend your free time, and I definitely agree with you on that!

I'm also guessing that if you're on this blog reading this article, anime is pretty important to you. It's a hobby that you like to dedicate a good amount of time to, immersing yourself in the culture. There's definitely such a thing as a passive and active anime viewer, and I'd like to think that we're more on the active side of things. We love anime, and we feel the need to search out more information/discussion on it.

While your anime hobby is something you do in your own time, I'm wondering just how much you make others aware of your interest. This could be through purposefully exposing your hobbies to friends and family, or it could be an element of your life that bleeds through into everything you do. Whether you show it off or not, just how anime influenced is your lifestyle?

Do you enjoy anime but keep those thoughts mostly to yourself? Are you an anime fan that loves to wear anime-related clothing, and spouts anime catch-phrases everywhere you go? Can you not go a single day without talking to someone about your love of anime? Just where do you fall on the anime fandom scale?

What caused Shin-chan's lack of success in the states?


Japan has a handful of anime features that go above-and-beyond when it comes to viewership. There's definitely no shortage of anime features to enjoy, but there's only a handful that manage to break out into major mainstream success. One of those series is without a doubt Shin-chan. He's rude, crass and absolutely loveable. Again, an example of an anime that strays far from the norm.

Many people have called Shin-chan the Bart Simpson of Japan. Being a big fan of both shows, I can definitely see why that comparison is made often. Shin-chan is a troublemaker of the highest kind, and he's not afraid to make an ass out of himself. That usually includes a flash of Shin-chan's butt quite often, and even a look at his naughty bits on the flip side. Again, nothing Bart hasn't taken on in his day!

Shin-chan features just a about every type of character you can imagine. If Shin-chan doesn't do it for you, he's got friends that range from whiny to overbearing. Even better are Shin's parents, which are losing their mind due to their child's antics. It's very easy to mash all these together into an entertaining, almost slice-of-life style anime with humor that is squarely aimed at adults.

So...The Simpsons in a different shade of paint. While The Simpsons have seen huge success here in America, Shin-chan seems to have missed the mark by a lot. The show definitely have its fans, but it seemed to have gained and lost its TV run within just a couple seasons. It's obvious that something didn't click, but I'm not quite sure what it was.

Did Cartoon Network not accurately portray the show? Promotions for the show seemed to really push what the program was about, but maybe they missed the mark. Perhaps it was the late time slot that pushed the show out of the minds of many. I wouldn't even be surprised if the visuals themselves turned people off. I'd be surprised to learn that the content offended too many, especially on the Adult Swim block, but stranger things have happened.

Did you catch Shin-chan while it was airing on TV? Did you find it enjoyable or was it not for you? If you haven't seen the show, please let us know why. If you did view but didn't enjoy, I'd love to hear that reasoning as well.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Pokémon the Movie: White—Victini and Zekrom seeing limited theater release



I was just thinking about the very first Pokemon movie a few days ago. I actually went to see it in theaters, and yes, I was in high school at the time! Still, I realized that it has been quite some time since Pokemon movies were in theaters. They are now straight-to-DVD, and if they're lucky, they get a premiere on TV first.

That's all going to change with Pokémon the Movie: White—Victini and Zekrom. While it may not be as big a movie theater deal as the original movies, Pokémon the Movie: White—Victini and Zekrom is going to see limited release in 300 theaters across North America. Hopefully one of those theaters ends up close to home!

It's nice to see this kind of thing happening again, even if it is a limited time engagement. It's better than nothing, and I'm hoping fans come out in full force to show their support. Who knows, maybe if this run goes well we'll see a bigger release for the next inevitable movie.

Yet another reason to be upset over America's snubbing of Shin-chan



While Shin-chan video games aren't anything new, the trailer above is for the latest Shin-chan game in the works. This one is head to the Nintendo 3DS, and it looks like it really captures the essence of the show. Too bad not many people have bothered to look into what the show is all about. Either that, or they didn't like what they saw.

The states miss out on a lot of anime-licensed games, and I can understand that. If the brand isn't available in the states, seeing localized games doesn't make much sense. This Shin-chan situation really bothers me though! Shin-chan has a following here and was on TV for awhile, but it never managed to connect with a meaningful audience. Now the only option for fans when it comes to this game is importing a copy/Japanese 3DS.

I'm going to look at the Shin-chan series a bit more in another article later tonight. Perhaps we can figure out why the series seems to be snubbed thus far.

Just what is Kamiyama up to?

Kenji Kamiyama is the director behind features like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Eden of the East, and Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit. With a lineup like that, you can see why the man is well respected in the anime scene. A string of hits like that sure makes people sit up and take notice when it comes to your future projects.

Just what is Kamiyama working on now? That we don't know, but it won't be too long before we find out. The director is set to debut his next big project at Tokyo’s Shinjuku Wald 9 theater on October 4th. As of right now, we have absolutely no idea what Mr. Kamiyama is working on, so his reveal at this upcoming event should be a total surprise.

The event's focus will be footage of the new feature, as well as some of the other staff members taking the stage with Mr. Kamiyama. It's obvious that the project being worked on is of some merit and size, because and event like this wouldn't be put together unless something substantial was taking place! I'm definitely very excited to see what comes of this.

What do you think Kamiyama has lined up? Are we going to see another installment in an already established brand, or are we going to get a glimpse of something 100% new? Are you hoping for one side of this more than the other? Leave a comment and fill us in!

Link

The wonderful story of The Big O's second season


The Big O may not be the greatest anime out there, but it definitely has something about it that gives you a great feeling. It's an engaging program that takes a more Western approach to anime, and ends up feeling like a unique blend of Eastern and Western design choices. It's definitely an anime, but it comes with a vibe and style that I've yet to see in any other series.

It seems that that design approach wasn't really what Japanese anime fans were looking for. The Big O's initial season wasn't all that much of a success, and it looked like the show was pretty much done. The first 13 episodes left a lot of questions unanswered, but most Japanese anime fans weren't looking to find the answers to those questions.

That's how things were going to stay...until Cartoon Network picked up the show for their Adult Swim block. I don't know what it was in particular, but the show managed to bring in quite a loyal following. The Big O really resonated with audiences outside of Japan. Could it be the similar style to Batman: The Animated Series buy told with anime sensibilities? Whatever it was, the results with international fans were great.

Things actually worked out so well that Cartoon Network helped foot the bill to get a second, final season made. The guys at CN wanted to know what happened to Roger and the gang, and with the support of viewers, they put out some cash to make that second season a reality. The Big O's second season is the perfect example of fans and the industry coming together to show their appreciation. The show may not receive much praise in Japan, but both Europe and America more than made up for that.

Just as I thought - A second look at the anime fans comic

Yesterday I put together an article about a comic that looked at anime fans, and how some of them can be snobs when it comes to their interest in anime. They watch anime and think that anyone that watches any other content is automatically below them. While you and I know that all anime fans aren't like this and that it simply isn't true, there are many others that feel this way.

It's a tough barrier to get past, and I knew that the comic was going to make a lot of headway out there. The comic popped up on Reddit, and obviously it caught on in a big way. Now I'm seeing people link to/mention the comic all over the place. For example, here's just one Tweet about the comic.

This sums up how I feel about anime fans.

There we go, the generalization that I was hoping wouldn't gain more ground. It's not the fault of the comic creator, as he was just expressing his own thoughts on anime fans. I'm sure he doesn't feel that way about all that watch anime, but no doubt that's the message that many are taking/running with.

How do anime fans combat this kind of opinion? This certainly isn't good for anyone that is trying to spread the good word on anime.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Fall 2011 anime season at a glance

I love this kind of stuff. Infographics are all the rage now, but this one is extremely helpful. Most of them are just flashy, which makes it nice to see one jam-packed with details. If you're looking to get a quick glance at the Fall 2011 anime season, this is the way to do it!


After looking through, what looks good to you? Any stand-out shows or artwork? Care to guess which shows are going to bomb and which will find a nice audience?

Link

The anime fans that give anime fans a bad name

Unfortunately, this is how many people view anime fans...


It's definitely true that there are anime snobs out there. They believe anime to be the end-all/be-all of entertainment. No matter what you watch, they believe that anime is better. While I love anime and think it offers up amazing experiences, I know it would be silly to make a claim like this. It's simply not true, as all forms of entertainment have value.

Like I said, this is the opinion that many people have concerning anime fans. We get viewed as simple-minded people that automatically swat down any other content that's not anime related. Acting like that is almost as silly as...seeing something like this and agreeing that all anime fans are like this.

I really hope I don't come across this way! I just spent my Saturday morning cleaning the house and watching SpongeBob!

The minor hiccups that ruin your experience

We all have our favorite elements of anime, as well as the moments that really bug us. Usually we can live without those favorite elements and look past those aspects that irk us just a tad. You have to roll with the punches, and usually you don't mind doing so when all is said and done. Of course, there are those times when you just can't bring yourself to do that.

I'm not out to criticize anyone for their reasons of liking/disliking anime. If someone dislikes anime, I want to hear what the reasoning is. I won't tell them they're wrong or stupid, but I will try to show them what they're missing out on. That's always been my mission, but right now I'm focusing in on those long-time anime fans out there.

I'm looking to hear about those small, minor, insignificant moments in anime that drive you up the wall. There are things that you know shouldn't make you batty, but you can't help but become enraged when you see them. These happenings in anime frustrate you so much that they ruin the entire experience for you. All it takes is a second or two, and the entire series is shot to hell.

Personally, I am driven insane when a character comes in and starts yelling right away. A lot of anime features have one character that loves to yell and never calms down. The more anime I watch, the more I hate this type of character. I'm starting to handle these characters with less and less patience as time goes on! Hopefully you have some element of anime that drives you bonkers as well!

The Question 9/19: What anime did you check out this weekend?


I didn't get to watch a single bit of anime this past weekend. Things have been so busy with GoNintendo due to Nintendo events and the Tokyo Game Show. Now that that's all wrapped up, I can finally watch something soon! I think I know what I'll be checking out.

I couldn't bring myself to purchase Baka and Test due to the mixed reviews, but I did want to check it out. This weekend I learned that the series is available for streaming on Netflix! I had no idea it was there and just found it randomly, so I've got it lined up for viewing later this week.

While I was a loser and didn't get to watch anything, let me live vicariously through you guys! What did you check out over the weekend?

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Friday Night 'WTF' #2 - Late Night Edition

As I've said many times over, this past week was absolute hell for me. Things were so ridiculously busy. So many game events and bits of news to cover. Thankfully, that's all taken care of now. This week should prove to be a lot calmer, which should let me get back into my regular schedule.

That explains why I missed out on my Friday night WTF feature, which I started a couple weeks back. I thought I'd run with the video now, since Sunday nights are a little slow anyway. Please enjoy this random Gundam commercial!

One to keep an eye on: Kyousogiga

While we talk a lot about localized anime here, it's also important to keep an eye on the up-and-coming content from Japan. We're out to find the new, fresh and engaging programming that is just around the corner. This time around we're going to take a look at Kyousogiga.



In a world where boundary between human and yokai worlds is no longer distinguishable, 3 different groups pursue for power. What is Count of Reality and Destruction of Negentrophy? Koto, a high school girl who got out of maze of Java Work, chases the shadow of "Kuro Usagi (Black Rabbit)". This is a story surrounding various people chasing Kuro Usagi in Kyoto, where time has stopped.

The animation is gorgeous, the story sounds interesting and the music is infectious. This certainly looks like a project that's going to be worth a watch. This project will be streamed online on Dec. 10th. No word on a localization at this time.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Durarara!! on Adult Swim - Episode 13 live-chat (starts at 12:30 AM EDT)

CW takes an anime approach to Saturday mornings with 'Toonzai'

When I was a kid, all the major networks used to show cartoons Saturday morning. Actually, there used to be cartoons in the afternoon after school all the way until about 5 PM. Then it would switch over to shows for adults, or the news. Saturday mornings were all about cartoons as well. Nowadays things have changed, and finding cartoon content on major networks is pretty tough.

The last big block of Saturday morning animation was on Kids WB, which is now the CW. Again, when I was younger, this was the place to see Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, Freakazoid and others. Eventually this petered out, as one man in charge at WB didn't like the kids lineup, so he had almost all the cartoons cancelled. It was that move that kind of stomped out Saturday morning cartoons as we know them.

Thankfully, the CW is hanging in there. They're trying to revive the Saturday morning cartoon approach. Most major networks today show a few educational shows very early on Saturday, and then it switches over to fluff news programs. CW has decided to move away from that and take on kids programming again, this time through a partnership with 4Kids entertainment. What we get is a block of programming that is completely anime focused.


This new block of kids shows is called 'Toonzai', which immediately brings back memories of Toonami. Of course, there's no chance in hell that Toonzai is going to measure up to what Cartoon Network did with Toonami, but that's besides the point. Toonzai is an anime-focused lineup with some new shows, but anchored by some anime staples. You can see the Saturday morning lineup via the image above.

This is a pretty big deal for anime, if you ask me. This is a major TV network dedicating their whole morning to anime content. It may not be the best anime content you can find, but certainly there are some fun and engaging shows. I really think a move like this is important for making headway with anime. While this is just a kids' morning programming block, I really hope that one network is brave enough to someday try anime in primetime.

Have you guys and gals checked out anything in the Toonzai block? What do you think of the lineup? Is this collecton of shows going to find an audience, or is the content just not that engaging enough?

Reminder: Durarara!! Episode 13 live-chat tonight at 12:30 AM EDT!


These Durarara!! episodes are becoming increasingly difficult for me to watch when they air. This week is especially busy on GoNintendo, considering all TGS and Nintendo press event information that has been coming out. I've been absolutely swamped, and today is no different. With that said, I'll do my best to attend tonight's live-chat.

Friday, September 16, 2011

It's a female...it's a cat...it's a neko!


Sometimes there's some anime content out there that's a bit hard to swallow. That's the kind of content that keeps the public at large away from experiencing anime. They see one strange thing and think that all anime is like that. We know the truth, and we also know it's there loss! I'm just wondering how many of those people were freaked out by the neko trend, which caused them to never look back.

Who doesn't love cats, right?! There has to be at least one cat out there that you think is snuggly and cute. What's not to love about a little kitty that you can curl up with, pet and just love?! I think there's a cat for everyone, and once you find that right cat it'll melt your heart.

Now take that conversation and apply it to women. That whole thing applies to ladies as well! Okay, maybe the petting part is a bit of a stretch, but the rest makes sense! A girl to love, hold and melt your heart. There are tons and tons of cute girls out there, all cute in their own ways. Now if you could only combine the two...

Oh wait, anime does! The neko is every cat/girl lover's dream come true. It's admittedly a rather weird trend, but I can't deny that even I find the neko stuff cute from time to time. It makes absolutely zero sense to me when I try and break the trend down, but something doesn't have to make sense for me to enjoy it! If it puts a smile on my face, that's all I need.

What do you make of the whole neku scene? How do you think it came about? Why did it catch on so well, enough to continue to this day? Do you find it strange, or is it just another element of anime in a very unique and interesting field of entertainment?

Level-5/Studio Ghibli collaboration 'Ninokuni' heading to North America



This one has been a long time coming for fans of game developer Level-5. Today it has been confirmed that one of their recent RPG titles, Ninokuni, is going to receive a localization. While the game is available on PS3 and DS, only the PS3 version is going to hit stateside. It's sad to see the DS left out, but at least we'll get to experience the game.

Why talk about this on Anime Your Way? Well, Level-5 collaborated with world-renowned anime producer Studio Ghibli for the project. Not only did Ghibli provide a ton of anime cut-scenes for the game, but the game's graphics mimic the Ghibli style almost perfectly. The goal was to make a seamless anime experience that switches from animated scenes to gameplay without jarring changes in presentation.

Whether you're an anime fan or a gamer, this is certainly one to look out for. The work of Level-5 and Studio Ghibli is very well respected, and this pairing is sure to bring fans around the world something special. As of right now, Ninokuni is slated for release in North America early 2012.

It's so hard to find good anime clothes these days

Being a huge anime fan, I like the idea of being able to show off that appreciation in any way possible. That doesn't mean I want to run around screaming about my anime passion in people's faces. I just want ways to express my interest in what anime does, and why I enjoy it so much. One of the best ways to do that would be by wearing some anime-related clothing.

Too bad I find it so ridiculously hard to find any anime related clothing that is well put together! I've searched the internet far and wide for various anime series, in order to find out what clothing merchandise is out there. Even with all the series' I like, I can't seem to find a single piece of clothing that I believe to be well put together.

One of the big reasons I love anime is because of the beauty that goes into the artwork. Unfortunately, it seems that most companies putting together anime-related clothing just don't seem to understand how to translate that beautiful content into something wearable! Without trying to be rude, I'd say that most anime clothing looks like it was put together using paint in Windows!

Am I just not going to the right places? Do you have a few anime shirts in your collection? If so, please point me in the direction of where to go to purchase! I'd love to see what's out there that manages to really capture/display the anime it sets out to represent.

G4 continues to show big anime support

When I first heard about the TV network G4, I was quite excited. It was going to be a channel that was dedicated to entertaining gamers. That meant we were going to get all sorts of video game-related shows, and that's indeed how the network started out. The majority of their programming was focused on video games, some good and some bad. Unfortunately, G4 slowly decided to move away from that concept.

Now G4 has morphed into a channel that has very few game-related shows, and not much in the way of original programming. It seems like the network does nothing but show Cheaters all the time, and then throw Attack of the Show/Web Soup/X-Play in there every so often. The channel went from an interesting experiment to a very disappointing venture. I thought all hope was lost, but now G4 may be wising up.

The network has been throwing a lot of support towards anime lately. It may not be video game related, but there's no doubt that there's going to be a bit of crossover between the two audiences. The network currently airs the Iron Man and Wolverine animes, and I guess the results have been positive thus far. Now the network is going to add two more anime features to their lineup this year.

Both the Marvel anime adaptations of X-Men and Blade are on the way, with X-Men airing on Oct. 21st and Blade set for debut sometime this Winter. As you can see, G4's focus on anime is squarely on the Marvel side of things. I guess the safest bet when airing anime on primetime TV is to go with content that people are familiar with. Marvel's staple of characters is obviously very well known, which means more people should be willing to check out these anime adaptations.

I know I've been supporting G4's anime appreciation lately. I went from really liking the network to stepping away from it completely, but now they're drawing me back in. I still think the majority of the network features content not for me, but I can appreciate that the execs are at least trying some interesting stuff now.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Do you have pent-up frustration? Let the Death Note help!


Once again, this is a little something I found while randomly thumbing through the internet. For fans of Death Note, the image above will be instantaneously recognizable. Obviously, the Death Note itself plays a big role in the anime of the same name!

If you're a fan of Death Note, you already know what the book above is about. Now's your chance to actually write in the Death Note itself! Hit up the link below and try it out. Use your keyboard to type in names and any other details, than hit Enter to set it in stone!

Play here

Check out this gorgeous fan-made Pokemon redesign


Oh man, I cannot get over this image. I stumbled upon it while searching Reddit last night, and it's been at the front of my mind ever since. While I may not be as involved in Pokemon as I used to be, I still love the series. With that said, I haven't seen an entry in the anime series for quite some time. I just know it doesn't look like this!

Could you imagine if the anime series got a complete revamp to look like this? How about a spin-off Pokemon series that was aimed more at teens instead of just the younger crowd? I think that would be a wonderful idea, and the art style above would make for the perfect feature. Just imagining a Pokemon anime with an older-skewing anime style like this makes my mouth water.

What do you guys think? Would you like to see the Pokemon series head more in this direction, or are you perfectly happy with the current anime? Hell, maybe you gave up on Pokemon a long time ago. I hope that's not the case!

Three big-name anime companies team up with Nintendo for Kid Icarus features


I love it when my worlds collide! I have the perfect opportunity to discuss Nintendo and anime due to an announcement the Big N made at their recent Pre Tokyo Game Show conference. It really is an anime/Nintendo fan's dream come true!

Nintendo has enlisted the help of Production I.G., Shaft and Studio 4°C to help them promote Kid Icarus: Uprising, an upcoming title for the 3DS. These three anime powerhouses will be putting together anime features based on the Kid Icarus series. Each production is going to focus in on a different part of Kid Icarus lore, and will also take a different approach to the series. Expect one series to be all action, one to be humorous and another to detail backstory.

What's the best part about these features? They're all going to be released for free on the 3DS! You'll be able to watch them as they're streamed to your system. Right now the announcement was only related to Japan, but I have a feeling Nintendo will make sure these features get to North American and European fans as well.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Trigun: Badlands Rumble - two new promo clips

Trigun: Badlands Rumble is heading to DVD and Blu-ray very soon, and FUNimation is out to spread the word. They've added two new promo clips for the film on their YouTube channel, which I thought I'd share below.




I wasn't a big fan of the original Trigun, but damnit, this movie looks pretty fun! What do you guys think? Are you interested in giving the film a shot? Are you already a fan of the series?

The Big O's Batman similarities

Yesterday I touched on the visuals in The Big O. I always found them to be quite unique for an anime, but not so unique when compared to shows like Batman: The Animated Series. In my opinion, that's not the only connection that The Big O has to Batman. The more I watched the show, the more I realized just how similar the two series' are.

First and foremost, the main character of The Big O and Batman are both quite wealthy. They both happen to have millions of dollars and live in some pretty lavish situations. Obviously, a lot of that money ends up going into helping them fight crime and bring about justice. That's how you know when you're really loaded!

Both characters also have extremely fancy cars to get about town. Again, they pour a bunch of cash into their rides, which serve all sorts of purposes and can be called in with their watch. That's far too much of a coincidence, if you ask me. The creators have to be quite big fans of Batman. Some of them, at least!

Another similar connection is the relationship that both main characters have with local law enforcement. Both Batman and the main character in the Big O are close with the police department's commissioner, while the rest of the squad doesn't really seem to trust the actions of these vigilantes. The Big O has a bit more of a love/hate relationship with the commissioner, but the connection is undeniable.

There are many more connections between the two shows. I could go on forever about this! Hell, both guys have a butler that does a lot of behind-the-scenes action to help out their employer! If anyone out there has seen the show before, please feel free to share some more Batman connections you've noticed.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The Big O - Not Your Average Anime...Kinda

The Big O might seem like a very simple anime to those that have seen an episode or two, and that's how I felt at first as well. The more I got into the series, the more I realized just how unique it was. There are elements of the show that are very heavily seated in traditional anime, and then other parts that just don't match up with the usual anime content we see. It makes for quite an entertaining analysis.

First and foremost, the visual style of The Big O is definitely not what you see in traditional anime stylings. The look of the show itself is much closer to American style animation. I've always compared the show's visuals to that of the Batman: The Animated Series. It's simply, has an art-deco color scheme and is fluidly animated. There are only a few key elements that qualify the visuals for something anime fans would recognize.

The design of the show's story is also something that is more usually seen in cartoons over here in the states. The show definitely has its serious moments, but it's usually more into heavy action or simple humor. The Big O reminds me of the other afternoon cartoon fodder that used to be on in the states. There's some intelligent stuff going on, but it's covered up with a thick layer of content that makes it appeal to any age.

There are some other elments of the show that I'm dying to talk about, but they're better suited to a later article. The more I think about it, the more I realize just how interesting The Big O is. Hopefully through the course of these next few features, I can convey my point in more engaging ways.

Why do I like The Big O?


I don't know why I like The Big O. It seems like everything about anime that I'm not really into. As I've said a bunch of times on the site, I'm not really into mech anime. It just doesn't jive with what I like, but I'm trying to change that. Of course, that's only just now that I'm trying to expand my horizons. Somehow The Big O managed to sneak into my viewing habits years ago.

I'm going to be doing a few features on this anime in the near future. First, I'd like to ask if you guys and gals have actually seen this show? If so, please let me know what you thought of it. I'll be sure to look at what you say and focus my articles on that as we move ahead.

MTV's 'Made' features an 'Anime Warrior'

First off, my apologies for the lack of features on the site yesterday. My GoNintendo gig has me SUPER busy this week. I'll still post here everyday, but it might not be as much as I usually do. Please hang in there!

With that said, I thought this would be a good feature to share with you guys. MTV's MADE is a program that aims to help kids become what they want to be. In this particular episode, a young girl wanted to grab herself a date. She thought this wasn't possible with her geeky anime status. She's an 'anime warrior'. What's that, you ask? Just check out the episode to find out.

Get More: MADE, MTV Shows



Direct link here

Monday, September 12, 2011

The long, long wait for Redline

Don't know what Redline is? Don't know why I'm waiting for it? Let me show you a trailer to get you hyped up!


Seriously, how awesome does that anime look? It's absolutely gorgeous, it features top-notch productions values and it looks like it's jam-packed full of off-the-wall action. It looks like one of those anime experiences that you have to see to believe, and I've been waiting quite some time to see it!

Believe it or not, Redline was in production for 7 long years before it was set to debut. That debut was lined up for 2009! Yes, a 2009 debut and we still haven't seen the official release in North America or Europe. Usually when a project moves past 5 years from first announcement to a non-release, I believe it to be canceled altogether. Thankfully that wasn't the case with Redline, but it has suffered from numerous setbacks.

The biggest tearjerker with this title is the number of false starts that it had. I can't even remember all the release date announcements/delays that we've gone through. Every time I get read for the film to debut in theaters or release to DVD/Blu-ray, we're smacked with another delay. What's the official reasoning for all these failures to launch? We don't have all the details on that one, but distribution deals seem to be the culprit.

So the waiting game for Redline continues. The latest information I have is that the film will be hitting retail on November 14th, 2011 in both the UK and North America. I'd love to believe that date considering how close it is, but with the way previous release dates have gone and gone, I'll believe it when I see it. The thing is, when I do see it, I know I'm going to love it.

Good things come to those that wait, they say. Well, Redline fans have been waiting quite a long time to see this baby, so hopefully the final product will be well worth all those years of patience.

A fascinating look at Yaoi manga/anime

I know that this topic is going to be a little too much for some people, but I just want to make it clear that I'm not out to offend. You should know by the title if this article is for you or not. If it isn't and you don't want to read about this kind of thing, please skip over and respect those that are interested in the topic.

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I am a big fan of the website Reddit. It can kill hours upon hours of free time with amazing articles, images, stories and more. It seriously is one of the best places on the internet, so long as you're looking to have fun. All kinds of people from the world over bring up content that spans just about every topic imaginable. Sometimes those topics focus in on anime and manga.

The site features some posts labeled AMA, which stands for Ask Me Anything. These threads are usually coming from people that have done some unusual/interesting things. As I was scrolling through the front page of Reddit last night, I stumbled upon the following AMA.

IAMA paid translator of yaoi (Japanese gay porn comic books). AMA!


The world of Yaoi is one I was familiar with in name only. I knew what it was and what it offered, but wasn't interested in the content. To each his own, of course! With that said, this thread seemed like it would be an extremely interesting one. Just what in the world was it like working on translating Yaoi projects?

The thread turned out to be even more interesting than I first imagined. Not only do we learn about this person's particular work and translations, we also get to hear about the Yaoi industry itself. You learn of the support in Japan, the fanbase overseas and the attempts to build up the market the world over. Trust me, even if Yaoi doesn't interest you in the least, you'll want to check this out.

Read the thread here

The Question 9/12: What anime did you check out this weekend?


I have some terrible news to report. This weekend, I didn't get a chance to watch a single anime. Not even my usual Durarara!! due to some issues with the TV. Due to work and other obligations, I was left without a chance to view any anime, and it's really got me down! I'm going to change that at some point this week, I hope!

I guess I'll just have to live vicariously through you guys! What anime did you check out this weekend? Hopefully it was something worth your time, and more fun than my work!

Fill Me In: Sailor Moon


Even though I love anime, that doesn't mean I've seen every bit of anime content out there. In a series of articles I plan to continue, I'll be looking to you guys for information on some of the industry's most well-known series' that I haven't really experienced. Let's kick things off with a classic, shall we?

For some anime fans, saying you've never seen Sailor Moon like like sacrilege. For others, Sailor Moon is one of the reasons why the public-at-large doesn't understand what anime is or what it has to offer. It seems like quite a polarizing show here in the states, but there's no doubt that it has its fans. Across the pond, the love and adoration for the franchise is far beyond what we've seen here.

In my time on this planet, I've managed to see maybe two episodes of Sailor Moon. Obviously this anime isn't really geared towards all ages, but I can still appreciate content that is meant for a younger crowd. I'd like to think that I'm young at heart, but that doesn't help me understand just what in the hell is going on with Sailor Moon! I'm sure it's not a complicated series by any means, but jumping in on a random episode leaves me with a lot of questions.

I'm looking for guys and gals that have experienced the series and have formed opinions on it. Feel free to express your negative or positive experiences with the series, but please remember to be respectful of your fellow readers. I'm looking for impressions of the show in general, as well as basic knowledge of how it all plays out. Can you guys show me why putting in some time with Sailor Moon might be worth it?

Sunday, September 11, 2011

The weird world of CG anime

There are quite a few reasons why I consider anime to be absolutely gorgeous. I think about all the time that animators put into an anime to achieve that specific look, and it really starts to hit me hard. All those people working with traditional paper animation and computer elements, it blows my mind. The beauty of all that hard work really shines through with some amazing visuals. Thankfully, the world of computers has helped to make an animator's job that much easier.

That's all well and good, so long as the animation house is focusing in on a more traditional style of anime animation. My issues come in when a company takes a direction of CG-style anime characters and design. To put it in simpler terms, anime that looks like Toy Story, but with anime design qualities.


Anime seems to have an odd fascination with CG elements. I can remember the computer-generated elements in the original Golgo 13, and even then I thought the design choice was cheesy. It just doesn't flow with the rest of the movie, and truly breaks up the on-screen action. Unfortunately, many anime creators have continued on with this approach, sprinkling their series' with bits of CG here and there.

Does this break up the flow of an anime for anyone else. When I see CG married with the more traditional anime style, it screws with my mind. It takes me out of the world and shows something that clearly doesn't move or flow with the rest of the animation. Perhaps I'm just being too nit-picky?

A worthy revival?

Just like the worlds of film, TV shows and games, anime has it's top-tier brands. There are series' and characters that anime lovers have made more well-known than other content out there. It's inevitable that some anime content rises above the rest and really gets some big attention from your everyday person. These franchises become well known and loved by many as the years continue on.

Eventually, the main series that started all the love will end its run. All good things come to an end...but that doesn't mean there's not a new beginning just around the corner. If there's one thing all creative industries like to do, it's make sequels. Working within the confines of an established brand is much easier than starting from scratch. You've already got a built-in fan base hunting for new content.

Sometimes you have to wonder if that's the right decision though. No one wants to see the good name of a series tarnished by a lackluster spin-off or sequel. Luckily with anime, most future content based on an existing IP is good. Take a look at what happened with Ghost in the Shell. The original movie spawned another film as well as a great TV series. In this instance, continuing the brand was a smart move.

Like I said, that's not always the case. Fans, at one time or another, have found themselves asking why the anime industry decided to further a story when all was said and done the firs time around. How do you guys feel about continuing anime franchises after their initial run? Should most series' get a chance at Robotech-like runs, or should we see more features taking the Fooly Cooly route?

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Durarara!! on Adult Swim - Episode 12 live-chat (starts at 12:30 AM EDT)

Got some lousy weather in the area tonight, and it seems to be having an impact on my cable signal. Looks like I might not be able to watch tonight. We'll see how the night goes, but things aren't looking good.

No matter what, the live-chat is on and free for you guys to use. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Things you could never picture in America - Vocaloid concerts


If you've been following anime or the internet over the last few years, there's no doubt you know what Vocaloid is all about. Computer-generated singing through a special bit of software. It's become absolutely huge in Japan, so much so that concerts are put on. The thing is, the concerts host the virtual Hatsune Miku. That's right, people are attending concerts to listen to J-Pop and watch a virtual performance.

This is the ultimate marriage of anime-style design and technology-based performance. It's very easy to see why anime fans would love this kind of stuff. Hell, even I can admit that I'd love to attend at least one of these concerts, if only to check out what it was like in real life. That said, could you ever imagine something like this happening in the United States?

I think the closest we can get to something like this is performances from The Gorillas. As you may know, the Gorillas is a band that is fronted by 4 cartoon characters. The music is made behind-the-scenes by real-life artists, some of them famous for their work in other bands. The Gorillas came about as a desire to make new and interesting music without having to deal with the face-time that a band has to put in. If you go to a Gorillas concert, you check out live music but don't see the band. Instead you're given a virtual show put on by the cartoon characters.

I guess that's actually kind of close to what the Vocaloid situation is, but I still can't see all aspects of this crossing over to success here. The anime style and musical tastes would have to change quite a bit before something like this would really catch on. Is it something you'd be willing to give a shot?

Reminder: Durarara!! Episode 12 live-chat tonight at 12:30 AM EDT!


No way, we're on episode 12 already?! I've been doing this blog that long?! Actually, I've been doing this blog longer than Durarara!!'s stint on Adult Swim! That's absolutely crazy to me. Thank you for all the support thus far, including those of you that stick around for the live-chats!

I hope to see you tonight at 12:30 AM East Coast time for episode 12. Watch on Adult Swim...or online...or on your DVD...or any way you can! We'll be happy to chat right along with you!

Friday, September 9, 2011

Friday Night 'WTF'

Time to add in a new feature to the site! I wanted it to be something fun and light-hearted for the weekend. We all work hard all week long, and when Friday night finally comes around, it's time to have some fun! Hopefully these silly features will help put a smile on your face and kick you into that weekend mood!

Every Friday we'll feature something weird and anime related. Some people might think that's a pretty easy thing to find! There's definitely a lot of weird anime stuff out there, but to each his own, I say. In this example, I saw more power to these guys, their love of the Vocaloids and Backstreet Boys. Weird...sure, but who cares?! They're having fun, and that's what matters.

Your favorite anime moment

Don't you hate it when people ask you to name your favorite movie? How about your favorite video game? Okay...maybe 'hate' is too strong of a word. It's not like that sort of question makes people angry. It's just a hard one to answer, and whatever answer you give can be a very loaded one! With that said, I'd really like to talk to you guys about one of your favorite anime 'moments'.

I'm not asking about your favorite anime series or movie. That's much too hard to narrow down. I don't know that I could name a specific answer like that! What I'd like to hear is your favorite anime moment. It can be from a series or a film, or it can even be a moment in real-life that had to do with anime in some way. It's that moment that really sticks out in your mind and brings about a flood of great feelings.

For me, I'd have to pick the very first time I got a large portion of my family together to watch Death Note. I never, ever expected a large majority of my family to give anime a shot, but I was completely wrong about that. I just had to find the right series to bridge that gap, and Death Note was that series for me. The very first night we sat down to watch and everyone was blown away, that really made my truly happy. It's a moment in my anime travels that I'll never forget.

I've shared my moment, and now it's time for you to jump in on the fun! Think about it for a bit and then share your favorite anime moment. Again, it can be any aspect of anime you want, but it has to be something that really makes you smile when you remember it. The warm fuzzies, if you will!