So, we've been stretched a bit thin video-wise lately, and Gia said I could handle Quick Picks by myself this week, but...well...I was trying to do some cool explosions in the background, and I kind of destroyed our camera...so...that's why it's late...and...um...TEXT QUICK PICKS THIS WEEK! FOR THE WIN! YEAH! THIS S@#% JUST GOT REAL! A-a-and stuff! First up, MY pick, Detroit Metal City volume 4. If you haven't already started up on the fantabulous adventures of Johann Krauser, also known sweet, kind kindergarten teacher Soichi Negishi. What a double life to live. I know what it's like to be under constant pressure to be a hard-living death metal rocker when all you really want is to sit back and listen to some ABBA.Then there's Gia's manga pick, Arata: The Legend. It's from Yuu Watase, who is mostly known for her shoujo works like Fushigi Yugi, but Arata is actually a shounen series from Shogakukan's Weekly Shounen Sunday. The influence is pretty obvious though. I mean, come on. Arata dresses up as a girl in the first chapter. Yeesh. True to Watase form, I believe there's some jumping around from world to world or something too. Whatever! (Gia is currently peeking over my shoulder and telling me to say that she's also planning to check out Alice in the Country of Hearts volume 2.) Moving on, this was a BIG BIG BIG WEEK for me in anime. Oh my gosh. I mean, first there's Evangelion 1.11 You Are (Not) Alone on Blu-Ray (and DVD!), which I've already watched eight times...not including all those times I rewatched the scene with topless Rei. Er, I mean, with fascinating exposition about Rei's relationship with Gendo. Yeah. That.And and and and GUNDAM UNICORN! I cannot WAIT for this to air on a big screen at VIZ Cinemas, so I didn't! But the Blu-Ray release is gooooorgeous! Gia insists that if you're not interested in the mech stuff, and I don't know why you wouldn't be, then you may want to know that FUNimation is rereleasing The Familiar of Zero's first season as a Viridian collection for $39.98. SNORRRRRRRE. (Actually, the fanservice was pretty good. BUT THERE AREN'T ANY MECHS!)So that's your Quick Picks for the week! Here's the list of all the releases, with our picks bolded as usual.  Anime and Manga Releases for 3/7-3/13, 2010 Manga Releases Title Publisher SRP Date .hack//Cell v1 TOKYOPOP $10.99 03/09/10 Alice in the Country of Hearts v2 TOKYOPOP $10.99 03/09/10 Arata: The Legend v1 VIZ Media $9.99 03/09/10 Blood Honey v1 (Yaoi) TOKYOPOP $14.99 03/09/10 Detroit Metal City v4 VIZ Media $12.99 03/09/10 Dragon Ball Z VIZBIG v6 VIZ Media $17.99 03/09/10 Dry Heat (Yaoi) DMP $12.95 03/10/10 Gakuen Alice v10 TOKYOPOP $10.99 03/09/10 Gay's Anatomy: Episode Zero (Yaoi) Media Blasters $11.99 03/07/10 Hanako and the Terror of Allegory v1 TOKYOPOP $10.99 03/09/10 Haru Hana The Complete Collection TOKYOPOP $16.99 03/09/10 InuYasha v46 VIZ Media $9.99 03/09/10 Maria Holic v3 TOKYOPOP $10.99 03/09/10 Momo Tama v4 TOKYOPOP $10.99 03/09/10 Peace Maker Kurogane v3 TOKYOPOP $10.99 03/09/10 Swan v15 CMX $9.99 03/09/10 Switch v13 VIZ Media $9.99 03/09/10 Takeru: Opera Susanoh v4 TOKYOPOP $10.99 03/09/10 This Ugly Yet Beautiful World v2 TOKYOPOP $10.99 03/09/10   Anime Releases Title Publisher SRP Date Evangelion 1.11: You Are (Not) Alone (BD) FUNimation $34.98 03/09/10 Evangelion 1.11: You Are (Not) Alone (DVD) FUNimation $29.98 03/09/10 GaoGaiGar Season 2 Media Blasters $29.99 03/09/10 Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple Season 2 Part 1 FUNimation $49.98 03/09/10 Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn v1 Bandai Visual JP $49.98 03/09/10 Naruto Shippuden v7 VIZ Media $24.98 03/09/10 The Familiar of Zero: Complete Season One (Viridian Collection) FUNimation $39.98 03/09/10 You're Under Arrest: Full Throttle Collection 1 Sentai Filmworks $39.98 03/09/10   Miscellaneous Releases Title Publisher SRP Date The Twelve Kingdoms (Hardcover Novel) TOKYOPOP $19.99 03/10/10 Vampire Hunter D v14 (Novel) Dark Horse $14.99 03/10/10  What are you going to buy!?
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Somehow me and Citrus ended up talking about .hack// yesterday which reminded me that I should finally get around to doing Yuri Chalk of it. I was reminded of how the finale of SIGN had a canon yuri end when Mariko and An known in-game as Subaru and Tsukasa respectively met offline. It was kind [...]
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How I Discovered This Thing Called AnimeAnimevice member, crusader8463, guest posts!  I still remember the day I was scrolling through the channels on my TV when I came across a show with a weird un-pronounceable name I had never heard of.  I curiously tuned in, and with that simple decision I discovered a show that would become a major influence in my life.   I wondered how a cartoon about a young boy who leaves his home to roam the world, with nothing but a yellow rat who shoots electricity out of its face, could ever have gotten made. However by the end of the first episode I found myself hooked on this strange show.  Soon, each morning I was waking up and running to the TV to make sure I didn’t miss a second of the next episode. I hadn’t realized it at the time, but I had just become what would be known as a Pokémaniac. No matter what was going on in my life I had to start out every day seeing what new story this cocky young boy and his yellow rat would find themselves in, and what new friends and adventures they would find along the way.   My childhood could be summed up with this one word.Of course, I am referring to Pokémon the anime series.  What was it about the anime that made me love it so much? Was it the characters? Was it the idea of discovering some new mysterious monster? Perhaps it was seeing Ash grow up and mature right alongside myself as I watched the show daily. Or maybe it was the marketing machine that developed one of the greatest RPGs in video game history that was set to this strangely named cartoon series. In truth it was probably a combination of all of these things with the joy of waking up every morning and being transported to this amazing world that I had discovered on my own.  Pokémon was my secret show that no one else knew about. Whatever the reason behind why I fell in love with the series, it wasn’t long before its influence would introduce me to a whole new world that I had never knew existed.  I made my first friend because of this game. Pokémon was my introduction to anime. Soon I discovered Japan, its culture, its history and an appreciation for one of its more famous forms of entertainment, tentacle porn!...I mean Anime! If it wasn’t for growing up with Pokémon I may never have discovered I had an appreciation for anime, and I never would have found dozens of other anime that would also become a part of who I am and how I think today. Whether it was developing the patience to enjoy watching a show that could take ten episodes for two guys to stand a couple meters from each other squatting and screaming their lungs out in Dragon Ball Z, unraveling the mystery of how a young boy got sucked into a video game and was forced to live his life inside the virtual world in the .hack// Sign series, or the joys of laughing so hard that I started to cry; only to be so emotionally moved a few moments later that I started to weep like a new born baby. With shows like Please Teacher! and Gundam Wing I had found an appreciation for a more matured form of anime that further cemented me in a culture that I was proud to be a part of and that I was never going to let go of.                                Thanks for the memories.   Without Pokémon, I would not be here today writing this article and being a part of such a great friendly community of people. Even though I may believe the show is now a pale imitation of its greatness since its pinnacle during the first few season, I will always be thankful to Pokémon for how it changed my life, and for the influence those first seasons still have on my life. I honestly can’t imagine how my life may have turned out if it wasn’t for discovering the world of Pokémon that rainy early morning before I went off to school. For that reason alone Pokémon will always hold a special place in my heart as one of the best anime.      What was your introduction to Anime?
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Another game that coming out on PSP which I'm pretty excite of is dot hack. Well, I've use to play dot hack since PS2 age. The game is at a level of only for pro. It's really hard and super long story. Not forget to mention it took 4 PS2 DVD to complete the whole game. Fighting a boss could take you hours of non stop spamming magic and cures. .Hack//link only on psp Yes, Its like a jumbo jumble with all dot hack series. You can co-op with some well known heroes. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_qdIGmlgo60&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feature=player_embedded&amp;fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_qdIGmlgo60&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feature=player_embedded&amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
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Aside from 4HERO (whose plot reminded me of the .hack franchise), two other KOLONI (m&c!'s local imprint) titles are releasing on the 20th. m&c! has promised a KOLONI release every month starting January and very early in the year we already get one that received a distinction from Kodansha's Morning International Manga Competition (B.O.C.A.H.). Ocha Nigosu © Nishimori Hiroyuki/Shogakukan (
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In manga form, that is. :3  (Although I would LOVE another animated Mai series.) The all-new Mai-Hime EXA manga will launch in the February 2010 issue of Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh, which is due out on January 27. ^^ (Dengeki Daioh's also the magazine that To Aru Kagaku no Railgun is running in.) This one looks more promising than the previous manga adaptation of Mai-Hime- at least as far as the art goes. ^^; (It looks closer to Hirokazu Hisayuki's original character designs.) While the first Mai-Hime manga was drawn by Satou Kenetsu (art of Seikon no Qwaser), the art in Mai-Hime EXA will be by Kōteiryū (art of Maji-Kyū 4-Koma Fate/stay night). Mai-Hime EXA will be written by Sukukaze Ryo (original concept of the Demonbane OVA, story of the .hack//cell manga, story of the Idolmaster: XENOGLOSSIA manga and novels), instead of Kimura Noboru, who wrote the first MH manga (along with the script, screenplay, or series composition of several different series). Hopefully Sukukaze and Kōteiryū will do a good job with this new series. :) (And just as importantly, hopefully "Yatate Hajime" will allow them to do a good job. At least, what I would consider good. *cough*Don'tmakeTatetheleadagain.*cough*) Plus... a PV for Ryukishi07's Ookami Kakushi anime has been released!! XD Episode 1 of Ookami Kakushi will premiere on January 7. <object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zVoiHEdTJ4w&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;hd=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zVoiHEdTJ4w&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object> I'm really excited for this one. Hopefully it'll provide more of Ryukishi07's signature mystery-horror goodness until season 2 of Umineko appears. (What a brilliantly cracked finale. :-) Poor Ange, though. I like her much more than Battler.) Fans who are following the Higurashi manga in English, of course, can also look forward to the next volume of the Curse Killing Arc on February 23. BGM- "Honey Bee" by v(neu)
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I am finally back from what I would like to call “Exam Hell” followed by “Major Recovery Time” which has honestly consisted of nothing but playing video games, just finished Assassins Creed II. Anyway, this is a manga I picked up last month and to be honest, it was just a random purchase… I had the money on me and felt like picking up a book from an author I knew, thus I came across this book with art by Rei Idumi, the same artist that did the .hack//Legend of ...
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I'm a dragonball fan, so a new work by DB's mangaka will certainly capture my attention:It appears to be a new series called Jiya. It's written by Akira Toriyama and drawn by Masakatsu Katsura.I didn't understand the raw, but it looks like a story involving humans encountering aliens and stuff. I don't think it's for kiddies though, because I saw a naked woman (no censorship), ehehe.It seems interesting, and I'm liking the leading guy already (maybe I just have a thing for muscular [not as muscular as Goku, etc. of course] glasses boys? Haha!). And the leading girl kinda reminded me of Bulma from DB.=== Detective Conan: The Lost Ship in the Sky Revealed ===In the film's story, Kid has his eyes set on the "Lady of the Sky" jewel aboard Bell 3, the largest airship in the world. However, a mysterious terrorist gorup called Red Shamu-neko has hijacked the airship itself, along with Conan and his allies Kogoro and Ran.Honestly, I haven't been catching up on Detective Conan stuff anymore. But the upcoming movie has KAITO KID!!!! One of my top favorite characters of all times~ I finally have something to look forward to~But darn that image. I don't really hate Ran (I just dislike her) but . . . . AAAAAAARRRRGGGGG!! STAY AWAY FROM KID!!!!!!!! KAITO x AOKO FOREVER!!!!!! (And of course, Shinichi x Ran fans will agree that THAT shouldn't happen)=== Second Gundam Unicorn Trailer Released ===A new, second trailer for next year’s Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn OVA series has hit the web. The six episode series will have its public premiere in Japan on February 20, prior to its international release on DVD & BD on March 12.I SAW A HARO!!!!!!!!! LOLz~ It's looking good~ And I think we have a love story . . . also a strong leading female? That would be nice. Oh I look forward to this~=== Starry Sky Drama CD/Game Series Gets Anime Green-Lit ===The monthly anime magazines are announcing on Thursday that an anime adaptation of honeybee's popular planetarium drama CD and game series Starry Sky has been green-lit. Vampire Knight's Kiyoko Sayama is directing the project. Similar to Hetalia - Axis Powers, Starry Sky's anime will be distributed through the Animate.tv website and other means. The anime's official website will open at http://sta-ska.com, a domain registered by Frontier Works.Okay, after Miracle Train, we have another Hetalia wannabe. But hhhmm . . . I LOVE ZODIAC SIGNS STUFF!!!! AND THE BISHIES HERE LOOK PRETTIER COMPARE TO MIRACLE TRAIN'S!!!! I'm a little worried that Vampire Knight's director is going to work on it though (I was not that pleased with the anime adaptation) BUT I STILL LOOK FORWARD TO THIS!!!! Hopefully the story would be good (MT's was honestly crap, but I was biased to it. Haha!)=== Psychic Detective Yakumo Anime Announced ===Reportedly the January issue of Newtype magazine, which goes on sale in Japan this week, will formally announce that studio Bee Train (.Hack, Tsubasa Chronicle) will produce an anime adaptation of Manabu Kaminaga’s Psychic Detective Yakumo (Shinrei Tantei Yakumo) novel series. Tomoyuki Kurokawa (Murder Princess) will direct. Hiroyuki Kawasaki (Blade of the Immortal, Ryoko’s Case File) will write the screenplay.I haven't read much of the manga (And to be honest, I didn't appreciate the chapters I've read so far much), but I am biased to psychic and detective stuff so I'm hoping the anime adaptation will make some improvements~=== A.P.P.P. to Animate Guardians of Luna ===In 2005 California based animation studio Cybergraphix Animation announced its development of Guardians of Luna, an original 26 episode animated series created by Cybergraphix CEO Avi Melman and Michael Reaves. Cybergraphix now plans to launch the production next year as a feature length film animated by Japan’s studio A.P.P.P. (Risky Safety, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures). The film about four heroes with the ability to transform into werewolves forced protect their ancestral power from the designs of a ruthless mogul will be distributed on American DVD & BD by FUNimation.If I understood correctly, like the Marvel comics, this is another english comic that will have an anime? COOL! I may not like the idea of Marvel comics having an anime adaptation, but with other american comics, I guess I don't mind. I love stories involving werewolves~ This looks interesting~=== Namikawa Directs 1st Film: Live-Action Wonderful World ===Voice actor Daisuke Namikawa is making his directorial debut with Wonderful World, a live-action film that will open in Japan in early summer next year. Mamoru Miyano stars with fellow voice actors Tomokazu Sugita, Tomokazu Seki, Rikiya Koyama, Yuka Hirata, Showtaro Morikubo, Yuko Kaida, and Namikawa himself. Fashion model and actress Ayumi Uehara plays the main female role alongside Miyano.Voice actors (Not to mention many of them are my favorite voices~) starring in a live-action show??? And the story seems really really interesting??? AWESOME!!!! I look forward to this~
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Also, .hack//G.U.+ volume 3, Dive!! 2, Blizzard Axel 5, and the It's heeeeere! (in more ways than one) Between Two Hearts volume 2. Eden no Trill © Fujita Maki/Akita Shoten Published in Indonesia as Song of Love by Gramedia/m&c! Previously on Song of Love... Ritsu's little Not!Brother Hiroki pressures Ritsu into leaving boarding school and returning home (complete with a Desperate Clinch) and
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Last spring, young seiyuu/singer Hayami Saori 早見沙織 was teamed with Tomatsu Haruka and Nakajima Megumi, as the group "Eclipse," for several songs in Basquash.Now she teams with Yoshida Hitomi 吉田仁美 (left), as "Blue Drops," for the OP to Sora no Otoshimono. Hayamin stars as Ikaros in the show.Yoshida-san is a 25-year-old stage actress, singer, and seiyuu, and her work here is outstanding. As is 18-year-old Hayamin's. They both have accurate voices and musical talent and skill. They are more like professional singers than seiyuu/singers.To me, their work is a step up from Eclipse. It certainly is more suited to the clarity and subtlety of Hayamin's voice.The maxi-single comes out tomorrow: the SoraOto OP Ring My Bell, and another song, Soba ni Irareru dake de ("Just to Be By Your Side"), which was the ED for episode one. Available from CDJapan and Amazon Japan.There are three versions of each song on the disk: a version with Hitomi singing lead and Saori singing back-up; a version with Saori singing lead and Hitomi behind her; and also the usual instrumental "karaoke" version. The Hitomi version of the OP is used in the anime, and the Saori version on the anime's radio show.Here are brief samples of both vocal versions of both songs. First, the Yoshida Hitomi version of Ring My Bell:<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.mydatanest.com/files/hashihime/18661_sln1v/player.swf" id="audioplayer1" height="24" width="290"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.mydatanest.com/files/hashihime/18661_sln1v/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=audioplayer1&amp;soundFile=http://www.mydatanest.com/files/hashihime/21514_cid8l/Ring_My_Bell_clip4__Hitomi_.mp3"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object>Now the Hayami Saori version of Ring My Bell:<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.mydatanest.com/files/hashihime/18661_sln1v/player.swf" id="audioplayer1" height="24" width="290"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.mydatanest.com/files/hashihime/18661_sln1v/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=audioplayer1&amp;soundFile=http://www.mydatanest.com/files/hashihime/21516_42x31/Ring_My_Bell_clip2__Saori_.mp3"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object>Hitomi has a real country-pop voice, to me. Her version has more verve. But Saori has one of the most beautiful and interesting voices I know. It gives me shivers.Here is the Hitomi version of Soba ni Irareru dake de:<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.mydatanest.com/files/hashihime/18661_sln1v/player.swf" id="audioplayer1" height="24" width="290"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.mydatanest.com/files/hashihime/18661_sln1v/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=audioplayer1&amp;soundFile=http://www.mydatanest.com/files/hashihime/21518_bkkls/rareru_Dake_de_clip__Hitomi_.mp3"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object>And here is the Saori version:<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.mydatanest.com/files/hashihime/18661_sln1v/player.swf" id="audioplayer1" height="24" width="290"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.mydatanest.com/files/hashihime/18661_sln1v/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=audioplayer1&amp;soundFile=http://www.mydatanest.com/files/hashihime/21517_vfkvb/Irareru_Dake_de_clip__Saori_.mp3"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object>Saori's warm tones enfold me. But Hitomi gives the song a nostalgic edge that has some of the flavor of a post-war French ballad. Together, their voices just soar.This is the kind of musical company Hayamin deserves to keep. Hayamin is more than just a seiyuu who sings. Musically, she has something special to give. And so does Yoshida Hitomi, it seems to me.In interviews, Hitomi says she envies Saori's "mature" voice. Saori says that the smiling energy of Hitomi's voice always makes her smile, too.They chose the name "Blue Drops" from a short-list of three given them by the record company (Columbia Music Entertainment): "Blue Drops," "Tsubasa" ("wings"), and "Arutaaberu" (I don't know what this last one connotes).Hitomi said that she wants to do more work together as Blue Drops.Yoshida Hitomi has a continuing role as Miura Haru in Hitman Reborn. Her other anime roles have been few and minor -- in Koihime Musou, among other shows -- but she has also appeared in 18 stage plays and three films, as well as doing TV ads.Hayami Saori broke into voice acting at 15, as Momoka in Touka Gettan, and has played Kou in Wagaya no Oinari-sama, Musubi in Sekirei, Saki in Eden of the East, and Ikaros in Sora no Otoshimono. Aliens, goddesses, and priestesses seem to be the roles she is given.When the duo was getting its name, I wonder if anyone concerned ever thought of the fine yuri science fiction anime from a couple of years ago, Blue Drop. Probably not. I would love to see Hayamin star in a sequel -- as an alien, of course.links:Hayami Saori Anime News NetworkHayami Saori hashihime blog postHayami Saori jp.Wikipedia (Japanese)Yoshida Hitomi Anime News networkYoshida Hitomi jp.Wikipedia (Japanese)Yoshida Hitomi blog (Japanese)Japanese interview features: one twoExtra:Hayamin was on Hiyama Nobuyuki's radio show last week. (He has played numerous well-known rules, such as Guy in GaoGaiGar, Balmung in .hack shows, Madarame in Genshiken, Kashiwagi in Marimite, etc.)The fast-talking Hiyama eventually let Hayamin get a word in edgewise, asking her various questions:If you were an animal, what animal would you be? A chick.What food do you like? Boiled gyouza (jiaozi, Chinese meat dumplings).What do you like to do on a day off? Go shopping.What kind of person do you admire? Adoptive parents.If you weren't a seiyuu, what would you like to be? A piano teacher or art teacher. Something in the arts.In her recent interview on Mako's TV show, spread over two weeks, Hayamin said she has played piano since she was four. She has learned swimming, and tennis (how appropriate for her character in Love Plus). But she is not that athletic, and piano is the one thing she has kept up. She took jazz-singing lessons in the same class as her mother.She cooks a bit, making dinner sometimes, and making sweet things like pound cake and waffles (her family recently got a waffle iron). But she only does more complicated sweets, such as Valentine's chocolates, with her mother's help.
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