I’ve had these four sitting in a folder for months – completely forgot about them    Anyway here’s Crest/Banner of the Stars, Bamboo Blade, 2×2=Shinobuden and Kimera. Crest/Banner of the Stars (I, II & III): Fantastic example of a space opera with tons of character development – 4.5/5 for the meta-series as a whole. PLOT: The [...]
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Many thanks to Yen Press for providing a review copy. About the Mangaka Not a lot of info  available on either Totsuka Masahiro or Igarashi Aguri, though Igarashi does have a website though its all in japanese. About the Manga What can I say, this volume really threw me, finally this series is looking up!! I like the cover [...]
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So, on to Saki. I loved this show a lot while I was watching it, and I can see myself rewatching it in the future, as well as greatly looking forward to a season 2! (Don't let this be like Bamboo Blade where they show the new opponent right at the end and then go a year and a half with no word of a second season in sight!) As far as the production goes, it was great. The whole thing was very well done, but the character designs and character animation were altogether utterly astounding. I can safely say that Saki ranks among the very top of my considerations for the show with the best character designs. Every character was distinct and lovingly crafted so that no one looked like less time had been spent on them or anything. Each design melded in with the characters' personalities effortlessly, making them just that much more memorable and easy to appreciate.
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Her sincere remorse: Sorry for throwing your bike In the river, bitch.
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This week Geekachu challenged me to do something a little different with Quick Picks. Instead of just picking what I'd say are the outright best buys-- names you've seen me go on about many times, like Pluto and Black Jack --we tried to stick with slightly more off-beat titles.    <object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" id="gb_player" align="middle" height="360" width="640"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"> </param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"> </param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"> </param><param name="movie" value="http://www.animevice.com/video/video.swf"> </param><param name="quality" value="high"> </param><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"> <embed wmode="transparent" src="/video/video.swf" quality="high" bgbadvar="#000000" name="gb_player" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" flashvars="paramsURI=http%3A//www.animevice.com/video/params/2218/" align="middle" height="360" width="640"> </embed></param></object>  But you should definitely still check out the release list, because quite a few really fantastic books came out that Geekachu wouldn't let me talk about! I've italicized some of them, as well as bolding the ones mentioned in the video. The only problem is now almost everything is either bolded or italicized... Manga Title Publisher MSRP Date All My Darling Daughters VIZ Media $12.99 01/19/10 Black Jack v9 Vertical, Inc. $16.95 01/19/10 Case Closed v33 VIZ Media $9.99 01/19/10 Code Geass v7 Bandai Entertainment $10.99 01/19/10 Crayon Shinchan v10 (Reissue) CMX $7.99 01/19/10 Divine Melody v6 (Manhwa) DrMaster $9.95 01/20/10 Fullmetal Alchemist v22 VIZ Media $9.99 01/19/10 Gundam 00F v2 Bandai Entertainment $10.99 01/19/10 I've Moved Next Door To You (Yaoi) 801 Media (DMP) $15.95 01/18/10 King of RPGs Del Rey Manga $10.99 01/19/10 Ninja Baseball Kyuma! v2 Udon Entertainment $7.99 01/20/10 not simple Natsume Ono $14.99 01/19/10 Oishinbo: Izakaya – Pub Food VIZ Media $12.99 01/19/10 Pluto v7 VIZ Media $12.99 01/19/10 Real v7 VIZ Media $12.99 01/19/10 Rinne v2 VIZ Media $9.99 01/19/10 Silent Mobius: Complete Edition v2 Udon Entertainment $12.95 01/20/10 Street Fighter IV v1 Udon Entertainment $12.99 01/20/10 Swans in Space v2 Udon Entertainment $8.99 01/20/10 Tears of a Lamb v7 CMX $9.99 01/19/10 The Big Adventures of Majoko v3 Udon Entertainment $7.99 01/20/10 Vagabond BIG v6 VIZ Media $19.99 01/19/10 Vagabond v31 VIZ Media $9.95 01/19/10 Anime Title Publisher MSRP Date Bamboo Blade Part 2 FUNimation $59.98 01/19/10 Bleach v24 VIZ Media $24.98 01/19/10 Case Closed Movie 5: Countdown to Heaven FUNimation $19.98 01/19/10 Code Geass R2 Part 3 Limited Edition Bandai Entertainment $44.98 01/19/10 Countdown: Akira (Hentai) Kitty Media $24.99 01/19/10 Glass Mask: Collection 1 Section23 $49.98 01/19/10 Linebarrels of Iron Part 1 FUNimation $49.98 01/19/10 One Piece: Season Two, Fifth Voyage FUNimation $49.98 01/19/10 Rin: Daughter of Mnemosyne Complete Series FUNimation $59.98 01/19/10 Sexual Education (Hentai) Adult Source Media $24.99 01/19/10 Special A Collection 2 Section23 $39.98 01/19/10 Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle: Collected Memories Box Set FUNimation $99.98 01/19/10 Xenosaga DVD Complete Collection (Viridian) FUNimation $29.98 01/19/10   Miscellaneous: Title Publisher MSRP Date Fevered Kiss (Yaoi Novel) DMP $10.95 01/18/10 The Art of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Udon Entertainment $39.99 01/20/10 The Book of Heroes VIZ Media $21.99 01/19/10 Yukikaze VIZ Media $14.99 01/19/10   So, where will your money go this week? Aside from the obvious (Pluto, Black Jack), I'm really thinking about picking up The Book of Heroes-- it's by Miyuki Miyabe, who also wrote Brave Story. I bet John wants to pick up Special A collection 2, also. And I keep meaning to grab ALL the Oishinbo books...so a trip to the bookstore is definitely in order.
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Image is courtesy of MiyuriInternational Saimoe League Nominations results were announced about a week ago, but the statistics were revealed only some two days ago. 86 characters, plus the automatic entries based on previous results, advance to the next phase, the preliminary period.Nomination Results: (The number is total number of received votes)1 Akiyama Mio K-ON! 4172 Senjōgahara Hitagi Bakemonogatari 3283 Shiina Mafuyu Seitokai no Ichizon 3014 Sakurano Kurimu Seitokai no Ichizon 2235 Sengoku Nadeko Bakemonogatari 1986 Kuronuma Sawako Kimi ni Todoke 1727 Shiina Minatsu Seitokai no Ichizon 1628 Akaba Chizuru Seitokai no Ichizon 1619 Saten Ruiko To Aru Kagaku no Railgun 16010 Shirai Kuroko To Aru Majutsu no Index 15611 Hanato Kobato Kobato. 14812 Beatrice Umineko no Naku Koro ni 14813 Ikaros Sora no Otoshimono 13814 Alice Pandora Hearts 12015 Kotobuki Tsumugi K-ON! 11316 Uiharu Kazari To Aru Kagaku no Railgun 11117 Sangō Shizuku Kämpfer 10818 Tainaka Ritsu K-ON! 10819 Nymph Sora no Otoshimono 10420 Hoshina Utau Shugo Chara! 10321 Ushiromiya Ange Umineko no Naku Koro ni 10122 Miyanaga Saki Saki 10023 Nogizaka Haruka Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu 9824 Ushiromiya Maria Umineko no Naku Koro ni 9825 Suō Pavlichenko Darker than Black 9426 Yin Darker than Black 9227 Takei Hisa Saki 9028 Ryōgi Shiki Kara no Kyōkai 8529 Kamio Misuzu AIR 7830 Bernkastel Umineko no Naku Koro ni 7831 Yagami Hayate Mahō Shōjo Lyrical Nanoha 7732 Mizuno Kaede Nyan Koi! 7633 Index Librorum Prohibitorum To Aru Majutsu no Index 7334 Amamiya Yūko ef - a tale of memories 7235 Minami Kana Minami-ke 7136 Mizunashi Akari ARIA 7037 Hachikuji Mayoi Bakemonogatari 7038 Isayama Yomi Ga-rei Zero 6739 Kirishima Kotone Nyan Koi! 6440 Ranka Lee Macross Frontier 6341 Kirishima Akari Nyan Koi! 5742 Kusakabe Misuzu 11eyes 5643 Winry Rockbell Fullmetal Alchemist 5344 Felli Loss Chrome Shelled Regios 5245 Senō Natsuru Kämpfer 5246 Sōryū Asuka Langley Neon Genesis Evangelion 5247 Shindō Chihiro ef - a tale of memories 5148 Sonozaki Shion Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 5149 Nagi Kannagi 5150 Tsuruya Suzumiya Haruhi no Yūutsu 5151 Enma Ai Jigoku Shōjo 5052 Nishizawa Ayumu Hayate no Gotoku! 4953 Shihō Matsuri sola 4954 Oshino Shinobu Bakemonogatari 4755 Aizawa Sakuya Hayate no Gotoku! 4656 Segawa Izumi Hayate no Gotoku! 4657 Minase Nayuki Kanon 4658 Ayanami Rei Neon Genesis Evangelion 4659 Isurugi Noe true tears 4660 Sheryl Nome Macross Frontier 4561 Alice Caroll ARIA 4462 Evangeline A.K. McDowell Mahō Sensei Negima! 4463 Hanekawa Tsubasa Bakemonogatari 4364 Sakurazaki Setsuna Mahō Sensei Negima! 4265 Shirayuki Mizore Rosario + Vampire 4166 Mishima Akane Kämpfer 3967 Yoko Littner Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann 3968 Chii Chobits 3869 Lisa Seiken no Blacksmith 3870 Lambdadelta Umineko no Naku Koro ni 3871 Fujibayashi Ryō CLANNAD 3572 Yuno Hidamari Sketch 3573 Teletha Testarossa Full Metal Panic! 3474 Misaka Shiori Kanon 3475 Sawatari Makoto Kanon 3476 Akashiya Moka Rosario + Vampire 3477 Tsukamoto Yakumo School Rumble 3478 Yūki Mikan To Love-Ru 3479 Chiba Kirino BAMBOO BLADE 3280 Miyamura Miyako ef - a tale of memories 3281 Daidōji Tomoyo Cardcaptor Sakura 3282 Katagiri Yūhi Akane-iro ni Somaru no Saka 3183 Niche Letter Bee 3184 Hinaichigo Rozen Maiden 3185 Sawachika Eri School Rumble 3186 Kotegawa Yui To Love-Ru 3116 characters are already eligible contestants for the regular season period. 34 characters from the preliminaries will join them.16 contestants:Aisaka Taiga(Toradora!) Asahina Mikuru(Suzumiya Haruhi no Yūutsu) Fate Testarossa(Mahō Shōjo Lyrical Nanoha) Fujibayashi Kyō(CLANNAD) Fukuji Mihoko(Saki) Haramura Nodoka(Saki)Hiiragi Kagami(Lucky ☆ Star) Hirasawa Yui(K-ON!) Katsura Hinagiku(Hayate no Gotoku!) Nagato Yuki(Suzumiya Haruhi no Yūutsu) Nakano Azusa(K-ON!) Okazaki Ushio(CLANNAD)Sakagami Tomoyo(CLANNAD) Shana (Shakugan no Shana) Suzumiya Haruhi(Suzumiya Haruhi no Yūutsu) Tōsaka Rin(Fate/stay night)
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FUNimation has just informed us on their official blog that there are a metric ton of new anime waiting to be watched on their many different streaming services. Check out how awesome Nabari no Ou english dub is, or how crappy Black Blood Brothers happens to be; get a sneak peek before you have to spend any of your hard earned cash. Here is a list of new video’s on their sites. FUNimation.com/Video Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood JPN 35 Big Windup! JPN 17-19 Black Blood Brothers ENG 1-6 Casshern Sins JPN 9-10 Fruits Basket ENG 1-4 Heat Guy J ENG 9-10 Le Chevalier D’Eon ENG 3-4 Magikano ENG 11-13 Nabari no Ou ENG 11-13 Sgt. Frog ENG 11-13 Sgt. Frog JPN 39-40 Shakugan no Shana ENG 7-8 Slayers EVOLUTION-R JPN 9-10 Solty Rei ENG 3-4 Soul Eater JPN 37-40 Tokyo Majin ENG 1-4 Vexille: 2077 Isolation of Japan JPN When They Cry ENG 23-24 YouTube.com/FUNimation Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood JPN 33 Ah! My Goddess ENG 7-13 Bamboo Blade JPN 17-20 Blassreiter ENG 7-8 Burst Angel ENG 5-7 Casshern Sins JPN 1-2 Full Metal Panic! TSR ENG 5-6 Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino ENG 11-13 Heroic Age ENG 19-20 Kurau Phantom Memory ENG 1-4 Murder Princess ENG 3-6 Ragnarok JPN 11-14 Save Me! Lollipop ENG 9-10 Slayers EVOLUTION-R JPN 1-2 Spice and Wolf JPN 5-6 The Count of Monte Cristo ENG 11-13 Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk JPN 3-12 Tower of Druaga: The Sword of Uruk JPN 3-12 When They Cry ENG 5-7 Hulu Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood JPN 33
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Only yesterday Omo was talking about about Crunchyroll, Hulu, et al, and naturally he didn’t mention ANN: they never were a player, even though they tried (the most interesting part of their video site was the trailers). Today, they opened streaming of Bamboo Blade. Omo’s caution about doing streaming on the side still applies, and [...]
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Many thanks to Yen Press for providing a review copy. About the Mangaka Not a lot of info  available on either Totsuka Masahiro or Igarashi Aguri, though Igarashi does have a website though its all in japanese. About the Manga While this volume is greatly improved over the first, it’s still flat and lacking any sort of strength. This [...]
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Among the many things in this world that I love, and high up on the list, are both Jim Henson's original Muppets and the song "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. So when G-Man posted the following video , you can imagine how much giddy squee-ing went around the office. It totally made my day/week/month/life.   <object width="640" height="518"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tgbNymZ7vqY&amp;rel=0&amp;badVar=0xb1b1b1&amp;badVar=0xcfcfcf&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feature=player_embedded&amp;fs=1"> </param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"> </param> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"> <embed wmode="transparent" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tgbNymZ7vqY&amp;rel=0&amp;badVar=0xb1b1b1&amp;badVar=0xcfcfcf&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feature=player_embedded&amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="640" height="518"> </embed> </param> <param value="transparent" name="wmode"> </param> </object>   I dare Giant Bomb to do something cooler. Until then, you can enjoy some more zombies while waiting for your copy of Left 4 Dead 2 to arrive via Jeff, Ryan, and Vinny's Quick Look of the DLC for Borderlands, The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned .   <object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" id="gb_player" align="middle" width="640" height="360"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"> </param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"> </param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.giantbomb.com/video/video.swf"> </param> <param name="quality" value="high"> </param> <param name="flashvars" value="paramsURI=http%3A//www.giantbomb.com/video/params/1685/?w=1"> </param> <param name="videoURI" value="http://media.giantbomb.com/video/vf_borderlandszombie_ql.flv"> </param> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"> <embed wmode="transparent" src="http://www.giantbomb.com/video/video.swf" quality="high" bgbadvar="#000000" name="gb_player" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" flashvars="paramsURI=http%3A//www.giantbomb.com/video/params/1685/?w=1" align="middle" width="640" height="360"> </embed> </param> <param value="transparent" name="wmode"> </param> </object>   And lest you think Anime Vice video-less, hey look, this week's Straight-Up News ! Also, word of some cool new anime adaptations , as well as a review of FUNimation's release of Bamboo Blade . That oughta hold you.
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