26th Miyazawa Model Exhibition event just commenced earlier today, and a number of photo coverages are already in ^^ Having some internet problem right now, so I’ll just cover the new ones for now. 1/8 scale Senjougahara Hitagi from Bakemonogatari by Kotobukiya. Summer 2010 – no price yet. Aegis from Persona 3 FES by Cospa. No date or [...]
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 Astro Boy (created 1952)  Superman (created 1938) Traditionally, Japan hasn't been very interested in American superheroes, either. After all, with a constantly rotating cast of heroes, from Astro Boy to Cutey Honey to Kenshiro to Goku to Naruto, America's long-running hero comics might sound a bit stodgy (to contrast, the longest-running manga and anime in Japan are usually kid-friendly titles like Doraemon and Sazae-san). I've heard it said-- by people who would know --that most of Batman's fans in Japan are mangaka, rather than mainstream audiences. Of course, that was before The Dark Knight! See, Japan has always been interested in Hollywood movies on some level, and the recent spate of popular superhero flicks like X-Men, Iron Man, and the Christian Bale Batman movies have clearly done a lot to build up interest in those franchises in Japan. The latest evidence of this is that the NHK is bringing back Domo-kun, who has been growing in popularity in the west thanks to TOKYOPOP and Dark Horse, and giving him a superhero transformation, complete with superhero suit and utility belt. He can also fly with his special shoes and has gloves that give him super-strength punches. But that's just one piece of the puzzle. A trailer for the new Stan Lee-branded anime series Heroman, which starts this April, has launched, and it looks pretty good-- sort of a fusion between mech and superhero in theme. It'll be very interesting to see how the series performs, given that its design is very heavy in Americana (particularly the mech itself, which is decked out like the American flag, as though Stephen Colbert's TV persona was involved somehow).    <object width="640px" height="378px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bbnKNuNA-1E&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;hd=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bbnKNuNA-1E&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640px" height="378px" wmode="transparent"></embed></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param></object>  And then, of course, there's the upcoming Iron Man anime due out this season, one of five projects that Marvel and Madhouse are working on (including Wolverine, Blade, and the X-Men, as well as a direct-to-DVD Hulk anime).  <object width="640px" height="378px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/L4Q7xgxDJh4&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;hd=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/L4Q7xgxDJh4&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640px" height="378px" wmode="transparent"></embed></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param></object>   Quite a few of you came here from superhero-lovin' sister site Comic Vine. How do you feel about Japan's growing interest? And how interested are you in all these superhero projects?    
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Occasionally I acquire a random urge to do things, like making a youtube video with ysflight, and, recently, writing a wiki encyclopedia article about anime. But I know I will never finish it, and no one will actually read it, so instead I've decided to spend more time writing on this blog again.I feel I'm particularly well qualified to be bold in my theorizing because I've been watching anime since ... 1995? My TV at home had a channel (probably Tooniverse) that was dedicated to anime and cartoons 24/7. I vaguely remember when I was about 4 years old, and I could not finish watching one of the last episodes of Nadia with the flying N-Nautilus submarine because my mom had to take me to a dinner. At the time I presumed all anime's were Korean because the anime title, character names, opening and ending songs, and voice acting were all changed to Korean or the Korean equivalent of a western name or word.Anyways I want to talk about some common features of Japanese anime that other people might have or not have noticed over the years.First thing is that the main characters and the main antagonists tend to be lighter skinned and more caucasian than the side characters. You can clearly see it in the differences between Shinji Ikari/Shinichirō Nakagami and Toji Suzuhara/Miyokichi Nobuse in Neon Genesis Evangelion and True Tears, respectively. Always in a Gundam series, the maintenance staff are dark-skinned, blackish/bluish-haired rough men and the most deadly enemy pilot is a blonde dude. "Konnichiwa, I am Rei Ayanami, and I'm really light skinned and look caucasian BUT I'm not liked very much (despite Japanese obsession with caucasian looks) AND my fictional self even has real-life fans who adore me precisely because I am lonely and pitiful BUT also pretty ALTHOUGH if you were pretty, you would be popular and not be lonely, and if you were lonely, you would more or less be ugly and not very attractive, so the two cannot actually go together..." Some Japanese animes try to justify the caucasian looks by presenting the characters with mixed heritage, as Chidori Kaname in Full Metal Panic!, Sumeragi Lee Noriega in Gundam 00, and Eri Sawachika in School Rumble. (But Japanese + European = nowhere close to the angelic characters in anime; they usually have pigglish Caucasian looks) Second, I've noticecd there are characters who make repeated appearances in different animes either as clones or hybrids of favorite personalities. I already indicated above that Shinji and Shinichiro, and Toji and Miyokichi from NGE & TT are parallel characters. Also, Hiromi and Noe in TT seem to be hybrids of Rei and Asuka - Hiromi resembles Asuka physically, but her personality is closer to Rei's, and the opposite is true for Noe. Certain character looks have recurred so frequently that they are pretty much stereotypes. For example, a Japanese woman with long dark purple or blue hair and big breasts would be the anime stereotype of a modern, beautiful Japanese woman, like Itoko (School Rumble), Katsuragi (Neon Genesis Evangelion), Yurika (Nadesico), and Tamako (Denno Coil). A lot of male protagonists in animes from 1980s and 1990s used to be teenage punks with long zigzagged brown hair and little boys with black or dark blue hair. This was probably so as to avoid alienating the young Japanese male audience and to make the anime seem more racially neutral or balanced.I think ever since Rei debuted in NGE, the silent female character has also become a permanent icon in Japanese anime. As Ive pointed out previously, this kind of persona is contradictory because girls can't be hot and unpopular at the same time. Examples of Rei clones include Primula from Shuffle! and Ruri from Nadesico. I literally worshiped Rei when I first saw NGE, but eventually I grew out of it. I hated Primula and also the entire series for being so fake (partly because of the contradiction), but I think Ruri-chan from Nadesico is awesome. I think Ruri's success as a silent female character has a lot to do with the fact that her persona doesn't ask for cinderalla pity, and her aloofness is self-imposed, primarily because she is a child prodigy who thinks better of herself than of the others, and she doesn't want to lose her space and composure to be degraded by things she calls 'baka.'(Primula on the left; Ruri on the right)
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Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link. Animage Original vol. 6 Here's a special issue of Animage, the legendary magazine that actually gave us the term "anime" which focuses on awesome works like Bakemonogatari and Eve no Jikan. Dengeki Maoh Apr 2010 It's time for yet another thick and satisfying manga from Japan, in the form of Dengeki Maoh, which gives you 640 pages of a manga awesomeness like Persona 4, Toradora!, Spice and Wolf and more. Mameshiba iPod Nano Case Then, this Mameshiba iPod case for the current generation of iPod nano is just too cute for words. Considering what most boring iPod cases sell for, the price is reasonable, too. Mameshiba Earphone But wait, what if you want even MOAR cuteness? Then feast your eyes on these little gems, high quality Mameshiba earphones that fit in your ear snugly and are compatible with all iPod/iPhone/whatever. Ein Figma Action Figure An excellent figure based on the gorgeous Requiem for the Phantom anime, which was based on the eroge that made Nitroplus famous. Restocked today. Fabulous Macross Revoltech Toys Restocked Also restocked: really outstanding Revoltech Macross toys, including the 1984 limited edition of the Super Valkyrie plus Battle Pod. Restocked Ouran High School Uniforms, Ninja Mask The Ouran High School uniforms were so popular, we had to get more of them for our customers, which we did today. Also restocked, the really cool Naruto/Kakashi ninja mask. Restocked Striped Panties, Swimsuits Today we've restocked the popular shimapan striped panties, worn by so many cute anime characters from Mio of K-On! to Lucchini of Strike Witches. Also restocked: the actual swimsuit worn by Izumi from Lucky Star. Moe Moe Encyclopedia ~ Real Weapons Collection Another gorgeous artbook that teaches you useful information with illustrations of cute moe girls. See the new book illustration famous weapons from history, plus fresh stock of War Girls and Satoshi Urushihara's illustrations. A Certain Magical Index Manga Restocked The official manga serialization of the popular anime Toaru Majutsu no Index, or if you prefer the title in Latin, Index Librorum Prohibitorum, which is pretty coo). Features furigana for easy kanji reading. Moonlight Cradle ~ Yoake mae yori ruri iro na This is a tale of the time when the earth and the moon were much, much closer, and there was a magical kingdom on the moon. What would you do if a princess of that country came to "homestay" with you? CARMINE -- Yoshiyuki Sadamoto Illustrations *Preorder* Here's a special artbook that's being posted for preorder: the finest ever artbook collection of artwork by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, the talented artist who brought us such Gainax favorites as Evangelion, Aim for the Top 2, FLCL and more. Preorder the normal version of this awesomeness now! Sakura Green Tea Kit Kat! Today is a fun day for Japanese snack fans, because the Sakura Green Tea is in!Our customers have been buying this by the case, so get yours ASAP. Other new snacks include Cheese Rice Crackers and a new flavor of Ottoto! Chocolate Banana Crepe Food Drops (Harajuku) One of the best tastes in Japan is a Choco Banana Crepe, so delicious to eat on a Sunday afternoon in Harajuku. Now you can taste this in the newest flavor of traditional Food Drops candies! Akiba Moe Marshmallow ~ Moe chan no Hoppe Then, enjoy another outstanding Akiba gift item, fun "moe marshmallows" with cute girls on them. Usually only available in Akihabara's gift shops. Hello Kitty Ningyo Yaki Maker Another fun item we're posting today is a Hello Kitty ningyo yaki maker for making the fun cakes that are famous in Asakusa, Tokyo. Make them in a microwave! Today is International Sanrio Bento Day Actually, we just made that up, but it sounds pretty cool, doesn't it? Got *three* amazing bento boxes for you, including Hello Kitty, My Melody and Little Twin Star. Awesome Bento Boxes for Men We've restocked several of our stylish bento boxes that are suitable for guys, too, like the DX Men's Stainless Bento Set, frankly one of the most awesome products J-List has ever carried. NORIO Onigiri Bento Case We love carrying bento boxes that have lots of character, and this super-cute onigiri style small bento box is so darned cute. Restocked today. Pocky Chopsticks Also back in stock: the cool Pocky chopsticks, which come in chocolate or strawberry versions. These are also very durable, made out of hard lacquered bamboo and easy for us gaijin to grip food with. Hello Kitty Cooking Ring & Powder Stencil Then: another product I was born to sell, this is a ring for making the most awesome Hello Kitty shaped pancakes, or fried eggs. Use the included stencil to draw Kitty-chan's face and whiskers with cocoa powder. Restocked today. New Totoro Rubber Stamps, Other Ghibli Items One of my favorite Totoro products are these wood-and-rubber stamps, which feature images of Totoro and messages in Japanese. See new stamps, plus fresh stock of awesome plush toys! Hiragana Times No. 277 Read about world events or local Japanese culture in both English and Japanese with Hiragana Times, a fantastic study tool. A great new issue is in stock. New & Restocked Japanese Pens Next, we have an awesome new pen, the Uni 0.7 Power Tank Pen, plus the popular Supplio Aroma Healing mechanical pencil, the most advanced eraser in the world and more. Restocked Japanese Books from Tuttle Studying Japanese? Then J-List has your back, with great books to help you learn. Today we've restocked the Guide to Reading and Writing Japanese, the Complete Japanese Verb Guide, and Japanese for Beginners. Japanese Study Books Also, today we're restocking Catchy Japanese Phrases, which present a "situational" way to learn the language that's something I'd have loved to have back in the day. Both volumes are in stock. SAKURA Pouch with Chirimen Rabbit Mascot Usagi (rabbits) are a famous symbol of Japan, and we've gotten in two all-purpose pouches made of chirimen (kimono fabric) and featuring cute rabbit mascots. I love selling stuff like this. Soft Rubber Shuriken, Other Items Restocked They look awesomely realistic, but these ninja shuriken are made of soft rubber. Also restocked, the Ukiyoe Chopsticks Gift Box, Kokeshi Dolls of Four Seasons, a miniature randoseru backpack and the Paper Globe Peach Balloon. DECOLE Kawaii Fragrant Car Window Sign Plate This is cute: cute Japanese signs that warn other drivers that you have a baby or child in the car with you. Stay safe and be kawaii at the same time. One Piece T-Shirts from COSPA *Preorder* It's shaping up to be the Year of One Piece, and COSPA is bringing out even more awesome T-shirts for you. Click to view the new offerings. Other Preorder Items Other preorder items: this fabulous 1/6 "cast off" figure of Tamaki from ToHeart, plus the "Flying Pantsu" kit that you can make and really fly. Tons of Restocked Snack Goodness Finally, we've gotten the incredibly popular Kit Kat "Gokaku" (Pass the Test) coffee cup sets in again, plus Sake Chocolate w/ Sake Cup, traditional Pure Mist Candy, Lotte Winter Pie no Mi, Hi-Chew and a favorite of mine, Bull-Dog Sauce! Fiesta -- Rio photobook 5000 limited Edition Then, the superb half-Japanese, half-Portuguese AV actress Rio -- also known as Tina Yuzuki -- appears in a limited edition photobook that we've just gotten in stock. This woman is amazing! Love Flag Girls J-List carries yuri manga, which are fabulous for all fans of girls who love other girls. Got a nice new steamy manga for fans here today. Japanese Eroge In Stock J-List now carries Japanese import games, and we've restocked that awesome Real Kanojo virtual CG dating-simulator, plus Zettai Maou. Asahi Beer Parody Onahole These look like cans of beer and chuhai, but they're really funny joke products for stress relief for guys. Innovative and fun products abound at J-List. Other Restocked Toys Can an onehole also quality as art? Looking at the lay/D Body Torsos we restocked today, I have to think yes. Also see the WX10 Wireless Remote Control Vibrator and fresh stock of the Flog Pillow.
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The idea of taking on an online persona to escape the pressures of Real Life is hardly a new one. I found the effects of teen angst in the Internet Age in All About Lili Chou-Chou to be both effective and deeply moving, despite cultural barriers between me and foreigners a decade younger than I [...]
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Tears over what could have been...(Beware! Here there be spoilers!)It is with great sadness and regret that I must utter the following words; I hate Persona 3 Portable.P3 was one of the greatest RPGs I had ever played, and naturally I assumed that its portable remake would do justice to the game that essentially introduced the Persona series to everyone but the one guy who had even heard of Personas 1 and 2 before 3's release.However, that was not to be the case.P3Portable, whilst generally a faithful adaptation of P3, was to feature one significant difference from it's predecessor; the ability to play as the female protagonist.Naturally this excited me greatly, for in my naivete, I had assumed that by being able to play a girl, I could finally vicariously act out my humongous mancrush on Junpei Iori (the greatest video game character ever conceived) by choosing to pursue a romantic S-Link with him.However, all my hopes -along with any desire to play P3P- were dashed when I found out that Junpei would not be a romantic option, as it would interrupt the storyline with his girlfriend, Chidori.Well screw that bitch! It's not like she even alive, let alone still with him by the game's end!Despite my protestations, Atlus has foolishly decided to deny players the option to romance Junpei, and in doing so, have destroyed any reason for anybody to even touch this stupid game.Yet, there is consolation to be had, no matter how fleeting. Below are some illustrations of what this game would be like had I been in charge of the S-Links. As you can see, it would have been a much better game, perhaps even perfect. Sadly, it was not to be. But we can still dream my friends, we can dream.
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Literally spent the last 5 days trying to beat Persona 3 to put it behind me. In short GRIND GRIND GRIND Literally had to grind from 53 to 63 then from there to 74 which is what I’m currently at. Probably need to grind some more because I can’t get past form 3 of Nyx’s FOURTEEN GOD DAMN FORMS. [...]
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Medium: TV Anime (25 episodes) Genres: Action, Mecha, Political, Science Fiction Director: Goro Taniguchi Studio: Sunrise Original Run: Oct. 5, 2006 – Jul. 28, 2007 (MBS–Japan) Release Date: Apr. 27, 2008 (Bandai Entertainment–N.America) Rated: PG-13 Sunrise's 2006 anime series Code Geass, in addition to being about a revolution, happens to be a prime representation of a real-world revolution in anime fandom — namely, a merge of the demographics for shōjo and mecha anime. It's a revolution that has been in progress at least since the '90s, when Mobile Suit Gundam Wing provided male fans with explosive robot battles and female fans with attractive, possibly homosexual robot pilots. Sunrise (the studio behind the Gundam franchise) has once again brought these two aesthetics together in a show that combines the studio's experience with giant robots and the character designs of shōjo superstars CLAMP (Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits, Tsubasa). The revolution is under way, for better or for worse. Code Geass's melodramatic protagonist is Lelouch vi Britannia, a former prince of the Britannian Empire who escaped with his younger sister Nunnally after witnessing his mother's still-unsolved murder. The siblings now live a fake life as students in Area 11 (the conquered province formerly known as Japan) with childhood friend and Britannian soldier Suzaku Kururugi. But Area 11 has some problems of its own, in particular a populace forced into Britannian rule and brutally discriminated against, causing a variety of fringe groups to crop up and oppose the occupying force. After an unfortunate run-in with one of these terrorist groups, Lelouch meets a strange, green-haired girl named C.C. who grants him the power of "Geass" — the ability to command the actions of anyone via eye contact. With his newfound power, the prince rises up under the masked persona of "Zero" and leads the revolution of Japan, with the intention of uncovering the truth of his mother's death and making a new world for his sister. Indeed, that IS a mouthful! In reality, the story can be summed up in a simple comparison: Code Geass is what happens when you smash the original Mobile Suit Gundam together with Death Note. Zero is essentially Gundam's Char Aznable (a son of royalty who wears a mask to protect his identity) mixed with Death Note's Light Yagami (a teen gifted with a strange, highly manipulative power). All three shows also examine the idea of justice attained through a personal vendetta, and the consequences therein. With such a strange combination of influences, Code Geass is one of those modern anime that can appeal to a broad range of fans. Girls can ogle CLAMP's tall, thin pretty-boys, while fans of the intricate plotting of Death Note will find more than enough to love. Unfortunately, mecha fans will find that, despite the number of robots in Code Geass, the show is not really about them. Kenji Teraoka's (Ghost in the Shell, Gundam 00) mechanical designs for the "Knightmare Frames" are certainly interesting, but their battles are often fought with overpowered one-hit-kill weapons or by no-name redshirts, so they lack the gravity and personal investment of most fights in the Gundam series. Don't get fooled by the presence of robots, though. Like an anime version of 24, Code Geass is all about the twists and turns. The entire fate of Japan can hinge on the momentary impulse of its viceroy or a carefully thought out move by Zero, and that inevitable modification of the status quo is what makes the show so compelling. I found myself feverishly watching episode after episode, just to see what Lelouch would do next to extricate himself from situations in which failure is nearly guaranteed. Naturally, the constant stream of twists can get tiring, and lend the series a sizable air of absurdity, but they sure do manage to keep it interesting episode after episode. Geass's art and animation are sharp, brightly colored, and stunningly clean, and the the robot fights — animated in CGI with cel-shading — are surprisingly well-integrated into the 2-D environments. Still, where the show really shines, technically, is in its depiction of CLAMP's character designs. Their distinctive aesthetic provides for some wacky hair colors and costumes, but Sunrise's more angular approach to the designs creates powerful depictions of emotion (usually anger) when the need arises. Lelouch and Suzaku in particular manage to look distinctive yet believable, a difficult feat in a show where two lead female characters have pink and green hair, respectively. Of course, don't miss out on Bang Zoom!'s fantastic dub, which utilizes the series' Western cultural aesthetic to implement English dialogue that fits its context much better than the Japanese. The dub also happens to be quite sonically accurate to the Japanese, thanks in no small part to an appropriately dramatic performance by Johnny Yong Bosch as Lelouch and an irritatingly high-pitched, yet accurate, depiction of Princess Eumphemia from Michelle Ruff. When it comes down to it, the glue that holds the show together is the three-way relationship between Lelouch, Suzaku, and Nunnally. Lelouch's desire to create a new world for his sister puts him in direct conflict with his childhood friend (albeit anonymously), and since both of them care deeply for Nunnally, this secret war between friends creates some truly affective melodrama. Lelouch is the main character, but his haughtiness and willingness to sacrifice almost anyone for his goals make him a villain, making Suzaku a hero and mucking up the show's moral thermometer. Such bold moves on the part of series writer Ichiro Okouchi (RahXephon, Stellvia, Turn A Gundam) are commendable despite many of Geass's other failings. Through all of the rebellions and back-door dealings, Code Geass is ultimately a show that see-saws between bursts of genuine quality and entire episodes of unbelievable silliness (i.e. every comedic episode that takes place at Lelouch's school). At its best, it is a dark moral and political drama that emphasizes the consequences of war and asks if and when good ends can justify evil means. At its worst, it is is a dumb sitcom about a superhero and super-villain who happen to go to school together. Available now on Bandai Entertainment's YouTube channel, the first season of Code Geass is an enjoyable ride overall, despite quite a few frustrating bumps along the way. Fans of fast-paced political dramas who enjoy some interesting moral questions in their anime should find much to love here, though the occasionally inane plot twists and weak mecha tie-in might set a few people off. This review is based on Bandai Entertainment's YouTube stream of the series. good. Post a Comment!
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I watched the Lightning Thief movie yesterday and it got me quite disappointed. To forget my disappointments on it, I thought of doing some animanga hunting . . . that's when I found out that the chart of the Spring 2010 anime is already out!We used to wait for the final version of the chart but it was pretty tiresome to wait for it and rush on the post. So I decided to just start on it once I find the time, and xtine06 will just provide the input.Well, this one is supposed to come after the holiday greetings (which xtine06 will be doing for us), but I'm itching to post this so here it is. Haha! xtine06 will be posting her inputs when she finds the time~Notes to consider:These are our initial impressions on the anime. We could still change our mind.Titles are in alphabetical order.Kiddie shows and sequels we're not familiar or won't be included. Neither movies nor OVA's. Just the TV series.I got lazy to include the image for each series . . . maybe xtine06 will have the time to do so . . .Angel BeatsSapphire Pyro: *sees the word "Angel" in the title* . . . *checks out at once* . . .Okayz, it has a supernatural premise . . . and it deals with the afterworld and war between supernatural beings. It's my kind of thing but I'm not that sold to it. It's hard to tell if the story's gonna be as promising as the premise . . . but the characters seem fun (though most are female again . . . moe fanservice a no no) and the art will definitely be fantastic (I love Aniplex). And oh that cast: Kamiya Hiroshi and Eri Kitamura. Hhhhmmm . . . . I don't have high expectations. I expect this to be a generic supernatural series. I'll be skipping this, unless people who've seen it will tell me that it's totally not what I anticipate it to be.Arakawa Under the BridgeSapphire Pyro: The premise was really really interesting so I checked out the manga. It was hilarious but it was too weird for me . . . but the directors behind Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (Yukihiro Miyamoto and Akiyuki Shinbo) will be behind this . . .and that main cast: Hiroshi Kamiya, Maaya Sakamoto, Keiji Fujiwara, Takehito Koyasu, and Tomokazu Sugita. OMG Shet.Oh I don't know. Maybe I'll be able to appreciate the anime's style of weirdness.B Gata H KeiSapphire Pyro: I am very disturbed to the idea of a female leading character that has that kind of sexual fantasies. No, I can't take it.Giant KillingSapphire Pyro: Ah . . .a football anime. I'm no fan of football, but I enjoyed Eyeshield21, so I thought this is worth giving a try. I checked out the manga, and I liked it! I love how the main character manages to make individuals that don't seem football athelete materials into excellent players! He has impressive tactics, and the character himself is fun. And I think I'm gonna like the implied love story . . . and the characters have been likable. Tsubaki is my type (a bishie, ohohoho). I also like it that this sports series values fan support. Yes, we are that important! w00t!So far so good, and with Toshifumi Kawase as the series composer, I don't think the anime adaptation would be that bad. I'm worried on the director though . . . that person did shows that have disappointed me. Uggh . . .Hakouki - Shinsengumi KitanSapphire Pyro: I love historical settings and shinsengumi samurai stuff. This series will certainly promise some action and political stuff, which I'm very fond of. And what made it more delightful to fangurls are the many bishies in it~ Kyaaaaaa~However, it's based on a reverse harem game . . . IT'S BOUND TO SUCK! I've read the manga, and oh gawd it was angsty and I would really want the leading girl to DIE already. She's useless and she knows it. What she did? CRIES. She tries to be useful later, but she's still PATHETIC. And she blushes over every freakin' bishie in the show and she doesn't know why her chest feels so tight. And oh, she has the demon blood . . . but she's the one being protected. Fantastic. See what I hate with reverse harem shows? The one on the ceter DOESN'T DESERVE to be treated in such a special way. I'm not being a jealous fangurl . . . she just sucks that much that she brings shames to us females. Uuuuuggghhh . . . .However, the leading guy is so cute. I will be satisfied by just staring at him. Haha! And I haven't watched a shinsengumi anime for a long time. Maybe it's worth a try . . . I have to endure my hatred towards that leading girl. Arrrgghh . . . .HeromanSapphire Pyro: I've read the manga and though it wasn't as bad as I expected, it's still your typical shounen show with a lot of overused shounen cliches. And seriously . . . a toy robot that becomes a mecha at such a proper time. And a mere boy is gonna be saving the world. And typical shounen is not complete without a love interest to be rescued! It's disappointing that Stan Lee and BONES are wasting their time on something this pathetic. I expect something better from them.Hetalia Axis Powers Season 3Sapphire Pyro: This is my number one favorite series . . . so NATURALLY I would be following the third season as well. The webmanga and the published manga still has so much material. There are a lot of characters that have not yet been introduced, and some minor characters didn't get the screentime they deserve. Aside from making up on those, I wish the third season will improve the animation and avoid the unfinished strips. Second season had shown improvements, so I expect the third season to do the same.House of Five LeavesSapphire Pyro: I did not enjoy Ristorante Paradiso (this series has the same original creator as RP); but that doesn't mean I won't be checking out this one. I dropped RP because the leading girl annoyed the hell out of me and seldom do I enjoy shows that focus on cooking. BUT THIS has a male for a main character . . . and the series is in a historical setting . . .samurai era to be specific. I expect some action, politics, and perhaps some nice drama. It involves gangs and politics . . . how could this not intrigue me. I find it very interesting . . . and I find it delightful that some favorite seiyuus will be voicing two of the main characters: Daisuke Namikawa and Takahiro Sakurai. Yay!Ichiban Ushiro no Dai MaouSapphire Pyro: Well, yes, I like the magic stuff and the word "demon king" will always attract me. But seeing a bunch of pretty girls wearing short skirts among the main cast just screams ecchi and moe fanservice. The ones behind the script and the series composition are also responsible for some of the generic shounen shows that didn't please me (e.g. Weiss Survive). Besides, the premise already bored the hell out of me . . . so . . . no. Totally skipping this one.Iron ManSapphire Pyro: I love Marvel and the MadHouse does excellent adaptations. The animation looked superb and overall it seemed really interesting and intriguing. However, I really prefer Western comics to be adapted as Western Cartoons . . . but hhhmm . . . this superhero being a MadHouse aniem series tells me that it will be doing some deviations/improvising from the original material and there will be story continuity, not episodic. Those things make this show really promising. But still, I find it weird to see an anime version of a Western comic book. Maybe I'll check it out if a lot had enjoyed it . . . whether I will like this or not . . .I'm still watching the second movie. Hehe.Kaichou wa Maid-samaSapphire Pyro: I liked the manga. I thought it was just a stupid shoujo series that focuses on maid fanservice, but it didn't turn out to be that way. She's just doing her job, that's it. The main guy had been hilarious and fun. These two had been really cute together. I find the manga enjoyable.However, I don't think I'd want to waste time on a shoujo anime that is based on the manga I'm not that hooked into every week. I'll just catch up on the manga instead, and just watch the anime adaptation when I find the time. I don't think I have to worry much on how the story will go in the anime, because the series composer behind Hanasakeru Sieshounen and Victorian Romance Emma is behind it (Mamiko Ikeda). Also . . .*checks out the director* . . .same person who directed Cromartie High School??? And now doing shoujo??? . . . okay . . . that's just a huge genre difference, hehe.Kiss x SisSapphire Pyro: I didn't bother to check out the manga of this series anymore because from what I've been seeing, the main fanservice that it offers is the perverted one. Sorry, that's not my kind of thing. And besides, the plot seems stupid. I don't find pleasure in watching two girls lusting over or seducing their stepbrother.I would like to save myself from headaches. I believe avoiding this series is a very good idea for my sanity.K-On Season 2Sapphire Pyro: I love the first season but if the second season was just made to answer to the demand and it will just have the usual stuff . . . no matter how enjoyable or cute they are . . . I'd rather just watch it when I find the time, or not at all. Besides, I'm not a hardcore fan of the series . . . but I still like Mio, Ritsu, and Tsumugi very much.Mayoi Neko OverunSapphire Pyro: I'm totally skipping this. Main reasons: 1) Main guy with a bunch of pretty females usually equal to ecchi and senseless harem 2) I'm not fond of cats anyway.This will just give me headaches. I don't think I need to bother.Ookiku FurikabuteSapphire Pyro: I'm not yet done with the first season; nor am I updated on the manga series . . .BUT I LOVE THIS SHOW!!! I'm totally gonna catch up on this soon!!!It seems boring at first and I'm not exactly fond of baseball; but the story's heartwarming and the characters are very lovable! Yes, Mihashi is also a super-talented main character, but unlike other sport series, he became that talented out of hard work . . . not simply because he's gifted or is a prodigy.Besides, I miss Abe (favorite character's voiced by one of my favorite seiyuus: Nakamura Yuuichi), Haha! Totally looking forward to this!Rainbow - Nisha Rokubo no ShichininSapphire Pyro: The premise was very intriguing and I cannot ignore stories in World War setings so I checked out the manga and hhhmmm . . . it's not for kiddies. There's sexual harassment, and oh it makes you see how devasting life in prison is. I admit it was pretty angsty . . . annoyingly angsty . . . but they have the right to be angsty, after all they've gone through. I didn't see the sense of the fights at the beginning though, but I'm happy that their relationship became better later. It's a serious story that's so tragic and depressing . . . I don't recommend it to those who prefer happy stuff and are too innocent to witness such horrible things that man could do and experience. Anyway, for me, I find it interesting . . . but I don't think it's the type I'd want to look forward to every week.Senko no Night RaidSapphire Pyro: It's an action-packed spy series in a World War setting . . . how could I ignore this???! I dont think I have to worry about the animation quality because what's shown in the promo videos already seem great; and just when did Aniplex disappoint me. Haha! Moreover, the director (Jun Matsumoto) and the series composer (Shinsuke Onishi) behind Persona Trinity Soul will be handling this series as well . . . so I don't think I have to worry on those areas either. All those already make this series so promising, but it even added some seiyuu fanservice for me: Namikawa Daisuke and Yoshino Hiroyuki are voicing two of the main characters. Sweet~Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitte IruSapphire Pyro: I've read the manga, and I love it. Yes, it's your typical fantasy story with the oh-so-special main character with so many warriors protecting him. And yeah, its main fanservice are its bunch of gorgeous bishies . . . and it will certainly bring delight to those who are fond of shounen-ai (I highly doubt there's going to be yaoi; which I think is a good thing). But fortunately, the main character was as helpless nor as pathetic as I've expected him to be. There are angst and cliches, yeah, but it remained interesting . . . especially the relationships. There are bonds and betrayals . . .I find them so intriguing. And what I enjoyed a lot as well are the cool action scenes and the crack comedy. Haha!I'm hoping for the story in the anime to be okay, because though the series composer didn't please me with Suteki Tantei Labyrinth, her other works (07-Ghost and Moyashimon) turned out good~ So I don't think I need to worry much in that area. Besides, it also has the seiyuu fanservice: Takahiro Sakurai, Akira Ishida, Daisuke Ono, Jun Fukuyama, Mamoru Miyano, Marina Inoue, Shinichiro Miki, Takehito Koyasu, and Yukana. Splendid~Working!!Sapphire Pyro: I thought it was just a show with a bunch of stereotypes and moe characters , but when I read the manga I've realized how wrong I was. It's actually about a set of wacky characters that work together on a certain restaurant. The characters that I anticipated to be annoying turned out to be pretty likable. Moreover, it had been really cute and hilarious! The characters had been fun and what I've read so far had been enjoyable. The original material is in 4-koma format with scenes that aren't that connected though, so I'm hoping that the anime adaptation would be able to put things together well. Also, wow . . . that seiyuu list . . . Jun Matsumoto, Kamiya Hiroshi, and Daisuke Ono. Nice~Yojo-han Shinwa TaikeiSapphire Pyro: I don't often see anime that are about college students so I guess this is worth a shot. The available plot seemed boring because it didn't tell much except that the main character was just reminiscing his past. But what got me intrigued was that the main character was mentioned to be nameless. Moreover, the rest of the cast seem to have something peculiar about them. I'm hoping for it to be not as plain as it seems . . . and with the director of Kaiba (Masaaki Yuasa) handling this series . . . and with MadHouse being the studio behind it . . . I don't think I have to worry much.
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 Merry Christmas! What a great thing to wake up to in the morning: a new North American anime localizer! Gamers-- especially those who dig titles like Phantom Brave, Disgaea, and others --are probably already familiar with Nippon Ichi Software America, the North American branch of the popular game producer and developer, is now in the anime business! Not only that, but they've licensed some killer titles, starting with shounen tsundere rom-com Toradora!, Persona anime Persona -trinity soul-, supernatural action mystery Pandora Hearts, and Wagaya no Oinarisama (to be called Our Home's Fox Deity).   NIS America to Release Anime Titles in North America So, what do you think? I know some of you have been waiting for these titles for a while-- but now that they're coming out, and from a brand-new localizer (for anime). What kind of releases do you want to see? Dubs? Bare-bones value releases? Special edition box sets? Online streaming? Go ahead, just throw out your thoughts-- NIS might be watching!   
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