Wishlist

I'd love to get these from Kotobukiya!

Togainu no Chi (True Blood): Akira Military Uniform PVC Figure



Togainu no Chi (True Blood): Shiki PVC Figure 1/10 Scale



I already have the 1 coin figures of Nano, Motomi, Kiriwar, and Akira Military Special .





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Lamento: Beyond the Void Konoe PVC Figure



Lamento: Beyond The Void One Coin 10 pieces PVC Figures



I already have Rai's figure as well.

Announcements from the front lines

Peace Maker Kurogane Live Action:

The Oricon marketing survey firm reports that a drama series adaptation of Nanae Chrono's Peace Maker Kurogane supernatural samurai manga has been green-lit for a January 2010 premiere on the TBS/MBS television network in Japan. The story centers around a short 15-year-old boy named Tetsunosuke Ichimura who attempts to join the legendary samurai of Shinsengumi as part of his plan to avenge his murdered parents. However, he learns that he must become a demon to join this group.

Some of the cast members for the live-action television drama adaptation of Nanae Chrono's Peace Maker Kurogane supernatural samurai manga have been revealed:

Kenta Suga (Always: Sunset on Third Street, Tsurikichi Sampei) : Tetsunosuke Ichimura
Yuuta Furukawa (The Prince of Tennis musical, Fūma no Kojirō): Tatsunosuke Ichimura
Tomo Yanagishita (D-Boys, The Prince of Tennis musical): Souji Okita
Yusuke Izaki (Crows Zero, Devilman): Sanosuke Harada
Hirofumi Araki (The Prince of Tennis' live-action film, OAV, musical): Toshimaro Yoshida
Airi Nakajima: Akesato

From AAN

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Soul Eater Announcement:

FUNimation® Entertainment will release the first 13 episodes of the soul-hunting action series Soul Eater on February 9, 2010. This will be the first of four half-season sets. Extras will include an episode commentary, a Soul Eater manga preview presented by Yen Press, and textless songs.

From Active Anime

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Live-Action Coyboy Bebop still in limbo:

Joshua Long, an executive producer of Twentieth Century Fox's proposed live-action Cowboy Bebop film, has told the AnimeVice website that his newly renamed company, 1212 Entertainment, will be focusing on live-action adaptations of manga, anime, and game titles from Japan, as well as some French comics. Long confirmed that the proposed live-action Cowboy Bebop film will remain a project under the 3 Arts Entertainment production company. Twentieth Century Fox, 3 Arts Entertainment, and the original anime studio Sunrise itself are collaborating on the project. Keanu Reeves (The Matrix, A Scanner Darkly, Johnny Mnemonic) is slated to star. Peter Craig signed on to write the screenplay, which producer Erwin Stoff said would not be an origin story. Stoff added that Shinichiro Watanabe, the director of Sunrise's original Cowboy Bebop science-fiction anime series, would be the first person to read a completed script.

From ANN.

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Wallflower TV drama Green-lit!

This year's 18th issue of Kodansha' Bessatsu Friend magazine has announced on Friday that a television drama series based on Tomoko Hayakawa's The Wallflower (Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge) manga has been green-lit for a January premiere. The story follows four teenaged "pretty boys" who are invited to stay at a posh mansion, free of charge—provided they can transform the owner's standoffish, weird niece into a proper young lady. More details about the drama version will be published in future issues of Bessatsu Friend.

The manga has been running in Bessatsu Friend since 2000, and 24 compiled book volumes have been published so far. Del Rey will publish the 22nd volume in North America next January. The story has already been adapted into a 2006-2007 25-episode television anime series, which ADV Films released on DVD.

From ANN.

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Gintama 2010!

The official website for the Gintama: Shinyaku Benizakura-Hen (Gintama: Benizakura Arc — A New Retelling) anime movie has begun streaming a half-minute teaser trailer on Friday. Sunrise's film adaptation of Hideaki Sorachi's Gintama alternate-history gag manga will open during Golden Week, the string of Japanese holidays that stretches from the end of April through the first week of May. The title indicates that the film will depict a new version of the popular Benizakura story arc from the television anime series.



From ANN.

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Gaga for Gaiden!

Manga creator Kazuya Minekura revealed at this past weekend's Saiyuki Festa'09 -Saiyuki Series Dai-Genga-Ten event that her Saiyuki Gaiden manga is being adapted into an original video anime (OVA) project. The schedule and other details have yet to be determined. The manga just ended in Ichijinsha's Monthly Comic Zero-Sum magazine in June.



From ANN.

Ani-meth Toxicity Report: November 19, 2009

A few Live Action shows for you today:

Blood: The Last Vampire

Plot:

The story is set in the American Yokota Air Base located in post-WWII Japan, a few months before the beginning of the Vietnam War. Saya is a 400-year-old half human-half vampire who hunts other vampires. Raised by a man named Kato, she works loosely with an organization known as "The Council" while seeking out Onigen, the highest ranking and strongest of vampires. Seeking clues about Onigen, Saya transfers to a school near the Yokota Air Base. Normally a loner, Saya forms a friendship with a young girl named Alice, whom she rescues from some vampires.

Opinion: 3/5

Better than the anime in my opinion because it combines the 2 OVAs into one complete story arc. Same as the anime in regards to dark, edgy undertones and 'I don't care about you people' attitude of Saya.

The one negative is they focus a bit too much on her becoming human aspect towards the end and like all Chinese made live-actions, gravity doesn't exist but man is it pretty. Oh! It's also only 80 mins long, FYI, so have a second movie ready to go after wards. We actually watched the OVAs just to compare them...very close.

Picture and Trailer:







~~~

Dragonball Evolution

Plot:

Two thousand years ago, the evil Namekian warlord Piccolo (James Marsters) descended upon the Earth during a solar eclipse and attempted to destroy the world with the aid of his disciple, a monster called an Ōozaru. A group of monks conjured the Mafuba — a powerful but life-threatening enchantment designed to bind those caught within it — and used it to imprison Piccolo. The Ōozaru disappears, and the Earth gradually recovers. In the present day, Piccolo escapes his confinement and as another solar eclipse approaches, he begins searching for the legendary Dragonballs in order to make a wish to the magical dragon for the ultimate power.

On his 18th birthday, a young high-school student and martial artist named Goku (Justin Chatwin) is given the 4-Star Dragonball by his grandfather, Grandpa Gohan (Randall Duk Kim). After returning home from a party hosted by his crush Chi-Chi (Jamie Chung), however, Goku finds his home obliterated and his grandfather near death in the aftermath of Piccolo's failed attempt to acquire the Dragonball. Before he dies, Gohan tells Goku to seek out the martial arts master, Muten Roshi (Chow Yun-Fat), who holds another of the Dragonballs.

Opinion: 2.5/5

Well, what can I say about this? I was really looking forward to it...too bad it was a let down. On par with Mortal Kombat from the 90s the best parts were Chow Young Fat's comedy routines, which should tell you something. They tried, I'll give them that and yes, it was very similar to the anime, except for the whole non-asian playing Goku and that apparently everyone with super awesome superpowers lives in Vedondo Beach and goes to the same High School. If I was to choose between the anime (which I desperately hate) and this, I'd go for the live-action only because I know after 2 hours I can watch something else. Anything else.

Picture and Trailer:





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Princess Princess D

Plot:

Fujimori Gakuen is an elite all-boys boarding school with a unique Princess system: each year three freshmen are chosen to become the school princesses, attending school functions and cheering the clubs and teams dressed as girls to the spirits of the students, who are not able to regularly see girls in the school grounds.

Mikoto Yutaka is one of the chosen for Princess duty in his junior year, along with students Yujiro Shihoudani and Tooru Kouno. At first very contrary to joining the Princess system, Mikoto is eventually convinced by the other Princesses. But just as Mikoto is reluctantly accepting his role, the mysterious Otoya Hanazono transfers into the school. Dissatisfied with the current Princesses' half-hearted efforts and accusing the Student Council of being neglectful of the students' wishes, Otoya creates his own team (the Dark Princesses) to rival the Princesses, and nominates himself candidate for the New School Council.

Mikoto is caught in the fight between Otoya and the current Student Council, unsure of which side to stand for. He also has to deal with his conflicting feelings towards Otoya, and how they affect both his friendship with Yujiro and Tooru and his loyalty to the Princess system. In this process, he comes to understand the true meaning of being a Princess, and finally embraces his role, putting his man's pride aside in favor of the Princesses' pride.

Opinion: 1.5/5

This hurt my head. The entire point of PriPri was the interplay between the three boys and learning to deal with their new roles and their families along with each other. They could have done a combined PriPri, Family Complex, Day of Revolution show and made the fans super happy, but they just threw more boys at us, and really, without the different colored hair I couldn't keep the characters straight. You need a score card with this show, I swear.

Picture and Trailer:





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Neon Genesis Evangelion

Plot:

In the year 2010, Gehirn had accomplished a number of its scientific and engineering goals and corporately changed into the paramilitary organization Nerv which is headquartered in Tokyo-3, a militarized civilian city located on one of the last dry sections of Japan; Nerv's central mission is to locate the remaining Angels predicted by Seele, and to destroy them. However, Nerv has its own secret agenda, as directed by its Machiavellian commander Gendo Ikari: the Human Instrumentality Project, which, according to Gendo in episode 25, is the task of uniting all human minds into one global spiritual entity. Associated with Nerv is the Marduk Institute, which has the task of selecting the pilots for the Evas, the most capable being children conceived after the Second Impact (14 year olds). The institute consists of Commander Ikari, and Nerv's chief scientist Ritsuko Akagi; supporting the two are 108 companies which are all revealed to be ghost companies.

Opinion:

Well, it is still all jammed up in legal hoopla between the US and Japan, but if they ever get their act together and make the dang thing it'll be a guaranteed money maker! Even though the anime left me disoriented and slightly motion-sick, NGE or EVA, is one of those must see animes for self-proclaimed anime otakus.

Picture and Trailer:


Picture by fan group: Shok Xone.




An hypothetical trailer of "Evangelion, the movie" built with snap-shots from different films.

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Death Note

Plot:

Yagami Light is a brilliant college student who, one day, finds a notebook simply titled "Death Note." Inside of this book is a list of rules and details as for the use of the "Death Note." When he realizes the power he holds, he decides he's going to make over the world. He wants to make it into a better place by killing those who do others harm. He has been nicknamed by the police "Kira." L, a brilliant detective who lives in secrecy, rises from the shadows and puts his life on the line trying to capture Light. Both L and Light believe themselves on the side of Justice, and the two match wits trying to show exactly which of them is "good" and which of them is "evil."

Opinion: 3.5/5

This would have gotten much, much higher if they didn't split the movie between 1 and 2. I mean, seriously, who thought stopping at the clinch spot was a smart move?! I'd like to slap that person. Surprisingly well written, shot, and over all executed, I greatly enjoyed watching the two movies. For your own sanity though, watch them back to back or you'll end up needing a new TV, as yours will be out the closest window and onto the street below.

Picture and Trailer:

Ani-Meth Toxicity Report: October 27, 2009

Ghost in the Shell

Plot:

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex takes place in Japan during the year 2030, and revolves around the activities of Public Security Section 9, a fictional intelligence department under the Japanese Ministry of Home Affairs. The series' main storyline focuses on Section 9's independent investigation of the Laughing Man incident after Togusa, a member of Section 9, receives information from an old friend concerning possible government interference in the official police investigation of the incident. As the series unfolds, Section 9 uncovers government and corporate involvement in the events which took place after the initial incident, and ascertains the identity of the Laughing Man himself. The series is split into two kinds of episodes: Complex episodes, which follow Section 9's investigation of the Laughing Man incident and represents the main storyline, and self-contained Stand Alone episodes, which follow Section 9 as they investigate other cases, serving as opportunities for character development and showcasing the futuristic Japan that Section 9 operates in.

Opinion: 5 stars

One of the most well done shows available to anime fans. It’s edgy, gritty, and pretty all at the same time. The art work is amazing, the plot lines are twisted and complicated, hell, even the English voice acting is superb (and you all know my opinion of English dubs)! This is one you definitely want to pay attention to the age rating on though, as there are some rather graphic eye-searing moments though out the series. I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone under 14-15. One thing to take note of is that if you watch this subbed, you better have a really big TV, as they speak a lot and in really long, complicated sentences, so the subtitles tend to take over the screen.

***



Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Plot:

To what extent must a housekeeper do things to be acceptable?

One of the noble families of England, Phantomhive's butler, Sebastian Michaels, has unquestionably perfect knowledge, manners, talent with materials, martial arts, et cetera: but is also able to serve a 12 year-old master.

Wearing a gray tailcoat, gracefully brewing the world's strongest black tea, please read on to see how such a perfect butler copes with such a master...

Opinion: 4 stars

I greatly enjoy this show. They do a great job throwing in enough twisted portions to keep you on the edge of your seat but overall it’s a dark comedy with sidekick characters designed to keep the darker aspects of the show (like child rape and human sacrifice) from being overwhelming. The best thing though? It’s set for a second season!! WAHOO! As long as they keep the story plot fresh we should be good. There’s also a bit of BL fanservice for those of us who can smell a shota laden show a mile away.

***



Amatsuki

Plot:

Tokidoki is a Japanese high school student who, when he fails his history class, is sent to a high-tech history museum that virtually recreates the Edo period to do make-up work. However, what was supposed to be a simple school project becomes much more complicated when he's attacked by two supernatural beings known as "the nue" and "the yakou" and loses the vision in his left eye. After he's saved from the nue by a girl named Kuchiha, he realizes that he's no longer wearing the simulation goggles, and is trapped in the virtual Edo.

Opinion: 4 stars

Man, I’m just writing about a bunch of killer shows today, aren’t I? Amatsuki is gorgeous, just gorgeous. Between the artwork and the character interplay (which is the main reason to watch, btw) you can’t help but fall in love with Toki/Kon/and Kuchiha. Although I must admit my love in this show is Bonten; he’s just deliciously bad. *_~ only problem is I want more. The damn thing just stops at ep. 13 and while I understand it’s because the manga is still going, I WANT MORE!!! *sigh*

***



D. Gray-Man

Plot:

Set in England during the end of a fictional nineteenth century, D.Gray-man mostly centers around 15-year-old Allen Walker. In his childhood Allen was abandoned by his parents due to a 'deformed' left arm and was adopted by a travelling clown called Mana Walker. At some moment Mana died and Allen was approached by a person named Millennium Earl, who offered to revive Mana. The Earl revives him but Mana reappears as a machine called an akuma that is ordered by the Millennium Earl to kill him and take on his skin, as akuma do. During that moment Allen is gifted with the ability to control his left hand and turn it into an anti-akuma weapon because of a substance called Innocence is embedded in it and against his will, kills Mana. Before Mana dies, he curses Allen's left eye, which later gives him the ability to see the souls of akuma. After that Allen discovers that the Millennium Earl tries to trick those who have lost loved ones to turn their dead souls into akuma and decides to train himself in order to stop him. Soon after this he becomes the apprentice of general Cross, an Exorcist of the Black Order, a secretive organization which aims to stop the plan set in motion by the Millennium Earl and to save the souls trapped as akuma. However, the Earl has raised an army of akuma, created by taking advantage of grief over one's misfortune, and summons the direct descendants of Noah himself, the Noah Clan, to aid him in his second attempt. Because of the akuma's ability to wear a human's skin, they are nearly undetectable by any human. Allen proves to be a powerful asset as his 'cursed' left eye is able to detect the trapped souls within an akuma. Other Exorcist commonly assisting him are Yu Kanda, Lenalee Lee, and Lavi.

Opinion: 4.5 stars

We’ve just started this one, but we’re already hooked. I will say they kinda talk too much, explaining every back story and detail early on, but the main point of this show is the character interaction and dang but if there aren’t a lot of characters! At over 100+ eps this is a long haul series and not for the flighty or easily distracted. The good thing is that each ep is really only about 15 mins after intro and exit credits have been removed, so you can burn through a bunch in a short period of time (we watched 6 last night in a little over 1.5 hrs.) They tend to run in packs (4-5 eps per story), so realize you might need to hang in there for the completion of each one. And though you can squint and see this in several different lights, I’m personally an AllenxLavi girl as Kanada pisses me off. Lol.

***



Trinity Blood

Plot:

When Earth's population drastically increased, humanity, led by the United Nations, attempted to colonize Mars. During the colonization, they discovered two alien technologies: the Bacillus and the Crusnik nanomachines. The colonists installed the Bacillus in their bodies which transformed them into Methuselahs. They installed the Crusnik in the bodies of four test tube babies: Seth, Cain, Abel and Lilith whose enhanced bodies were the only ones able to survive the procedure.

Continuing wars on Earth eventually led to "Armageddon," the apocalyptic event that happened 900 years before the start of the story, and the colonists returned to Earth to help with rebuilding. However, when the colonists returned to Earth, a war broke out between the Methuselahs and the humans who had remained on earth. Abel, Cain, and Seth took the Methuselah's side—while Lilith supported the Vatican, which guarded humanity. During the war, Cain went insane and killed Lilith. In grief, Abel took her body to the Vatican where she was buried. Abel remained at her side, weeping for her, for 900 years.

At the start of the story, the vampiric Methuselahs, still a major political and military force, continue to wage war on the "Terrans," as they call regular humans. The Roman Catholic Church is a major military power determined to protect humans from the Methuselahs, with its seat of power based in the Vatican. The Methuselahs have their capital in Byzantium, which is surrounded by a field of particles to filter out UV radiation, protecting the Methuselah population.

Both groups use "lost technologies", such as airships, missiles, and computers, to engage in a cold war with one another. A third great power, Albion also plays a role in the war with its superior arsenal of lost technology and weapons and higher level of manufacturing ability versus the Vatican. The independent monarchy of Albion is a primarily human country, however the secret of their expertise in lost technology is found in the Ghetto, an underground city of enslaved Methuselah. It is these Methuselah who operate and manufacture the lost technology, but with the death of the Albion Queen, some of the enslaved vampires begin a rebellion for the freedom of all of the Ghetto residents.

Opinion: 4 stars

The only problem with Trinity Blood is that the director died while taping disk 4. This screwed up the plan for a two-part series and they rushed the last two disks to a semi-cliffhanger-esk ending that leaves you feeling very let down as there’s no feeling of finality to the show. It’s a beautiful piece of artwork though and I’d still recommend watching it.

***



07-Ghost

Plot:

Teito Klein is a former slave sent to attend the Barsburg Empire's military academy due to his ability to use Zaiphon, a type of supernatural power. The ability is rare, and thus highly prized. Teito is an amnesiac and doesn't remember anything of his origins—what he does learn of his past comes from his recurring and often traumatizing dreams.

After a year at the academy, Teito takes the graduation exam; it is notoriously difficult, with a pass rate of one in twenty-five. Teito and his best (and only) friend, Mikage, pass easily. That night, in their shared dorm room, they each promise to help the other at any cost. The next day, Teito is delivering papers to a professor when he overhears his name. He stops to listen and realizes that the speaker, a man named Ayanami, is the man who killed his father in his dreams. Teito is found eavesdropping and tries to attack his father's murderer, but is quickly brought down by one of Ayanami's subordinates and sent to prison. Mikage comes to help him escape, only to find that Teito has managed to fight past the guards by himself. The two flee the building, but are cornered on a balcony. Teito pretends to hold Mikage hostage, threatening to kill him; and tries to escape when Ayanami sends a Zaiphon attack after him, which Teito manages to partly deflect. A Bishop in the nearby 7th District brings the injured Teito to the church to recuperate. Since Teito is still in chains, the Bishop, Frau, mistakes him for a slave and comments that if Teito had been a soldier in the Imperial army, he would have killed him immediately. Because of the law of "sanctuary", Teito may stay in the church without fear of the Empire or Ayanami.

Teito carries the Eye of Mikhail, the powerful artifact that his home country, the Raggs Kingdom, was ransacked for. The tragic death of a loved one catapults him into his quest for revenge against the Barsburg Empire and knowledge about his past, while he becomes entangled with the Gods, Verloren, and the 7 Ghosts.

His best friend's fate spurs Teito into trying to master the Bascule—a powerful weapon that can harness and focus his innate power. Friends become enemies and rivals become allies as Teito begins to fulfill his destiny, and protect his fallen country from the minions of his former masters.

Opinion: 4 stars

I think this will forever be one of my favorite shows. It's just so cute and heart wrenching and yes, you do end up yelling at the screen more often than not, but it's a good thing, I assure you. Maybe more for the girls than guys as the only female characters tend to be kinda flighty (or human-speech mute), but the comedy and companionship between Frau and Teito totally make up for it.

The Ultimate Otaku Contest #2!

It's that time again! There are 28 shows represented here, your task (should you choose to accept it) is to name as many as you can! You have 1 week to comment below. The one who gets the most correct will receive a gift packet from yours truly. Good luck!

Amatsuki Art Book Scans!

So pretty!!!

Anime Conventions: Does size really matter?

For better or for worse, the modern anime fan has several options when it comes to how they indulge their otaku tendencies. Most will undoubtedly attend at least one convention in their fan lives. Once you have chosen to throw it all to the wind and actually go to one though, the question becomes which convention you’ll sink your time, money, and sanity into. Do you start out small at the local anime club or get lost in the crowd at one of the largest ones available to you? What about traveling to the con or cosplaying and getting super involved your first one out? Decisions, decisions!

Well, let’s see, after 15+ years of being in the fandom and attending over a dozen cons from 20-20K in con-attendees, I’ve got a few tips, comments, and flames to throw out there for you. The main one though? Start small, try getting together with a bunch of friends and doing an anime marathon at one of your houses or use a single hotel room. Believe me, if you can stand close quarters for 3 days/2 nights with 10+ people, you can handle large crowds.

But I want to buy tons of stuff I don’t have room or money for?!?!

Welcome to the age of the internet. Deal with it. You’re probably better off anyways.

At least, that’s what you’re friends/coworkers/parents/significant others will probably say, be prepared for it now. If you really insist on jumping head first into the otaku infested waters find out if your local con has a dealer’s room only pass. For a nominal fee (which I always found odd, I mean, I’m paying money to be able to go spend money? wtf?!) you can normally get admittance to just the dealer’s room.

If you’re dead set on going to a big one, try and stay semi-local. California has AnimeExpo, New York has AnimeFestival, Texas has AKON, Singapore has Anime Festival Asia, Tokyo International Anime Festival is in duh, Japan, SMASH! is in Sydney, C3 in Hong Kong, there’s a ton in the EU, Bolivia and Brazil each have one, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, etc. hell, even Hawaii and Iowa have cons, so you can’t tell me there isn’t one somewhere you can't get to. Don’t believe me? Check out here: http://www.animecons.com/ for your local fix.

I still recommend starting small, it's easier to get an idea as to what you may see at the bigger cons, but they're normally calmer and closer to home. They're also normally a lot cheaper ($10-15 for a day pass), vs. the $55+ you can spend on a weekend pass for the bigger ones. Also, ask around on the anime forums of your favorite shows and mangas. You'll be surprised where you'll find cohorts in crime.

If you’ve decided to chuck it all and go big for the full weekend you may be asking 'what now?'. Well, you can do a lot once you're there actually. There’s normally an AMV contest going on that you can enter or a Karaoke room that you can hang out in. There’s always cosplaying (no sharp swords or knives though kiddies and sometimes guns, but check the rules), movie rooms, libraries, panels, dances, random con-specific events (like AKON’s capture the flag cosplay) and sometimes artist alley’s (where fans can sell their own merchandise). There’s a ton of stuff to do, and you can do them all…just be careful you don’t collapse.

Drink lots (of water) and remember to try and not survive on Mountain Dew and Fruit Loops (dried, from the box) like I did my first con. *head desks* Ah, to be young and indestructible again. Don’t forget to sleep and dear God try and maintain some level of inside/outside voice in your fan-screaming, ok? That’s probably the biggest complaint I have about any sized con, the fans need to remember that:

1) Not everybody will know that random character you found in some art book from the 90s (even though, really you all should at least know what Ghost in the Shell is) for your cosplay.

2) Yes, most of the fans do not look like the character’s impossible body types, shudder and move on.

3) 12 year olds should not run around with Yaoi paddles. In fact, they shouldn’t even know what it is! Parents, please regulate your children unless you want me to. Believe me, I will.

4) There are 5,000 people in a venue designed to hold 500, don’t push, don’t smoke, and don’t cut in line. It’s like being in line at the DMV, just suck it up and try to relax, we will be sitting here for the next 3 hours, please try and be civil.

5) I don’t care if you are at Yaoi-con, not every cosplayer wants to be glomped or made to dry hump some random person in a different character’s outfit.

6) Act your age. If you’re 10 and run around screaming, I will say something to your parents and expect them to be responsible for you. If you’re 40 and doing it I should have every right to treat you like you’re a freaking 5^th grader!

7) Don’t get pissed because you didn’t get into that super awesome panel by that seyruu everyone knows just because you waited until the last possible second to stand in line. But if you are a con staffer, please think things through and if people have been lined up for 4 hours, give them an alternative time to come back and see them. It’s called courtesy. Also! Do NOT have people stand outside in lines for hours. Sunstroke, storms, and heat exhaustion are major concerns. I’ve passed out at cons from standing in wrap-around building lines before; it’s very, very dangerous. If you must have people stand outside, make sure there is shade and free water available (remember the sun moves—shadows will too).

8) Con staffers: DON'T BE JERKS!! Yes, there are a ton of stupid people doing things they shouldn’t, yes, they will probably screw something up, no, you don’t get paid enough to deal with it, yes, you will hate us by Sunday night, no, we don not know how to clean up after ourselves, yes, in our normal lives we can maintain a sense of decorum, no, you will not see it.

You volunteered knowing this full well; deal with it.

9) To the rest of you: Don’t do the above. :)

10) Have fun and stay safe.

Ok, where was I going with this again?

If you choose a big convention, be careful about what you take, choose a room either in the con or near it, even if it costs a bit more unless you really know the area. Nothing will ruin a fun vacation like getting lost in a strange city. Don’t try and do everything; you’ll only end up disappointed, annoyed, and exhausted. Pick 1 or 2 things a day that looks really interesting and try and have fun the rest of the time. Asking people questions is a great way to break the ice. Talk to random strangers (in the con, not out) and ask questions: who’s your favorite character? Show, voice actor, director, manga, etc? Where do you get your anime and manga from? Have you met anyone interesting this con?

Above all have fun. You’re supposed to be on vacation, remember? Getting stressed won’t do anyone any good.

~fin.

Otaku Contest Winner!

The Answers please!!



Last week we had our first Otaku Contest, an AMV that featured a medley of different shows. Below you'll see the answers.

Chobits, Princess Mononoke, Hellsing, Cowboy Bebop, Love Hina, Trigun, Dragonball Z, El Hazard, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Lupin III, Tenchi Muyo, Dragon Half, Vandread, Perfect Blue, Dragonball, Evangelion, Ranma 1/2, Akira, Slayers, X, Berserk, Fruits Basket, Inuyasha, Big O, Rurouni Kenshin, Naruto.

Our first winner is Otaku_Crazy! Everyone please give her a big round of applause for playing. We'll have another contest for Halloween so come back and see us then!

~Ultra Director, Pixieblade

Ani-meth Toxicity Report: October 14, 2009

You haven't watched anything new, have you?

Um...maybe? Okay, so between work and being sick, we've stuck with watching movies and OVAs lately, but since I haven't written reviews from them yet, here you go!

***

Avenger

Plot:

The story is set on a colonized Mars at some unspecified point in the future. The majority of the human population is divided up into a number of small domed city-states. Those who live outside the domes in the harsh wildernesses of the planet are known as Barbaroi. Resources are scarce, and supplies are divided out between cities based on the outcome of gladiatorial battles between representative fighters from each. Adding to the problems of the colonists, no children have been born on Mars for a decade. The cause of the infertility is unknown, but people have turned to robots called dolls as a substitute for the presence of children in their lives. And a red moon, Earth's moon, hangs over Mars, drawn towards the red planet after the destruction of Earth and ravaging it with lunar storms caused by gravitational fluctuations between Mars and its unwelcome satellite.

The protagonist of the story is Layla, a barbaroi gladiator with a mysterious past and follows her quest to defeat Volk, the ruler of Mars. She is accompanied on her journey by Nei, a strange "doll", and Speedy, a doll breeder (or repairman).

Opinion: 3.5/5

I actually like this show, but really, they could have gotten rid of episodes 4-8. Layla needs some major Prozac to help with the suicidal tendencies and 4 word dialogue lines ("Try and kill me.") and the story plot is a bit confusing, but it's overall a decent show. Written and drawn by the same mangaka that gave us .hack/ there are long 40 second sections where they just pan over the horizon or a character's features, and after 12 episodes, you want to scream when the credits role, but if you're laying around the house with a low grade fever and chicken soup (like me), then it's a good way to pass the time.

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***

Final Fantasy: Advent Children

Plot:

Two years after the events of Final Fantasy VII, the survivors of Midgar have begun to build a new city, Edge, on the outskirts of the old metropolis. A strange disease known as "Geostigma" has arisen. After Cloud's showdown with Sephiroth, he has been living with Tifa in Edge. Marlene and an orphaned boy named Denzel have been entrusted to their care. After receiving a message from Tifa, Cloud is attacked by three men, Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo, who believe that he has hidden their "mother". The leader, Kadaj, ends the battle as he discovers that Cloud does not have their "mother". Cloud responds to a message from Tifa, who tells him that the Turks have a job for him. At the meeting place, Cloud discovers that Rufus Shinra is still alive. Rufus attempts to enlist Cloud's help to stop the trio, but fails as he refuses and leaves. Kadaj arrives and demands that Rufus tell him where to find his "mother". It is revealed that his "mother" is Jenova's remains, and is somehow connected to the cause of the Geostigma. The trio are planning a new "reunion" that will culminate in an assault on the Planet.

Opinion: 4/5

Mainly for the pretty factor. As far as story plot goes it's kinda of weak unless you're already a fan of the FF series (btw skip FF Unlimited, you'll want to kill yourself after it--although the chickens are funny). Really, it's just pretty. Designed during the look at the water and hair! time period of CG design those aspects are especially cool, but the conclusion falls a bit flat for me.

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***

Escaflowne: The Movie

Plot:

Hitomi Kanzaki is always sleepy and has some strange dreams. She feels depressed and wants to disappear. After letting away her only friend, she is transported inside the Dragon Armour to a new and mysterious world, Gaea. Once there she is called the Winged Goddess, but can't understand anything. After some time she will know that there is a battle for the Black Dragons dynasty between Prince Van and his brother Lord Folken, in which she is called to play an important role.

Opinion: 4/5

Another pretty show, fans of the series will enjoy this rendition of the plot. P, who never bothered watching the whole series like I did, was like, what the hell is wrong with that Dilandau guy?! *giggle* but yeah, that is really screwy. The part, and I know I'm weird, but the really cool part is the extras feature that has the isolated sound track on it. You can play the whole movie with only the music scores! I like falling to sleep to it.... Good for an intro or alternative to watching the whole TV series, and the art work and music just make it that much better.

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***

Rayearth OVA

Plot:

A three-part OVA was released in Japan a few years after the end of the manga and the TV series. The OVA was named simply Rayearth and its story was quite different from the original. The characters are all the same, but the relationships, places and events changed radically. Here we find that Hikaru, Umi and Fuu are already friends who go to the same school and will soon be leaving for high school. Suddenly, a strange fairy (which turns out to be Mokona, the creature from the original series) appears in front of them. At the same time, strange monsters and wizards start to appear in the city of Tokyo. One of them is Clef, who tries to guide the three girls in order to let them become the Magic Knights, awaken their Mashin and fight against the evil wizards from Cephiro, who are trying to invade the human world.

Opinion: 3/5

Okay, so I'm slightly biased because they changed the character's relationships around on us and that pissed me off, but if you've never watched the TV series than you should be fine. Darker and more to the point, it is still a good movie to watch. It reminds me of CLAMPs work and coloration in X, so if you enjoyed that, you'll like this.

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These are the best of the best IMO.

These are the best of the best AMVs in my opinion:


Hidama Productions - Break the Chain (Death Note)



The Harassment of Kyon (Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)



High School Never Ends (Ouran High School Host Club)



Das Tir in Mir (Kuroshitsuji)



With You (Wild Adapter)



Falling Inside the Black (Saiyuki)