Posted by Guest Author on Dec 21, 2007 in Animation
Our Top Ten Anime and Manga Series to Watch For in 2008: It’s easy to find out about a Bleach or a Naruto once it’s being aired on Cartoon Network, but it can take years for an anime to be licensed, dubbed, and put on TV. So here’s our sneak peek at one of the ten manga or anime series that we feel are likely to hit it big in America in 2008:
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (anime) Status: Partially aired; Licensed by Bandai Entertainment
The studio that creates the Gundam franchise, Sunrise, developed this political soap opera in the guise of a mech show. It features character designs by the world-famous manga group CLAMP, stellar animation, excellent voice acting, and tons of drama. And best of all, it’s also getting a second season, currently undated.
Is Maywa Denki a company making electrical products? Are they a band? Sculpture? Performance art? Multimedia? Well probably all of the above.
Maywa Denki was a company run by Sakaichi Tosa making electrical components for a decade starting in 1969. About a decade later changes in the economy likely due to the energy crisis at the time bankrupt the company. In 1993 his by then adult sons Nobumichi and Masamichi revived the company introducing some peculiar, whimsical and sometimes even somewhat disturbing inventions:
Posted by Guest Author on Dec 20, 2007 in Comic Books
Our Top Ten Anime and Manga Series to Watch For in 2008: It’s easy to find out about a Bleach or a Naruto once it’s being aired on Cartoon Network, but it can take years for an anime to be licensed, dubbed, and put on TV. So here’s our sneak peek at one of the ten manga or anime series that we feel are likely to hit it big in America in 2008:
Gakuen Alice (manga) Status: Still running in Japan; Licensed by TOKYOPOP
Okay, technically TOKYOPOP is releasing the first volume of Gakuen Alice on December 26th, 2007, but that should be close enough, right? Since their hit shoujo (girls’) series Fruits Basket– which peaked at #15 on USA Today’s booklist, an amazing feat for a manga -has now ended, the company has been seeking a replacement. Given that they’re advertising it as the hottest shoujo “Since Fruits Basket,” it seems like they’ve nominated the super-cute Gakuen Alice to take that top spot.
Many bands and their graphic designer friends dream of doing something special when designing the packaging their new album release only to be told “no” by their labels that the cost would be too prohibitive. A popular win-win style strategy in Japan is to press up just one run of special, more deluxe packaging to coincide with an album’s release and then revert to standard packaging for the rest of the album’s run. This is usually referred to as “Limited Initial Packaging”. Sometimes it can mean a larger picture booklet, different case or maybe a DVD single. Sometimes it’s something more unusual like Cornelius including a pair of album cover color matching ear buds with the first copies of his “Fantasma” album.
Posted by Guest Author on Dec 19, 2007 in Animation
Our Top Ten Anime and Manga Series to Watch For in 2008: It’s easy to find out about a Bleach or a Naruto once it’s being aired on Cartoon Network, but it can take years for an anime to be licensed, dubbed, and put on TV. So here’s our sneak peek at one of the ten manga or anime series that we feel are likely to hit it big in America in 2008:
Gundam 00 (anime) Status: Currently airing in Japan; Unlicensed
Okay, it’s got Gundam in the name, so I hardly need to tell you that the show looks amazing and involves both mechs and politics. But if the sheer volume of Gundam Universal Century shows scares you, don’t worry: Gundam 00 is, like predecessor Gundam Wing, a completely independent series from the rest of the franchise. Its first season is currently airing in Japan, with a second season scheduled for October of 2008.
Posted by Guest Author on Dec 18, 2007 in Animation
Our Top Ten Anime and Manga Series to Watch For in 2008: It’s easy to find out about a Bleach or a Naruto once it’s being aired on Cartoon Network, but it can take years for an anime to be licensed, dubbed, and put on TV. So here’s our sneak peek at one of the ten manga or anime series that we feel are likely to hit it big in America in 2008:
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 2 (anime) Status: Not yet aired
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya– which was released in North America by Bandai Entertainment throughout the second half of 2007 is getting a sequel! Seeing as the first 14-episode series covered only a fraction of the so-far-10-volume novel series, it’s unsurprising that a season 2 was announced. Given the international buzz the first season received, it seems likely you’ll hear about the new season, so here’s a quick rundown.
Posted by Guest Author on Dec 17, 2007 in Animation
Our Top Ten Anime and Manga Series to Watch For in 2008: It’s easy to find out about a Bleach or a Naruto once it’s being aired on Cartoon Network, but it can take years for an anime to be licensed, dubbed, and put on TV. So here’s our sneak peek at one of the ten manga or anime series that we feel are likely to hit it big in America in 2008:
Lucky Star (anime) Status: Aired in Japan; Licensed by Bandai Entertainment
While it may at first appear to be geared exclusively towards hardcore anime fans, Lucky Star can be hilarious to anyone who’s ever been or known a high school-age female. Mixing a random sense of humor reminiscent of the popular slice-of-life Azumanga Daioh with a lot of otaku in-jokes, Kyoto Animation- the studio responsible for the hit series The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya -has made a hit that fans and non-fans alike have been enjoying.
Konata is your average short, blue-haired, uber-anime geek high school female. She plays hentai games, collects figures, and reads manga instead of doing her homework. In stark contrast, Kagami is a somewhat bossy, hard-working all-A student. Throw in Kagami’s slightly ditzy twin Tsukasa and the walking encyclopedia Miyuki and you get some of the funniest conversations ever aired on TV, such as a lengthy discussion of how to eat various pastries. No, really.
These four are later joined by a younger set, including Konata’s sweet younger cousin Yutaka, the quiet Minami, and even an American exchange student (and anime fan) named Patty. Oh, and did I mention the “Lucky Channel” yet? The meta segment ostensibly exists to discuss the making of the series, but is actually a vehicle for two other characters: “newbie” voice actor Minoru Shiraishi and his senior, the jaded and faded starlet Akira Kogami. Yeah, Lucky Star seriously packs on the funny.
Gia Manry is a Portland, OR-based professional writer specializing in pop culture/entertainment writing. Read up on more of her work at giapet.net or hire her at GiaManry.com.
The other day I visited Namjatown. It’s run by Namco, the video game company. It’s a food theme park fit into two mid sized department store floors inside Ikebukuro’s slightly euphemistically named Sunshine City Mall (well it’s indoors and near the former site of a notorious prison). One of it’s three food themed zones is ice cream city.
After passing on a curry flavored frozen dessert I went for the Gelato Nero which I believe was being promoted as the most popular flavor. It’s very black and scooped into a black cone. I was hoping it would be something more original than say chocolate or fudge and I was rewarded. It was very tasty black sesame. It did require a but more clean up with a wet napkin given the dark color.
Nick Kent is a New York based artist who works with electronic media and is an occasional pop culture pundit.
Posted by Guest Author on Dec 16, 2007 in Animation
Our Top Ten Anime and Manga Series to Watch For in 2008: It’s easy to find out about a Bleach or a Naruto once it’s being aired on Cartoon Network, but it can take years for an anime to be licensed, dubbed, and put on TV. So here’s our sneak peek at one of the ten manga or anime series that we feel are likely to hit it big in America in 2008:
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (anime) Status: Aired in Japan; Licensed by ADV
Giant mechs, cute girls, and not one but two badass heroes- it would have been tough for Gainax to go wrong on this one, but they didn’t slack off. Instead they created a genuinely fun, visually stunning series with more heart and soul than any other that aired in Japan in 2007. ADV has licensed the series and fast-tracked it, setting a release date of February 2008 for the first volume.
Posted by Guest Author on Dec 14, 2007 in Comic Books
Our Top Indie Cartoonists to Watch For in 2008: Keeping true to our “Anti-Superheroes in Tights” mood at fanboy, we took a look back at the comic books and graphic novels that caught our eye:
The Fart Party, by Julia Wertz
If you’re reading this theres a good chance youre an eight year old boy who googled fart for a laugh and are about to be sorely disappointed. Because Julia Wertz’s Fart Party is actually pretty short on gross-out humor (OK, there are some instances of eye gouging with a pencil and defecating down some annoying hipsters decapitated neck). Still, it manages to deliver lots of humorous autobio vignettes about life in San Francisco with a bicycle, a boyfriend, and eventually a breakup, all the while with plenty of beer. The four Bs, right? Julias comics are seen online at fartparty.org and in her minicomics, but the collected book put out by Atomic Books this year has made her one of the breakout indie cartoonists of 2007.
Not one to lose momentum, Julia is in the process of assembling an anthology based on the Missed Connections section of Craigslist. Aptly titled I Saw You: Missed Connections Comics, the book boasts an impressive list of contributors including such luminaries as Peter Bagge (he wrote the intro for the Fart Party Book too, BTW) , Keight Knight, and Sam Henderson, and is due out from Three Rivers/Random House in 2008.
Jenny Gonzalez is a New York City cartoonist and punk rock singer. You can see her stuff at jennydevildoll.com.
Over the last couple of decades there have been a bunch of Stephen King’s works translated to film, and a lot of them have met with everything from mild interest to outright disgust. Carrie, Maximum Overdrive (based on the short ‘Trucks’ and directed by King), Cat’s Eye (three of King’s shorts tied into a rather bizarre story featuring a young Drew Berrymore), Firestarter, and the list goes on and on…
Japanese convenience stores almost always carry a small selection of cocktails in a can. Occasionally something more unusual than a Mojito or a Fuzzy Navel can be found in at one. I discovered a seemingly family run convenience store somewhere in Kansai selling Denki Bran in a can which featured a retro design with an old Japanese city photo.
“Denki” I know means “Electric” only adding to the mystery. “Bran” I guess could mean something leading to regularity. At first worried it might be healthfully un-tasty, like the Korean wheat flavored soda I once had. After tasting some it was clear that “Bran” was short for brandy. But what about the electric part?
Posted by Guest Author on Dec 12, 2007 in Comic Books
Our Top Indie Cartoonists to Watch For in 2008: Keeping true to our “Anti-Superheroes in Tights” mood at fanboy, we took a look back at the comic books and graphic novels that caught our eye:
So, Ive been reading Robin Enricos comics for the past few years now and watching him steadily grow as an artist. And that’s a pretty sweet pastime to have, because Jam In The Band is his most ambitious project to date. Which means that in addition to Robin’s usual thoughtful writing and uncanny ear for dialogue, this particular comic features some of the most graphically eye-popping artwork and layouts Ive seen from him yet. Robin’s character designs are simple and dare I even say cute—but each page flows together with complex visual elements nonetheless.
Capsule Hotels are often mentioned in overseas media showcasing high-tech Japan. I guess I grew to have the impression after seeing travelogues that they were commonplace and perhaps they were a natural outcome of a society used to living in small spaces. Perhaps they were an answer to travelers on a very low budget. In actuality, while there are a number of them operating, they aren’t exactly commonplace, like for instance Love Hotels as business model. Though they themselves are on the decline.
Apparently the primary use of Capsule Hotels for quite a while has been a safe place to deposit an un-sober workmate after a bit too much evening socializing. After seeing an occasional passed out salary-men sprawled on the sidewalk I can definitely see how they solve a dilemma.
In Japan public transportation makes it’s last run on each line at midnight or thereabouts and stops for maintenance until 5AM. While taxis are available all night they are incredibly expensive can easily run up a hotel sized bill for someone a reasonable commuter distance away. So there is a danger of no return when staying out.
Posted by Guest Author on Dec 8, 2007 in Comic Books
Our Top Indie Cartoonists to Watch For in 2008: Keeping true to our “Anti-Superheroes in Tights” mood at fanboy, we took a look back at the comic books and graphic novels that caught our eye:
Scott Pilgrim Vol. 4: Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together, by Bryan Lee O’Malley
OK, this series has received it’s fair share of hype, but in case anyone has missed it, there’s a forth Scott Pilgrim book out and it may easily be one of my favorite releases for 2007.
In a nutshell, Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim series is about a sort of aimless 23 year old Canadian guy who plays in a local band called Sex Ba-bomb, and falls for a mysterious American ninja delivery girl named Ramona Flowers. Probably because she gets into his head-literally-while traveling through sub-space. In order to date her, Scott must defeat her seven evil exes, which might be seen as a metaphor for the baggage people bring into a new relationship except there are literal explosive and hilarious fights with each ex encounter. Meanwhile everything is implied from this all being a giant video game to Ramona not being the oh-so cool chick she seems, but only enough so to keep readers hanging on for the next volume.
Vol 4. presents along with more of the same action/comedy readers have come to expect, a bit of a maturation process on Scott’s part (and possibly Ramona’s)., as he deals with the likes of getting a job and dealing with his relationship at a more advanced level than previously seen.
Jenny Gonzalez is a New York City cartoonist and punk rock singer. You can see her stuff at jennydevildoll.com.
Today I’m going to talk about a film that’s been getting a lot of critical acclaim. I know, I know, ‘critical acclaim’ tends to be Hollywoodspeak for artistic crap but there are exceptions. Pulp Fiction was critically acclaimed and it was chock full of blood, violence and Uma Thurman. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was critically acclaimed and introduced the western world to Ang Lee and while the movie had it’s moments of pure eastern spiritualism it still stands as one of the great action packed films of the last decade.
Now comes No Country for Old Men. The Cohen Brothers (O’ Brother Where Art Thou, The Big Labowski, Fargo) bring the novel by Cormac Mccarthy to life. A drug deal in the middle of the desert goes wrong leaving several dead bodies, A truckload of Heroin and two million dollars in cash and a dead dog (which is pointed out by just about everyone that sees it). The first to find it all is Llewellyn Moss played by Josh Brolin (Planet Terror, American Gangster, In the Valley of Elah). Llewellyn steals the money with the plan on keeping it and soon finds himself being tracked by the very creepy and insane Anton Chigurh played by Javier Bardem (Goya’s Ghosts, Life in the Time of Cholera). Also after Llewellyn are the Mexican Cartels, a local Sheriff played by Tommy Lee Jones and the firm that originally brokered the drug deal.
2007 was a year filled with blockbuster films, Spider-Man returned for a 3rd (and final?) installment that introduced the world to Venom and brought joy to the lips of comic book fanboys worldwide. Johnny Depp took on the mantle of Captain Jack Sparrow and sailed around the world. Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez took us into an absurd world of violence and flesh with their homage to the 70’s exploitation films with Grindhouse.
In the world of horror films it was more of a down year. Films like The Pulse, The Reaping and Captivity netted lukewarm box office at best. That does not mean that there weren’t any good horror movies out there in 2007, just that no one went to see them.
My favorite weekend of the year recently passed by, a new annual tradition called Horrorfest. Lionsgate and After Dark Studios releases 8 new horror films for one week in a limited release. The fun of Horrorfest is watching all 8 movies over one weekend. 3 on Friday, 3 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday. By the last film Sunday night you’re sated on a virtual feast of death, mayhem and fantastic situations.
With this being my first column I’ve decided to begin the discussion of the best horror movies you probably haven’t seen from the year 2007 with one of the ‘8 Movies to Die For’ from Horrorfest called Tooth and Nail:
After missing out on Pepsi’s popular but limited edition Pepsi Ice Cucumber flavor, I was on the hunt for a soda challenge. I guess to some extent I found it in the new Fanta Mystery Flavor from Coca-Cola Japan. Apparently it’s a combination of 2 fruit flavors but you’ll have to determine which ones by drinking it. There’s some sort of mobile phone mystery game tie in to play along with and eventually discover if your guess is right about the 2 (very artificial) flavors perhaps long after you really care to know. I notice the little fruits on the bottle have legs. Maybe they are fleeing from the scene of a crime?
I remember years ago there was an old man with a now gone shoebox sized store in Akiba. It might have been a smoking den since all I think inside there were vending machines and benches. What I remember is he had a drink vending machine with one of the display cans all wrapped up in brown bag paper and question marks written in magic marker on it. I didn’t go for it because it’s surely risking something not nice tasting.
While gashapon (capsule toys) of beetles are far from uncommon, I noticed this series of dung rolling beetle miniatures utilizes the capsule as a replica of a dung ball (click on the image above to view the vending machine at full size).
There have been enough stories of actual live beetles sold from vending machines to maybe make some people believe that it’s commonplace, ranking right up there with school girl underwear vending machines. While I’m sure someone must have tried the idea, it’s a fallacy that either is commonplace. I’m sure someone must have tried it back in the 1990s sometime, but it’s more legend than something one may likely run into.
I came across the above can of grape flavored Bingo Bongo soda that I found in an Osaka vending machine. I can’t help but to notice more than a little resemblance to Oingo Boingo’s Danny Elfman. Well as per Bingo Bongo there’s not much more to it than seeming to be a pretty odd potential infringement case…
Nick Kent is a New York based artist who works with electronic media and is an occasional pop culture pundit.
I saw this giant decoration in a Sendai shopping arcade. Presumably having no Thanksgiving holiday as a start date means a couple extra weeks of Xmas decorations. Now to me this looks a lot like Buddha dressed up as Santa Claus but I don’t know.
A friend who happened to be carrying her own Chinese knockoff toy with half the features of Mickey Mouse and Astro Boy in combined into one hybrid character disagreed as to the Buddha I.D. but couldn’t explain what was going on here. So at the very least, he’s a very meditative Asian department store Santa.
Nick Kent is a New York based artist who works with electronic media and is an occasional pop culture pundit.
