Posted by Bob Muir on Sep 6, 2012 in Anime, Cinema
April 2011 saw the release of Tiger & Bunny, an anime about two superheroes competing to be better than other superheroes on a corporate-sponsored reality TV program. It was a sleeper hit, leading to two compilation movies being produced based on existing animation, with new animation added in to smooth over the cut content. The first of those movies, Gekijo-ban Tiger & Bunny -The Beginning-, is premiering this month, not only in Japan, but also in America. Read more…
I’ve mostly outgrown my affection for the typical shonen genre exemplified by franchises like Bleach and Naruto. However, there is no way I can abandon One Piece, be it for the inventive action, energetic characters, and boundless enthusiasm on show. I think at this point I’m enough of a fan to even consider playing a videogame based on a series I’ve so far avoided. Part of that is how accurately One Piece: Pirate Warriors for PS3 depicts famous fights from the story. Read more…
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 29, 2012 in Anime, Cinema
The next installment in Studio 4°C’s adaptation of Berserk is coming soon to Japan, and the studio has released a brand-new trailer via Yahoo! Movies Japan. Titled Berserk Golden Age Arc III: Descent, the movie wraps up the planned trilogy covering volumes 3-15 of the classic manga. (Wait, does it count as classic if it’s still running? Author Kentaro Miura sure likes taking his time.) Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Aug 28, 2012 in Anime, Fandom
Recently a friend dropped an interest factoid onto my Facebook page: Thirty years ago today on August 28th, 1982 as part of the Creation Summer Expo*NY comic book con there was a mini-convention held inside which was called the Star Blazers Mini Con. Up until that point there were gatherings of anime fans in New York City thanks to the local chapter of the Cartoon/Fantasy Organization, but this was the first time that anime fandom found a place inside of a larger convention. My memory is fuzzy but the event lasted two full days, had about 100 people hanging around at any time and featured a mix of videotapes being played along with panel discussions. Read more…
There was once a time when trying to find a decent looking shirt featuring your favorite anime was nearly-impossible. You could either settle for an over-sized beefy tee, or one of those awful lounge-shirts with a design that covered entire front side, and sometimes even wrapped around. Times have certainly changed, and fortunately enough, we have other options. Recently, our fellow fanboy.com writer, Ben Huber, recently designed this awesome Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann shirt. Once again, thanks to the wonders of the internet, you can choose a variety of sizes and colors — including a women’s fit — or you can even pick up a hoodie. Each shirt is made to order and is available for order directly from Ben’s Society6 store. Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Mar 25, 2012 in Anime, Fandom
Joe Vecchio has been working diligently to create a musical based on the romantic comedy manga Maison Ikkoku which was created by Rumiko Takahashi. When I first heard about this project I had my doubts, however at Anime Central in 2011 Joe managed to get a read through of his play for his fellow otaku. And now he’s on a quest to take his dream to the next level via the website Kickstarer: Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 24, 2012 in Animation
If you grew up with Star Blazers, Captain Harlock and Galaxy Express 999 the new Leiji Matsumoto series Ozma will bring a smile to your face! This new show will have a science fiction theme (of course!) and will start airing in Japan on March 16th this year. Below is a look at some of the character designs which remind me a great deal of Captain Harlock: Read more…
According to reports, Bandai Entertainment announced that they’re through localizing new anime and manga. While they will continue to sell their current products, Bandai plans to shift its focus to license distribution. Subsequently, all the upcoming anime and manga series they’ve announced have been officially cancelled. If you were looking forward to Turn A Gundam, you’ll just have to hope someone will be able to re-license it once Bandai’s current license expires. This also applies to several upcoming manga titles like Gurren Lagann volume 7, Code Geass, Kannagi 4, 5, 6 and others.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Nov 26, 2011 in Animation, Anime
In the early 80s two short animation films created for the Diacon science fiction convention would give a start to an animation studio that would become known as Gianax. I first watched these animations on well worn VHS tapes in that era and all these years later the animation still holds up. But it seems that some younger otaku have adopted the shorts and made them their own by doing a recreated and updated 3D version which looks pretty nice — check it out: Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Nov 13, 2011 in Animation, Fandom
Oh sure any fanboy can buy a mere Mobile Suit Gundam model kit and put it together — but only a hardcore fanboy like Taras Lesko can hand craft a seven foot tall Gundam out of paper! Shown below is the step-by-step assembly and a video that he made: Read more…
At long last the One Piece x Hello Kitty goodies are hitting the shelves in Japan for all of those kitty pirates who want something cool for Christmas! This collection includes a line of phone charms, ear buds, a notebook and of course and iPhone case which can be purchased online (of course your ill need to know how to read Japanese): Read more…
Not to long ago, From Software announced they were developing a PS3 game based on the latest entry in the Mobile Suit Gundam saga, Gundam Unicorn. Seeing as the series of OVAs are still in production, the game will only cover the first three episodes to date, and should include most, if not all, of the mobile suits depicted in them. According to a recent issues of Famitsu, developers have been working to increase the speed of the gameplay while trying to take into account the heavy feeling associated with piloting a mobile suit. I’m not really sure how the two will mesh, so I hope they can find some middle ground. They also mentioned that Sunrise — the studio responsible for the anime, seemed rather impressed with the level of detail they’ve captured with the in-game models. Read more…
As a retro anime fanboy my heart warmed up when I came across the table of Tara Tallan at the New York Comic Con — her webcomic Galaxion is very inspired by Star Blazers which happens to be one of my favorite shows in the universe. Unlike most science fiction stories this manga isn’t dark and gritty, if you love indie comics you can show Tara your support by buying the first two volumes of the series: Read more…
It looks like it’s crossover universe time on Gurren Lagann! If you look at this second photo it seems pretty clear that Yoko Littner is smitten with the Time Lord (and vise versa): Read more…
Many a stylish fangurl could be spotted at New York Comic Con this year — this photo essay not only includes those into goth lolita looks, but also those cosplayer who go that extra mile: Read more…
I’ve never been fond of K-ON! Not because it’s insanely popular, because it really is, but rather because I found it incredibly mindless. I hesitate to label it a “slice of life” series since it seems to have an actual plot as opposed to something like Azumanga Daioh. However, I would constantly find myself questioning the point of each episode. I found some of the characters, Ritsu in particular, to be far too annoying for my tastes. That said, I know there are a lot of you who loved series to death, so if you haven’t already, I’m sure you’ll be excited to see the trailer for upcoming animated film. It was announced early last year but this is the first real trailer to be released. The film will hit Japanese theaters later this year.
Great news for those of of us who love manga pirates and cartoon cats: Sanrio and Toei Animation are planning a merchandising plan for ONE PIECE × HELLO KITTY for a wide range of products which will come out in November. Goodies will include clothing, stationery, cosmetics and even fashion accessories. The branding will feature Kitty dressed up as Chopper, and hopper will sport a kitty hat (which make sense given how much Tony Chopper enjoys all things pink). Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 25, 2011 in Anime, Dr. Who
It doesn’t feature Matt Smith, and might lack in the production department, but this fan-made 80’s style Doctor Who anime has its moments. The artist responsible for the video also noted that if you’re the least bit confused about the Cybermen and their use of the word “excellent” or The Doctor’s martial arts, then you’ve been missing out on the classics. Of course, they also insist that sitting though those classics will instantly make you more handsome, but I’m pretty sure there’s nothing handsome about sticky celery or poorly knit scarves. Nevertheless, the video’s a nifty idea. Now, if only Japan would make a proper Doctor Who anime. That’d be awesome.
