Posted by Michael Pinto on Dec 2, 2008 in Animation
If you hate what Hollywood does to anime classics (or perhaps just dread the thought of it) you’ll love this parody flash film which comes from Happy Harry Toons in England.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Nov 21, 2008 in Animation
Why did the makers of the new CGI Astro Boy decide to “improve” upon Tezuka’s original design and outfit our hero in a preppie styled sweater and pants? The other thing that makes me sad about this first preview is that the rest of the characters make this look like every other CGI movie that’s ever been made. This won’t win over the old fanboys who might take the kids, it won’t win over the kids because it looks like everything else, and I can only guess how the Japanese will feel about this wardrobe upgrade. Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Nov 17, 2008 in Animation
It’s starting to look like there is a very good chance for Hollywood to produce a Robotech film, although the project can still get shot down. After the Speed Racer film I have mixed feelings as to if Hollywood can get the film right, although on the flip side many fanboys seemed happy with the Transformers films. To me it’s not a question of special effects which Hollywood can do well, but if they can make the story and casting work: Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Nov 11, 2008 in Animation
Frankly I’m still a bit let down from last year when the Academy picked glossy Ratatouille over the more interesting Persepolis. This year fourteen films were submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, of those only three lucky picks will make the cut to be in the best animated feature category. This year the films come from every corner of the world, although as an anime fanboy I’m very happy to see two entries from Japan! Here’s a guide of who’s who this year: Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Nov 4, 2008 in Animation
FUNImation is starting to get this digital media thing! On YouTube they’ve posted a test episode of Sgt. Frog (ケロロ軍曹 Keroro Gunsō). I like what FUNImation is doing on two levels: First they’ve done a nice job with the voice overs, Keroro is a real challenge to translate as it’s about the humor. Secondly they’ve embraced online video — but instead of reinventing the wheel they’re using YouTube which everyone is already watching. I hope FUNImation keeps this up…
I think I’ve yet to see a Nendoroid figurine that didn’t cute me out — and in this case Yoshika Miyafuji (the already cute heroin of Strike Witches – ストライクウィッチーズ) becomes even more adorable in her Nendoroid treatment. Yoshika is available for pre-order now, but she won’t show up on your doorstep until April of 2009.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Oct 23, 2008 in Animation
The Right Stuf is releasing the classic 1980 anime film Toward the Terra on DVD just in time for Christmas. Back in the day as a 80s fanboy this was one of my favorite flicks, and it still holds up well today judging by the trailer above. Firstly the story line is A+ if your any sort of science fiction fanatic as the plot is very similar to A.E. van Vogt’s famous novel SLAN. Next you have the look of the film which holds up very well some 28 years later!
Posted by Michael Pinto on Sep 29, 2008 in Animation
This is the latest trailer for the Lucky Star OVA release — this latest promo stars a live action actor playing the owner of the comic book shop. While wandering around on Friday at the New York Anime Festival I asked the marketing director of Bandai here in the States if they we’re planning on bringing over the OVA and reading in between the lines my sense is that they’re waiting to see how the current box set for the first series does on the market.
To me this sort of represents a major issue that the “Anime Industry” in the US faces — unless you can sell at least 5,000 copies of a DVD it just isn’t worth the effort to even think about a show. And even then it can take well over a year from when a show comes out until it can be packaged for America, and by that time tastes may have already changed. The flip side is also that the Japanese may want a premium for their show, which while it may be a hit in Japan could be a risk for an American distributer. And inside of this gap the niche audience for a show will either “share it” via P2P or a brave few will order a DVD from amazon.jp.
I do see some hope emerging as slowly companies seem to be waking up: At NYAF Funimation was pushing people to watch their channel on YouTube or order their channel on Verizon FIOS. I was also hearing about a Hulu channel for Anime and it even seems that Anime News Network is getting into the act by streaming some show in a “low quality resolution”. But I think the real solution will be for the Japanese companies to cut the middle man out and put their stuff on YouTube, have fans subtitle it at low cost and make their money by having Google sell the advertising. This is just a theory of course but I have noticed that even with this economic meltdown that Google’s stock price has yet to go below $400 a share.
The other nice thing about the Google/YouTube model is that it will allow indie film/video folks to produce a show that can hit a global market: So you might see a flood of new work coming from Bollywood and Hong Kong aimed at a larger audience.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Sep 28, 2008 in Animation
Super Mega Special Mecha Awesome Chocolate-Dipped Shining Flaming Glowing Incredible Serve! Shown above is a clip from the new Lucky Star OVA which was just released in Japan. While on the surface the show is a comedy, what I’ve always admired about the series is that doesn’t mean that the characters are flat like a typical sitcom.
This scene is a good example: There’s a volleyball showdown that makes many references to various pop culture references, but under that there is the touch of getting inside the mind of Tsukasa Hiiragi who is the younger sister of Kagami. After getting knocked down Tsukasa grows up a little bit and dusts herself off to try and beat her older sister — in Hollywood this would be the turning point and the loser would become the winner. However the writers still make her lose, but now she can dream of the future day of not being in her sister’s shadow.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Sep 15, 2008 in Animation
This Evangelion Rei USB Memory Stick is just too cute for words! Buffalo Japan will be doing a limited run of this Anime collectable which will store up to 4 gigs of files and is available at GeekStuff4U.com on pre-order.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Aug 27, 2008 in Animation
I’m not 100% sure what the cute pup has to to do with Lucky Star, but the above video is a commercial for the Lucky Star OVA which will come out in Japan on September 26th:
“The official Japanese website of the Lucky Star anime franchise is streaming a television commercial for the Lucky Star OVA, a new adaptation of Kagami Yoshimizu’s four-panel gag manga about four girls’ everyday life. The site posted the designs of the characters Konata, Kagami, Tsukasa, and Nanako in fantasy adventure outfits. It also posted the designs of Konata cosplaying as The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya’s Yuki in a witch’s hat and Kagami as the virtual idol Miku Hatsune, as depicted on the anime’s jacket cover. ”
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 25, 2008 in Animation
If you’re a hardcore Evangelion fanboy you’re going to want to own your own Evangelion Miniature Refrigerator which comes in either Rei Ayanami Blue or Asuka Langley Red. What’s strange about this fridge is that you can also use it as a food warmer too, but my guess is that this time of year you’d use it to keep your sake cool.
“The Tokyo International Anime Fair (TAF), the world biggest trade fair for toons, has presented “Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone” with its Animation of the Year award, organizers announced on Monday.
Receiving the Grand Prize in the Nominated Works section was “Adventures in the NPM,” a Taiwanese short by Helen Huang that is an animated guide through the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Grzegorz Jonkajtys’ “Ark” and Moin Samadi’s “The Lost Puppet” were selected as Notable Entries in the General Category, the section’s second prize. Young-kwang Jo’s “Christmas in Taxi” scooped the Special Award, while Takashi Kato’s “The Clockwork City” and Guillaume Briet’s “BistRobot” won Notable Entry prizes in the Student Category.”
