Last night I finally got around to putting away my replacement K.O.R. DVDs. When I got to the 6th case I discovered that I was missing disc 6. I looked around, making sure I hadn't dropped it or anything and came to the conclusion that I never actually got it.
This morning I woke up and fired an email off to Animeigo saying 'Help! What do I do?' In under 30 minutes I got back an email apologizing and saying they'd send out a new one today. Now that's how customer service should be all the time.
So this coming week, we get the start of TechTV's Anime Unleashed. Starting off the lineup is Crest of The Stars.
As is usual with most anime on US television it is dubbed. My first reaction is 'bleh'. Though, as I think about it more I'm starting to wonder if this is actually necessary as a first step. While anime has a growing audience in America it still doesn't have the pull of US animation (in general). There are also a lot of people who just change the channel the moment they see subtitles. My personal feeling is that once more people start watching shows, there will be more of a demand for subtitling. I know I'd personally love to see them do a dubbed block, then maybe a subbed block really late that I could grab with my TiVo.
Anyone else have any thoughts on this? Beyond just the whole 'dubs are evil, subs rule' type arguments.
watched more Witch Hunter Robin yesterday. mm.... so need a Robin
cold-cast figure. oh yes!!! ^^
jayme and i *sparkle* just thinking about it.
so need the cd soundtrack, too. the music almost sounds like a mix
between Noir and Read or Die. i wonder if any of the same musical
directors involved in Robin were involved in those two...
i'll finally have more tshirts, anime themed ones that is, once i start
getting my anime dvd vol. 1 boxes with tshirts. well, that and the two
i still have sitting at emerald city comics in eugene ~sweatdrop~
i really do need to get those some time. demo, first gotta pay off the
rest of my tab there.
gyah! the first Chance Pop Session dvd is out and i don't have it yet?!!
must rectify that lil problem, yesindeed. better shrink my BCC box
dvd collection some more first though ^_^;
for those who are interested, a complete 3 year anime dvd checklist.
find those titles you missed and simply must have:
Anime 2K checklist
http://www.animeondvd.com/releases/checklist2000.php
Anime 2K1 checklist
http://www.animeondvd.com/releases/checklist2001.php
Anime 2K2 checklist
http://www.animeondvd.com/releases/checklist2002.php
see how the 2K2 list has exploded in size compared to 2000, and 2001
somewhat. i tremble in anticipation to see how 2K3 fares. more is g00d,
just not necesarily for the ole pocketbook }:D
Slightly expanded from the post on my blog...
So I'd been wanting to see a bunch of my friends lately, so sent out some random emails to people to come by and have some pizza last night along with watching a sampling of anime. It was pretty cool, the group ended up being Ethan, Sean, Emily, Brian, and Selma. I kinda wish I could invite more but my place is kinda tiny and I think we had just the right amount of people before getting claustrophobic. We had some good pizza, some good beer (including one from PA that I really like), and amazing brownies that kicked my ass.
Shows watched (first two episodes of each): Full Metal Panic, Fruits Basket, Naruto, and Azumanga Daioh. I think people liked the first three a bit and the last one broke some folks. That one does tend to be a bit more on the wacky side. I think if I do this again I'm going to show more of Full Metal Panic and Fruits Basket and just do two episodes at a time. (And don't worry Sean, I'll find you some of that stuff with tentacles since you seem so fixated on it.)
I talked to one of the people and he said he was getting overwhelmed a bit by the end, which fits what I was thinking. I'll hopefully give more reports (or maybe have them post some here as to what they thought about it) soon.
Now I just need to get Lyn to watch the first four episodes of Azumanga Daioh with me before she goes on her trip.
Makoto Shinkai, the person behind Hoshi no Koe has something new coming out in 2003. If your browser can support the Japanese language, take a look at The place promised in our early days.
Check out the links near the bottom for the trailer.
Looks like Makoto Shinkai's style all right. The character designs look like they are by Tazawa Ushio of God Dog Productions who did the 14th annual DoGA CG Anime Contest (Japan) winner Life no Color. Tenmon is doing the music. Just the three of them made this thing.
The trailer is so good, it is scary. I think Makoto Shinkai is a master. His work gives me hope that I can make something similar and also fills me with despair that I could never achieve such greatness.
This seems to happen to me a bit. New shows start. I find a few that I like, I find a few that I skip because they just don't sound like something I'd like. Then, two months later someone recommends one of the ones I skipped and I love it.
That just happened with Naruto. I just got done watching the second episode and it was SO much fun. So far it's pretty much an action/comedy show, though I hear some of the later episodes get more serious. I can't wait to see what happens.
Anyone else been checking this out?
I don't think I've run into another show quite like this one. I just finished watching the last episode and I just didn't want it to end. It was cute, funny, touching, silly, and just too much fun. This is one of those must watch shows in my opinion.
I just had to get my own Yamamaya.
(btw, merry christmas everyone!)
or something of the like ^_^
animedom and anime fandom has certainly changed a lot over
the last few years, especially in terms of fansubs -now digisubs-
and the sheer massively growing amount of available anime. and
there looks to be no end, of which i am glad :3
watching the digisub tapes greg has sent me reminds me of
my roots, of crowding around a tv with other otaku, hanging on every
5th gen fuzzy illegible sub. franticly fastforwarding to the next
episode cause damned if every episode didn't end with a cliff-hanger O_o
how each tape was coveted, especially the 1st-2nd gen tapes,
and where fansubs were a painstaking art-form of ultimate fandom
(and too much time on one's hands ^_- )
now we have digisubs. as long as they respect the same rules the
classic vhs fansubs and fansubbers did, then it's ok. but digisubs
are dangerous in that they are much more accesible and prone to
continuance and spreading after a series is liscenced. i'll buy the dvd
as soon as it comes out, fansubs or no, but some won't. and that is sad -.-
truly, i pity ye fool who raves over the latest digisub they downloaded,
but won't fork over a cent to buy the copyrighted liscenced dvd of it,
whether it be r1 or r2.
and what happened to spending hours, days, any resource possible
to rake in whatever news, tidbits, spoilage, info, background on your
latest anime obsessions and passions. now it's askaskask so you don't
have to find out on your own. for me, at least, anime is a very personal
passion which i enjoy on a most private/intimate level, but also that i like
to share with others so long as they respect that privacy/intimacy.
while i don't mind looking for and asking for insight on an anime, part of
the burning passion and love comes from that special something which
can't be quite put into words, you just feel it here ~points~ in your heart.
questions are ok, but i'm not going to provide all the answers. life
and anime isn't that easy; you gotta find some on your own :)
and what happened to the classics. yes, there is a lot of great anime
coming out today, along with the usual average and the usual shlock.
demo, i want some of those truly great classics on dvd too, especially
r1 dvd. that's one gripe i have with r1 companies is that they are truly
passing over some stellar timeless older anime just because it is older.
bah! age doesn't mean anything when it's g00d.
they call them Classics for a reason ^_^
I enjoyed gatekeepers quite a bit. It wasn't the most amazing show, but it was good light fun. I'd been waiting to check out any of Gatekeepers 21 until I finished watching the first series though.
So far I'm really impressed. This series has a completely different feel from the first one. A much darker feel. It takes place around 30 years after the original series and things have changed a lot. I've only watched the first three episodes, but I am anxious to check out more now.
I ran across a kinda nice anime site this morning. It's called Anime-Source.com. It feels like it's a little on the quiet side of things, but looks like it maybe be growing a little. I was looking for bbs systems with posts about Kiddy Grade and ran into it. (As an aside, Kiddy Grade 10 was pretty damn good IMHO).
I definitely say check it out.
I've been doing a bunch of reading lately. Included in it has been the first two and a half issues of Raijin Comics, the first issue of Shonen Jump, and some of the latest issue of Newtype USA.
First off, Raijin Comics. This is a weekly manga magazine that is being published in the US. From what I can tell from their web site, it is based out of Japan. I'm not quite sure about this yet. I'm actually finding I like a few of the stories in it. I will probably pick it up for a few more weeks and see if I still like it. So far I'm liking Guardian Angel Getten, The First President of Japan, and Slam Dunk. I'm also somewhat enjoying Fist of the Blue Sky.
Next is Shonen Jump. Viz's US version of the Japanese magazine of the same name. This one comes out only monthly though. It has titles like Dragonball Z, Yu-Gi-Oh, One Piece, Naruto, and Yu Yu Hakusho. I enjoying reading through the first issue, but after reading Raijin I realized that it is going to take them forever to tell some of these stories by being monthly. I think I'd prefer both these magazines to be biweekly.
Now for Newtype USA. I was out wandering around Harvard Square yesterday and noticed the newest one was out. I arrived home to find my copy sitting on my mailbox. I've only flipped through a quarter of it, but it looks cool so far. The thing that was great about this month's issue was the bonus DVD with the first episode of Noir. The good, 5.1 sound, beautiful transfer. The mediocre, the dubbing. Actually, I don't think that the dubbing was that bad compared to some I've heard. And I think some of it was me being used to the Japanese voices. My big complaint is that they don't include the Japanese language track and subtitles. Does it take that much more effort?
I'll GIVE you an anime title!
Generate one yourself!
While you are at it, how about a new name for yourself!
(I tried to post these links in the comments but they didn't show up.)
It occurs to me that we still haven't named this thing yet. While calling it "An Unnamed Anime Blog" forever DOES appeal to me, I'm not sure if appeals to everyone else. So, how about a contest? We can all submit some names and then vote, and since we now have 5 members, we're guaranteed a winner! Or a five/two-way tie, depending.
Oh well, I'll just assume we end up doing this at some point and throw out some suggestions: either "An Unnamed Anime Blog" or "Monument to Geekdom."
I think I misspelled 'monument,' but even if I did, it almost works better that way.
SEATBELTS!!!
Yoko Kanno and company are getting back together to do the music for new Bones (cowboy bebop maker) animation Wolf's Rain!
MORE MORE MORE
YOKO YOKO YOKO
KANNO KANNO KANNO
I have a question for you.
Whenever there is a comic and an animation available for a title, which do you prefer?
I seem to favor the form in which I first experience a title. Personally I think that sucks because I would like to think that I can objectively review a work and like it for itself and not be influenced by my first take.
Kodomo no Omocha? Watched the anime first and LOVE it. I tried the first volume of the manga and couldn't STAND it.
Chobits? Read the manga first and LOVE it. I tried watching the anime for awhile and stopped. The anime is not that bad, but just not as deep as the manga was taking me.
Saikano? Read the manga first and LOVE it. I picked the first volume when it just came out at a Japanese bookstore based soley on the pencil scratch cover artwork and the intriguing quotes written on the back. I am so happy this is so popular today. I thought that this would be a story impossible to make an anime out of due to the themes and scenes. I watched the first few anime episodes and thought it was very nicely done, but did not go out of my way to get the rest.
Some noteable exceptions are Fruits Basket and Karekano. I watched the anime for these first and love them to death. The manga for these are also wonderful. Maybe my feelings are colored by the fact that the manga is continuing the story for me where the anime left off.
After reading the stuff I wrote, maybe my taste is more along the lines of manga first, anime not as good and anime first, manga is good too. waitaminit, kodocha blew that out of the water. Oh yeah, I think KOR anime rules over KOR manga.
Then you have anime that inspires manga.
FLCL! anime:LOVE IT! manga: kinda like an american independent comic, totally different take, so I can enjoy this as a separate work.
COWBOY BEBOP! anime:ARE YOU KIDDING ME? manga: why bother?
Evangelion! anime: I'm a tool of Gainax. manga: I have not read much but what I have is great and people tell me it is great. PLUS MORE SADAMOTO ILLUSTRATIONS!
So you got an answer to my question already?
Animation Runner Kuromi!
This is a short anime (36min) by Daichi Akitarou, the director of Fruits Basket, Kodomo no Omocha, Jubei-chan.
He is one of my favorite directors because of his ability to create a mood.
Animation Runner Kuromi is about a recent anime academy graduate joining a Japanese animation studio doing what is considered the worst job relating to anime production- collect all the completed key animation scenes from the artists for an anime. Sounds simple, until you realize in order to stay on schedule, Kuromi will have to hound, threaten, cajole, and beg the artists to produce the work every day until she gets all her scenes.
Daichi's first start in anime was like this.
I heard rumors that some Japanese animators had watched this and could not laugh at the anime because it was too close to the awful truth for them to see the humor.
Even though this is a short anime or maybe because it is, I can't stop watching it. Maybe because it is a story about Kuromi trying her best in the face of such adversity, the stereotypes of the different kinds of animators that exist, or maybe it is because Kuromi-chan is so CUTE...I don't know. I do know that it does have that Daichi magic that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside once you are done watching it, like an episode of...FruitsBasketKodomoNoOmochaJubeiChanetc.
Recently an all-region DVD of this came out in Japan which is the version I now have. It is even subtitled in English because Daichi wanted to share this experience with all people.
konnichiwa minnasan!
after many years of slipping drugs into his food and secret mind control experiments, gregory has decide to allow me to inflict my anime-related bromides upon you all.
mua ha ha ha ha.
Mua Ha Ha Ha Ha.
MUA HA HA HA HA!!!!
*ahem*
4649 (yoroshiku)! ^.^
I was just looking at some of the VA credits for Abenobashi and noticed that one character was done by Hisakawa Aya and looked up her list of characters. Very impressive. It includes: Kero-chan (CCS), Chloe(Noir), Haruka(RahXephon), Yuki(Furuba), and Miki(Utena). I think knowing that Kero-chan and Yuki are one in the same is quite fitting. Now I'll forever think of him turning into Kero-chan when hugged.
(Damn I'm posting a lot tonight, that's what insomnia does to you).
I'm currently taping Gainax's Abenobashi Mahou Shotengai for k-chan and enjoying watching it through again. While this isn't in my top ten list of shows (or even top 20 possibly) it's a show that is pretty amazing in some ways. Shows that do parodies are all over the place, look at Excel Saga for instance. But there is something different about Abenobashi and I can't quite put my finger on it. Some of it is how much they will follow a parody, they go to some pretty extreme lengths. They even parody themselves. And the amount of references in the science fiction episode made my head spin, and I'm sure there were a number I was missing.
But at the heart of the show is actually a pretty cool story. Once you find out why they keep jumping from world to world and never making it home there's a different feel in the background to how everything feels. I think if it had been only a parody show I might not have liked it that much. The rest of the story surrounding the characters and their motivations is what made it work for me, even when the jokes started to get a little weary. One thing that is kind of interesting to me was reading the reviews over on animenfo.com as some of them seemed to get it (at least as I saw things) and some of them just saw the show as a silly slapstick comedy. Definitely a show to check out if you get the chance (I'm pretty sure it has been licensed in the US already).
I watched episode 9 of Haibane Renmei tonight and it was wonderful. This whole show has felt very powerful to me and I think with this episode it really has crawled its way into my list of favorite shows. It still remains to be seen how the whole thing is wrapped up in four more episodes, but I can't wait to see how it ends.
When I first heard about The Anime Network I was pretty psyched. A whole network just for anime? I guess it could happen. I mean there's G4, the network for video games (which I must say is kind of trippy to watch).
But now more details are being released and I'm getting a little disappointed with what I am hearing. First, one thing we knew about the network was that it is owned by ADV. I had hoped that despite the ownership they would have shows from a number of different companies. At least initially this doesn't seem to be so. They are all titles that are owned by ADV. Which is fine, because I like a lot of the shows, but it definitely seems to be targetted towards a certain demographic. And I've also seen most of the shows they will have on. In fact, I own the ones from ADV that I'm even interested in seeing. It will also mean that if other companies want their shows on TV they will have to either work something out with someplace like toon network, or start their own anime network. Who thinks there's enough of an audience for two 24 hour anime networks?
The next issue is that it appears it will be only available via Video on Demand. As far as I can tell this is a fairly new type of service that is not available in lots of places. It is similar to Pay-per-View, but not quite the same. You will be able to call up a menu and say 'I want to watch Gasaraki'. And then you will be able to watch Gasaraki, even being able to pause it and stuff like that. Nice technology, but I know my digital cable service doesn't offer it. So even if they wanted to show it they would have to start offering a whole new service they aren't currently. I would have much rather seen them have a regular cable network like Starz or Encore, but targetted towards anime. Then they'd have a much larger potential audience (I'm pretty sure the number of cable customers interested in anime is much larger than the number of digital cable customers with video on demand that are interested in anime).
So, where I was once happy, I'm now pretty unenthused. Maybe they'll surprise me somehow, but for now I'm not really that jazzed about it (especially since I don't have any chance of even getting it at this point in time). Oh yeah, and there was one other thing. Initial word is that they are showing 'uncut' dubs.
Oh, and here's a list of the shows that they are offering:
Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040
Burn Up W
Dai-Guard
Excel Saga
Gasaraki
Golden Boy
Gunsmith Cats
Kimera
Martian Successor Nadesico
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Ninja Resurrection
Noir
Orphen
Samurai X
Samurai X: The Motion Picture
Sorcerer Hunters
Spriggan
Tekken
Those Who Hunt Elves
For some additional reading, there is a thread over on the Anime on DVD Forums.
Well, this doesn't really belong here, seeing as how this is supposed to be an anime blog, but no one's using this for anything else and Trek has been a big source for both american and japanese culture, so what the heck, I'll give my impressions on Nemesis.
First of all, there's the obligatory joke: Staaarrrrsssssfleeeeeet (If you don't get it, go play the Resident Evil game of the same subtitle).
More seriously though, the movie did some things right and some things wrong. It's good to see Riker finally getting out from under Picard's umbrella. It's bad to see that some of the Trek cast have aged rather ungracefully. It's especially bad to see that Data seems to have reverted to uber-scientist mode, spewing huge words and techno-jargon that's completely unnecessary. What happened to all the progress he made in humanity? He's NEVER talked this stereotypically during any movie or TV show. On the good side for him, he finally managed to pull a Spock, completing the parallel between the two (I won't say what kind of Spock he pulled out of spoiler reasons, but if you've seen this movie, let's just say you know what the next movie's gonna be called).
Also on the good side is the parallel between Picard and Data and both of their nemesis... nemesii... nemesises... what's the plural of nemesis? (that reminds me, if you haven't seen Mystery Men, do so now, it's a great super-hero parody that doesn't get enough credit) Anyway, whatever it is, it's good. Picard takes the relationship with his nemesis a bit too seriously, but that's excusable since without that there wouldn't be a movie.
Now for some bad. The bad science is in full force (even worse than Voyager usually is... do the movies always have to have even worse science than the shows?). That wouldn't be so bad alone, but it violates VERY important Trek lore about cloaking devices: namely, that you can't use both a cloaking device and shields and weapons at the same time (well, to be honest, ocasionally they'll figure out how to use weapons and a cloak at the same time, but only in prototype ships and they sure can't get shields to work too). This is IMPORTANT! Without that restriction, the Romulans would have trashed the Federation centuries ago! Not to mention the fact that it invalidates dozens of episodes and several previous movies where that most important of restrictions is a key point.
Oh, and let's not forget the fighting. Besides several obviously tacked-on fight scenes (several of which were rather boring)... why has the Enterprise lost the ability to quarantine enemies in internal force fields? I don't get it. And why was Picard's strategy of ramming the Enterprise into the enemy a surprise? Oh, sorry, I spoiled it for you... get over it! He's used that thing as a battering ram in half his movies and tries to do it at least once every season of the show. I mean, really, when his ship gets beaten down and he's out of options, EVERY captain uses ramming speed. It's a sci-fi tradition, and I can't think of a single captain who hasn't done it several times.
I won't bother talking about the silliness of the Romulan politics. Bad politics is kind of a given, right along with bad science.
In conclusion, Nemesis is a pretty good sci-fi movie with great effects that's a bit over-fond of using them. It steers clear of the most obvious cliches but fails to do anything really incredible. The plot and moral conflict is good and interesting, but not interesting enough to carry the movie. In short, the plot is a great hook, but when you leave the theatre you'll be talking about how cool that ship looked and how great the space battle was, not how interesting the story was.
I once said that the reason I was so critical of Star Trek is that it is supposed to be the pinnacle of science fiction, and I expect it to live up to that standard. The response was that Star Trek IS the pinnacle of science fiction. Upon consideration, I've realized that it's true. Now I just wish that pinnacle was higher: I feel like we've been flying sci-fi at half mast for the past eight years (more or less when Voyager premiered).
the japanese may be weird, but that's why i wuv em so much =^_^=
were else can i get breast scarves, the latest fashion craze, (and
trends come and go _fast_ in japan) along with pocky, takoyaki,
sushi, jpop, and cute ^^
because it is all about the CUTE! :D
having watched kare kano dvd 2, let me just say...
Yukino-chan, you rock!!!!! XD XD
Alright, so KG is a show about two teenage super-powered girls who beat up galactic armies with lipstick and maid outfits. I can accept all that.
But where the hell in all that do they come up with calling it "Kiddy Grade?" Huh? No, come on, tell me. Please.
It is kind of amazing how quickly anime has started to show up more on TV. I remember when you might have one or two shows brought over that were cut up a bunch and horribly dubbed (in more than a few places completely changing the stories). And in some cases that still happens (CardCaptor Sakura). But within the last month it is like there has been a number of press releases about new anime on TV. From Lupin and Trigun on Cartoon Network to ADV's Anime Channel. And today I was catching up on stuff over at ANN and saw that Tech TV is going to start showing anime too. And their list of shows includes some I really like, include Dual!, Lain, Crest of the Stars, and Silent Mobius. Now lets hope that they give things a good treatment.
They said it couldn't be done.
OKay they really said it shouldn't be done.
But I have done it!
Behold! The Dragons of Heaven and the Dragons of Earth (plus a few others)!
The girls: Karen, Arashi, Yuzuriha, Satsuke, Kotori, Hinato, Kanoe
The boys: Kamui, Sorata, Subaru, Seichirou, Fuuma, Yuuto, Nataku, Kusanagi, Kakyou, Seishirou
Remember, I don't do it for the money, I do it for the art. And because I don't want to study.
Fruits Basket boys - Yuki, Kyou, Shigure, Momiji, Hatori, Hatsuharu, Ayame, Akito
Fruits Basket girls - Tohru, Uo-chan, Hana-chan, Kisa, Kagura. Just ignore the fact that Kisa has, uh, boobs.
Noir - Mireille, Kirika, Chloe, Altena.
My doll magnum opus should be finished soon so stay tuned. And fear. Oh yes. You will fear.
Since I couldn't sleep well I decided to take in another episode of Kiddy Grade. This is a curious show to me. I really didn't like the first episode, that much. But, I'd downloaded the first four so figured I should check them out. I found as I was watching more and more of the show I was starting to enjoy it a bit more. I'm still not sure that it is a really good show, but I keep getting the feeling that they are really taking their time telling a bigger story.
Kiddy Grade is about two agents in an organization called GOTT. They are both teenagers, as most of the agents seem to be. The first is a kind of super-hacker, she seems to have the ability to hack a computer by just touching it or the wall right by it. The other just has stregth and speed and is a fighter. There have been hints that she's some kind of cyborg, but we still haven't gotten the full details on her abilities. The show itself is feels like pretty standard action stuff, with bits of humor added here and there. And the supporting cast has been quite interesting.
This show had much hype surrounding it, being a GONZO show. I was pretty disappointed with the show after the first episode and remember going "This is it?" Most of the reviews I read online were quite similar. Now, after seeing episode 8 I want to go back and rewatch it from the beginning while waiting for the next episode to be released. With each episode I like this show a little bit more. There definitely seems to be some kind of overall story that is slowly taking shape, so this show may end up completely surprising me and getting a much better review by the end of it. We'll definitely keep watching to see what happens next.
I'm fairly positive that we've already established that I am a big fangirling dork. Okay. So, I discovered a dollmaker program a few weeks ago, and immediately starting making little avatars from some of my favorite series. And now I will force them down your unwilling gullet! Bwahaha! A warning before we start: all these files take a little time to load.
The girls of Card Captor Sakura - left to right, Tomoyo, Sakura in a Card Captor Costume, Sakura in everyday wear, Meiling, Nadesiko, Sonomi, Ruby Moon
The Boys of Card Captor Sakura - Yue, Touya, Syaoran, Eriol and Yukito. Yukito's pretty crappy, but what can you do.
Clover - Suu, Oruha, Kazuhiko, Gingetsu and Ran.
Escaflowne girls - Hitomi, Merlulu, Millerna and Varie.
Escaflowne Boys - Van, Allen, Folken, Dilandau, Dryden. The boys came out much better than the girls.
Final Fantasy X Girls - Yuna, Lulu and Rikku. Believe it or not it took three tries to get Lulu right. It's the damn dress.
Yet more Yunas! - In her wedding dress and FFX-2 gettup
Final Fantasy X Boys - Tidus, Wakka, Auron, Seymore and Kimahri. I think this batch is my favorite so far.
thanx to the greatly appreciated generosity of greg-chan,
i've been able to enjoy some anime i have greatly been looking
forward to/wanting to see, but due to being on the import wagon,
was afraid i wouldn't see for a very looooooong time.
that being said. k-chan now owns a vcr, thusly now needing a
new a/v rack since it's taking up my second dvd player spot, and
reminiscing about the days when vhs fansubs ruled my vcr, along
with liscenced stuff too. but i'm talking about when a 4th, 5th, sometimes
6th generation fansub was the only way i would get to see a certain
anime title. but i didn't care, quality aside, if it was the only way i
could get my anime at the time. currently, just buying the r2 releases
have taken that spot, though most don't have subs some do. those are
on hold right now so i got to have something to fill the void in the meantime :)
upgradeitis is an a/vphile condition, much like anime addiction. combine the two,
and it can be deadly. of course, i'm both :P
watching my vhs digisubs of Robin, AzuDaioh, Spiral, Haibane Renmai
takes me back to those nostalgic days. it also reminds me of how spoiled
some otaku are these days, like my roommate (a relative newbie), who gets to revel
in my aodvd collection, and hadn't seen or heard of fansubs till i giddily received
my goody package from greg-chan {{glomples}}, got a vcr, stuck the tape
in, and reveled in anime g00dness. ahh.... love my anime ^___^ of course, i
was stuck with questions about the subtitles and such, which i fielded and
then tried to explain the history of fansubs which have been pretty much
replaced by digisubs. they aren't bad unless you use them as a substitute to
buying the real liscenced thing when they come out. for me, fansubs are an
inbetween to sate my thirst until i can get the liscenced dvd, whether it be r1,
r2, or both.
i don't know if that all sounds like rambles. i just know i loooooved the anime,
and it gave me that nostalgic feeling too. Robin, btw, rocks as much as i knew
it would. Haibane Renmai is Beautiful - i must have more. Reki is my fav ^^
Spiral is a fun treat, especially since mitsuishi-san is in it, and gotta have
more. AzuDaioh is ROTFLMAO!!!! crack - love it XD Sakaki-chan is all about
cute. she rocks :3
anime : drugs would be cheaper.
n33d m0r3! O_O
I am so psyched for the next few months. I SO need to find a job soon so I can get the DVDs I want. One of them being Noir. ADV just put up a promo page for it, complete with a pretty cool trailer/teaser. It's in both mov and wmv for your viewing pleasure.
This was one of the first shows I was watching when I started downloading digisubs and one of my favorites. It had an interesting story, felt kind of like some of my favorite action movies (think La Femme Nikita with a bit of John Woo). And the soundtrack is still one of my favorites. Whenever it makes it out to my car it doesn't leave for at least a week.
Pioneer has launced the web site for Ai Yori Aoshi. It's got details about the release as well the show itself. Pretty cool. This was a show I liked quite a bit. It wasn't perfect, but I thought the love story parts of it were quite sweet. It just went a little overboard with fan service now and then.
Woo, so after one false start with the DVD player earlier this week I got to check out the first Saikano DVD. For the most part I'm stalled on DVD buying, but I am letting myself get two or three a month (which I have to say is very very difficult). Saikano is one of those ones I've kind of reserved a buying spot for. I found it to be one of the most beautiful and sad shows I've ever seen. And, for once, it is being released with english subtitles in Japan.
They did a pretty good job with it. It is letterboxed, since the show was a widescreen show. It isn't anamorphic, in case people were wondering. But it's still really well done. It makes you realize how low quality digisubs are for the most part. I got the set with the box and the Chise figure. The box is really nice and will look quite cool on my bookshelf. I should see if I can find a picture of it to post here.
since I've last written on this blog. But shut up, you ingrates, I have a recommendation for you.
First of all, Toriyama's World is Your Friend. This site offers, free of charge, quality scanlations available for download of a variety of high quality manga that otherwise would not make it over to the U.S. It deserves your love and worship.
Poking around there today I discovered bleach and was unaccountably charmed. It's yet another rip-off I mean interpretation of the Shinigami myth, this time involving pissy high school boys who can see ghosts and even pissier tiny female shinigami and verily I was entertained and even sniffly at certain parts. Go read.
So this morning the mail guy came by with two packages. One of them was a big box from CDJapan. I was curious as to why they were sending such a big box so quickly ripped it open and discovered the Saikano DVD box with dvd and Chise action figure. There was also a really nice Saikano poster that looks more like pictures from the manga that I've seen.
And of course, as I'm typing this I discover that my DVD player has died. It sounds like the motor may have died because when I insert a disc it doesn't spin up. Bah. Thankfully I'm getting some consulting money this week so maybe I can replace it without spending a lot of money that I don't have.
A friend of mine just sent me a link to Robinmanga Daioh. I so wish I could get a translation of this. At least a few of the pages looked like spoofs from the show that I could recognize.
