I Can Has 感じ

Thanks to the incredible wisdom of a man known to much of the world as Peso (who, btw, is responsible for one of the single greatest businesses I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with).......I've learned how to make Vista type in Kanji. AND....I've learned how to make Firefox tell me what said Kanji means.

Which, in turn, means..................that I'm going to be a lot more involved in the Japanese scene than I ever thought possible...................

And I can actually look up song lyrics when I don't understand what's being said.

And...........well, really, the possibilities are infinite, my internet friends.

This may progress from more of a hobby into a well-honed information gathering machine.

If I had something to say that required the use of Japanese, Kanji, or really....anything.....rest assured that I would do it.

Next time, Gadget. Next time.

AQUARIOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, thanks to FUNimation (no, seriously.....THANKS to FUNimation......), I've developed a bit of a weird addiction to the show Aquarion (AKA Genesis of Aquarion, but does it matter???). I'd watched I think the first two episodes "back in the day" (2005), but that was well before my GUNDAM days, so I just don't think I had quite the appreciation for ridiculous mecha shows at the time. It's not that I didn't like them, because I enjoyed RahXephon quite a bit, and Aquarion definitely draws more on elements of RahXephon and Evangelion than GUNDAM or Macross, but I guess I just wasn't in the mood to keep watching Aquarion at the time. And then I forgot about it..........

Last year when FUNimation sent us screeners for Geek.Kon, they sent us the ENTIRE box set of Aquarion. Which, in retrospect, is actually pretty neat......... But Mayama was all "ick" and I didn't remember enough about the show to question why he hated it, so I left it at that.

Fast forward to now.......FUNimation is showing Aquarion on their BADA$$ FUNimation free home video channel!!! So, I thought, I'm gonna watch this. Mostly since I feel like the website needs some diversity in the reviews, since I write them all and I tend to not WATCH shows that I know are going to suck.......who has the time for that? I had some time to kill before work on Friday morning and a new lappy just sitting here being ostentatiously red and looking at me, so I decided to see what I could see on the FUNimation channel. And alphabetically, Aquarion was first. So I watched the first episode. And I actually kinda liked it. I like the subtle yet not Biblical references it drops (like Eva) and I like the similarities to RahXephon, and I like that Yoko Kanno once again did an amazing job with the musical score. At the very least it intrigued me. It's certainly not without its flaws (over CG the mecha fight scenes much?!?!), but it's interesting. So interesting, in fact, that I've watched through episode 4 as of now (in like a day, really.....but spread out a bit). This is neat, because it's been awhile since I've been able to sit down at my computer and watch anime irrespective of things (especially since I'm not doing the fansub thing.....), but it's problematic in that it's really really nice outside and I should be outside. FUNi.........why couldn't you have released this in the dead of winter for those of us in the northern climes???

Well.......perhaps now I will go back to cleaning my house. Or watch more Aquarion..............

It's like this:
"Right. I've fallen into the one percent chance of being involved in an actual conspiracy." --Tatsuhiro Satou (Welcome to the NHK ep. 1)

By which, I mean:
"By airing funny anime, they are mass-producing anime otaku, and thus, are partly responsible for the emergence of such a significant number of NEETs." --Tatsuhiro Satou (Welcome to the NHK ep. 1)

But really, as soon as Mayama is done writing his paper, we're freaking going outside!!!!!!!!!!!

FUNimation Rocks my world

Minna!!!!!

Exciting news for fans of Fullmetal Alchemist!

Many of you may have heard that studio BONES has decided to re-make the FMA anime to follow the plotline of the manga more accurately. They will start the story from the beginning and stick to the (many would say) more exciting plot of the manga. The first episode aired in Japan on April 5.

FUNimation.....the holders of the rights to FMA in the US will also be licensing and distributing the new Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. BUT....more than that, they will stream it on their website starting at 12:00pm on APRIL 9.....just 4 days after the episode aired on TV in Japan.....and you can watch it there!!! This is revolutionary stuff, and I, for one, am very excited. If you're a fan of the FMA anime and haven't read the manga, I assure you that this new series will blow you away. If you have read the manga.....you already know we're in for a treat. You can find an article about this at Anime News Network by going to: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-04-03/funimation-to-stream-2009-fullmetal-alchemist-on-april-9

In further FUNimation rocks our world news............FUNimation has also partnered up with Veoh to bring us a lot of other titles for completely free.......see ANN: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2009-04-06/veoh-networks-inks-distribution-deal-with-funimation-entertainment. AND....they've partnered up with VIZ media to show some much awaited titles (NANA and Honey and Clover, anyone?!?!) to their FUNimation channel lineup in late spring. Those of you who get that channel.........I am very jealous of you. Very very jealous. More info at ANN: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-04-06/funimation-channel-adds-viz-anime-starting-late-spring

I continue to love FUNimation, because they continue to love us and the industry.

Shoujo to Start the Morning

I read chapter 2 of Sand Chronicles (following chapters 1 & 2 of Honey and Clover) on the train this morning (LOL I'm SO behind in Shoujo Beat....).

It made me sad.

But happy sad. The kind of sad that Honey & Clover made me feel the first time I watched it. Not quite KGNE sad....nothing's lived up to THAT one yet.

That's all. It's a grey, overcast, rainy day....and I read sad manga. Way to rock.

Baccano!

My Netflix wasn't coming through for me, so I used the magic of FUNimation's internet episode streaming to watch the first episode of Baccano! tonight. I really like it. The show has promise.

I'd heard people talk about this show from time to time, and it sounded like it had a lot of things that intrigue me. It's set in New York in the 1930's. It follows about 20 years (maybe more?) of gang wars in New York....as seen from the look back of two newspaper reporters. There are also 20 characters. Not kidding. The director uses the first part of the first episode to seemingly justify this......he has the reporters talking about the story and where it should start and who the main character should be and how hard it is to successfully follow so many characters. It was a bit weird, I admit....the way it was set up. But once we got past that and into the story, it was pretty great again. Right......I forgot to mention that most (if not all) of the 20 characters are immortals. Yes.....immortals, involved in gang wars in 1930's New York.

See....I heard the premise for this series and I thought.......it's hard for that to go wrong.

So far it doesn't. I mean, yes, it's hard to follow because there are so many characters. After one episode I have no hope of knowing who is who (excepting a few key characters). They also all have weird names. And of course, there are many story arcs going on at once. This show has a LOT going on. But it's done well. The art and setting and music are exactly what they should be to put you in the time that the story is taking place.....lots of jazz music, lots of muted browns and dark backgrounds and shadow. It's all well executed. Even the opening sequence is a perfect jazz/swing number while the still images of the characters flash by with their names next to them (everyone has weird names......Jaccuzzi is my favorite, I think). The end theme is.......well, it's an end theme. It's a nice slow J-pop ballad composed by Yuki Kajiura. It didn't do anything for me. I would rather have gotten more jazz or swing.

I'm not going to talk about the story or really get in depth at all, because I wouldn't do it justice at this point. Hopefully I'll be able to procure the first disc from Netflix very soon (though I think that if I like the first disc then I will likely buy this series the next time the FUNimation sale comes around).....once I watch enough to get a feel for the show, I'll bring you a more in-depth review. This is DEFINITELY a first impression only.

But! My first impression is that this show is something special compared to a lot of what we've been seeing lately. I'm worried about following what's going on......but it's been ok so far, and it seems like the director knows what he's doing, even though he hadn't really directed much else but Koi Kaze (not getting into that).

Stay tuned for more when Netflix brings it to me!

Also......use the FUNimation webstream! It gives you a nice look at the shows....and you can download to own for less money than you would pay for DVDs!

Night Head Genesis

Is good. I think.

I'm still not entirely sure what it's deal is. But that's why I think it's good. It's not just handing me a cookie-cutter plot and/or making things very obvious for me. I like that. It's making me think a bit. I've only seen 3 episodes (Mayama was *tired* and wanted to go to bed....bah!), so obviously I don't know the whole deal with this show yet. But it's a thinking show. It's not quite a thinking show like, say, Noein is a thinking show (the theoretical physics.......), but it's a thinking show like Tokyo Majin is a thinking show. Though I've also only seen one disc of that, so I shouldn't really be making strong comparisons just yet.

I'll have a formal "first impressions" review on the website as soon as I finish disc one and have a formal first impression.....but I think I'm intrigued. It's definitely dark and twisted.....exploring the world of psychokinesis and psychic readings and all sorts of other stuff that humans can latently store up in the areas of their brains that aren't being used.

It's a bit slow moving though....so it's not for the instant gratification action anime fan. But it is for those who want to think about their show. Of which I am one.

Here are some that were NOT written by me:
Anime Planet Review
Star-Crossed Anime Blog
BasuGatsuBakuhatsu

Enjoy for now!!! This seems like it has the potential to be one of the better shows I've watched since ani-Thursdays with DragonSlippers!!!

Paradigm City's Top Negotiator.....

It's my birfday, bitches!!!

For my birthday this year, I was going to honor the SECOND most important thing happening today by posting a photoshopped fan-art picture I've been meaning to make since November. But I'm not as good with Photoshop as I thought I was, so it's not done yet.

There are those that deem it offensive, insulting, and possibly in poor taste, as well. I deem it FULL OF WIN!!!! If you ask me......it would be an HONOR to be compared with the man in the photo.

BUT...it's not done yet, so I'll have to tell you about it for now. Ready???????

Take THIS photo:


And replace the persons depicted with our new President, VP, and Secretary of State.

And then we all sing.........ready, go!

"Big O, Big O!"

Paradigm City's top negotiator...........................

To quote: "Roger Smith (played by our newest President) is the series protagonist. As a Negotiator, his job entails finding a resolution for the troubles of the City of Amnesia. He'd negotiate almost anything for anyone, but he is a professional and expects the parties involved to behave professionally. When memories betray the people and force them to reawaken monstrosities of the city's past, Roger's only option is to fight back with a monstrosity of his own, the black megadeus Big O.

"Norman Burg (played by our newest Vice President) is Roger's butler. Forty years before the commencement of the story, Norman, like the rest of Paradigm, lost all memories from before that day, but he would not think twice before going once more unto the breach for his master. Resourceful and talented, he is also caretaker of the Big O. Norman's skills give him a purpose and a mission to accomplish for Roger.

"R. Dorothy Wayneright (played by our newest Secretary of State) is Roger's assistant. Introduced in Act:01 as Dorothy Soldano, daughter of rich industrialist Miguel Soldano, she is later revealed to be an android constructed by him. Her actual "father" would be Timothy Wayneright, the man who commissioned her construction and father of the real Dorothy Wayneright. To show her gratitude, and as a form of payment for Roger's help, she decides to move in with him and help out Norman with the chores."

Is it any coincidence that the show finished it's run on January 19, 2000??? Yes....but I'm pretending it isn't.

It's my birthday!!! I'm allowed to make ridiculous inferences!!!!

EVERYONE WATCH BIG O!!!!!!!! Roger Smith is an m-fing BADASS!