4.18.2009

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!!!!!!!!!!!

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4.07.2009

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.