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Satoshi Kon's Paranoia Agent
A young woman who designed a best selling line of stuffed toys. An oversexed reporter who can't pay his bills. A popular schoolboy who's losing his mojo. A teacher at war with her split personality. They're all connected somehow. They're all part of a complex equation. And they all got hit over the head. It looks as though some kid on roller blades is prowling the night knocking people senseless with a baseball bat.
Satoshi Kon (Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers) has teamed up with Madhouse Productions (Metropolis, Captain Harlock) to come up with a surreal series that's hard to define, and impossible to deny. Is it FLCL meets Twin Peaks? We're not sure either. Paranoia Agent is in a class by itself. It's brilliant, and it's out to give anime in general a severe concussion.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
This TV series (based on the characters created for Momaru Oshii's groundbreaking movie) is an astounding and eye-opening joyride through a cyberpunk universe of human-prosthetic hybrids and cutting-edge military technology. Masamune Shirow's elegant and frightening vision of the near-future is compelling and extraordinary, his work is on-par with Blade Runner and William Gibson, and Stand Alone Complex culls more from his seminal manga than the movie was able to.
Despite the limitations of television and budgetary constraints, the animation never ceases to be fluid, and there's plenty of computer enhanced imagery to go along with the hard-hitting action. Yoko Kanno's amazing soundtrack adds to the flavor and helps catapult this series to super "must-have" status.
Cyber City Collection
It's the year 2808. You're a criminal that has been sentenced to several hundred years in prison. In order to make use of your talents, you're forced to become the long arm of the law. You're outfitted with an explosive collar that is set to blow off your head unless you comply with orders from your superior.
That is the premise for this bone-crunching, ultra-violent Anime noir flick, loaded with characters who are sadistic and cunning, giving this film depth and texture. Three criminals-turned-cops stumble upon a plot by the government to create a lethal army of super-cyborgs that are equipped with psychic powers. Under orders of their superior, the three must put a stop to the government's plans -- or die trying.
Demon Lord Dante - Dante Resurrects (Vol. 1)
Teenager Ryo Utsugi has been disturbed by nightmares of a gigantic devil-creature who hunts down and murders young girls. Before he can pass this off as a sign of puberty, news arrives that young girls are indeed being brutally murdered.
 In no time, Ryo discovers that he's caught in the middle of an epic war for possession of planet Earth. On one side stands a satanic cult bent on resurrecting the hideous Demon Lord Dante. On the other side is a secret cadre led by Ryo's own father. Can Ryo make sense of things before it's too late? Why does he get the sinking feeling that he might be a demon himself?
All of this should tell you one thing. Go Nagai is back in town. Yes, this series is based on a manga drawn by the creator of DEVILMAN. It's jam packed with demons, monsters, naked ladies in peril, and a whole lot of the ultra-violent. Sit back and enjoy the ensuing carnage. They just don't make Armageddon like this anymore.
Ren & Stimpy: Complete 1st and 2nd Seasons
ABOUT BLOODY TIME! YES! They have FINALLY put out the best damn, funniest, most wonderful, brilliant and completely hysterical cartoon of all time out on DVD for us poor slobs to adore. If you don't grab this DVD right now you're a useless sack of protoplasm! It's SPACE MADNESS!
For those of you too young to remember what a really good cartoon is like, Ren and Stimpy simply changed the world forever and catapulted Nickelodeon from a kids network with zero ratings to a network that got college kids to cut their classes to race in front of the TV set to watch this one show.
Ren & Stimpy defined cutting edge and showed how far you could take a cartoon. Just do not watch while drinking coke, unless you want to pay for new shirts!
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Kasugai Wasabi Roasted Green Peas
Oh man, are these things addictive. There should be laws against this stuff. These are dried green peas covered with wasabi (a green, spicy horseradish paste that usually goes good with sushi), and while that might sound gross (to the uninitiated), believe us, it's really amazing.
Now admittedly, this isn't for everyone. You've got to enjoy the feeling of your mouth burning with flavor, you've got to love spicy food.
But wow, if this isn't the greatest snack ever invented, well then we don't know what is. Drink lots of water with these guys and then when you're addicted, upgrade to the BIG BAG!
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Funk Shui
Which seat in class has the best energy for taking a test? Where should you hang a crystal to attract a crush? How can you restore balance between you and your parents? You can find the answers to these questions and more in Funk Shui, a teen-toned primer on the Chinese philosophy of feng shui. From the home-front to school, each chapter focuses on a key aspect of teen/tween life.
Using the core tenets of chi, yin and yang, flow, and gua, teens learn how to clean out the clutter in their room and mind, create a no-fail notebook, approach social situations with confidence, and much more. An energetic, upbeat tone and cute illustrations make this hip and savvy book fun-to-read and easy-to-follow. Also includes 16 little cards each with a feng shui tip applicable to teen life, and a crystal with a hole and string to hang it on.
Sailor Moon the Novels: A Scout Is Born (Mixx Readz)
This series of Young-Adult Sailor Moon novels are much more fun to read than any old Harry Potter book, and continue the story of the series (as told by the DIC TV Show as it was run here in the US). The advantage of the novels is that they give you much better insight into the characters than the show ever could and you end up appreciating them more.
The authors do a great job of making the books easy to read, fun and funny! You'll be laughing out loud on the bus each morning. The young ladies of the world need an empowered heroine to help them through their troubled childhoods. Sailor Moon is there to fill that need. Get 'em all!
The Simple Art of Chinese Calligraphy
Practiced for over 5,000 years, Chinese calligraphy is arguably the most revered art form in the East. The Simple Art of Chinese Calligraphy is the complete, step-by-step beginner's guide to creating the sacred characters of Chinese script - the fragile motifs of fruit and flowers that have deep meaning in Eastern philosophy, and the symbols of happiness and fulfillment.
Chinese calligraphy calls for a meditative, relaxing focus on the task of creating unique, time-honored characters. As you gather and arrange the materials, the author demonstrates how to perform the ancient ritual of preparing the mind and body for the practice.
When readers create these unique symbols and signs, they will not only create beauty and rhythm on the page but also see how to connect with the spirituality that lies beneath much of the practice. Also, follow a series of step-by-step calligraphy projects, making greeting cards, place mats, decorative books and T-shirts.
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