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Kannazuki No Miko
Anime DVD Review by Brian Cirulnick
 If the idea of hot chicks slugging it out in giant robots turns you on, here's a series to get your engine revving. Kannazuki No Miko - Destiny of Shrine Maiden - Solar Priestess - Volume One may be the longest name ever for a DVD, but once you get past that, it's really a pretty cool series about coming of age, only to learn that the fate of the universe is in your hands (as if the trials and tribulations of being a teenager weren't bad enough).
Himeko's sweet sixteen turns sour when a mysterious mark appears on her chest, proclaiming her the Solar Priestess and harbinger of the eight-headed beast. And then things get distinctly darker from there. To make matters worse, her best friends are battling for her affections - as well as against the pull of the heavenly bodies that prophecy their own involvment in the world's end.
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Viewtiful Joe
Anime DVD Review by Carolyn Whu
 No, you did not read wrong, it was not misprinted. It is Viewtiful, not Beautiful, Joe. If you've played the game like me (yes, there are female gamers out there), I loved the game and I have to say the anime did not disappoint this Viewtiful Joe fan.
Beautiful is too girlie a word to describe Viewtiful Joe but 'niiiiiiiiice' is not strong enough. When you look at it, there is an odd mixture of a refreshing new look but also nostalgia of the good old days of comic books, 2D cartoons, and classic movies. It has been a while that animes and games gave us clear distinctions of good guys versus bad guys like the old days. Personally, I kind of miss it when bad guys are just bad because they want to and not because they have bad childhood memories or something.
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Munto 2: Beyond The Wall of Time
Anime DVD Review by Brian Cirulnick
 Munto was so popular in Japan that this 2nd episode was funded by the fans!
Two years have passed since the catastrophic event known as the "Continent's Dropping" from the first OAV episode. Yumemi still has not forgotten her ability to see the world above, but now she's in the last years of middle school, tests and real life have taken over. When King Munto first appeared and demanded her help to save his world, she refused out of fear and has regretted her weakness ever since. Unknown to the people of the world, Akuto the world still thrives, but the war rages on. In need of help, Gaz sends Munto down into Earth once more to find the "Girl of Destiny" in order to save Heaven from its ultimately demise.
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Animation Runner Kuromi 2
Anime DVD Review by Brian Cirulnick
 This sequel to the popular and insightful Animation Runner Kuromi continues the misadventures of the newbie anime producer stuck between a rock and a hard place trying to get the animation done for the TV show that she is working on.
This time however, the studio is now working on three shows simultaneously, they are critically understaffed, and, if this wasn't enough stress, the boss brings in a maverick producer to get the jobs done, but he eschews quality control and direction, focusing on meeting the deadline at any cost.
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Naruto Clash of Ninja
(For Nintendo Gamecube)
Anime Videogame Review by Christian Liendo
 If you are the type that is into anime, but not into the time it takes to master the intricacies of fighting games, then Naruto Clash of Ninja is for you.
Naruto is a fighting game based on a popular manga featured in Japan's Shonen Jump Magazine. The manga and the cartoon have been released in the USA, gone on to become wildly popular, and the game is a natural outgrowth of the popularity of the series.
There are dozens of sites that will explain the story behind Naruto, but to sum it up: Naruto is about a boy who is a Ninja student who happens to have a fox demon locked inside him. Luckily the game gives us a brief intro for those of us who don't know much about the show.
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The Art of Fullmetal Alchemist
Anime Art Book Review
by Brian Cirulnick
 This beautiful coffee table book contains all the FullMetal Alchemist color artwork by manga artist Hiromu Arakawa from 2001 to 2003. Born in Hokkaido (northern Japan), Hiromu Arakawa first attracted national attention in 1999 with her award-winning manga Stray Dog. Her series Fullmetal Alchemist debuted in 2001 in Square Enix's monthly manga anthology Shonen Gangan.
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What's What in Japanese Restaurants:
A Guide to Ordering Eating and Enjoying
Japan Travel Book Review by Brian Cirulnick
 Perhaps you consider yourself a sushi fanatic; perhaps you know enough about Japanese cuisine and Japan to order the Kappa Maki. But, hey man, what's the purple stuff next to the Yakisoba? Are you ready for pickled carrots? Do you know a Daicon when you see it?
If you are going on a trip to Japan, take "What's What in Japanese Restaurants" with you. It is a handy, pocket-sized reference book that will save you many a stomach-ache and hopefully let you discover many a good taste. Not all strange Japanese food is to be feared!
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Ghost in the Shell:
Stand Alone Complex Vol. 2
Anime Soundtrack Review by Brian Cirulnick
 Yoko Kanno hits the mark again with this spectacular soundtrack. Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex season 1 suffered from trying to do too much with few resources (we never liked the title sequence, it's a sad day when computer animation looks worse than hand-drawn), but season 2 (aka 2nd Gig) kicks ass on every level and the music here is a definite keeper.
Although not as jazzy as some of her other soundtracks, this keeps to the cyberpunk theme of the show, heavily relying on electronica, and more of a techno feel, using very few "organic" instruments.
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