First thing first: do NOT, under any circumstances, start watching Ghost Hunt in the dark. If you are a seasoned horror fan, okay, you can skip on grabbing something to hide behind but do NOT watch this in the dark. Think Mermaid Forest updated by the people from Tsukihime with a little When They Cry thrown in.
In the world created by Fuyumi Ono, best known for the 12 Kingdoms series (manga and anime), it all starts off innocently enough. You know, young teenage girls telling scary stories back and forth after school just for fun. Mai Taniyama doesn't think anything of it. Who could resist telling stories about a creepy old school that is nearby? The best part of it is not only are her friends really scared of her stories but they have also attracted the attention of a very good-looking boy. Who cares if the school weirdo keeps warning her and her friends about inviting spirits to their world with their stories? Let everyone's imaginations run all over the place; there is nothing wrong with telling her stories. Read More...
Below: The haunting opening titles of Ghost Hunt (amazing soundtrack — no?).
It takes a lot to get me to review another DVD in the same series. But Avatar is different. It is EPIC. Like, Lord of the Rings "epic", like Battlestar Galactica "epic". For a series that isn't really anime, it's the best anime series I've seen in a long time. Chock-full of action, character development, plot twists, and some of the best and most awesome animation you'll probably ever see in your lifetime, Avatar the Last Airbender makes most anime look like it's standing still. Read More...
We really, really wanted to start this review by calling it "Gundamn Uh-Oh". However, they should have called it Gundam 9/11 -- because it seems that this particular spin on the Gundam universe has more to do with terrorism and the politics of energy than it does with Newtypes. Much like what's going on in the *real world*, Gundam 00 revolves around a war being fought for control of dwindling energy resources. Read More...
Adventures in Voice Acting feels like you're watching a documentary. But that's NOT what it is. It's a virtual toolkit that contains everything you'll need to start you on your journey into the world of Voice Acting. Get ready for an adventure that takes you behind the scenes and into the studio, as some of the best in the business teach you how they did it, and help guide you to prepare yourself for your own first day in the studio.
If you've ever wondered about how to break into the biz, then this is the guide you've been waiting for. For those of us that can't draw a straight line, this is how to immerse yourself into the world of professional animation without having to have a portfolio and years of art school. Read More...
Swear Bears
Toy Review by Brian Cirulnick
At this year's New York Anime Festival, BY FAR the coolest toy there was the "Swear Bear". Looking like an innocent cute cuddly teddy bear, a simple squeeze elicits the nastiest phrases you could ever imagine coming out of anyone's mouth.
The Bedroom Bear, while slightly tamer than the others in the line, is the perfect gift for that special someone in your life. Also, standing at nearly 11" tall, the Bedroom Teddy is the first ever over-sized Swear Bear. Chocked full of innuendo, the suave Bedroom Teddy is sure to properly convey your "come hithers" with quotes like "Why aren't you naked yet?" and "I'm a pirate, and I'm here for your booty," Guaranteed to titillate your significant other or at the very least put a smile on their face.
If you've seen the anime series, you'll love the manga, as it's simply more. More innuendo, more comedy, more culture clash, and more half-naked babes.
It plays like Romeo and Juliet, except that Romeo has left his rich family to become a normal salary-man, adopted a more casual mode of dress and uses colloquial, layman English (or Japanese). Juliet meanwhile, continues to dress only in formal Kimono, speaks Iambic pentameter and the two initially can hardly understand one another even though they are speaking the same language! Read More...
Just how otaku are you? Are you otaku enough to spend Fridays in Akihabara searching for the newest porn game? Do you collect PVC figurines? Do you spend your hard earned cash on fanzines and manga, and games, games, games? Read More...
A hardcover manga. That alone is enough to pique my interest, but Dramacon is a manga about a struggling manga artist and the trials and tribulations of her life as she goes to a convention and is both elated by meeting other artists and appalled at seeing men dressing like Sailormoon. Read More...
In Japan that you can get an illustration made out of the froth that they put into your cafe — shown below is an example from the Ghibli museum cafe which is based on Kiki’s Delivery Service (photographed by Misugi Yasunami):
