I don't want to say this anime series is rife with fanservice, but seriously, less than 30 seconds into the first episode, we're treated to in-your-face panty shots, and even camel-toe. Taking place in an alternate version of Earth circa 1944, where apparently, pants and skirts were never invented (but the Bikini, which wasn't actually invented until the 1950's, was), World War Two hasn't happened, instead, Earth is united against a superior foe from outer space, and Earth's best hope against these invaders is a group of magic weilding women known as the Strike Witches. Read More...
The FMA steamroller continues to pummel everything in its path, providing more action-packed entertainment per square inch than most other anime combined. This time around the Premium OVA Collection is a short and cheap DVD that will surely be a valuable little collector's piece to diehard Full Metal fans who've been awaiting for an official Region 1 release of these nearly legendary Japanese shorts.
This release is split into four anthology-type segments: "The Interactive Experience" is actually from a ride (similar to the Terminator ride where video is shown as part of the roller coaster ride) — as you move along, more of the story is revealed, done to emulate the feeling of a military briefing. "The Live Action Featurette" really is live, with armor-clad Al on a search for Ed, visiting the Bones animation studio for answers on the meaning of his existence. Read More...
There are two words that can best describe UFO Ultramaiden Valkyrie. Funny and sexy. The anime is all about the preparation for the marriage of Valkyrie and her lover. It's a very long and tedious process to get the ceremony done just right. That and trying to fight of merciless pirates that are hell bent on killing the entire family. This is where the beautiful princesses come in. They are always there to help.
Princess Pharm is a sexy green haired woman that has a very strong glasses fetish. Strong enough for her to overtake the entire school by creating an eyeglasses club for the schoolgirls. Yes...powerful indeed. Read More...
Batman Beyond
Animation DVD Review by Brian Cirulnick
Now that Boomerang is running "The Batman", which is the fancy, upgraded incarnation to go along Christian Bale's live-action Dark Knight movies, I hunger for the days when a Batman cartoon came with edgy-scripts, in-your-face action, and characters that weren't so flat. In other words, "The Batman" sucks.
Now this... This was Batman done well. Batman Beyond didn't pull any punches, the characters were good, the music was awesome (the title sequence alone should sell you this show), the villains were interesting and new, and well, we've still got Kevin Conroy voicing an older, sarcastic, mean-spirited, angry Bruce Wayne, a Bruce we all knew he'd eventually become — and Conroy voiced that role so well you absolutely believe it. Read More...
Why go to the goodie section of your local Asian grocery store when you can have one at home? This collection of Japanese snacks includes eight types of Pocky from almond-crush to tomato flavored. Also included are Yan Yans, Caplico sticks and the old school treat Yakinori crackers.
If you're a fan of school girls, demons from two thousand years ago come to wreak havoc on mere humans, and plain old Japanese comedy; you'll love PanicXPanic. PanicXPanic is about a thirteen (13) year old daughter of a family-run shrine named Mitsuki Kamishiro who has a regular, normal life of going to school, hanging out with her girlfriends and being rivals with her childhood enemy: Kakeru Kuon, also thirteen (13) years old. Read More...
Terror has struck the sleepy little town of Shiraike. A serial killer stalks the streets murdering innocent girls. Twenty-nine grisly murders have been committed, with no clues to catch the killer. That is, until the town receives a strange visitor: a beautiful young woman who can raise the dead. She is Reiko the Zombie Shop, necromancer for hire. For a price, she'll wake your dead, if only to find a clue to their demise, but she's not responsible for what the dead will say or do once they awaken! Read More...
While attending a recent Sci-Fi convention, I was struck dumb by the sheer magnitude that cosplay penetration has achieved. While once a niche part of any con, it's now the dominant portion of the convention and the dealer's room. Fully 75% of the con was people doing cosplay. Read More...
If you happen to be in New York City between now and June 13th the Japan Society has an amazing exhibition titled Graphic Heroes, Magic Monsters: Japanese Prints by Utagawa Kuniyoshi. If you're a anime fan this looking at this collection is a must see as many of these prints have inpsired many manga artists in Japan today. Shown below is Mitsukuni Defies a Skeleton Specter, from1845-46:
