Manga Reveiw of Kingyo’s Used Books

So what is Madarame reading this time? I’m reading Kingyo’s used Books, a 12 Volume series that revolves around manga and how it entwines with people’s lives in a regular basis. I’ve read thru up to volume 4 so far and the journeys some of these sedories go through all In the name of manga and its preservation as a media culture is really quite a read and an enjoyable one as well.

One of the things I did notice and quite contrary to what Mr. Santo Carlo says, the back of the books give footnotes and points of reference to help broaden the mind of those getting into manga or those already involved but did not know of X manga had this or that involved in it. I found it to be educational as well as fun.

So I have to disagree to what he said Mr. Carlos in his Anime News Network column “Right Turn Only” gave the manga a grade of “B”, saying that “if you want to get a non-manga fan into manga, this is probably not the manga to give them.” Mr. Carlos went on to say, “Kingyo is, if anything, too fixated on giving history lessons, trying to drown the reader in footnotes and details rather than letting the series speak for itself.” Which I think is the total opposite, I think has the footnotes in the back can clearly give more insight to the reader on the subjects being discussed within the manga itself.

It does give the reader some educational liners in there. I found some of the information enlightening in the way it was present and having the footnotes in the back was a good move as to not hit the reader right off the bat but rather when they did get to the end of the volume where they could check out the omake and footnotes IF the reader deemed to do so. But no spoilers, rather best to contact your local library and ask if they Kingyo’s used books from Viz Media in their manga section but if they don’t? Make the suggestion to getting it!

Well I had a busy weekend

Hey, so how was everyone’s Presidents Day Weekend? I hope it was as cool as mine. I finally got to have pizza at my mother–in-law’s played Star wars Trivial pursuit has ice cream and a fun time. However, I did miss out on the CKC podcast this weekend which was on BGC (Bubblegum Crisis) Eps 1 and 2. Some in jokes on the AD Police were made from what I understood when I was able to connect in and talk with the crew.

I sold the mini PC for 35$, which will go towards the ez-builder modular robotics kit for the omnibot that I bought off of ebay for 45$. The laptop has the Programming kit installed and prepped so I just have to get the gear to start building. I also had a surprise over the week as well. I’m a big Anime geek (Derp) and the one company that got me more involved in anime was Animeigo.

Well Animeigo only had the one social networking page on MySpace, which was cool because Animeigo should be spread across the network again like it was in the convention circuit back in the day when I was younger. I decided to help them along and started the Facebook group Animeigo and started adding the series openings that Animeigo is famous for, such as A.D. Police Files Bubblegum Crisis,Bubblegum Crash, Dagger of Kamui, Growing Up With Hello Kitty ( Q2 2012) Metal Skin Panic Madox-01,Otaku no Video 1982 and 1985 (Dual OVA on 1 Tape/DVD, of course Riding Bean and who could forget The OVA Set of Vampire Princess Miyu?

I seemed to have been doing something right because as soon as I got it up and added myself and Dustin Kopplin to the Admin list, people started to join up people I knew from Mucks, Facebook itself, existing and former employees and even the MADOVERLORD! Robert Woodhead CEO of Animeigo (which is now the head admin of the group) and a big robotics buff as well, got added in and I am hoping to that Anime Fans like me will come by share their views with us and maybe even how they got involved with such an interesting lifestyle.

I am aiming to have at least 100+ people join the Animeigo group by the end of February, is what I am at least hoping will be the count on who’s joined because they love Animeigo in the same why I and several others do. Ok and that’s that for this entry. Talk to me, leave comment or two (Just don’t be too harsh we’re only human you know). Till next posting…..

Anime Banzi 2011

Ok so I’ll finally talk about Anime Banzi since I’ve been able to get some of the photos off this smartphone. Well there was definitely a lot of cosplaying around and a good measure of steampunk lets say that right off the bat. Also some people of notoriety, such as Wendy Pini of ElfQuest, and The Great Rando from MST3k who was one the best , Chuck Huber, Chuck’s expansive performance career has danced between being a TV, film and stage actor for over 20 years, (most notably at Chicago’s Steppenwolf and Goodman Theaters); He has played Hiei in Yu Yu Hakusho, Android 17 in Dragonball Z, Shou Tucker in Full Metal Alchemist, Stein in Soul Eater, Kululu in Sgt. Frog, Austria in Hetalia, Akai in Oh Edo Rocket, Ashe in Black Butler, Mohji in One Piece, Hiro in Shin Chan, Reever in D Gray-man… among many others. He has written Sgt. Frog, Hetalia, Baccano, Oh Edo Rocket, Strike Witches…among many others.

We also had Lisle Wilkerson who is probably most well-known for her work in the Tekken franchise where she is the voice of Nina Williams and Christie Monteiro, and Zafina. She also played a role in the Academy Award winning Sofia Coppola film “Lost in Translation”, There was also Mr. Musician and Entertainer Steve “Warky” Nunez Steve Nunez, aka Warky T. Chocobo, raised on video games, 1st on his commodore 64, and at age of 5, playing on his NES. Steve recalls from his youth popping in Super Mario Brothers, and LO’from the moment that first note played, he knew his destiny. Not only were the games entertaining, he was also entranced by the music from The Final Fantasy franchise as well.

Overall a great time was had by me and mine at the game room, making neko ears, getting a chance to make a few connections with other collectors like myself. With that I’m going to leave you with a few pics from Anime Banzi 2011.

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Anime TV Series reveiw on Kimi Ni Todoke

Another great series from Studio: Productions IG

The first season of this anime repeatly has sold to well enough to rank on the Oricon charts. Dvd Vol.2 sold 7,449 copies in the 1st few weeks, Vol. 3 took in 7,557 copies as well in the 1st few days of release, Vol.5 sold 7,136 copies in its first days. Overall this is in “fact” on the few shows that have been an absoulte hit series wise in Japan through out this year.

The second season of the anime was number one in a poll of Dengeki Online readers as their most anticipated anime series debuting in January 2011.[101] Anime News Network reviewer Carl Kimlinger gave the second season 4.5 out of 5 stars, saying, “This is one the more mature (Mentality wise) and with some comical undertones, series of its type since Lovely Complex, and one the more beautiful since Video Girl Ai-chan. The Japanese fan base has voted this one of the most enjoyable anime for Winter 2011 season during which a poll posted before the season ended recently.

Kimi Ni Todoke Season 2

In the 2nd season of Kimi ni Todoke. Kuronuma Sawako has been targeted by her peers because of a resemblance to the ghost girl from “Ringu” aka “The Ring”, and tagged her with the nickname Sadako. Just wanting to be normal (Oh god forbid she should be accepted for being herself) and having friends that wouldn’t make folly of her, she is drawn to Kazehaya Shouta, the popular guy in her class, whose personality she looks up to more than anything from her. I will say that after christmas here when it does go to Blu-Ray I know whats going on my Dvd shelves after I watch about 12 to 24 times. XD I know my oledest will enjoy it as well.

Anime Reveiw AD POLICE TO PROTECT AND SERVE

The A.D. Police saga is one of the fan loved series spin-offs from the BGC anime franchise. As the cyber crime ratio rises in MegaTokyo escalates, political pressure mounts towards the A.D. Police to stop the increasing numbers of mutating cyborgs known as VOOMERS. During this surge of outbreaks, the friendships between members of the AD Police’s Elite team are stretched out a bit to one degree or another.

Small Background history

The year is 2020, and after a devastating earthquake, MegaTokyo also known as Genom City, was being rebuilt at the hands of the cyborg VOOMERS—Voodoo Organic Metal Extension Resources—built by Genom Corp, whose office tower now dominates the skyline. The machines, known as Voomers, have become an integral part of life now, doing heavy construction and maintenance, in addition to more mundane and menial chores. A number of these nits have been known to go rogue for one reason or another, and their destructive rampages can be fatal. To counter this increasing menace, the Advanced Police were formed as an elite police division, focused on Voomer crimes.

Setting is 19 years later after the Quake and the ongoing rebuild of MegaTokyo – Circa 2039

ADP Officer Kenji Sasaki has to come to grips when accepting Hans Kleif as his new partner. He has his own personal demons to deal with, if he is to deal with what faces him and faces the A.D. Police as well all the while investigating the Cyber-espionage and keep the VOOMERS from wreaking havoc on MegaTokyo into a Techno-Warzone. He tends to be the lone point man in his own regards, he takes risks, he also has attitude adjustments that reflect on being someone who is not really that much of a “team player”, but he is good at what he does, and that is what it takes when dealing with machines that have the capacity to take down a building with a few well places blows to the infrastructure, and where lives are at risk.

Unfortunately, the free spirit does not work well with social skills, Kenji’s first meeting with his new partner Hans Kleif, who transferred in from the NP (Normal Police) of Germany, is well let’s be honest, it was less than friendly. Kleif is the good looking Action Hero/Officer type, being shot in the line of duty and losing part of his long term memory and with a possible love interest with the doctor, who is supposedly help him out in trying to regain those memories makes him one the characters the viewer will somehow relate with and stay engaged with the story.

Let’s introduce the rest of the team! We have Jose Collins, who is also the team leader and the demolitions expert. Next the rather tall and blonde explosives expert, Karen Jordon who hails from New York City USA. Then there is also her partner and bud at the bar Ms. Mary Malone who hails from California USA, the resident firebee and aerial combat vehicle pilot. Then comes the part of who they report to, El Jefe Ms. Nancy Wilson also from New York USA as well, who is over the operations of this ADP Squad. Being involved over a city with a growing Voomer threat, crimes are high, as well as something new developing in MegaTokyo.

The Voomer market has expanded worldwide, creating opportunities to insert a criminal element involving mafia/yakauza organizations one especially known is The Backers syndicate, exporting Voomers of questionable background to other companies in need of said merchandise. One of the more notorious of these crime syndicates leaders is Mr. Liam Fletcher, who becomes a major suspect for the A.D. Police, since a series of incidents start to end connecting and centering around the Backer syndicates operations.

Now I love the BGC Franchise as a whole, I have watched all the OVAs, The TV Series, The Manga and Magazine articles over the years. The Three part OVA Set from 1989 comapred to this 1999 pre-quel, you can’t really compare the two series. I liked the OVA as well as The TV series they are both engaging but the TV series has a more intertwinging and plotline which was what got a hold of me and kept my interest. Now with the OVA series it was more due to the individual stories and how they intertwined and yet didn’t as well.

It did have a equal gritty feel to it but a different sense on a social scale, there is a better interaction with cast development and intrigue, and there is a definite sense of “Action Hero” involved in it as well. Back to the TV series, as I went through I got a sense of familiarity growing within the team structure and how Hans and Kenji started to work more as a dynamic duo (No pun there huh?), but at the same time also building a better working force as well as you’ll see as you watch it yourselves. Lots of great involvement on character interacting and some plot catching scenes to keep the viewer engaged and wanting to watch to the end of the series.

The story development has some weak points like any other story, but the character design was well thought out, however the uniforms were a bit inconsistent as far as uniformity was concerned. This world here shows a more realistic environment of a Japan that has been hit by an earthquake and is still recovering from said disaster even after being 19 years later. The story has a gritty but enjoyable feel to it for those of us out there that enjoy a cool cyberpunk type environment, RPG games, graphic novels and the ilk.

ADV has this out on the Market as a 2 DVD Boxed set, in my opinion its well worth getting and the pricing is more than reasonable. Some of you may not be a big fan by reviews, but I have seen and read what’s out there regarding the BGC/ADP Franchise that’s been translated in English and I am impressed and own a copy of this box set myself. The Artwork and the fact that it also has a decent opening and closing textless video theme sequence was also an added bonus as well.

A Manga review for this Wen. evening.

Let’s talk about manga for a moment shall we? I have finally read and completed al 3 Volumes of Genkaku Picasso by Usamaru Furuya which has been published By the Shonen Jump Publication group. It’s about two unique people and how they helped each other move on in their lives. Meet Hikari Hamura AKA Picasso Hamura, Age: 17 outlooks on life?

Rather dark and moody, and for the most part in the beginning he was rather alone save for the one woman who be his love interest in his heart. Enter Ms. Chiaka Yamamoto also Age: 17 who has an interest or well she comes across the one that would influence his life path as they go on. The story is about what happens when an accident befalls both of them. Hikari-kun ends up with a strange ailment where on his right arm where his grandfather’s watch was is a strange rotting circular wound that spreads if he doesn’t help out his schoolmates and their issues within themselves.

He also acquired the strange ability to see within a person’s troubled heart and the emotion get transformed from the person to Hikari-kun who sketches out what’s in the person’s heart troubling them. Sometimes, his first assessment is not the correct one to begin with, which causes trouble for the both of them. This goes on through the story line and in the end, we find that Hikari-kun as dark and as brooding as he can be?

He does in fact have friends from different paths in life even if its just high school, who reach out to save him and to help him come to grips with the one problem he hasn’t faced yet and to face the one person he has yet to help and cure his rotting arm problem. To find out, make sure you get a chance to read this three volume manga set. It’s worth the money to collect up and the re-reading value is on a 4 out of 5 star rating from this blogger. It’s truly a bit tearful at the end….

WHAT!?? A guy can’t have bared soul moment while reading? Hrmph Thespians….;) But seriously people, I recommend you ask your local library to pick up a set for the manga section of your library. Reading is Knowledge and Knowledge is power! How else will you rule the world if you don’t expand your educational horizons? Stay sharp stay healthy….

Cool things in Robotics and arduino! PLUS Daicon III is 30 Yrs old this year!

I was recently checking out some more of the Omnibot projects there were out there & came across a Robotics Hobby Master the Bot Master, who admins botbuilder.co.uk & I emailed him requesting a possible guide on the project he did with his Omnibot. Here on this link you’ll get a feeling on how he built his using Arduino as the control module for it.

Now he used the arduino as the controller but he an add-in from here to control the motors, & used this ping back sensor to avoid collisions. He did a great review/write up on this project hold the same concept. Once I get the necessary parts he & DJ Sures will be able to lend me some advice & help. Here take a look at his & DJ Sures projects involving The Tomy Omnibot, l I think you’ll find them as enjoyable as I am. The one that especially creative was the one that was repainted and converted into a pc, with a mouse cradle for the right arm, which I though was a nice touch.

In anime related news, it had occurred to me & I kick myself for it because its been 30 Yrs since it was made & shown at a Particular Tokyo convention mainly the Nihon SF Taikai Cons Daicon III (1981) & IV (1983)Directed by Hiroyuki Yamaga Music by Koichi Sugiyama, Yuji Ohno Kitarō, Electric Light Orchestra –ELO (Twilight which is also used in the TV series Densha Otoku ).

Distributed by DAICON Film Release date(s) 1981 (III) 1983 (IV) Running time approx -5½ mins for III & – 6 mins (IV) creation point was Japan Language English & Japanese So for Hiroyuki Yamaga and Crew and the cutie that is the Daicon Bunny-Chan We say Happy 30th Anniversary and we love you and the work you brought to us which still goes strong to this day and is loved by otakus around the globe!

Borders & Fred Perry *RAGE*!!

I hate Borders, and I’m glad they’re closing, good riddance to the trash! Freaking idiots couldn’t get a order right NOR could they come forward with some way to resolve the issue of why my order got cancelled twice and not notify me in a timely manner. All I wanted to burn my border bucks on a Art Book by Fred Perry and Borders said sure no problem 2 months later… WTF IS MY GOB DANM BOOK YOU SONS OF BEATCHES! Called up and they said “yet again” There is some issue with your billing and shipping address sir. BULLSHIT! Its fine and its correct and had her read it off to me per batum and I ask “So are both addresses correct? “Yes Sir” WTH is the probelm then?

Eh Splain Lucy! I’m waitin! 2 Hours later I finally get a Supervisor who says well if you called on Saturday Sir.. I DID CALL SATURDAY YOUR STINKING OFFICES WERE CLOSED AT 11:00 PM Eastern Time I called you at 7 PM Mountain time so I had at the very least an Hour but I called and your system said you were closed, are you going to complete the order and bypass my shipping cost for all the bullshit and hassle I’ve got from your company over the past “2″ monthes? All she could say was “no” so Fuck you, cancel my order take your border bucks shove them up your ass because thats all they’re good for after July 31st oh and did I forget to say go fuck yourselves and hope the unemployment is line straight to hell for you? No? Well there you go then Bright eyes. Have Great Day and I want a refund on the 2 hrs of life I just wasted with your Sorry Ass Bullshit Company that can’t do dick for their clients. * Click * RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE!

Gosha-san at Sakura Con “2011″

Gosha made a post about where he’ll be next weekend! Sakura Con [link] is pretty much next week (April 22-24) in Seattle, WA. He ‘s in the artist alley this year. He’s be sharing the booth with Disko Warp Music. On Saturday he’ll be joined with his brother, he’ll be promoting his Rune Hunters comic [link]
There will be plenty-o-swag! on hand, and Disko Warp will have multiple CDs available for purchase as well! YAY! Gosha will of course have his gear from his online store (shirts, key-chains, charms, puzzles, etc) as well as prints, and the new charms set that are not available online as of yet. Artist alley will be open for all three days on the following hours.

ARTIST ALLEY HOURS

Friday – 12 PM –10 PM
Saturday – 9 AM –10 PM
Sunday – 9 AM –3 PM

Artist alley is room 6B. You can find the full schedule here as well, [link]
Gosha is also involved in the AMV contest with Space Space Shooter, possibly. We’re not sure as of yet but if he is OH MAN OH MAN winner winner chicken dinner!
Head over to his booth, say HI! Tell you heard about it through me! He might get a small laugh out of it.

FUNimation up for Purchase & Psyonix open for Programmer’s Intership/Position

The Navarre Corporation parent company of Funimation has formally announced placing FUNimation, its anime subsidiary, up for purchase retaining one Houlihan Lokey to assist in the transaction. The company said that the strategies required to grow FUNimation’s business were to have people that are more familuar with that side of the buisness and industry.

The Navarre Corp. didn’t say that part of the company wasn’t making enough cash for the parting of ways, saying “FUNimation’s recent financial report was what was to be expected.” Not sure how to read that one folks, I don’t have anything really against the company since they did bring us FMA, Beck, and other titles as well to the U.S. Market.

I do wish however that there would be some more expansion on the voice acting crew. The current team as always been great, but realistclly, new blood does have to come in at some point. Anyways, my hope is that whoever does buy the company, doesn’t screw it up by firing everyone, that would really be a stupid move and douchetastic if they did.

My only gripe with them was thier Dragonball Z franshise, seriously, my kids have started watch the “retooled” series. I just saw it the 1st time last night and I was like “Wait, …this is just the same series redigitized and new music for the opening” wth? Oo anyone else feel this way?
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Psyonix seems to be looking for several paid, on-site, programmer internship candidates in the San Diego area of Calif. If anyone lives nearby, have UDK experience, and provide examples of your work/code, Email address for applying hr@psyonix.com and thier site http://www.psyonix.com good luck everyone!