Manga

ASL review and the usual musings

Posted on by Madarame-Harunobu

ASL (Anime Salt Lake) was fun, I felt I was back in my element again and didn’t feel like awkward or anything. I was supposed to meet with Chris Rager and that just didn’t happen for one reason or another we missed each other during the 48 hrs. Of fun going on. I did happen to catch Chris Ekstrom’s panels “Live Action Anime” and “50 years of Doctor Who 1.5” got the L.A.A on video, waiting for Chris to get back with me on the person who got the Doctor Who Panel on video.

While I was there I met up with a young woman named Christina who came out from California just test the waters out for her mini store of anime and manga art and wares. However this young Miss didn’t have any minions to assist her with set up of her table so I volunteered and help her setup her table faster than the other vendors and I then left her to her table and checked in to help her out with some breaks and such. I did get a Persona 4 Mini Scroll Poster which I gave to my eldest daughter due to the fact she is a HUGE fan of the game/animation. I even helped Christina break down and load her rental up at the closing of the dealer room.

I also got to meet up with Danielle w/o realizing it was her and her bf, cosplaying as Holo and Wolf. Had I know it was her, I would have seen about sitting down and doing a bit of Q and A for the podcast I assist and help run. I will more or less edit this post and slip in the ASL Cosplay Shots I was able to get from various Regulars I know through mutual circles. OH and ERT were there as well as SETI Their Colorado franchise and for those that don’t know what ERT is? ERT is the Utah Ghost Busters Fan Group, with several Ecto Vehicles and Proton Packs, if there is a ghost to bust? They are your answer. They do a lot of volunteer work in the Utah community, helping out at events and shows and conventions. So if you’re a Ghost Buster Fan? You want to join an awesome group of people? ERT is one the better groups to join up with in my personal opinion. Has far as meeting up with The Hello Sweetie Podcast and Charity Mack? I was unable to connect due to one issue or another. I am hoping to have a Podcast get together at some point because they are fun and they also are involved in the local community at events and get together and conventions ASL being one to mention.

Depression has come back again and I’m doing what I can to fight it off again. A friend and on again off again team member of the development team Dave gave me X-Com Enemy unknown and BioShock for later/early Christmas/birthday/Kwanza/Anniversary/ and that helped a bit. It really did, I’m enjoying the X-Com, I’ve never played it myself, but realizing it is built on the Unreal Engine and playing a few missions, I’ve got drawn into it. The game mechanics are quite well done, and the way the mission play outs were well thought out as well. I’ll get over this eventually, but if you see me and I look well rather ragged and long in the tooth? It’s not you, it’s me. Well my lunch is over and I have to get back to work as well. As soon as I get home I am hoping to start moving things from upstairs to downstairs and setting up the office down there. I think it will help the Podcast out as well when we do video casting and peeps don’t have to see the inside of a defunked closet rather a nice bookshelf instead. Anyways, I’m rambling like many accuse me of doing, so this is me, comment if you like and I will respond as best as I can.

Roughly 13 hours We lost another Manga / Anime Industry Icon

Posted on by Madarame-Harunobu

Untitled

Well, I’m still taken back by the fact that Toren Smith, known Translator of Manga of which the fans will automatically know of such titles as Ghost in the Shell, Orion, Outlanders, Dagger of Kumi, He and Adam Warren they worked together on Lovely Angels AKA “The Dirty Pair” Dominion Tank Police. The list could go on for a while. This is the man that Founded and Created Studio Proteus which is operating now days under the Dark Horse Publication Flag but was The company that brought Orion to the US Graphic Novel/Manga Stands in the US.

I heard about late last night around 11 and dropped my Mt. Dew on the floor along with myself as Trish Ledoux posted the news of Toren’s passing. “Toren was not only one of the earliest of us to understand the power and beauty of manga, but he was one of the most well-spoken, erudite, and nicest among we old-school American/Canadian anime and manga fans, too. He was immortalized in “Otaku no Video” for a reason” He was also Immortalized in the 3 part OVA Series “Gunbuster” as Smith Toren.

I was hoping for a chance to meet with him before I passed on, myself. Anyways, very disheartening news I for one admire his work in the industry and my hat is off to him. Aim for the top and never look below!

RIP
Toren Smith
Friend to all Otaku
Founder of Studio Proteus
Translator of Various Manga
April 12th 1960 – March 6th 2013

Tanaka’s proposal, or “I want to make Costumes for only Ohno!”

Posted on by Madarame-Harunobu

SO, here it’s everyone! A Month plus a few days and we get quite a bit for our patience. We not only get to see how Ohno deals with the employment prospects, while Sue is in tow, but we also get a glimpse of her facing the realities of the real world and her coming to terms as she wraps her head around it.  Meanwhile we fade to the Genshiken Meeting room where we find our 5 Ladies (Hato in Girl mode) talking about the whole prospects and what Ohno could do self-employment wise, and of course COSPLAY! Is the first thing that comes to mind, is a COSROM.

Ohno and Tanaka discuss the prospects of doing a cos-rom and Tanaka is from my view a bit torn on it, where as it would be a possible income, there are the ramifications of reputation on campus as well as the Japanese employment market. In truth, Ohno would like to get married while still having a degree in a field where she could support herself and Tanaka is push came to a shove at some point.  During the photo shoot however, Tanaka has seemed to have given the whole situation some thought and while taking some pose shots proposes to Ohno. Needless to say she accepts but also it comes to light that she’s also quite inebriated thanks to the new members and a huge bottle of sake they gave her to build up the courage to do the shoot for the cos-rom.

 

Tanaka-Proposes

 

Rika and Hato go back to the meeting room to find Madarame sitting there browsing one the manga on the table and in casual clothes as well. The girls thought that was quite odd and asked why he wasn’t at work? He simply stated “I quit” and with that we get a quick peek at what Kuchiki is doing which is well doing some OTJT at his father’s banking firm, while Oguie is working on her manga for the Winter Comifest and juggling her college studies.

Madaramesays

 

SO we will have to tune into Next month’s Scanlation of Genshiken Second generation and find out “Madarame! What were you thinking?”

Production I.G Announces New Ghost in the Shell Series.

Posted on by Madarame-Harunobu

In the Feb. issue of Kodansha’s Monthly Young Magazine is a full-text page layout announcing the return of the Ghost in the Shell and our loving Major Motoko Kusanagi to the media again. This is what has been rumored and what fact is.

This series is entitled “Arise”, it is a series, and will be on TV. The changes up however will that Kazuchika Kise, the animation director for the first Evangelion movie and Blood+ is to be the head director. Also after checking resources it is also come to my attention that Tow Ubakata, writer of Le Chevalier D’Eon, Mardock Scramble is the scriptwriter for the new series. On a side note, does she look younger in this series? Looks like a cyberntic shell of a 20’ish type of Motoko doesn’t it? Or is it just me?

makoto-kusanagi-gits-arise

I loved the Stand alone Complex series as well as the GiTs movies, the first one especially. I love a good a cybernetic police force scenario and decent casting for the characters, lead and supporting. I’m hoping that we’ll get a preview clip of “Arise” here in February, but only time will tell on that one. I am looking forward to this series when it does come out though. I suspect a late Summer start on this unless it will be a Q4 release of the 2013 lineup, which is a possibility.

An End to the old and a beginning for the new!

Posted on by Madarame-Harunobu

fireworks final

Ok, well as I’m typing this out I’ve restructured the podcast, have registered or at least applied for a press badge for AnimeSaltLake on March 23rd & 24th where we’ll be covering panels and events from salt lake’s 2nd Anime based Convention. What was received from Christmas and St. Nicholas?  I received few pair of jeans, and a nice button up shirt, an omnibus of Genshiken covering issues 4 5 & 6, I also got those great Gashapon figures from Genshiken 2 sets as a matter of fact. So I have 2 Madarames I can build into a set of Genshiken Bookends for the office!

 

I’ve also reconnected with someone I didn’t think would still be around from the old community I hung out a few years ago. It seems that real life had got their meat hooks into him and made him get a social life somehow. Well he’s clipped those hooks and seems to have got back on track with writing and such and doing the net shtick again, which is cool because I’d like to see how the web comic he was doing before the meat hooks into him and tore him away from that. I really hope he picks it back up, the story plot was good, had some pitfalls which gave the story some attention grabbing.

 

We’ll be rearranging the office and moving it downstairs soon while at the same time rebuilding the old office back into a bedroom. We want to get a futon for our eldest so she has something to sit on in her new room downstairs since she’ll have room in there for one and she can have friends camp out in there as well if need be. Anyways, I’m currently at the office enjoying the 1st Genshiken Second Season Volume One and it does indeed have a slightly different translation than the scanlations, but it keeps pretty much to what I have read fan wise, which is what prompted me to buy the 1st Vol. and cont. to purchase the series as the volumes get released. Other than that, it will be a peaceful transition from 2012 to 2013, I wish everyone a Decent New Years and we will see you in the New Year tomorrow.

Metro 2033 Serial Key Giveaway By Nvidia and Genshiken CH. 82 Reviewed

Posted on by Madarame-Harunobu

Hey everyone, we’re down to less the 10 hrs before the supposed Mayan DOOMSDAY OOOOGA BOOOOGA! SO THQ/PCGamer/Nvidia is handing out keys for the steam edition of Metro 2033 <—- Click there for it. I’m not going posting till after Christmas so for some you there is a lucky break for you. In the interm though, I did hear recently from a friend I haven’t heard from after a few years. It is good to hear that he’s still among us out here, and has taken to getting out and having a social life and getting involved in the world.

My hope is he’ll be getting back to the webcomic he’s authored. I think it could actually make a decent Graphic novel once completed. As far as the podcast goes its on Haitus till Jan 2013 for transition period and the fact that it is the christmas holidays. But we will pick back up around Jan 5th. We’ll have few guests on that show and I’m prety sure you will all get a kick out of it. Some musical cuts and voice actors galore will be part of the podcast off and on all 2013 and as always we promise to make them not only interesting but fun as well.

Now, to Chapter 82 of Genshiken Nidaime. I found this to be quite comical due to the discussions that happen between Yamacchi (Mirie) and Youitake and Hato-kun with regards to Yamacchi’s birthday and a odd item they think is one thing but in reality another. *Don’t believe “everything” you read on the internet btw*
-_-; some of the topics were quite funny, especially when Ohno and Sue coming searching for said item JUST before Yamacchi takes it upon herself to ask Hato if the item in question was his in the first place. LOL

Anyways, CH. 82 was indeed a laugh-o-matic chapter and we enjoyed reading several times and I have to say I almost blew chunks my sides hurt so bad from laughing, which hasn’t been that much lately. Ok everyone, this is me signing off the blog till 2013 and I hope everyone one and all has a decent Christmas spending time with the ones you love family and friends alike. And to those trolls out there, yea even you, have a safe, friendly holiday season and I know we’ll be seeing you as well in the next new year, but till then take care of yourselves and Happy Holidays to you from me.

Madarame………

What’s been going on overthe past few weeks?

Posted on by Madarame-Harunobu

So some big changes have come along the lines. The Cybernaut Podcast has been turned over to me in full. The reasons given were that Dustin and Dave wanted to concentrate on their college courses more for now and may start a new podcast in 2013 at some point. Josh is still onboard for the time being and stepping into to fill Dustin’s shoes is one of my old friends from San Diego California, Robert Jone aka Tobias Steele and One of my friends from one the older and still operational mucks on the net Anime Muck, one Ken Akamatsu AKA Max Sterling/Jenius. Our European field operative hails from Her Majesty’s own Carmarthen/Carmarthenshire UK David Treharne an up and coming Game Developer and Current Games Review for an online Magazine publication site.

We’ve had our first podcast here two weeks ago with Arik R. Avila of D7 Studios and his Production Assistant and current love interest 😉 Ms. Ciara Flynn as well as Actress, which went over well save for an audio issue where we picked up a reverb echo over the broadcast and we never could track down who it originated from. Anyways, we’re almost done with the reedits and will be posting it at the podcast WP here by the end of the week. Next podcast is going to be pretty cool as well, we have from Funimation’s own Voice Acting troupe Mr. Christopher Patton, along with Mr. Richard Davis who has been teaching over in japan on again off again for over a period of six years collectively and will share some insights to you listeners out there on what to expect if you’re one of those few that wish to make a career overseas in Japan. We also have Steve “Warky” Nunez, infamous Convention Keyboardist extreme and a dubiously funny voice actor himself and have been noted for lending his voice for the Anime Parody of Card Captor Sakura Abridged.

And it’s been snowing here off and on but seems to be melting off pretty fast too. The end of the world supposedly will be in ten days from this posting so let’s all hope the Mayans had it wrong eh? Christmas tree has been placed up the house has its lights up and all seems ok with the world for now, but I still have the feeling for the other shoe to drop and ruin everything for the holidays. Who has something to share for their Christmas list this year? OH COME ON PEOPLE!

Someone out there must want to share at least one thing they want for Christmas? Really? No one? Ok I’ll start then.
1. Assistance installing a MP3 Page for jp-studios
2. Someone to Rig and Animate the 3 models I have that need them to be ported into UT2k4
3. A Madarame Harunobu Genshiken Cast Figurine – Ebay has them
4. I have Volumes 9-8 and 7 of Genshiken the Manga and I’d like to at least be able to have 1 thru 6 or 10 thru 13 of the NEW Genshiken 2nd Generation so at least I’ll have either collected the old series up or I have picked and have collected upto date the new series.
5. One decent environmental game artist that will stick with the team and not wander off somewhere because all of a sudden “Gee, this seems like actual work” feeling comes across their brain.

My youngest made it to the school district’s Honors Orchestral Symphony and tonight is her last night for the Christmas circuit. My eldest has an appointment for a college essays one night course tonight has well but we have it all juggled to where it should work out just fine.

 

Oh before I end this entry, let me promote firefall first. Firefall has been in closed beta for a few months now and I’ve just started myself like 2 sessions ago and have to say this is a MAD CRAZY MMO SHOOTER ! Damn I haven’t had this much fun since Quake came out. The Environment is lush and the palettes and textures were well thought out. The Questing w/o giving away too much is pretty cool as well. The game and questing definitely promotes great team play and a balancing of solo missions with some nice swag to go with you as well. This is one FPS MMO I’ll promote as well. That’s it for now, comments as usually are welcome but keep em clean and be a tad respectful, we do try to keep the maturity level to a PG-13 level around here.

Let’s reflect whats happened so far this month.

Posted on by Madarame-Harunobu

We have some sad news this month, 2nd voice actor for Sazae-san’s Norisuke Namino, Taro Arakawa, has passed away on last Thursday, Nov. 15 due to multiple organ failure. He was 56 years old. He is survived by his wife Atsuko Satō, and our hearts and prayers go with her. Taro Arakawa was born in Tokyo by the name Yasuo Satō. Taro Arakawa started his career as a Voice Actor in 1977 in the original Yatterman as Cha Manjū and Nikuman-Mecha and Gasshin Sentai Mechander Robo as Dan Gorobee. He was also Col. Lando from the 1989/90 Anime Series Bubblegum Crash sequel of The Bladerunner’ish OVA Bubblegum Crisis.

His career comprised of voicing a number of background roles in series such as the Dirty Pair, Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, Magical Princess Minky Momo, Doraemon, Crayon Shin-chan, Wedding Peach, Yū Yū Hakusho and Speed Racer. Arakawa also played Matsuchiyo-sensei in Nintama Rantaro and he also voiced in several episodic characters in the Great Detective Conan series. He’s also known to be a great asset as a voice actor for Japanese dubs of European and U.S. Media. Arakawa voiced Norisuke Namino from July 1998 to July 2000, after fellow voice actor Ichirô Murakoshi stepped down because of health issues. At this point now, Yasunori Matsumoto currently is voicing the role.I also saw Twilight Breaking Dawn Pt. 2, which is not bad on the whole just a real mindf**k of a movie. The whole experience was just wow, really? It was like that? Geez, I need some aspirin *again* but also it did explain and few things. The ending credits were a nice touch I will not spoil it but I do suggest you sit through it all to the very end.

Finally received closure over what was at one point a decent online friendship till over the recent 5 to 6 years. I won’t go into details, I’ll just say ties are finally broken and neither one will contact the other under –no- circumstances even if life threatening information is available and could save the other. It was agreed I even went as far as asking the proper and required channels to see if said information was expunged from place of origin. Since then I have heard nothing from or about said place, which is where I will leave it at. The Podcast Nov. 16th was pretty bad, so bad as a matter of fact, that I am going to each guest and will record the segments and have them sent to the editing department for corrections audio balancing and let them insert the segments in the order they deem fit. This would have/could have been avoided had someone on the crew denied access to the trolls in the first place to begin with.
This is not an emotional reaction but more of a logical one, due to the fact that the perpetrator is guilty of said actions in the past. His actions as well as his accomplice were not only unwanted, but embarrassing and disrespectful not just the guests, but to the group as well as their selves and I would have expected that they would have learned from the last time this happened on an entirely different podcast early this year. The perpetrator in question is nothing more than a young unruly man-child who should go back to their X-Box controller and attend conventions for trolling rather than acting like such a tween with a sugar VS Ritalin condition. Most of my concerns were heard but were not taken with a more serious reaction or reply.

I sometimes wonder why I even bother to offer my input or to attempt to rescue the situation with the proper courses of action. It’s like “I’m” the wrong one “I’m” at fault the people am looking at me with astonishments upon their faces, and all I can do is look at them and say “You really can’t see it?” I know the podcast is for fun and that is more of a hobby and a way to relay things of interest and have cool guests like Robert Woodhead the CEO of AnimEigo and One the Greater Political Figureheads in EVE Online. If I ever decide to get involved in that MMO you know whose Political Party I’m in! But also guests like Amanda Rush and LB Bryant both remarkable journalists from ani.me one the recent websites to come out for fan created by fans to relay the anime and manga and convention related news as it happens.

But when stunts like what happen on Nov 16th? It makes me cautious on whom to bring on the show. I love podcasting myself, its great and when I got the chance to pop on the current crew I’m casting with, I was like wow, ok yea this would be fun and enlightening and a bit educational from a fan’s point of view. So after a half a year of being with the crew I thought I’d ask some of the people I have met in the media industry on the show and to get some insight from the creators of series, voice actors and how they work and have fun at the same time while doing the voice tracks for characters, the odd things that happen in media at conventions and expos. Its disheartens a person when things like trolling happen to a point where you can’t even use a recording you spent 90+ minutes on 55 of it with the guests themselves. Am I angry? Yes I am because the people that ruined the podcast don’t care and personally I would ban them myself especially if it was a second offense which it was in this case, but I’ve been told to leave it alone, so I am left to blog an entry on it and that’s all it will be.

The office Thanksgiving get together went well. Fun and good eats were had by all and the wife and I shopped for a bit after the raffle, and no, I didn’t win anything this time, but there were some pretty awesome prizes the best and last one was a 61 inch Plasma flat panel TV. We were also able to get some food items for this Thursday’s turkey feast. Been bidding on a certain platform hand held console for our eldest daughter, who had her first one stolen out of her backpack because she took it to school and left in the locker unlocked and unattended. Normally I’d be “Sorry” your screwup,  your loss, but I’ve think I’ve let go on far enough. She still misses her console and I think she may have learned her lesson finally. So I am doing what I can to try to get her one used off listia. Sure I know, I still Halo II for the PC but what’s more important? Game or Family? Derp no brainer…… so I get to see her smile, which is far much better than fragging someone in Halo II OH WHO AM I KIDDING I WANT BOTH but our daughter “is” more important. It’s close to getting off work and heading home and I’ve been working on this on breaks and lunch.

So here’s to you readers! Remember, reading doesn’t meant crap unless you can walk away having learned something.

GENSHIKEN HAS RETURNED!

Posted on by Madarame-Harunobu

Ok, so I’ve found out I won a 250$ Men’s clothing shopping spree from Schells WOO ME! I also just found out that since May 2012 Genshiken has returned! which is good, this is one of those few self-indulgence moments where you can say life is good and actually be truthful about it. I’m almost done decorating the section of the floor I call our Client support area. Cobwebs are up, save for one section, section left to spread around and a few odds and ends like dead zombie squirrels and mind controlled rodents.

Also those that are following me that have an interest in Star Trek Online? I am also looking for some peeps to help form The Federation of Planets “501st Flotilla” . If there is anyone interested in laying into the borg and anyone else that would stand in the way of the federation, leave a comment with your steam contact and I’ll hit you up on steam and we go from there.

Things to come before the end of the World I mean 2012.

Posted on by Madarame-Harunobu

Hey-o!
Yes, it’s me again! I’m almost fully recovered from my acute PCD, and have been talking with a few people and I can say I can’t wait for next month’s Podcast recordings session. We truly have a fantastic lineup coming up here in the next few weeks. Coming up in the next 5 months I will be attending AnimeSaltLake, dates are March 22nd and 23rd. This will be the 2nd convention and the main guest for the Convention will be FUNimation’s own Chris Rager.

Those who know his work need no list to know his work, but for those who are just getting into the anime scene? #Chris Rager has been known for his Voice Acting Talent in series such as Blue Gender, Case Closed, Black Cat, Desert Punk, Lupin III, Full Metal Alchemist to name a few. He is also in quite a number of recent video games as well of the past few yrs. Stuntman Ignition, Bloodrayne, Roadkill and most recently BORDERLANDS 2 WOO! and a plethora of others as well as lending his narrative side to advertising as well.

Also Brett Young one the US Anime Gamers on the Western US Coast who on the whole has been living abroad in Nagoya Japan and will be attending AnimeSaltLake for gaming coverage and podcasting. He does reflect upon Persona 4 and GG, and brings his A+ Game to the scene so beware! Also he’s a Gundam’s Best friend when it comes to the pilot seat and a dog fight. You can catch Brett on “Twitch TV’s Website” This proves to be one hell of a convention. I am hoping to do some live coverage on the convention as well thru our podcast channel/Google Hangout “The CyberNaut’s Hang” other than that, this is me for the here and now. Be sure to catch us on The Cybernaut’s WP Site as well. Opps, I have an incoming transmission it seems,……

“Rosenkreuz to Commander Lundberg, we have a Borg Sphere inbound on your location Sir”

“Understood Rosenkreuz”

“Lundberg to Rosenkreuz”
One to beam up………..