Hot Topic Presents Ani-May
/For the month of May Hot Topic and Crunchyroll are celebrating anime with some exclusive items and a free 30 day trial of the anime streaming site Crunchyroll.
Read MoreFor the month of May Hot Topic and Crunchyroll are celebrating anime with some exclusive items and a free 30 day trial of the anime streaming site Crunchyroll.
Read MoreHaruaki Yachi has seen his fair share of curses, but despite his familiarity, even Haruaki is out of his element when his father mails him a cursed torture cube with the humanoid figure of a cute young girl named Fear Kubrick (no relation). Now, he’s got to help her break her curse and leave behind her homicidal past before dangerous forces get ahold of her deadly powers. Sassy loudmouth Fear has a hard time keeping a low profile, but with the help of Haruaki’s other cursed comrades, maybe this cubed cutie can find her place in the human world—IF she can break her curse.
Read MoreAkira Takizawa wakes up naked outside the White House with no memories. He’s got a gun in one hand, a cell phone in the other, and doesn’t know if he’s a good guy or one of the worst. He doesn’t remember the phone gives him instant access to ten billion yen and a woman who can make his most outlandish requests a reality. He doesn’t recall his connection to the ongoing missile attacks terrorizing the Japanese people. Or the part he played in the sudden disappearance of 20,000 shut-ins. He doesn’t even remember he’s supposed to save Japan and will be murdered if he fails. Whatever it is he’s tangled up in, Takizawa’s definitely in deep – and that’s not even scratching the surface. A Premium Edition featuring the complete TV series plus movies and exclusive pack-ins, including a gorgeous collectible art box with belly band, art cards, stickers, paper craft, and an exclusive numbered certificate of authenticity.
Hey O&G fans, the creators of URBANCE have have released the pilot episode of the series. A few years ago we we ran an article on the creators of the anime and the project. Direction :Joël Dos Reis Viegas, Sébastien Larroudé Music : Plaid, The Tanuki Project, B.Ames, HK
Main voices: Ryan George, Vanessa Hasid, Ben Cardilli, Marie Nonnemacher. For those who haven't heard about this amazing anime here is a quick synopsis of the story:
In the crumbling inner city, sex kills. The urban landscape is split in two — men on one side, women on the other— opposing each other. COEVO seems to be the only hope: a government medical treatment developed to cure every single citizen except that those wearables haven't produced the expected results yet... Born among this lost generation of frustrated gangs, Kenzell and Lesya live each day as their last, defying anyone who stands in the way of their union. Like modern avatars of Romeo and Juliet, they will have to choose between love or their kind, Passion VS Reason, Deadly Eves VS Neo Blasterz... In their flamboyant relationship lies the premises of a revolution against the authorities, the vicious Mediators and their mysterious separatist laws. Rebels can change the world...
Check out the pilot:
Countries of production : Canada, France | Year of production : 2015 Production : Steambot, DFP | Animation: Yapiko Animation Direction : Joël Dos Reis Viegas, Sébastien Larroudé Music : Plaid, The Tanuki Project, B.Ames, HK Main voices: Ryan George, Vanessa Hasid, Ben Cardilli, Marie Nonnemacher
Scheduled for release on August 16th, SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL SET 1 will be available as a special Limited Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack as well as a multi-disc Standard Edition DVD Set. Pre-orders are available from a variety of leading outlets and online retailers beginning today.
Read MoreKenji Kawai composer of Patlabor and various anime soundtracks is featured on the Japan discovery show "toco toco." In this show, Japan creators show us places they like in Japan and speak about their activity. In this episode Kenji Kawai will introduce us to the Kita-Shinagawa area, where he was born and raised and where he is still living today. Check out the episode below.
Shido and his assembly of adorable aliens are back in the second season of this sci-fi rom-com romp! Itsuka Shido was a once a normal high schooler. But after a spacequake started by an armored girl rocked his world, life was never the same.
Read MoreThe sudden retirement of the famous idol Yuka Kusakabe from the entertainment business shocks the world and devastates her biggest fan, a teenager named Kosaku Hata. His classmates at the Tamo Agriculture School manage to get him out of his depression and bring him out of his room to attend his classes.
Read MoreLuffy’s impulsive attack on Gecko Moria ends up costing the rubber-man something he can’t 5live without – his shadow! When Zoro and Sanji find themselves in the same boat, the three fierce fighters must find a way to recapture what was lost, or face the possibility of death by sunlight.
Read MoreParamount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures have formally announced filming has begun on the live-action Ghost In The Shell movie with a still featuring Scarlett Johansson in the lead role of Major, a human/cyborg hybrid.
Johannson leads a cast comprised of Beat Takeshi Kitano, Juliette Binoche, Michael Pitt, and others. The film is directed by Snow White & the Huntsman's Rupert Sanders.
Here is a look at her as Major:
We are so pleased to be in Wellington to shoot Ghost In The Shell,” said producers Avi Arad, Ari Arad, Michael Costigan and Jeffrey Silver. “The city boasts state-of-the-art production facilities and a rich urban landscape that make it an ideal setting for a sci-fi action film. The crew-base in New Zealand working on the film is first class, and working with Sir Richard Taylor and the team at Weta Workshop is inspirational on every level. The people of New Zealand have been terrific partners in helping us bring this story and its beloved characters to audiences around the world and we are thankful for their continued hospitality.”
Ghost In The Shell is scheduled for nationwide release on March 31, 2017
Attack on Titan finally has a next-gen game. We played the Japanese import with the USA import due on August 30th. Is this the anime game you've been waiting for? Check out our review below.
Read MoreAfter being taken captive by a female general from an enemy country, Count Tigrevurmud Vorn leaves his own lands completely open to attack. Unable to sit by and watch the destruction, Tigre must do what he can to convince his beautiful captor to join him in a fight to save his homeland.
Read MoreBased on the manga by Gamon Sakurai, AJIN: Demi-Human, published by KODANSHA Ltd., is about a young high-school student who is hit by a truck and dies only to discover that he is, in fact, demi-human, an “Ajin.”
Read MoreSet in a futuristic Japan after the end of a brutal world war, science has advanced by leaps and bounds giving humanity the choice to prolong life and reduce suffering with the use of sophisticated cybernetics.
Read MoreTakeru and his Leadership Committee comrades are the last line of defense when it comes to ridding Tenbei Academy of mischievous Maken users. But saving all these succulent student bodies from a hoard of hocus pocus hornballs is no easy trick. Not when there's a pervy creeper pinning bras to the bulletin boars, a magical feline turning coed cuties into irresistible sex kittens, and a must see manga fest where the costumes get mysteriously shrunken down to scandalous sizes! Through it all, Takeru keeps his mind on the mammaries and the mammaries on his mind as the luscious ladies of the Leadership Committee prove that their magic is breast in class!
If I was to describe Maken-Ki! in word that word will be hilarious. I didn't get a chance to see season 1 of the show. In fact I was skeptical about entering a season and show with a blind eye. Usually when I watch anything I like to start from the first season, this way I have a full understanding of the characters, plot, setting and tone of the show. Thankfully Maken-Ki! is a show that you can start from the season 2 and still understand everything that has happen previously. Maken-Ki! succeeds because of the way the story is presented, writing, voice acting and animation. This show doesn't take itself seriously and knows what to do or say to deliver the comedic laughs. As a comedy show it does something some anime shows do, that necessarily don't work but here it does. The show constantly breaks the forth wall and say things that the audience might be thinking. As I was watching the show there was a harem scene and I was saying to myself okay this is cliche. Long and behold one of the characters points out the scene as a typical anime cliche and proceeded to end the cliche. It moments like this that really deliver and worked for me. The show is aware that it's not something we haven't seen before, and it points that out when they do something that has been done tons of times.
In addition I must stress that this show is NOT FOR YOUR KIDS! Part of what makes Maken-Ki a funny show is the an adult/immature humor. The jokes, situations are not for everyone. There is tons of boob jokes, sexual situations and fan service. If you're not a fan of fan service this show might not be for you. Maken-Ki! is uncut and does show everything expect for the genitalia. The characters are teenagers and what usually is on the mind of a perverted teenage male? The answer to that is sex of course. The fan service and sex jokes work in this anime because it's part of the story and it's not doing fans ervice or being perverted, misogynistic just for the sake of it. The story has perverted characters and the show is just showcasing what perverts do. However beyond the jokes, perverted antics and what some might consider misogynistic behavior. Maken-Ki has a lot of heart and a few messages along the way. A few messages hidden in the show is women empowerment. For every perverted joke, misogynistic act by our male protagonist there was an action from the girls correcting them. The female characters make it known of their independence, strength and definitely that their not objects. One episode that stuck with me was episode 5. Here our protagonist Takeru is stuck on an island with the school nurse. While he thinks this could be a chance to capitalize on the situation he instead learns about this woman's life, her insecurity and we as audience see that Takeru can be serious when he needs to be. It's one of the highlights of the show with a great production, pacing and stellar voice casting.
Overall if you want a good laugh, not easily offended and know that a show might is not taken seriously this one is for you. The voice acting is enjoyable both English and Japanese dub. The animation is good with a lot of shots of fan service. There is some hidden messages and themes to pay attention once you look beyond the jokes. The show is enjoyable, smart and delivers a good time.
Blu- Ray Features Note - The Blu-Ray features commentary from the people who worked on the show. They describe characters and what's it like filming. Very funny as well.
Final Score 4 out of 5 Stars.
When legendary director Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro) announced his retirement from Studio Ghibli, the world of Japanese animation mourned. But many also saw an opportunity for new talent to take center stage in the vacuum left by the famed director.
Read MoreSpring anime is finally upon us and there is a good slate of shows coming our way in the next few weeks. Here are some recommendations of a couple shows that I will add to my queue for sure.
My Hero Academia
What's a hero? For Izuku Midoriya, the answer to that question has always been simple: "Everything I want to be!" And who is the ultimate hero? Well, the legendary All Might, of course. All Might is the number one ranked hero and also the "Symbol of Peace" in the world. Not in his wildest dreams could Izuku have imagined that he would soon cross paths with his childhood hero... In Boku no Hero Academia, status is governed by "Quirks"—unique superpowers which develop in childhood. But, unfortunately, hero otaku Midoriya "Deku" Izuku never had a Quirk. That is, until he met All Might, the greatest hero of all time. Izuku's transformation from dreamer to superhero begins at Yuuei Academy, the top-ranked hero training high school in Japan. Izuku is on cloud nine when he's accepted to this prestigious academy, especially when he finds out that All Might is one of the teachers. What surprises does this mighty academy offer? And will Izuku be able to keep up with his elite classmates?
Kiznaiver
The story takes place in Sugomori, a city built upon reclaimed land that once prospered as a futuristic city. One high school boy living there, Agata Katsuhira, is somehow unable to feel any pain. One day just before the start of summer break, Katsuhira is called by a mysterious girl named Sonozaki Noriko and chosen to become one of a group of people who share one another's pain: a "Kiznaiver." Several of his classmates have also been chosen as part of this group, but they're all people from different circles who normally wouldn't associate with each other.
Re:ZERO
Natsuki Subaru, an ordinary high school student, is on his way home from the convenience store when he finds himself transported to another world. As he's lost and confused in a new world where he doesn't even know left from right, the only person to reach out to him was a beautiful girl with silver hair. Determined to repay her somehow for saving him from his own despair, Subaru agrees to help the girl find something she's looking for...
Hundred
"Hundred" - the only weapon capable of fighting the Savages, mysterious life forms attacking Earth. Hayato enters the battleship university Little Garden in hopes of becoming a Slayer... but his roommate Emile Crossfode, who seems to know a lot about him for some reason, awakens a sort of unsettling nostalgia within him. What's more, right after he joins the school, the strongest Slayer at Little Garden, the "Queen" Claire Harvey, challenges him to a duel! Misaki Jun and Ohkuma Nekosuke (Nitro+) are teaming up to bring you the ultimate school action anime!
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn RE:0096
U.C. 0096. Three years after Char's Rebellion, Banagher Links, a boy living at the manufacturing colony Industrial 7, meets a mysterious girl who calls herself Audrey Burne. Audrey claims that she is trying to stop the Vist Foundation from handing over Laplace's Box to the Neo Zeon remnants known as the Sleeves, an act which could spark another war, and Banagher decides to help her. But the colony becomes a battlefield as fighting breaks out between the Sleeves and the Earth Federation Forces, who have also come to stop the handover..
Ace Attorney
Adapted from the popular video game franchise, Ace Attorney follows rookie lawyer Naruhodo Ryuuichi (Phoenix Wright) and his assistant Mayoi (Maya) as he defends his clients in a court of law. With limited evidence and logic as his only weapon, can Naruhodo turn the case around when all the odds are stacked against him?
Joker Game
Taking place in the year 1937 on the eve of World War II, the story involves a mysterious spy training organization known as the "D Agency." The organization is established by Lieutenant Colonel Yuuki from the Imperial Japanese Army. His ideals lead him to recruit people beyond military academy graduates and personnel, while training them to become skilled agents in arts of manipulation. These agents would become a specialized team to conduct operations. One such antihero agent, under the name Jirou Gamou, goes on a harrowing mission to uncover secret documents titled "Black Notes," while battling forces from within and without his own ranks.
BROTHERHOOD FINAL FANTASY XV™ is a new anime series that consists of five standalone episodes that delve into the extraordinary friendships between crown prince Noctis and his three comrades, setting the stage for the adventure players will set out upon in the action-packed RPG.
Read MoreThis Spring 2016 anime season, return to the spirit world with RIN-NE 2 on Anime Network Online (ANO). Based on the manga by legendary mangaka Rumiko Takahashi (Inuyasha, Ranma 1Ž2, Maison Ikkoku)
Read MoreAdult Swim announce an official sequel to one of the most beloved anime series of all time - FLCL (pronounced Fooly Cooly). Created in 2000, FLCLtold the tale of Naota, a 12-year-old boy who met a woman that would forever change his life…whether he liked it or not. 16 years later, Adult Swim and legendary animation studio, Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell), are creating two new six-episode seasons to continue the tale, which will premiere in Adult Swim’s Toonami block. Known for its surprising and unique content with high fan engagement, Adult Swim has been basic cable’s #1 Network in the U.S. with 18-24 and 18-34 year olds for eleven consecutive years. The new season of FLCL adds to Adult Swim’s ever expanding portfolio of original programming.
“The original FLCL is an anime classic and has been a fixture on Adult Swim since we first laid eyes on it,” said Jason DeMarco, senior vice president/creative director, Adult Swim On-Air. “I’m beyond thrilled to be able to produce a sequel with the original creators, for Toonami, where it belongs.”
Back for the new season is FLCLseries creator Kazuya Tsurumaki, serving as supervisor with director Katsuyuki Motohiro (Psycho-Pass) and character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (Neon Genesis Evangelion). Also joining this season is writer Hideto Iwai (Last Dinner).
Established in 1987, Production I.G has since produced a number of acclaimed feature films and TV shows, and has also partnered with Mamoru Oshii on every one of his animated films since Patlabor: The Movie (1989), thereby earning an international admiration which eventually led to the visionary collaboration with Quentin Tarantino for the animation sequence in his hit,Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003). They are most known for the Ghost in the Shellfranchise, and for the acclaimed animated TV series Psycho-pass andAttack on Titan.
“FLCL has become an anime classic over the years, yet it has remained vibrant,” said Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, co-founder, president and CEO of Production I.G. “This new season will capture the hearts of both longtimeFLCL fans from around the world and new anime viewers.”
In the new season of FLCL, many years have passed since Naota and Haruhara Haruko shared their adventure together. Meanwhile, the war between the two entities known as Medical Mechanica and Fraternity rages across the galaxy. Enter Hidomi, a young teenaged girl who believes there is nothing amazing to expect from her average life, until one day when a new teacher named Haruko arrives at her school. Soon enough, Medical Mechanica is attacking her town and Hidomi discovers a secret within her that could save everyone, a secret that only Haruko can unlock.
But why did Haruko return to Earth?
What happened to her Rickenbacker 4001 she left with Naota?
And where did the human-type robot ‘Canti’ go?
All of these questions and more will be answered in the new season of the series, which is set to premiere in late 2017/early 2018 on Adult Swim.
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