Marvel Now! - X-Men #1 First Look

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Storm, Rogue, Jubilee, Kitty Pryde, Rachel Grey, Rogue & Psylocke redefine what it means to be a Child of the Atom in X-Men #1, kicking off the all-new ongoing series by the blockbuster creative team of writer Brian Wood (Ultimate Comics X-Men) and artist Oliver Coipel (Avengers VS. X-Men)! An old enemy shows up at the X-Men’s door, seeking asylum from an ancient evil come back to Earth. Meanwhile, Jubilee has come home, and she’s brought with her an orphaned baby who might hold the key to the Earth’s survival…or its destruction! With an imminent alien invasion and an eons-spanning war between brother and sister around the corner, Storm steps up and puts together a team to protect the child and stop a new threat that could destroy all life in the Marvel Universe! Each issue of X-Men includes a code for a free digital copy on the Marvel Comics app (for iPhone®, iPad®, iPad Touch® & Android devices). This May, Wood and Coipel take X-Men in an all-new, all-different direction in X-Men #1!





BERSERK PREMIERE AT NEW PEOPLE & ON NEON ALLEY ON MAY 11th

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VIZ Media reminds anime fans of the upcoming special double-feature theatrical presentation of BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC I – THE EGG OF THE KING and the exclusive North American premiere of BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC II - THE BATTLE FOR DOLDREY taking place on Saturday, May 11th at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema, located inside the dynamic Japanese pop culture entertainment venue in San Francisco’s Japantown at 1746 Post St. Two double-feature screenings (presented with dubbed English dialogue) are scheduled for 3:00pm and 8:00pm.

VIZ Media also invites Neon Alley members nationwide to catch back-to-back airings of BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC I – THE EGG OF THE KING and BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC II - THE BATTLE FOR DOLDREY taking place the same day at the same times – Saturday, May 11th – at 3:00pm and 8:00pm PST. More details and sign-up information are available at: www.neonalley.com.

Tickets to the NEW PEOPLE Cinema double-feature are $25.00 each and are available online at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/films/films-5-2013/. A special galley exhibit featuring original BERSERK production art from Studio 4ºC will also be showcased in the theatre lobby. Upon arrival, each ticketholder will also receive an exclusive gift pack that features exclusive BERSERK promotional collectables including a tote bag, fan, beverage koozie, bookmarks, and more.

A variety of other exclusive BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC memorabilia – including collectable figures, a special art book, cell phone charms, and Japanese theatrical pamphlets autographed by Studio 4ºC CEO Eiko Tanaka – will be given away to lucky winners who attend the screenings at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema premiere. Neon Alley viewers will also have a chance to watch and win one of 50 one-of-a-kind pieces of BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC production art available exclusively during the premiere event. Please visit www.facebook.com/neonalleynetwork for more details on the special giveaway items. 




BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC I – THE EGG OF THE KING follows lone mercenary Guts as he travels the land where a hundred-year-old war is taking place. His ferocity and ability to take down enemies attracts the attention of Griffith, leader of the mercenary group “The Band of the Hawk,” and Guts is recruited to the unit. Thanks to their continued victories on the battlefield, the bond between Guts and Griffith deepens, but despite all their success, Guts begins to question his reasons for fighting for Griffith’s dream. Unknown to Guts, this unyielding dream is about to bestow a horrible fate on them both.

BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC II - THE BATTLE FOR DOLDREY picks up the story as Guts believed, for three years, that his mission was to pursue Griffith’s dream together with him. But in order to become Griffith’s equal and truly be called his friend, Guts realizes he will have to leave the Band of the Hawk. At the same time, a bloody battle to capture the impenetrable Fortress of Doldrey from the Empire of Chuder is about to begin. The Band of the Hawk will face an army 30,000 strong!
For more information on the BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC film trilogy, please visit the official Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/BerserkFilm.

Interview With Butch Hartman Creator Of The Fairly Odd Parents

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We had a chat with Butch Hartman creator of the "Fairly Odd Parents." Butch talks about the origins of the show, season 9, introducing a new character and the evolution of characters. Be sure to catch season 9 of the "Fairy Odd Parents" on Nickelodeon starting Saturday May 4th at 9:30 a.m. (ET/PT)

 OtakusandGeeks.com: Before we begin we just want to congratulate you on the show and its success. How does it feel to have a show that is in its 9th season?

 Super duper awesome, of course! How many people even get to have ONE season of a show, let alone NINE? I’m truly blessed, thankful and thrilled!

 OtakusandGeeks.com: How did the idea of The Fairly OddParents come up? Do you remember the exact moment you met Timmy Turner and his fairy friends?

 I do - it was October 1997 and I was working on Johnny Bravo at Cartoon Network with a guy named Seth MacFarlane. The first season of Johnny Bravo was over and it was unclear whether there would be a 2nd season so we –the entire staff – were let go.  I realized I had to create a show of my own because I was tired of being subject to the whims of others.

 I wanted to do a show about a character that could travel from place to place easily so I thought that “science” would be a good way to accomplish that. But Dexter’s Laboratory had already launched so I thought “magic” would be a good approach.  After that, everything else started falling into place.  I decided to make the show about a little boy with a fairy godmother. Since I had never seen a fairy god FATHER before, I decided to add one to the mix. The next thing I knew, Cosmo, Wanda and Timmy Turner were born. So, in a nutshell, the idea arose out of the need for employment!

 OtakusandGeeks.com: Coming up with new story ideas has to be a challenge after nine seasons.  What are some the creative challenges, if any, you’ve faced? How have you been able to keep the series fresh?

 Creative challenges are always there but, as a cartoonist who also writes, I realize the importance of good storytelling. I have an amazing group of writers who are always trying to throw new things into the mix. Bottom line: Never get lazy! 

 OtakusandGeeks.com: This season you are introducing an all new character “Sparky.” What can you tell us about him and how he will interact with the rest of the characters on the show?

 Sparky is a magical talking fairy dog with magic “dog” powers. He can make fire hydrants appear out of thin air and poof up cats to chase! He’s also a character with a past. He’s been everywhere and done everything. For example, when Timmy has to go to Mexico, Sparky says he “knows a guy who can set them up with passports.”

 OtakusandGeeks.com: How has Timmy Turner evolved over time?

 I think he’s become smarter. He is truly the nucleus of the show and the character that is most like me. He’s a kid who is smarter than all the insane adults around him, which is why he needs his fairy godparents. Timmy is the one character who always says what everyone is thinking. He’s definitely risen to the level of Cosmo and Wanda. At first he was just there to wish for things and give the fairies something to do. But now we can write entire stories around him with very little help form any other outside characters.

 OtakusandGeeks.com: You wear many hats – you are creator, writer and sometime even a voice over performer on the series.  How do you balance all these roles?

 I am able to balance it all because I enjoy it all. Seriously, there’s not one aspect of my job I dislike. I get to write, draw and produce cartoons every single day. What could be better than that? But, if it’s a practical answer you’re looking for, it all comes down to time management. Doing each thing one little piece at a time each and every day.

 OtakusandGeeks.com: Sometimes show creators inject some of their own real-life personality into the characters they develop.  Is there a character on the show that is a reflection of you?

 Yes! Most of them have a twinge of my personality infused in them, but Dr. Rip Studwell – the Fairy Doctor who is also a soap opera actor – is probably the one who most closely resembles me. In fact, the character designers saw to it that he even looks like a much younger version of me!

 OtakusandGeeks.com: One thing we love about the show throughout the years is Timmy’s crush on Trixie.  Are we going to see any Trixie and Timmy interaction this season?

 Trixie is a great character that means a lot to the show and to Timmy so I’m hoping they interact this season.  If there’s a great Trixie story out there that we haven’t done, then we’re up for it. Got any ideas?

 OtakusandGeeks.com: Do you have a favorite character on the show?

 I have a bunch! But I think the ones I turn to the most – the ones the writers and I like working with the most – are Timmy’s Dad, Mr. Crocker and Cosmo. Always guaranteed a laugh with them.

 OtakusandGeeks.com: What can we expect from Cosmo and Wanda this season? How has their relationship grown over the years?

 For one thing, Cosmo and Wanda have not only adopted Timmy as their fairy god kid, but they’ve also had a baby of their own! Poof was an amazing addition to the show and, even though he only speaks in two word sentences, “Poof Poof,” he has definitely added a level of fun to the series. But I think Cosmo and Wanda have grown in the fact that they continue to love each other no matter what insanity threatens to tear them apart.

 OtakusandGeeks.com: Finally, what would you wish for if you had your own fairy god parents?

 More time to make more episodes of The Fairly OddParents!



Interview With Matt Taylor Voice Of Sparky In The Fairly Odd Parents

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We had a chat with voice actor Matt Taylor about his new role as "Sparky" in the upcoming season 9 show of "Fairly Odd Parents." Matt talks about what was it like to play Spark, how he found the voice and many more. 

OtakusandGeeks.com: What can you tell us about Sparky and what it’s like to voice this role?

I love Sparky! Sparky, to me, has an infinite capacity for fun and the magical ability to keep the fun coming. And he loves, loves, loves Timmy! What I love about voicing Sparky is his slightly unusual past with so many owners. He's been around, but still very innocent. So I get to play a really good character who still has a bit of mystery about him. It keeps Sparky from being too one dimensional and boring. You never know what's coming with him.

 OtakusandGeeks.com: How did you find Sparky’s voice?  Did it take a while to figure out, or did you know right away how you wanted him to sound?

Actually, in this case, Butch Hartman knew what he wanted from the outset. So for Sparky in particular the voice was easier to find. He told me he was looking for something like Rick Moranis' character in Ghostbusters. So I did watch his scenes and honed my impression to the best I could. Luckily, it was good enough for Butch!

OtakusandGeeks.com: How did you land the role as Sparky?  You’ve work with Butch Hartman, The Fairly OddParents series creator, on another of his projects T.U.F.F. Puppy.  Did you have to audition or did he approach you to voice Sparky?

While I have worked with Butch on T.U.F.F. Puppy, I had to audition for Sparky just like everyone else. In all honesty, I think it did help that Butch knew me and knew what I bring to a character. Fortunately, it was what he wanted. Also, Butch is very loyal. He's worked with some of the same amazing actors for years, like the awesome Daran Norris and Grey DeLisle and the one and only Rob Paulsen.

OtakusandGeeks.com: When you go in for your voice record sessions, are you alone or is the entire cast in the studio with you? What is that experience like?

This is the part where I sound like I've been prompted in my answer, but I haven't! It's honestly the best job ever! The whole cast records together. We also have Butch directing us and the writers are there as well, coming up with additions to the script on the fly as we record. We record two pages at a time. Then we do a second pass, then on to the next two pages. Sometimes this can take a while as (and this is absolutely true) we laugh so hard at a performance, we just have to stop. We're all laughing so hard. Also, I would be remiss if I didn't give HUGE credit to the ridiculously talented writers on FOP who make the funny we say every episode. They are brilliantly funny and incredibly generous.

OtakusandGeeks.com: What was like working with this talented cast?

Oh, the banter in between pages is as fun as the read itself. All the actors on this show are hilarious personally. We riff non-stop between takes. There's nothing like sitting next to the genius Carlos Alazraqui as he riffs in whatever character's in his head and just goes off. Or Jeff Bennett's 1,000 voices. Unbelievable fun.

OtakusandGeeks.com: How is voicing Sparky different than the other roles you play?

For me, it's actually more challenging. Sparky's a sweet guy through and through. So keeping him interesting and funny in such an insane cast of characters is something I always keep in the forefront of my thoughts when performing Sparky. Verminious Snaptrap on T.U.F.F Puppy is actually easier. He's insane. Absolutely nuts, with a silly mean streak a mile wide. So I just unleash my inner lunatic for him. Sparky makes me work harder, but it's ultimately better work I do.

OtakusandGeeks.com: What would you wish for if you had your own fairy god parents?

The cornball (but absolutely true) answer is good health for my parents. They mean the world to me. The other wish? For Sparky and FOP to go on for as long as possible. Like I said before…. best job EVER!!!



Swimming Anime "Free" Coming July 2013

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A new anime is coming in July that will be based on the sport of Swimming. It's created by Kyoto Animation and the title is called "Free." This will have hot anime guys I'm looking forward to it. Here is the official details from the official website and a trailer. 

 The "Nanase far", being exposed to "water" - it was like to "swim". When I was a child, "Nanase far", "Tachibana Makoto", "Matsuoka Rin," "Hazuki Nagisa" went to the same swimming club at the end the winner of the tournament in the elementary school before graduation, they will continue to be to the way different. Before much of the time passed before long, had spent idly high school life, suddenly, Rin appears. Rin to challenge the game to much, show the overwhelming strength. It is not finished in this state. And, Nagisa and Makoto get together again, and draws the "Ryugasaki Rei" a new, established a rock skipping high school swimming club. Far, Makoto, Nagisa, and Rei, and phosphorus. Of male high school students lively, this tells the story of the bond between youth and swimming. The broadcast will start ABC Asahi Broadcasting Corporation, TOKYO MX, TV Aichi, in BS11 from July 2013! The delivery schedule Nico Nico Douga, also on ABC video club!


Pokemon Prom Proposal

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For seniors in high school the prom is around the corner. It's like the biggest event in your high school career, for some it's a grand experience and a night of first times, for others its a heart breaking experience that stays with them forever. For me it was I don't care because I didn't go to mine. Instead I was playing basketball and gaming with the fellas. However one prom proposal is circling the net that I had to share. Prom proposal are becoming like marriage proposals these days. Guys are getting more and more creative on how to ask a girl out to the prom. This guy knew the key to a girl's heart and way a girl can't say no is through Pokemon. Check it out as he is dressed as Ash Ketchum and  ask out his date to be to the prom. 


Shibaful Creates I-Phone Yoyogai Park Case

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This was something interesting that I saw when I came across it. Company Shibaful has created an I-Phone case that is very unique. The company I-Phone case is based on parks, not theme parks but the actual nature grassy element of the parks. Check out the video and some pics for more details.
Source - Diginfo.TV





























Lenni Reviews: The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury

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I love you guys. No, really, I do. And you better love me, too, for reading this book when I had a feeling it would be just like the first one.

Road to Woodbury suffers from the same problems as Rise of the Governor; uneven writing, cliche zombie tropes, thin characters; the works. Now, if you want to read this book or haven’t read the comics (which really, if you haven’t dafuq you doing here?), there will be spoilers for both in the review because I just can't properly express what bothered me about the book without giving away some details.

I’m serious.

Spoilers here.

Last chance...

Alright, here we go.

This novel follows Lilly Caul as she tries to survive the aftermath of the plague and ends up in Woodbury. At least the title here is accurate; there is a road and Lilly uses it to get to Woodbury and does so WAAAYYY earlier in this book than the Governor became the Governor in the first book. When Lilly gets there, she is instantly aware there is something rotten in Woodbury (bonus points if you get my Shakespeare reference). The Governor is in full on evil fuckwit mode and creepy from word one. How the wimpy asthmatic from the end of Rise of the Governor vanished is never told. But there he is in all his murdery, rape-y, heads-in-fish tank-y glory as if he was plucked from the comic, NOT from the first book.

So, there’s a time lapse. Lenni can be down with that. But not a single character drops a clue the man was anything other than complete evil from the moment he was put in charge. I get the feeling I arrive in Woodbury like this:



And also, he spends exactly two random pages having a sob session over the monster he has become. It was out of place. All of a sudden, he spends two pages out of 288 to lament how he has become a monster like his brother, Philip, in order to survive, despite the fact he hadda kill his brother and thereby Philip didn’t survive. He literally pauses to cry about being a murdering fuckwit then immediately goes back to being a murdering fuckwit. It was completely out of place and I didn’t feel any sympathy for him. I was annoyed and just wanted him to go back to killing things to make it stop.

Lilly despises him from the start (like Michonne does in the show) and wants out. She hatches a plot to kill him, it fails because: zombies. Then inexplicably, the Governor does NOT kill her like he did pretty much anyone else who looked at him funny and she vows she’s gonna kill him one day. You heard me right: The villain who tortured Michonne for biting his ear off, keeps his zombie niece (or "daughter" in the show) as a pet, does a crappy job of chopping Tyreese's head off, and kills people on a whim for the lulz lets Lilly live after she conspired to kill him and failed. Does not compute!

My other problem with this? At no point in the comic does Lilly seem to outright object to anything that happens till she finds out she’s shot a fleeing woman with her infant (Lori and Judith). And I went back to the comics and checked. Twice.

To sum up my issue: the entire book, Lilly despises the Governor and can’t want to kill him yet in the comics, she had no problem rolling up to the prison at his side. And if she was just going along for the ride for the chance to kill him, it STILL doesn’t jive because she spends the entire novel whining about the deaths of innocent people. She’s got a lot of collateral damage on her hands if the whole plot was to somehow kill the Governor in the prison. It doesn't make sense to me how "Lilly" who failed to kill the Governor in the novel and "Lilly" who killed Lori and her baby are the same woman.

I am no perfect writer. I am sure there are cliches, typos, grammar mistakes and dangling plot points in my books but something like this was like a flood light to the eyes. If you're going to transmit your property to another medium and say it's a prequel, not an alternate universe, at least have it make sense.

I didn’t want to throw the book this time but it did give me a headache. On the plus side, it read faster than the first book and the descriptions of zombie mauling and oozing, decayed flesh are enough to make you grimace. But at $24.99, I expect better. No, I DEMAND better. Because the collected comics come in at $14.99 for the volumes, $34.99 for the big books, and $59.99 for the compendiums, there needs to be more bang for my buck. More happens in any of those comics to warrant the prices than in the hardcover novels.

Well, at least it’s over and there won’t be another one.

Aww, shit...

4 Reasons Why John Cena Must Turn Heel Eventually

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I’ve been watching wrestling since I was four years old. I have witness the Hogan Era, the Attitude Era and now the PG Era. Never in all my years of watching the WWE have I seen a babyface get booed and not eventually turn heel. It’s one thing to get booed because you’re the heel, it’s another to be a babyface and get booed because the fans are tired of the gimmick. John Cena falls into the category that so many guys before him dealt with. When The Rock started he was getting booed as a babyface I remember chants like die Rocky die, and Rocky Sucks. The fans weren’t buying this good squeaky clean image that he portrays. Eventually Rock joins the Nation of Domination and became The Rock and the rest was history.  Stone Cold was heel and was getting cheered by the fans and eventually he became the top babyface of all time. The questions is why hasn’t WWE made this move yet. Are they afraid to lose the fanbase Cena has? Is the business aspect and PG era in the way? No matter what the reason is here are four reasons why I feel Cena must turn heel eventually.

 1. Cena Character Is Stale – The my time is now Cena is really stale. Cena’s time has been here since he first beat JBL for the WWE title at Wrestlemania. It’s not that fans hate Cena, fans are just tired of his gimmick. Fans are tired of seeing him coming out on top and keep telling us never give up, hustle, loyalty and respect. It’s dull and no longer entertaining to watch. How many times is Cena going to beat the odds, how many times are guys going to put him over, people are tired of seeing it. Even Hulk Hogan had to reinvent himself to stay relevant with the NWO. If Cena character keeps on with the same gimmick, even his die hard fans will be screaming for change.

 2. Cena Is More Entertaining Heel – When John Cena is not being Super Cena and is actually allowed to be more adult he is entertaining. His Thuganomics gimmick was funny, fun to watch and most of all he showed range and diversity. His in ring ability was better as well. As a heel Cena had more arsenals to help him win matches. He could screw people over, he cheat to get ahead and it will be really fun to watch.

 3. Cena Heel Turn Equals Big Ratings – If Cena turns heel think of how big the ratings will be. Everyone will tune in to see it. Cena haters, Cena supporters everyone alike will be in line to see what will happen every week. If the storyline is right there will be no doubt it could one of the biggest ratings in the PG era.

 4. Cena Will Put Young Talent Over – Cena has been at the top for a long time and it’s time for him to help bring young talent up. With Cena as heel it makes room for other talents to become top babyface to rival him. Maybe someone like Dolph Ziggler who reaction to cashing in the Money In The Bank is clear that he could the future face of the company. That’s only if WWE markets the young talent correctly.

 What do you think? Should Cena turn heel and why? Or are you happy with the Super Cena era?

Tokyo Magnitude 8.0. Review

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Mirai, a middle school freshman girl, goes to Tokyo’s artificial Odaiba Island for a robot exhibition with her brother Yuuki at the start of summer vacation. A powerful tremor registering 8.0 on the JMA scale emanates from an ocean trench, the famed Tokyo Tower and Rainbow Bridge crumble and fall, and the landscape of Tokyo changes in seconds. With the help of a motorcycle delivery woman named Mari who they meet on Odaiba, Mirai and Yuuki strive to head back to their Setagaya home in western Tokyo.


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mobile App Rooftop Run

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Today Nickelodeon launches Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Run, the network’s first worldwide mobile app, available in more than 150 countries and eight languages. Join Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo in this endless runner ninja combat game, where players run, jump and fight their way across the rooftops of New York in an attempt to save the city from the invading Kraang and ultimate destruction.  Available for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Run features full 3D characters and environments based on the CG-animated series. The app is available today for $1.99.

 In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Run, players assume the role of their favorite Turtle as they outrun the Kraang’s tractor beam, battling enemies with Ninjutsu combat along the way. As enemies are defeated, players earn coins that can be redeemed for awesome power ups, weapons and gear.  Collecting energy orbs fills the player’s Energy Meter and keeps the Kraang away.  Once the Energy Meter is filled, players enter “Turtle Time” – a special combat mode where game play is zoomed in and slowed down, and players must tap in rapid succession, striking multiple enemies simultaneously in a thrilling fight sequence to increase coin collection.

 To enhance gameplay experience, players can visit the Turtle Lair to unlock characters, purchase power ups and upgrade their Turtle’s weapons and gear.  Enhancements can be purchased using game coins or an iTunes account. New gear influences coin collection rates, energy meter drainage and refills, builds players’ resistance to certain obstacles and enables them to fast-forward to any section of the game already played, gaining additional coins.
Game Features Include:
Battle hoards of enemies from the Foot Clan, Kraang, and Dimension X
Activate Turtle Time to fight up close in a slow-motion combat sequence
Outfit the Turtles in exclusive Cyber and Stealth gear
Upgrade with weapons, gadgets and boosts like the Laserbot and Turtle Saver
Unlock and play as the Turtles’ formidable canine foe Dogpound
Earn rewards from the pizza time mini-game
Epic Boss Battles

 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Run will be translated into eight languages, English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Latin America) and Spanish (Spain).

 For more details about the app visit http://www.tmntrooftoprun.com


Tales of Xillia.....FINALLY!!!!!!

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Great news Tales fans. Tales of Xilla is coming to the PS3 in America on August 6!!!! There will be a special edition also. Huzzah! Well there goes another RPG I buy that I won't be able to finish because I am incompetent at RPG games but I just keep buying them because I am in denial....*sigh* But I digress. Look out for this awesome game in a few months. Tales Rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gatchaman Live Action Trailer

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Otakus Gatchaman live action movie is coming on August 24th 2013. Check out the teaser trailer, it looks like a damn good adapation. The movie stars Tori Matsuzaka as Ken Washio, Gō Ayano as George Asakura, Ayame Gouriki as Jun Ohtsuki, Tatsuomi Hamada as Jinpei Ohtsuki and Ryohei Suzuki as Ryu Nakanishi.



42 Review

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He's one of the most iconic figures in all of baseball. It's one of the most important moments in Civil Rights. It's one legendary story and now Jackie Robinson story is a featured film in "42". The film stars Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson and Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey. Is this biopic a grand slam or is it a strike three for this film?

 Synopsis - The life story of Jackie Robinson and his history-making signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers under the guidance of team executive Branch Rickey.

 Story - Hollywood is taking a different route when it comes to biopics these days. Gone are the three hour to four hour films that depicts the subject of the story from birth to death, or to a certain point of their lives. Now we focus on one key time period or element of the person. In "42"the film focus of Jackie Robinson's early beginnings in baseball, from his move from the negro leagues, to the Brooklyn Dodgers. The story does a great job on focusing on the impact Jackie Robinson made in the league at the time. It was a time of segregation and blacks didn't have equal rights as whites. Everything was separate from shopping places, bathrooms, hotels and many more, even sports had it's own divisions from the negro leagues and the major leagues. Enter Branch Rickey the executive of the Brooklyn Dodgers who wants to shake things up a little, by including a black player in the national league. Of course bringing Robinson into the majors will not be taken lightly by the league, players and parts of America in general. The film does a great job on showing the adversity and pressure that Robinson had to endure. However I would say the film took his adversity in the lightest of tones. The most brutal you will see is Robinson being insulted by Ben Chapman manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, and getting beamed with a baseball. The movie doesn't get too intense with the racism, instead it focuses on the impact Robinson made in the game and the community in general. This works because the film can be seen by all ages, it's not too intense for the kids to get a history lesson, and it's not too intense to make you feel really uneasy. The film does suffer a little bit of under develop characters like Robinson's wife, who plays a key role in his life, but yet you don't really know much about her. She is just there to be the moral compass and keep him from losing it. Overall the story nails it out of the park for what it is going for and it does the great legend justice.

 Acting - The acting is great from everyone in the entire cast. Chadwick Boseman gives a breakout performance nailing Robinson down. Chadwick nails the mannerism and personality of Robinson on and off the field. He has wit, charm and even some funny moments that does justice to Jackie Robinson. The show stealer however will be Harrison Ford who is at his best in years as Branch Rickey. There are times you forget that it's Harrison Ford on screen and only see Branch Rickey. Ford is phenomenal, he's inspirational, witty and truly shows that he can still pull out an award winning performance. Another must watch performance is Alan Tudky as Ben Chapman. He's only in a couple of scenes and he delivers a performance that makes you really makes you cheer for Jackie. He plays the antagonist so well that you forget that Alan Tudky is such a likable guy. Overall the acting is worthy of praise and hopefully won't be forgotten when next year's Oscars comes. 

 Music & Film-Making - The music is your standard inspirational score that you would see in a biopic. It pulls at your emotions at the right time to get you invested more into the story. The score is nothing special and there really wasn't much stand out tracks, it's your basic generic biopic inspirational score. The film however is directed greatly by Brian Helgeland who serves as writer and director. He made sure to stay true the 1940's era with vehicles, music and location. There film looks beautiful and true to the time frame and Helgeland did a great job showcasing it.

 Final Thoughts - "42" is one of the best movies so far in 2013. It has charm, inspirational tones and tells the story of one of the greatest iconic figures in baseball, it does tone down on the racism that Jackie Robinson really faced, but it shows enough for you to understand the pressure and adversity he had to endure. The film has amazing performances which is sure to earn some nominations during award season. Overall this movie has is a home run and does the legend justice.




Lenni Reviews: Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheriones

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I’ve been a girl-geek for as long as I can remember, searching for any female hero I could look up to. I had Storm, Rogue, Lady Death, Vampirella, and of course, Wonder Woman. But “Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheriones” touched on what is a major problem in comics; lack of prominent female superheroes for little girls to aspire to.
Watching this documentary struck me not only as a woman, a mother, and but a comics fan. It is true that female representations in comics and scifi movies tend towards the hyper-sexualized to the powerful sacrifice (Lady Death and Jean Grey from the X3 movie, respectively). Exceptions exist and to ignore them is a shame (Captain Janeway from “Star Trek: Voyager” or any woman in the “Firefly” series) but it was Wonder Woman who really hit the mark, paving the way for them or in some cases showcasing how desperately we need her (as in post WWII, when she was suddenly all into typing and being carried around by her boyfriend).


I believe both women and men could benefit from this look at how feminism impacted the comic book industry and how important it is for little girls to see themselves in the heroes around them. I would have liked to see more about other superheroines - since that’s what the title implies - because I am sure other superwomen exist who are not nearly as famous as Wonder Woman. It was more "The Untold Story of Wonder Woman" than anyone else.


But the film got me thinking and that was the point. I wonder who my daughter will look up to (cause she’s a geek-in-training) and heck, who will I look up to because I’ve vowed to never quite grow up. I recommend this documentary just to get your mind working and you’ll learn a lot.
I sure hope comic creators of the future will keep in mind how many thousands of little girls come to the conventions dressed up as Bat Girl, Super Girl, and Wonder Woman. Comics are for them, too. And they deserve some attention.

The documentary airs on PBS on April 15th!

Lenni Reviews: Terra Tempo: The Four Corners of Time

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I have to admit, I am always a little skeptical of graphic novels for kids that try to teach them things. Can you blame me after reading travesties like Macbeth: The Graphic Novel (Dragon knights? Space armor? You have GOT to be kidding me. Watch The Lion King instead, it’s easier to follow.) So, you have to give me some credit for cringing a little at the back cover’s description of Terra Tempo: The Four Corners of Time, by David R. Shapiro (Author), Erica Melville (Author), and Christopher Herndon (Illustrator).
At the time of this writing, I am 32 years old but I have a 5 year old kid so I’m familiar with many different forms of tricking kids into learning something. Terra Tempo does it with style; decent art and an interesting plot. The whole thing is a mash of Magic School Bus, Sid the Science Kid, Dinosaur Train, and Jumanji.

I added that last one because the three main characters; Jenna, Caleb, and Ari are kids on a learning adventure that is REALLY dangerous. They travel back in time to where nearly every creature is designed to kill or maim you AND face a villain what has no problem shooting at kids.

I felt a little pandered to and the lessons are obvious and a bit forced in places. But again, I’m grown. I have a natural resistance to being “forced” or “tricked” into learning things. Its not a bad book by any means but for a proper opinion, allow me to quote my daughter, who just freakin LOVES dinosaurs: “This book is pretty cool, Mom!”

That it is, kid. That it is.

First Two Madoka Magica Movies Coming To Blu-Ray

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This July, Madoka Magica fans will get their wish granted. Aniplex of America has just announced that the first two Puella Magi Madoka Magica movies Part 1–Beginnings- and Part 2 –Eternal- will be available on Blu-ray at the end of July. Following its run in theaters worldwide, the demand for the Madoka Magica movies continues to grow everyday with requests for more show times. The not-so-typical story of a middle school girl named Madoka Kaname and her decision to become a magical girl continues to take the world by storm. Part 1 and Part 2 of the Madoka Magica movies retells the original TV series and is set for the big screen. These movies are a must-own for Madoka Magica fans or anybody who is just experiencing Madoka Magica for the first time.

 The Puella Magi Madoka Magica movies will be imported from Japan and released in North America in two different versions: Collector’s Edition and Standard Edition Blu-ray. Both the Collector’s and Standard Edition will include both Part 1 –Beginnings- and Part 2 –Eternal- movies. Both Editions will also include the theatrical trailer and textless opening and ending. Fans will be happy to know that the Blu-ray import will include six different subtitle languages. Bonus extras in the Limited Edition Blu-ray include exclusive new cover art, a deluxe booklet and the original soundtrack CD.Customers who purchase either the Collector’s or Standard Edition will receive a special postcard courtesy of Aniplex of America. In addition, for those who purchase the Collector’s Edition, Aniplex of America is also including a translation booklet for the “deluxe booklet.”

 Besides being available for purchase in the US and Canada, both editions of the Puella Magi Madoka Magica Blu-rays will also be available in the following territories: US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, The U.S. Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, the Netherland Antilles, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands

 Pre-orders for both the Collector’s Edition and Standard Edition begin today.

Right Stuf:           Collector’s Edition Blu-ray (Import): www.rightstuf.com/i/anzx31313133
Standard Edition Blu-ray (Import): www.rightstuf.com/i/ansx31313132

Romo A Mini Robot Powered By Your Phone

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At TED Talk 2013 Keller Rinaudo CEO and Co- Founder of Romotive showed off Romo the Robot for your I-Phone. He showed off some of the capabalites of Romo like being able to stream videos live from Romo's perspective, connecting the Romo to other IOS devices and more. Check out the conference video below.



MAX BROOKS INTRODUCES EXTINCTION PARADE

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New York Times bestselling author of World War Z develops original comic book series with Avatar Press Rantoul

April 9, 2013

The bestselling zombie writer in history unleashes an all-new epic story in the biggest comic event of the summer! Max Brooks is known worldwide as one of the founders of the zombie renaissance, with his novels being considered essential reading for horror enthusiasts. World War Z has been adapted by Brad Pitt into a summer blockbuster premiering on June 20th and his first book, The Zombie Survival Guide, is cited as launching the zombie survival sub-genre. Now Emmy Award winning author, Max Brooks, has developed a brand new sub-genre of Vampires vs Zombies and is unleashing Extinction Parade, an epic horror comic series through Avatar Press. This massive 250+ page event teams Brooks with super-star illustrator, Raulo Caceres and is scheduled to debut in comic shops worldwide on June 19th, the day before World War Z opens in theaters. “We wanted to be certain that Max’s fans had an opportunity to enjoy this new masterpiece before they get out to see the movie,” said William Christensen, Avatar Press Publisher. “And by having Extinction Parade available the day before its release we help our retailer partners to serve the legions of Max Brooks fans who are ravenous for new material.”

Extinction Parade is Brooks’ first all-original serialized comic book work and is positioned to be an instant genre classic. In a world where the zombie plague has put the human race on the endangered species list, another predatory undead species realizes that to stand by idly means the end of their food supply. Vastly outnumbered by the zombie hordes, vampires descend into all-out subdead war, with humanity caught in the crossfire. This new series further examines Brooks’ fascination with the lethal races of the undead and brings his unique voice to comics at a time when horror fiction is at an all-time high in popularity.

With zombies making world headlines, most recently with the Canadian Parliament and Foreign Affairs Minister proclaiming that “Canada will never become a safe haven for zombies,” Brooks brings his patented approach for dealing with the subdead to Extinction Parade. “I’ve always said, first and foremost, stay calm [during a zombie outbreak]. Surviving a zombie plague is a hell of a lot harder without a cool head,” Brooks said. And his meticulously researched and innovative novels have provided millions with vital advice for would be survivors. But all fans from all walks of life are in for a treat when they see his critical eye for detail turned toward defining vampires in the way he has pioneered for zombies over the last decade.