This week Cosplay Girl of The Week is Alice in Wonderland. We have featured Alice as a cosplayer before but this one takes a more darker tone. We saw this cosplayer at Otakon and really love the detail she did on the blood, facial expression and stance.
Read MoreIn this dark fantasy by A.F.E. Smith, we meet brother and sister Ayla and Myrren, heirs to the Nightshade family throne. But they are not a regular royal family; but a family of shifters. Accused of attacking someone, the novel opens with Ayla fleeing the city, but things quickly become much more sinister when their father is murdered and Ayla stands accused as the last shifter remaining in her kingdom. She must prove her innocence and come to terms with the fact she may not be the only remaining shifter in the city.
Darkhaven is a book that hooks you in from the first page. You are plunged right into this world in the thick of the plot and keeps you tense and curious right up to the last page. And as this is a dark fantasy, there is a general somber feeling even when talking to a regular citizen of the city. I enjoyed experiencing this adventure with these characters; as they are interesting, conflicted, intelligently written, and grow with the story.
The end is wrapped up a little too easily in a rather messy bow; but with all the intrigue you are left wondering what the fate will be for the kingdom and the Nightshade line now. The way the shifter's abilities are handled is creative and quite beautiful and the limits imposed on this power are reasonable. If you like your fantasy with a bit of mystery, you will like this book.
In this graphic novel by Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis and illustrated by Brooke Allen; April, Jo, Mal, Molly and Ripley are attending camp ‘Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady-Types (and that will be the last time I type that…) and have all promised each other they will have the most awesome summer ever. Luckily for these Lumberjanes scouts, there are talking three-eyed foxes, yetis, tombs to explore, and magical weapons to make sure they never have a chance to get bored.
Simply put, this comic is awesome. It’s Rat Queens for kids (if you haven’t read Rat Queens, GO DO IT). Each girl has a specific talent to add to the group, completely different races and body types (major kudos for that), and smart puzzles where each girl takes turns solving. The art is perfect for these wacky (yet thrilling) adventures. You can get all the fun of super-deformed expressions without it overtly being anime (I know some people who don’t like that style). It is also a story that demands to be told in full color and I’m grateful for it. Maarta Laiho did a fantastic job with the coloring.
To sum up, this comic is sweet, funny, empowering, and just darn fun! I freely admit to reading it several times before I begrudgingly handed it over to my kid (who is 8 and this book is recommended for 5 and up). We are both ready for volume 2!
The return of Frieza - one of the most iconic villains of all time. Even the complete obliteration of his physical form can't stop the galaxy's most evil overlord. After years in spiritual purgatory, Frieza has been resurrected and plans to take his revenge on the Z-Fighters of Earth. Facing off against Frieza's powerful new form, and his army of 1,000 soldiers, Goku and Vegeta must reach new levels of strength in order to protect Earth from their vengeful nemesis.
Read MoreWe sat down to talk with Oscar winning Director Daniel Junge and Oscar Nominated Director Kief Davidson to talk down with about their new film A LEGO Brickumentary. LEGO® BRICKUMENTARY delves into the extraordinary impact of the LEGO brick and the innovative uses for it that has sprung up all over the world. The narrative takes us through art galleries full of LEGO creations, introduces us to Master Builders designing and creating life-sized LEGO models.
Read MoreJustin and Ashley walk around Otakon 2015. They visit the dealer's room, artist alley and play Arcana Heart in the gaming room.
Read MoreI attended Bryce Papenbrook Panel at Otakon 2015 and had a blast. The power up contest was the highlight of the panel. You can see that he looks at me after the power up section. Rule one of powering up don't pass out. Check out the full panel below. Anime Rules!!!
Read MoreDragonball Z: Dokkan is the new mobile game avaible for I-Phone and Androids. Explore the World of Dragon Ball! Face off against formidable adversaries from the anime series! Explore your favorite areas in a whole new way with unique board-game-style gameplay! Utilize various items and power-ups to strengthen your team and steel yourself for the battles ahead!
Read MoreOtakon 2015 is over and we have some the pics of cosplayers that we encountered while we we're walking to our destinations. Check out the cosplayers we saw this year.
Read MoreAt Otakon we drop by Albino Lullaby from APE Law. We do a quick interview and Justin tries the game out.
Otakus and Geeks were at the press conference for Laura Bailey and Travis Willingham. At the press conference, Laura and Travis discuss voice acting, what's it like working together, critical role and more.
Read More
Hey O&G fans, Justice League: Gods and Monsters is the latest DC animated film. This marks the return of Bruce Timm to the series of films he helped to begin back in 2007. Written by Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett– both veterans of the DC animated TV universe– and directed by Sam Liu, this movie has the great story and action you expect from DC animated films.
As always here is a synopsis of the film:
In an alternate universe, the Justice League uses brutal force to maintain order on Earth. When scientists begin dying, the world's governments challenge the League's dominance.
REVIEW
The Movie was AWESOME!! The film opens (stop me if you've heard this story) on Kypton with a familiar scene we all know, in Jor-El’s lab with Lara as the planet nears its end. But wait True Comic Fans, this story has a dark twist. General Zod come busting in as Jor El is about to imprint his DNA into his son's pod. Zod shoots Jor El and uses his DNA for the pod and Lar Zod is sent to earth as the last son of Kypton instead. The baby is discovered by a Mexican couple, both poor workers, who decide to raise baby Zod as their own, and name him Hernan Guerra. (DC comics readers might recognize baby Zod as the same one from the Geoff Johns story Last Son, where he was raised by Clark Kent and Lois Lane as Chris Kent.)
Batman and Wonder Women have similar flash backs to how their lives began. Batman afflicted by a disease desperately searching for a cure, turns himself into a vampire. Wonder Women was the promised bride to Darkseids son to bring the waring kingdoms together. After her father planned an assassination and succeeded, she turned on her family and fled to earth.
The voice acting is one of the best I've heard from a DC Movie. Michael C. Hall giving Batman an eerie, undead monotone, Benjamin Bratt capturing the boldness of Superman with a hard Zod edge. Tamara Taylor was absolutely great as Wonder Women, switching from powerful to vulnerable to outraged on a dime. The animation is solid reminds me of Batman and Superman TAS. Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett have successfully delivered a fresh and exciting take on the Justice League by turning them into dark mirrors of the heroic icons we know so well. If you want to know the full and deeper story about all three Justice League members, you can check out the 3 issue series released by DC Comics.
Justice League: Gods and Monsters will be released on DVD and Blu Ray on July 28th 2015.
Dan Kanemitsu and Kazutaka Sato sat down to chat with me about their organization. The organization is called the International Otaku Expo Association. The International Otaku Expo Association is an global association of expos and events where enthusiasts of otaku culture gather together.
Read MoreI had the pleasure of sitting down once again to chat with actor J.Michael Tatum. We talk more about voice acting, anime and much more more.
Read MoreWe had a sit down chat with Bryce Papenbrooke at Otakon 2015. We talk voice acting, martial arts and we get a visit from a couple of characters.
Read MoreWe're at the 75 percent mark of taking a look at classic sports games of the past. This time we travel to NFL with Quarterback Club 96. The presentation, the gameplay and pregame text commentary was amazing for it's time.
Read More2015 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco (JFFSF), the first and only fully-dedicated Japanese film celebration for the S.F. Bay Area together with the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT proudly present actor Tadanobu Asano, anime director Koji Morimoto and techno DJ Legend Ken Ishii as official Guests of Honor for San Francisco’s annual Japanese pop culture festival. Tadanobu Asano will attend the opening night event at The Castro Theatre to receive Japan Film Festival of San Francisco Honorary Award.
Tadanobu Asano is widely known for starring roles in movies such as Ichi the Killer,Zatoichi, Thor, 46 Ronin, and Battleship. Koji Morimoto is renowned as one of Japan’s top anime directors and is also a founder of acclaimed Studio 4℃ and known for works such as Animatrix and Genius Party Beyond. Ken Ishii is a legendary techno DJ and producer who has performed live internationally and enjoys a worldwide fan base in the electronic music scene.
An Opening Night Event on Friday August 7th at The Castro Theatre kicks off the Japan Film Festival of S.F. with a special 35mm presentation of director Sogo Ishii’s Electric Dragon 80000V, a rollicking comic-book style action film that stars top Japanese actorTadanobu Asano, who will be on hand to personally introduce the film and participate in an audience Q&A immediately following the screening. Throughout the weekend, the Japan Film Festival of S.F. will present additional films also starring Asano, includingMy Man and Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi.
The Opening Night Event will culminate with a live DJ set collaboration betweenJapan’s legendary techno DJ and producer, Ken Ishii, and director Koji Morimoto. Advance tickets to the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT/JFFSF Opening Night Event at the Castro Theatre are available now for $25.00 each from http://jpop2015.brownpapertickets.com.
Tadanobu Asano also is set to appear at the SF premiere screening of My Man on Saturday, August 8th 6:00PM. Asano will introduce the film and will participate in an audience Q&A at NEW PEOPLE Cinema.
Koji Morimoto is set to appear at the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT at Fort Mason Main Stage on Saturday, August 8th, 12:00 PM ahead of the screening event, The World of Koji Morimoto, a collection of 3 illustrious animated short films by Koji Morimoto set to screen on Sunday, August 9th, 1:50pm at NEW PEOPLE Cinema. Morimoto will introduce the film and will participate in an audience Q&A.
Koji Morimoto will additionally appear for an autograph session at on Saturday, August 8th 1:30 PM in bookseller Kinokuniya’s booth at Fort Mason. Additional details to be announced shortly at J-POP.com.
Ken Ishii is set to headline a second evening concert performance of J-POP LIVE NIGHT on Sunday, August 9th at the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT Fort Mason.
“It is a great pleasure to present Tadanobu Asano with the Japan Film Festival of San Francisco Honorary Award,” says Manami Iiboshi, Executive Director of Japan Film Festival of San Francisco. “As one of the most inspiring and outstanding figures leading the Japanese film industry, and as an internationally acclaimed actor who actively works on projects beyond boundaries, he is extremely deserving of this Award. We are also thrilled to have director Koji Morimoto and DJ Ken Ishii performing together at our opening night event at the Castro. It is probably the first time since their legendary collaboration on “EXTRA” in the 1990’s.”
Opening in conjunction with the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT on Saturday, August 8th and running thruSunday, August 16th, the 2015 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco will take place at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema, located inside the NEW PEOPLE entertainment complex in Japantown at 1746 Post St., San Francisco, CA 94115 (www.newpeoplecinema.com). Tickets to individual screenings are $13.00 each, unless otherwise noted. Film summaries, trailers, screening times and advance tickets are available at: www.JFFSF.org.
JFFSF Opening Night at Castro Theatre
ELECTRIC DRAGON 80000V
Friday, August 7th, 8:00pm
Dragon Eye Morrison (played by Tadanobu Asano) is a reptile investigator who suffers from anintermittent explosive disorder caused by brain damage he sustained in a childhood accident. He manages to find a way to survive and control his urges to destroy with his love of reptiles and an electric guitar. Meanwhile, Thunderbolt Buddha (played by Masatoshi Nagase), an electric repairman turned vigilante who has acquired powerful electro-conductive powers after sustaining a childhood accident, goes after crime bosses and gangsters that take advantage of electric signals. Holding an obsessive hatred towards Morrison, Thunderbolt Buddha challenges him to a final showdown on the rooftops of Tokyo.
Tadanobu Asano & Koji Morimoto Films to Screen at the 2015 JFFSF:
MY MAN
Saturday, August 8th, 6:00pm – Special Guest Appearance by Tadanobu Asano
When loneliness leads to forbidden love, how far will you go? After losing everything in a tsunami disaster, 10-year-old Hana is taken in by a young distant relative Jungo. The pair begins living together as family while sharing the profound sense of loss. Amidst the deep snows of Hokkaido, both desire to fill their empty, love-starved hearts and they set foot into a forbidden world. When an elder benefactor in their small town Mr. Oshio learns of Jungo and Hana's illicit relationship, tragedy begins to take over. Don't miss the special personal appearance by actor Tadanobu Asano who will introduce this film!
THE WORLD OF KOJI MORIMOTO
Sunday, August 9th, 1:50pm – Special Guest appearance by Director Koji Morimoto
A collection of three short films by one of Japan’s top anime director Koji Morimoto,widely known as a founder of Studio 4℃ and his works such as Animatrix and Genius Party Beyond. The famed director will appear in person to introduce the films as well as participate in an audience Q&A.
Magnetic Rose (45min): Magnetic Rose is the first of three episodes of MEMORIES, based on the manga by Katsuhiro Otomo (the creator of Akira). The film follows the members of the deep space salvage vessel Corona. While performing a salvage mission, the crew encounters an odd distress signal emanating from the Sargasso region, ominously nicknamed “The graveyard of space.” Soundtrack composed by Yoko Kanno.
Noiseman Sound Insect (15min): In the space of music, people used to live in the music fruit in the trees. One day, Dr. Frankein secretly succeeds in creating the creature 'Noiseman' by feeding the music fruit as fuel. Since then, the space was dominated by noise, not music. When a pair of kids Tobio and Reina find out this secret, they challenge Noiseman to bring the music back home again. The film’s soundtrack was written by Japanese composer, arranger, and musician Yoko Kanno.
Genius Party Beyond: Dimension Bomb (20min): Dimension Bomb is one of the five short animated omnibus "Genius Party Beyond," produced by Studio 4℃, which director Koji Morimoto founded in 1986. One day, a boy named Shin who wears a pupa-like mask encounters a girl named Koo. The days spent with Koo, who is a free spirit unlike any other, start to fill up his life with cherished and unforgettable moments. Noted musical composer and arranger, Yoko Kanno, provides the voiceover of Koo.
BLIND SWORDSMAN: ZATOICHI
Sunday, August 9th, 4:00pm
Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi is a 2003 samurai action film, directed by and starring actor Takeshi Kitano ("Beat" Takeshi) as Zatoichi. It also co-stars Tadanobu Asano, who plays Ronin Hattori, Zatoichi's rival. The film is a revival of the classic Zatoichi series of film and television series. It won the prestigious Silver Lion for Best Director award at Venice Film Festival and went on to win numerous other awards internationally.
NEW PEOPLE Cinema is a 143-seat cinema located in the underground floor of NEW PEOPLE in San Francisco. Equipped with a cutting-edge HD digital projection and THX®-certified sound system, NEW PEOPLE Cinema is home for local film festivals and entertaining events.www.newpeoplecinema.com
VIZ Media has announced the launch of Aya Shouoto’s THE DEMON PRINCE OF MOMOCHI HOUSE.
The shojo manga (graphic novel) series about a teenage girl who inherits a haunted house is rated ‘T’ for Teens and carries a print MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. The series is also available digitally via VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores. Future volumes of the series, which is also ongoing in Japan, will be published quarterly under the Shojo Beat imprint.
On her sixteenth birthday, orphan Himari Momochi inherits her ancestral estate that she’s never seen. Momochi House exists on the barrier between the human and spiritual realms, and Himari is meant to act as guardian between the two worlds. But on the day she moves in, she finds three handsome squatters already living in the house, and one seems to have already taken over her role!
“THE DEMON PRINCE OF MOMOCHI HOUSE features the exquisite artwork and beautiful character designs that have made Aya Shouoto a star in shojo manga,” says Nancy Thistlethwaite, Senior Editor. “The endearing relationships among the residents of Momochi House will make this a special series for shojo manga fans.”
VIZ Media delivers a romantic comedy manga (graphic novel) series with the launch of MAID-SAMA! on August 4th.
Creator Hiro Fujiwara’s energetic series is rated ‘T’ for Teens. The first 2 complete volumes of MAID-SAMA! will be bundled into a fresh 2-in-1 omnibus edition that will carry a print MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN. The 2-in-1 edition also launches digitally on August 4th via VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores. Subsequent 2-in-1 volumes of the 9-volume series will be published in English on a quarterly basis under the Shojo Beat imprint.
As if being class president of a predominantly male high school isn’t hard enough, Misaki Ayuzawa has a major secret – she works at a maid café after school! How is she supposed to keep her image of being ultra-smart, strong and overachieving intact once school heartthrob Takumi Usui discovers her double life?! Can Misaki trust Usui to keep her secret from the rest of the kids at school? And why the heck is he always showing up at the maid café? Maybe she should start taking him seriously when he says he likes her – especially when he throws in an unexpected kiss!
“Manga readers got a taste of MAID-SAMA! when it was originally published in North America, but it has been out of print for many years and the exciting conclusion of the series has never been available in English,” says Amy Yu, Editor. “We are very excited to announce the return of this humorous manga series for its complete run. The new VIZ Media editions will feature fresh translations and captivating new cover art that will make each volume a fun read for both new and veteran shojo manga fans!”
Manga creator Hiro Fujiwara is from Hyogo Prefecture in Japan. MAID-SAMA!, was her first long-running manga series and initially ran in Japan in Hakusensha’s LaLa magazine.
Hey O & G readers and listeners. Today begins our new comic book podcast. On our very episode Justin and myself discuss all the trailers shown at comic con. We talk Deadpool, Batman v Superman, X-Men Apocalypse and many more.
Read MoreBanner images provided by Classic Sailing or GollyGforce, for demo purposes only. Powered by Squarespace
