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What OtakuAnthony bought this week July 9
Ouran High School Host Club GN 7 and 9
Plot Synopsis (from GN 7): “Hunny’s little brother, Chika, pays a visit to the Host Club – and immediately starts attacking Hunny, using all his martial-arts prowess against his older brother! Chika seems to be the absolute opposite of his sweets-loving, Bun-Bun-toting sibling, but why is he so angry with Hunny? The Host Club is determined to find out the cause…”
Previous order and now the rest of the order shipped out.
Ouran High School Host Club GN 7 is available from RightStuf
Ouran High School Host Club GN 9 is available from RightStuf
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Bamboo Blade GN 9
Plot Synopsis: “After their disciplined training, the Muroe High kendo team is ready for action on the day of the practice meet. Their opponents from Kamasaki High, however, hardly seem pumped for competition. As the matches proceed and the scores are tallied, will even Ishibaki’s pupils find the passion for victory burning quietly within their neglected armor?
After all of the students have had their say, it’s time for high school rivals Ishibaki and Kojiro to take the floor once again in their first battle since Kojiro’s trophy-winning victory all those years ago!”
I am a fan of both the Bamboo Blade anime and manga. I felt like I should keep adding the manga to my growing collection, now I just need the anime in there.
Bamboo Blade GN 9 is available from RightStuf
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Sunshine Sketch GN 5:
Plot Synopsis: “With the innocent first years Nazuna-chan and Nori-chan rounding out the quirky cast of residents at the Hidamari Apartments, every day is shaping up to be quite… erm, interesting! When Yuno manages to lose a battle with a toilet for her house key, her clumsiness leads to a sleepover, which in turn becomes something of a habit. But with homesickness making the rounds through Hidamari, school trips for some residents resulting in others being left to their own wacky devices, and the pressures of college entrance exams looming, a girl like Yuno can use all the dedicated friends and fun sleepovers she can get!”
I’m a fan of the manga series though I have yet to watch the anime series.
Sunshine Sketch GN 5 is available from RightStuf
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Lucky Star GN 8:
Plot Synopsis: “When eating a chocolate cornet which end do you begin with, the top or the bottom? Which side is the top and which is the bottom? For that matter, what is a chocolate cornet? The proper way to eat pastries is only one of the many every day occurrences explored by the girls of Ms. Kuroi’s class. Witness this study in the human condition as our heroines explore the unexplored in questioning the ordinary!”
I am a fan of both the anime and manga version of Lucky Star. So I decided to stay current with the manga as it being released in English so this is an order from a few months ago when I pre-ordered it.
Lucky Star GN 8 is available from RightStuf
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Cowboy Bebop: Knocking on Heaven’s Door Blu Ray:
Plot Synopsis: “Mars. Days before Halloween 2071. Villains blow up a tanker truck on Highway One, releasing a deadly virus that kills hundreds. Fearing a bigger, even more devastating biochemical attack, an astronomical reward is offered for the arrest and capture of the person behind the destruction. On the spaceship “Bebop,” Spike Spiegel and his crew of bounty hunters (Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Ed, and Ein) are bored and short of cash. But with the news of the reward everything changes.
I’m a fan of Cowboy Bebop both the TV series and the movie. I heard the BD looks good so I decided to add it to my collection.
Cowboy Bebop: Knocking on Heaven’s Door BD is available from RightStuf
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Paranoia Agent DVD 2
Plot Synopsis: “When the detectives interrogate the boy arrested for the Lil’ Slugger attacks, he claims to be a “Holy Warrior” who has only begun to help those waiting to be saved. However, he also only claims two of the five attacks! Just as the detectives begin to find witnesses and think they are uncovering the truth, a rash of attacks fuel the hysteria – especially the two inside the police station! As the police begin to doubt their own beliefs, even suicidal citizens begin to believe a golden bat can solve their problems.”
So here is a bit of a wacky confession. I thought that I had the first three volumes of Paranoia Agent in my collection and not the rare volume 4. Well after doing through some boxes that I have some of my collection in, I found that I had volume 4 and not volume 2.
Paranoia Agent DVD 2 is out of print but copies can still be found on Amazon.com
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3D Dot Game Heroes (PS3)
Plot Synopsis: “Control a hero on a quest to rid the Dotnia Kingdom of a dark plague caused by the forces of evil in order to restore peace to the land. Legend tells of an evil king known as the Dark King Onyx who brought tragedy and darkness to the kingdom by stealing six magical orbs. However a hero rose up against the Dark King and with his legendary sword and the power of the orbs, he sealed the Dark King Onyx away within another orb. Though the forces of evil rose again as the Dark Bishop Fuelle stole the orb and threw the Kingdom of Dotnia into a state of chaos once more.
I’m a taking a leap of faith on this one as I’ve never played this one before. Based on Janai’s review of the game I decided that I should get it.
3D Dot Game Heroes (PS3) is available from Amazon.com
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Resident Evil Code Veronica X (PS2)
Plot Synopsis: “A port of the Dreamcast hit, the PlayStation2 version of Resident Evil: Code Veronica X offers the same fantastic survival-horror adventure with some improvements in the graphics department. Taking place after Resident Evil 2, the game puts players in control of Claire Redfield as she continues to search for her brother and investigates the ominous Umbrella Corporation. Players also occasionally play as a partner character during the hours of puzzle solving and zombie killing.
I’m a fan of the Resident Evil franchise. I have never played RE:CVX before so I decided to add it my collection.
Resident Evil Code Veronica X (PS2) is out of print but copies can still be found on Amazon.com
Lucky Star, Yak! Yakkity! Yak!
Yes ... they talk ... a lot! Oh look! They're talking now! Tsukasa, Konata, Miyuki & Kagami. Credit: Kyoto Animation
Lucky Star, Yak! Yakkity! Yak!
At first, that’s what I thought it was. At second, it still is. But now I get it.
My first attempt at viewing Lucky Star ended the same as my efforts at watching Gone With the Wind. Disaster! I couldn’t make it past the cream horn eating debate in episode one so I went on to other things. 24 episodes of four girls CONSTANTLY discussing such weighty matters as girl talk, dodging homework, dieting, girl talk, the weather, boys, girl talk, pop culture, hair care, girl talk … No way was I going to be able to take this one in! And after that zippy opening credits number, what a let down! (The “Konata drop” at the end of the cheer line never fails to get a chuckle out of me.)
Call it senility, stupidity, temporary dementia, what have you … a few weeks later I gave it another try. Got past the cream horn “speed bump” & after going through the first four eps I started to actually enjoy it. (No. It didn’t get me in touch with my “feminine side”. And no, you DON’T want to meet her!)
The show centers around obsessed otaku Konata Izumi & her level headed (Kagami Hiiragi) & not so level headed (Tsukasa Hiiragi, Miyuki Takara) foils. In their typical & sometimes atypical everyday activities we get an observation or ten on media culture & to what degree it affects (Infects?) the world. As Kagami exasperatingly observes more than once to Konata: “It all comes down to THAT with you, doesn’t it?”
Others in the cast are a slightly off center homeroom teacher (Nanako Kuroi), an authority figure who drives like a maniac (Yui Narumi, Konata’s policewoman cousin.), & Konata’s lolita complex “afflicted” dad (He doesn’t try to act on it overtly. Surprisingly, his flakey daughter is a stabilising force. eg. the “… too close, you’re freaking me out!” scene in episode 18.) Shades of Azumanga Daioh! Second season eps put some attention on Konata’s even more diminutive freshman cousin (Yutaka Kobayakawa) & her friends.
Fear & Loathing on the (un)Lucky Channel. Akira & Minoru. Credit: Kyoto Animation
The cast is rounded out by the two members (Akira Kogame, Minoru Shiraishi) of the “show within a show”, Lucky Channel. Ostensibly to comment & inform about Lucky Star it’s mostly about Akira’s (Slipping in & out of “character”.) jealousy, grumbling bitterly over her flagging acting career & bullying Minoru as a result (He later explodes in ep 21.).
The constant, obvious, visual/verbal references (No subtext here!) are more than a clue that this show is a running commentary/satire on anime/manga/gaming in particular, & pop culture (Japanese & otherwise.) in general. It’s also a continuous ad for The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, another Kyoto Animation property.
Being that the show is about otaku “culture” (Before dabbling in anime, I used to think otakus was a Frito-Lay product. I like the Cool Ranch & Barbecue flavors.) we see most everything through the eyes of the “showcased” Konata. Through her we are given a first person accounting of the trials, tribulations, & FINANCIAL dificulties rabid fans go through, & how manipulative some can be in their desperation to indulge . (I like it that she could con two friends into canvassing the huge Comiket convention for her {ep 12}, & have her buddies accompany her to the Kyoto Animation studios during a field trip {ep 21}.) In ep 16 we see Konata in action at her job in a “cosplay” cafe (It was a kick to hear Wendee Lee switch horses in midstream & reprise her Haruhi role.).
Though we are taken through about 2+ years of classes, the high school scene is only a backdrop for the above mentioned references (Too numerous to count.). One has to be a true fan to “get” even half of them (I got about a quarter.). I was more interested in Konata’s “relationship” with them. The character is really wrapped up in it (Aren’t you glad YOU’re not like that?).
Lucky Star has everything: Nonstop talk, comedy, nonstop talk, anime/pop cult. references, nonstop talk, product placements, nonstop talk … Not my kind of anime but enjoyed watching just the same. You just have to get past the discourse. Fade to white …
Article copyright © 2-17-2011 Jay Agan
This Article originally published at Jays Tee Vee.
JanaiBlog Editorial: The Sub-Only Debate, and Why Dub Fans are Upset
Dubs. Some people hate them, some people love them. In my time as an anime fan, I’ve gone both ways. There are some dubs that I absolutely love and some that I absolutely despise. But the term “dub” seems to be becoming more and more obsolete in the anime industry these days. In these tough times, some companies are releasing their DVDs in a “sub-only” format. Simply put, these DVDs have only Japanese audio, with English subtitles. No English dub. I, for one, have had very mixed feelings on the matter.
I’m a person who enjoys good dubs, and I actually prefer to watch anime in English as long as the dub is good. So naturally, seeing a blog post like this one got me very worked up. The author’s harsh choice of words in the last paragraph agitated me quite a bit:
[Dub fans] believe every anime should be dubbed in English. Oh please. These people need a reality check. Badly. Dub fans still have Funimation, Viz and Media Blasters to rely on for dubs, but how long can they really take on the financial losses? Get a dose of reality English dub fans, because at this point, you should be looking for a new hobby or adapt to the changing market. You don’t get what you want anymore. Got that? Good.
I feel this paragraph would have been better supported by factual statements about the industry, rather than by outright attacking dub fans. Anyone who feels the same way as the original poster of this article needs to understand how we, as dub fans, feel.
Us dub fans are the ones who have been supporting the anime industry for years. We buy the DVDs, many times just for the dub. We’re not the people who simply download a fansub, watch it, and then say goodbye to a series. We buy the DVDs because we want what the fansubs can’t offer, and that’s an English dub.
Now, I understand that we are in tough times. I also do realize that at this point, this is the only option for some companies. But you have to understand that the Anime companies’ decisions to offer DVDs in a sub-only format frustrates us a bit.
Now, I do not expect every anime to get a dub. In fact there are many shows that don’t deserve a dub. But there are also many shows that do, and those are the ones I’m upset about. It’s insulting to me as a fan, and is an insult to the shows themselves to not dub them. I’m talking, of course, about Hayate the Combat Butler, Kannagi, and Clannad. These shows were immensely popular in Japan and among English-speaking fans as well, so naturally I expected that they would be getting a dub. When I first heard that Hayate was licensed, I was ecstatic because I always wanted an English dub of that show, plus I know that Bandai tends to do very good dubs. So of course, when I heard the news that Hayate was going to be sub-only, I couldn’t help but feel betrayed.
I have religiously supported Bandai throughout the past few years. I’ve bought every single Limited Edition volume of Haruhi, Lucky Star, and Gurren Lagann and spent hundreds upon hundreds of dollars in doing so. Hearing the news about Hayate and Kannagi was like a dagger to the throat. I felt “Gee, this is the thanks I get? F— you, Bandai.” Of course, I’ve calmed down since then, as that was only my initial response. Still, the damage was done, and my loyalty to Bandai has been shattered.
So when you see these angry posters on the ANN forums raging about how they can’t stand all these sub-only releases, this is why. It’s not that us dub fans don’t understand why the companies are doing this. It is simply the fact that it frustrates us that so many great series’ are being “wasted” through a sub-only release.
The solution? Well, there is none. It sucks, and we just have to deal with it. But please at least understand how we feel. I just hope that once the anime companies get back on their feet, we’ll see the revival of dubs. Ideally, I really want these companies to go back and do dubs for the aforementioned shows, because they really deserve it.
The Sub-Only Debate, and Why Dub Fans are Upset
Dubs. Some people hate them, some people love them. In my time as an anime fan, I’ve gone both ways. There are some dubs that I absolutely love and some that I absolutely despise. But the term “dub” seems to be becoming more and more obsolete in the anime industry these days. In these tough times, some companies are releasing their DVDs in a “sub-only” format. Simply put, these DVDs have only Japanese audio, with English subtitles. No English dub. I, for one, have had very mixed feelings on the matter.
