Blog Archives
Otaku in Review Podcast – Otakon 2010
This week Ernie Layug, the head guy at Out-of-Time Productions came on to talk with us about Otakon 2010. Hear about our experiences last weekend in what turned out to be one of my favorite conventions I’ve been to.
In the news: Is Navarre selling FUNimation? Kinokuniya Bookstores: No love for moe! Crazed fans issuing death threats to Aya Hirano! All this and more on Episode 26 of the Otaku in Review Podcast!
Also, here are links to our figure collections, which we discuss on the show: Jon | Scott
Otakon 2010 Announcement Roundup
And that they did!
FUNimation and Bandai had some super exciting announcements this weekend at Otakon 2010. I’ll have a con report up within a week or so, but before that, let’s talk about the licenses!
FUNimation outdid themselves again (just when I thought it couldn’t get any better than what they announced at Anime Expo) by announcing Strike Witches 2, Ookami-san, Shukufuku no Campanella, Hetalia World Series, the Hetalia movie, Summer Wars, and Evangelion 2.22.
Obviously, I’m especially happy about the Strike Witches announcement. I’ve been watching the second season of everyone’s favorite pants-free mecha girl series on Crunchyroll, and it’s spectacular so far. FUNimation will be simulcasting it starting soon (Crunchyroll will continue to simulcast it as well).
Summer Wars is the next big hit movie by Mamoru Hosoda, the director of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. I was lucky enough to be able to see it at the New York International Children’s Film Festival earlier this year, and it is an outstanding movie. Look forward to this one and be sure to pick it up.
The second installment in the Rebuild of Evangelion series, Evangelion 2.22: You Can (Not) Advance, was also picked up by FUNimation. I already imported the Blu-ray from Asia, with English subtitles. If you thought Evangelion 1.11 was great, this movie will completely blow it out of the water. And that’s saying a lot.
2009 in Review: Top 5 Honorable Mentions
I’ve already talked about the best and worst of 2009′s anime, but what about those in between? Surely some of those shows deserve attention, too. This post is for the honorable mentions that were good, but not quite good enough to make the “Top 10 Best” list.
 |
5. Sora no OtoshimonoSora no Otoshimono is a hilarious ecchi comedy about a boy who runs into an “Angeloid” – a robotic angel humanoid whatever who is willing to fulfill his every command. This is obviously a cliché concept, but this show does some pretty wacky stuff that makes it worth your time. Some episodes do drag on for a while and there isn’t much plot, but the crazy moments are really, really, funny. The show also has plenty of excellent fanservice, but it doesn’t go over the top. It’s an all around decent ecchi show that’s at least worth a look. Sora no Otoshimono is currently available on Crunchyroll |
|
4. Valkyria ChroniclesBased on a PlayStation 3 game with the same title, the anime adaptation of Valkyria Chronicles is a decent re-telling of the events in the game. There are issues, and it’s easy to see that much filler was added in order to meet the 26-episode quota. Overall though, the story is an amazing tale of the characters’ struggles to defend their beloved homeland Gallia from invasion by the Imperial Alliance. Having played the game prior to watching the series, I didn’t feel it really lived up to the quality of the game. However, I would still recommend you check out both. |
 |
|
 |
3. Kuchu Buranko (Trapeze)This show is nuts. Like, really nuts. Based on a novel and a collection of short stories, Trapeze is about a psychologist who treats his patients in a very non-orthodox manner. Every episode focuses on a different patient, so the series can be considered episodic. The visuals are really impressive in this show, as it makes use of vibrant colors and detailed character & background designs that really make the show “jump out at you.” There is some very interesting humor in the show as well. If you like artistic shows with a crazy sense of humor, then Trapeze should definitely not be overlooked. |
|
2. Asu no Yoichi!Asu no Yoichi! (the manga is known as Samurai Harem in the US) is one of the best harem comedy series I’ve ever seen. Sure, it’s not original, but it manages to be really funny at times. The story follows Yoichi who ends up moving into a house with four sisters. Hilarity ensues. Asu no Yoichi! is an all-around great comedy that will have you laughing every few minutes. If you’re interested in learning more, be sure to check out my review of the show. |
 |
|
 |
1. Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo (Sora Kake Girl)Sora Kake Girl is an action sci-fi space comedy. It’s a crazy roller coaster ride of laughs, action, fanservice, and wonderful characters. Perhaps the most notable seiyuu would be Jun Fukuyama (LeLouch from Code Geass), who plays the role of Leopard. Leopard is a “Brain Colony,” and the show centers around various Brain Colonys engaging in their petty hilarious battles with each other. Sora Kake Girl is by Sunrise, the creators of Mai-HiME and Mai-Otome, and fans of those shows will certainly see the resemblance. If you want some great visually appealing deep-space action scenes and don’t mind a bit of fanservice, than be sure to watch Sora Kake Girl. If you’re interested in learning more, be sure to check out my review of the show. |
|
