Wish I Was Going to C76!!

Was just checked out one of my favorite doujinshi circles Happy Water (NSFW) , and after a long absence of updates they’ve shown some of their plans for Comiket 76! I’m eyeing their bag with the Asuka and Mari on it, and I’d like to pick up a hard copy of their Koi+Hime doujinshi. Maybe if I’m lucky and earn a few extra bucks, I’ll be able to find a bag at a doujinshi booth at AX next year (I’m sure those of you who have been knows what booth I’m talking about).

Think what you will, but it's a nice bag!

Kannagi’s Official Fansite’s Latest Announcement is American Distribution as Expected

Well the latest announcement on Kannagi’s official fansite came after 2 weeks of waiting. As expected, the announcement was that Kannagi was now licensed in North America and will be distributed by Bandai Entertainment. The entire series will be released in 2 volumes, and if you order both volumes from Amazon or Right Stuff you’ll get a Kannagi T-Shirt. In addition, the first 7 episodes of the series will be streamed on Animenewsnetwork, and the remainder of the series will be released around the time of release of the 2nd volume. This was a predictable announcement and I’m happy to be getting a Kannagi shirt with my DVD, but I’m still hoping for a membership card. It may seem like a small thing, but the sentimental value of a membership card for a club is nostalgic and has great sentimental value (or so I believe). Maybe if a lot of people order a DVD that’ll happen…………

Kannagi Official English Fan Site Up and Running!

Official English Kannagi Site Open!!!!

For those of you who haven’t been checking up on the Kannagi English site; there’s been a few updates! First up, there’s a main page now; Second, there’ll be weekly Thursday updates! As every Thursday passes, the site will be a step closer to completion and hopefully that’ll mean that us English-speaking fans can get some of the goodies that our Japanese brethren have been offered. Namely I’m thinking of a nice membership card as they have in Japan. It’s about time those things made a come back! I hear of all those cool things are grandfathers had like “secret-decoder rings” or “special badges” by being in those little clubs for things like the Lone Ranger or you know the “Merry Marvel Marching Society”. From what I’ve heard at Animenewsnetwork; Aniplex plans to give us some membership cards! Hopefully it won’t be limited numbers, and anyone lucky enough to get one; well let’s hope they’re at least willing to take a few snapshots to show the rest of us what we’re missing. Well this is all early talk; let’s just hope that we can all get one! As the Thursdays roll by, I’ll countdown to when we can start registering on the site.

Valkyria Chronicles Opening (CLANNAD Ver.)

 

Found this while looking for OP 1.5 of Valkyria Chronicles. It’s just so well done; the music, the scenes used, just spectacular. They even used every female main character; if they went with the girls you can recruit, it’d be like some kind of super harem. On the topic, as Valkyria is on the warfront, would mixing it with School Days be better? With Maximillian playing the part of Makoto; though as appropriate as it is, it is a disturbing thought. *sigh* I just opened up a box I had a hard time closing…………

Happy Birthday Konata!!!

 

Happy Birthday Kona-chan!

 

It’s May 28th, and it also happens to be Konata’s birthday! This past year we’ve seen a few things; the most noteworthy one to me being Street Fighter Guile Cosplay Konata!!! We’ve also seen a few things in figurines such Nendroid Konata, or Figama Konata (one of which I have, and one of which I need). What more can we expect from Konata in the coming year? Personally I’m hoping for some King of Fighters XII cosplay (did someone say Iori-Konta) or maybe even BlazBlu (Ragna-Konata!). I have no idea how old Konata is at this point, but Happy Birthday Konata!!

 

Konata School Mizugi Pic to open the Summer Season!!!

Birthday of the Tsundere Queen: Happy Birthday Kugimiya Rie-sama!!!!

Happy Birthday Kugimi!!!

May 30th, it’s Rie Kugimiya’s birthday; I believe she turns 30 this year. She’s come a long way, I remember the first anime I saw that she was in; I believe it was Rizelmine. Technically it would be Excel Saga, but I never really got into it long enough to see her character. Some may know her for the various boy voices she does like Al in Full Metal Alchemist, but I will always remember her for her tsundere rolls. Ah let’s look back at some of those roles shall we?

Some tsunderes of note

and one of my favorite Kugimi roles: Yuuhi!!!

Yeah, for Shana and Louise I’d like to think that Kugimi’s voice had to do with their claim to fame; as for Nagi, it’s like she created with Kugimi’s voice in mind! As for Yuuhi, I think that Kugimiya Rie doing her voice made the character a lot more cuter; probably because I can’t imagine anyone else voicing her, and I’m looking forward to seeing the character again soon in the Akane-iro Ni Somaru Saka OVA that’s due out summer!

So let’s wish Kugimiya Rie a happy birthday, and I wish her another successful year voicing tsunderes (I’m sure she’ll voice other types of roles, but I’m sure tsundere will be the majority of the roles)!

PS: I realize this post is like 10 days early, but you know…..my eyes are going bad and I mistook 2 for 3, and it was too late after I clicked “Post” so now I’m just rolling with it.

Happy Birthday Nishizawa Ayumu!!!

Happy Birthday Nishizawa Ayumu!!!

It’s May 15, so that means it’s Nishizawa Ayumu’s birthday today!!! Hmmm, what can I say except happy birthday! I myself am a Hina X Hayate supporter so I can’t cheer Ayumu on too much, but at the very least I can support a few good moments for her like this one:

Though I am a supporter of Hayate X Hina, I’m also a supporter of Hina X Ayumu

Yes, a little yuri wouldn't hurt would it?

So what can we do for Ayumu on her birthday? Well for starters we could buy her PVC and feed her some corn or roasted squid! I myself am considering it, along with the Hina one; though that’s a seperate post in of itself! But hey, this figure is nicely detailed and it’s school mizugi! All around a worthwhile buy if you can find a good price!

 

Now as a party favor for Ayumu’s birthday I’m giving out her song for those of you who don’t have it, so here it is! Kokoro wa Tamago by Mikako Takahashi!!!!

 

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?wmnvhmjij2j 

 

So Enjoy!!!

Let's all listen to Ayumu's song and celebrate!!!

 

Finally! Sakura Wars comes to the States, and appropriately it’s the one that takes place in New York

 

 

Cover of the Sakura Wars V, Japanes PS2 ver.

 

 

It’s finally happened! After years of waiting we finally get a Sakura Wars game to come to America! The game they’re bringing over is Sakura Wars 5: So Long My Love. It is the 5th game in the main series and in a way, you can say it’s the most appropriate one to start with for an American audience; seeing how this game focuses on the American branch: New York’s Kagekidan the Hoshigumi (who are all named after constellations). I’m really pleased that we’re getting a Sakura Wars game; though I am hoping for a dual language option. I’d like to thank the good folks at NIS America for making it possible and expect great work from them regarding the translation. I’ve heard the game will be released for Wii and PS2, and I’m wondering which console to go for if it’s true. Wonder if there’s any big differences between the two; doesn’t make sense that they’re doing a dual release to appeal to a wider audience since they’re not sure how it’ll do. In any case here’s a few photos to help inform you of the game:

 

Gameplay

 

 

Here’s the cast:

Gemini Sunrise, the main heroine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shinjirou Taigo (who I assume is the hero you play)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dianna Caprice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Riquetta Aries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sajita Weinberg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Subaru Kujo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While I don’t know too much on the story of the game, I will say this: I hope it does well so that they’ll bring the rest of the series over, or at the very least encourage them to bring other series over that normally they wouldn’t like maybe a key game or two; and yes more eroge for our PSPs in English!!

Maid Café at AX this year! Irasshaimase Goshujin-sama!!!

Irasshaimase Goshujin-sama!!!

Wow so AX is having a Maid Cafe this year, hosted by Funky Fresh Cosplay Group. Hmmmmm, should I be happy about this as a maid man? I suppose I should, but I have a list of criteria on what it takes to be considered a good maid such as looks, style of maid outift, etc. There are certain body types that demand an appropriate maid outfit, so we’ll see how it goes; I am wondering if they’ll do cosplay amongst the maid outifts. For example add those robot antennas to the maid outfit to get robot maid! I’m talking about you Mahoro, Ilfa, Silfa cosplayers! In any case I suppose I owe it a good look since I’ll be going to AX, and there is a maid cafe in Culver City I’ve been meaning to try one of these days. Maybe I’ll attend both of them around the same time and give you guys a comparison. Before I end this post, I just want to ask, when you think of guys working in a maid cafe does anyone besides me think of Kogarashi?

Information on the Maid cafe at AX can be found here:
http://www.anime-expo.org/2009/05/06/irashaimasen-anime-expo-2009-announces-animaed-cafe-to-debut-at-this-year%E2%80%99s-convention/

AX Planning: To Video Blog or Not to Video Blog

Lately I’ve been wondering whether to add video blogging to the site. AX is coming up in a few months and I’ve considered bringing a camera with me to show you guys some highlights. The only real problem with  this is that I have a tendency to edit videos so it would take a while before I actually posted it up; which seems counter-productive.

To give you guys an idea of what I mean, here’s a student film me and the guys made for Campus Movie Fest; it’ less than 5 min but took a whole week to shoot and edit, plus we barely got an honorable mention for our campus. If you guys get curious our school’s Cal Poly Pomona located in the California LA area for 2008.

Well getting back to AX if they’re any specifics you want us to cover let us know so we can add it to our list (if we can, there are stuff we ourselves want to prioritize); I for one will definately want to cover the BlazBlue/Guilty Gear panel, it’s been long over due. FYI for those also attending AX and attending the panel, you preordered your copy of BlazBlue right? I believe it comes with an artbook; which I plan to get signed if I can *crossing my fingers*. In any case, if there’s any AX coverage you want just ask; and vote on the poll to the right there if we should add video blogging to the site.