2008 A.D.

I've been thinking about this particular post for some time now. It's been quite a topsy-turvy adventure this year -- not at the very least uneventful. As I try to sort out the whirlwind stuck in my head for what seems like an eternity, I may have to admit defeat and hope things mull over themselves. Be that as it may, the anime and gaming world also had one hell of a year, both good and bad, both revolutionary and devastating.

Though anime sales have decreased in the U.S., taking into account the closure of Geneon, many noteworthy titles graced 2007. Among them includes the theatrical release of the "Rebuild of Evangelion: You are [not] Alone 1.0." Then there are the others: Tekkonkinkreet, The Girl Who Leapt through Time, Ghost Hound, 5cm, Death Note, Gurren Lagann, Lucky Star, Kanon, Code Geass, Mushishi, AIR, Welcome to the N.H.K., Darker than Black, Shinigami no ballad, Ghost in the Shell: SAC Solid State Society, Hell Girl, and so forth. A slew of manga and anime titles are sure to come our way and I'd be sitting here all night if I attempted to list them all. But one thing is for sure, I can't wait for the overseas release of the "Rebuild of Evangelion."

The gaming world has been anything but quiet as well. The Nintendo Wii did amazingly well and Xbox 360's "Halo 3" is still the talk of the town. Though Sony and Playstation 3 had its loses and a shaky start, they end strong with spectacular games. Resistance: Fall of Man, Ratchet and Clank, Unreal Tournament III, Assassin's Creed, Folklore, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Heavenly Sword, Uncharted, Guitar Hero III, and Rock Band, just to name a few. And to end with a positive note, 2008, for one thing, proves to show some promise. Though I can't add "Silent Hill 5" to the list, games such as "Gran Turismo 5," "Devil May Cry 4," "Project Origin" (formerly known as F.E.A.R), FF13??, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep?? and the phenomenal "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots" await us in the new year!

The j-rock/pop scene was booming. We had the first J-rock Revolution festival brought to us by YOSHIKI, which featured nine bands over two unforgettable nights. X JAPAN reunites bringing their debut via "SAW IV." Polysics and The Pillows continue to entertain and old favorites such as L'arc en ciel, Dir en Grey, D'espairs Ray, Ayumi Hamasaki, BoA, Gackt, and Utada Hikaru don't disappoint. The J-rock/pop/visual kei phenomenon is growing ever more popular and it looks like it'll continue this course for years to come.

It looks like 2007 was the year of demolition, experimentation, revelation, and exploration, hopefully all to pave the way for 2008 -- the year to rebuild, grow, and enlighten. Bring on the games, bring on the music, and bring on the anime!! Bring it on!