SH-O6A NERV Cell Phone

I really don't think I need to offer my sincerest thoughts regarding this piece of beautiful technology morphed into a phone that embues the essence that is NERV. So rather than voice my yearnings for this bad boy, I will just offer you the facts.

With the partnership of NTT docomo and Sharp, and the supervision and participation of both Anno and Khara, comes the SH-O6A NERV mobile phone, specifically designed for the new Evangelion films. In their fictional description, the "Type 5 information management and control device" was developed for personnel of the secretive Nerv organization, using MAGI System technology that has rarely been provided to civilian companies.

The 135-gram (4.76-ounce) phone features a 3.3-inch main display, a 10-megapixel outer camera, and a 0.4-megapixel inner camera. A Nerv logo hologram appears on the matte-coated casing, and the phone comes with an exclusive Frame Holder 01 case/stand and a Nerv 50% Be@rbrick mascot strap. Users can choose from several Evangelion-theme menu layouts, alert window animation sequences, clock display, and standby images. 20,000 will be available for pre-orders in the official Evangelion Store, and 10,000 more will be sold regularly, but only from June to July. For more photos, click here. [Source: ANN]

UPDATE (6/06/2009): Though this comes as no surprise, pre-orders for the 20,000 Eva phones sold out on Friday in just five hours. NTT began taking pre-orders for Sharp's SH-06A NERV phone for 90,000 yen (about US$900) on Friday at 10:00 a.m. By 3:00 p.m, NTT docomo had to announce that all phone pre-orders had sold out. 10,000 more phones will be sold in regular stores from the end of this month until the beginning of July.

Miyazaki at UC Berkeley this July

The legendary Hayao Miyazaki will be at UC Berkeley on July 25th to pick up his Berkeley Japan award. Apparently, he is contractually required by Disney to make a U.S. appearance, so folks, this is definitely an extremely rare opportunity, as you know that it is almost impossible to see Miyazaki outside of Japan. As this blog points out, Miyazaki didn't even show up to the Academy Awards to year "Spirited Away" made a splash. There aren't many details available right now, but watch this space for more updates.

Update (6/3/2009): The Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley has begun selling tickets for Hayao Miyazaki's personal appearance on July 25th. "A Conversation with Hayao Miyazaki, Legendary Filmmaker" will feature the director of the only feature-length Japanese animated film (Spirited Away) to have won an Oscar. The event will begin with an onstage interview, followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience.

Before Miyazaki's scheduled 6:00 p.m. appearance, the Institute of East Asian Studies will host "The Hayao Miyazaki Symposium" on July 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The roundtable panel discussion will feature scholars of Japanese popular culture, literature, and film. [Source: ANN]

Miyavi Special Box Set

Maru Music brings us a special and awesomely packed box set showcasing the musical sensation of Miyavi. This very limited edition box set is a chance to see one of the greatest Miyavi concerts ever. This is a specially produced DVD box set containing the legendary, 2nd live concert at Hibiya Yagai Daiongakudo.

This concert on October 19, 2003, with exceptional production quality brought Miyavi to the attention of the music mainstream. Miyavi was backed in this performance by some legendary musicans including, Petra (X-Japan), Luke Takamura (Seikma-II), Shinya (Luna Sea) and Chiolyn (hide with spread beaver). The amazing staging of this concert included a 20 meter Kabuki-runway through the center of the arena. This DVD is region free and approximately 76 min, NTSC.

This special box set, retailed at $75, also includes two photo books, documenting Miyavi throughout this time. Book 1 is 60 pages, and features live performance photos of Miyavi. Book 2 is 82 pages and features both photo session and candid photos. Both full color, hardbound books contain rare and un-published photos of Miyavi.

A Camilla d'errico Kokeshi

In a recent blog update, Camilla d'errico announces the completion of her Kokeshi. This will be part of the July's Kokeshi show, held at the JANM in Los Angeles, which opens July 11th. In her own words..."she’s a helmetgirl BUT instead of animals or lollipops, this girl is chowing down on a watermelon! I had a ton of fun coming up with the concept."

Can I say, "TOTEMO KAWAIIII!!!" Click on the link above to see more photos and information.

Tokyopop Celebrates Asian Pacific Heritage Month

In conjunction with Tokyopop, Macy's is holding an event at 2 of their New York Stores: Flushing and Herald Square, to celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month.

Tokyopop brings us a heavy dose of Fruits Basket: (1) Enter the costume contest and you could win a deluxe "Fruits Basket", that includes a Fruits Basket Sticker Collection, planner, T-shirt, hat, and much more; (2) Make any $100 or more purchase and get a free copy of Fruits Basket Ultimate Edition Vol. 1, Fruits Basket DVD, and Fruits Basket Fan Book; and (3) Get your picture taken with one of three Fruits Basket backgrounds.

This will take place on May 15th and 16th. For more details, click here.

Kanon Wakeshima to Make US Debut at Otakon

Rising star Kanon Wakeshima will make her US debut at Otakon 2009 on Saturday, July 18. Wakeshima brings a unique and haunting sound composed of baroque cello, strong vocals, and electronic arrangements.

Her incredible talent attracted the attention of Visual-Kei star Mana (Moi dix Mois, Malice Mizer), who became the sound & visual image producer for Kanon for her debut single "still doll" (released in May 2008) from her first album. Wakeshima's rich, haunting sound fits well with the Gothic & Lolita street fashion culture -- for which Mana (who is also the designer of his own Moi-meme-moitie apparel brand) is very well known.

Her highly anticipated first album, Shinshoku Dolce, was released in February 2009. A record-breaking in-store performance at France's biggest CD retailer, FNAC, paired with a sensational concert in Paris, put her on the road to international stardom. [Source: Otakon]

VAMPS U.S. LIVE 2009 - Baltimore

Otakon week will be insanely busy to say to least...not to mention insanely INCREDIBLE. VAMPS, featuring HYDE and K.A.Z. will be making a stop in Baltimore's SONAR July 16th as part of their VAMPS US Tour 2009!! Words can't describe my excitement - what an awesome way to kick off Otakon. (Thanks for the heads up, Sam)

VAMPS is the result of 2 collaborating geniuses -- L'arc~en~Ciel's HYDE and Oblivion Dusts' K.A.Z. Their first Nationwide tour of Japan, "VAMPS LIVE 2008", kicked off at Zepp Tokyo. Between August 1, 2008 and October 28, 2008, VAMPS played 46 shows at the prestigious Zepp live houses throughout Japan. The tour was totally organized by VAMPS and the venues were custom decorated by spray art such as the now-famous VAMPS castle. The band played 6 to 10 shows at each Zepp venue and every single show was sold out.



The sensation continues in the U.S. This concert is sure to be memorable!

See below for the rest of their tour schedule:

• Saturday, July 11, 2009: New York NY, The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
• Sunday, July 12, 2009: Hartford CT, Warped Tour New England Dodge Music Center
• Tuesday, July 14, 2009: Columbia MD, Warped Tour Merriweather Post Pavilion
• Thursday, July 16, 2009: Baltimore MD, Sonar Baltimore
• Sunday, July 19, 2009: Seattle WA, The Showbox at the Market
• Monday July 20, 2009: Portland OR, Hawthorne Theatre
• Saturday, July 25, 2009: San Francisco CA, Regency Grand Ballroom
• Monday, July 27, 2009: Las Vegas NV, Wasted Space at the Hard Rock Hotel“
• Wednesday, July 29, 2009: San Diego CA, SOMA
• Saturday, August 1, 2009: Los Angeles CA, The Wiltern Theater

UPDATE (6/1/2009): While this isn't an official Otakon event, Otakon members can enter to win free passes to the show. In addition, they are throwing in some passes that will allow you to bypass the Otakon pre-reg line so you can get your VAMP on. Winners will be randomly selected on June 17th. HYDE and K.A.Z. will also participate in a special virtual Q&A session, in which they'll select and answer questions submitted by fans. Enter here by June 15th.

Dawn: The Worlds of Final Fantasy HC

Yoshitaka Amano's "Dawn: The Worlds of Final Fantasy HC" is now available for pre-order. At 116 full color pages, Amano and Square Enix, Inc. have permitted the artwork that inspired the designs of the Final Fantasy games to be published. Witness the development of the first 4 games through Amano's paintings, detailed line art, and preliminary sketches. In a special afterword, learn about the development of this "history-making collaboration." The hard cover book also includes 2 full-color 32" gate folds! Retailed at $29.95, pre-order "Dawn" now at TFAW and save 20%. "Dawn" is due out June 3rd.

Nendoroid Sebastian Michaelis

Goodsmile whips out a set of gorgeous photos of our favorite butler a la Nendoroid. Kuroshitsuji's Sebastian Michaelis gets the Nendoroid treatment and comes with totally cute poses and expressions. Due out this July, Sebastian is retailed at 3,500 yen. Normal, gleeful, and sideways glances, as well as the cute cat paws, are included. Goodsmile, you've outdone yourself! [Source: Goodsmile]

TOKYOPOP T-shirts at Target

Target is now exclusively carrying TOKYOPOP T-shirts. There are currently 3 different prints available -- Dramacon Roses, Girl Icon, and Sketchy Angel. And to commemorate this release, TOKYOPOP wants to know what you think about their shirts, contest style. Email fancontent@tokyopop.com (with the subject line: "TOKYOPOP T-shirt Contest") and tell them what you think about the shirts. Five randomly selected winners will win a TOKYOPOP gift bag that includes a free T-shirt, a Gakuen Alice tote bag and 5 new TOKYOPOP manga. The last day to enter the contest is April 3rd.

Miyazaki Planning Next Movie

Interesting discoveries and updates were made in the latest episode of Toshio Suzuki's radio talk show, Ghibli Asemamire, at Tokyo FM. Takashi Murakami, this week's guest, announced that a special "Making-of" on Miyazaki's "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea" will be released, either by Studio Ghibli or NHK). The making-of will be 14 hours long, and will include edited videos NHK shot during a two-year period.

The juicy news that followed should ease any worries of Miyazaki fans. Suzuki noted that Miyazaki is currently planning his next movie!!! No further details were provided, but this is exciting news nonetheless. I'm ecstatic to hear that Miyazaki is not planning for retirement just yet, especially as he had already unsuccessfully tried to in the past. Yatta! Miyazaki...Miyazaki...WE WANT MORE! [Source: Ghibli World]

Yoko Kanno, Blue Dragon, + EVA on iTunes

A couple of big releases on the Apple iTunes Store to announce. First up, we have Yoko Kanno's newest album, CM Yoko 2. Now available in iTunes Stores in numerous countries including Japan and the U.S., the digital release arrives 2 months before the planned April 22 release on standard CD. This particular CD contains a collection of her commerical themes.

Next up is the Blue Dragon anime series, adapted from an Xbox 360 RPG co-created by
FF's Hironobu Sakaguchi and designed by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama. Viz Media has announced that the first episode of the Blue Dragon anime series is available for free until March 10 on Apple's iTunes Store. The free offering marks the availability of the first 13 episodes in the series on the online digital media store. Blue Dragon, at one point, was being broadcasted on Cartoon Network but has since regrettably been pulled from the line-up. But good news for those who missed it, the story of Shu is now just a click away.

On the apps forefront, the Appliya software company has announced that the official Evangelion Clock and Picture Stamp applications are now available in the iTunes App Store in the United States. This is truly the icing on the cake for every EVA fan. The Evangelion Clock emulates the NERV headquarters timer screens of the anime to tell the time with optional sound effects and "emergency" countdown timer. The Evangelion Picture Stamp is modeled after the photo booths that are popular in Japan; users can take photographs and decorate them with Rei hairstyle overlays, mecha and characters from the anime, and backgrounds -- definitely a source of hours of fun. [Source: ANN]

Four Celestial Guardians

Now I've seen some incredible hand-crafted figures and mods that have knocked my socks off, but this one easily tops it all. A guy from Hong Kong has created 4 stunning figures based on the 4 Celestial Guardians in Chinese Mythology. These 4 symbols - Azure Dragon of the East, Vermillion Bird of the South, White Tiger of the West, and Black Tortoise of the North -- represents a direction and a season of the year.

This obviously talented guy has put in a lot of time, effort and passion into modding his Gunpla into forms of the 4 Celestial Guardians. Anyone can appreciate the excruciating attention to detail all the way down to the weaponry, and the work it took to customize and perfect each part from scratch. This has given me renewed motivation to take up customizing kits again.

You've just got to check out all the photos, they are truly awe-inspiring.
[Source: DannyChoo]

• Black Tortoise
• Vermilion Bird (Red Phoenix)
• Azure Dragon (Green Dragon)
• White Tiger
  

GelaSkins x Camilla d'Errico

GelaSkins has always served up an awesome array of custom artwork for our favorite hardware. From skins for iPods, iPhones, Nintendo DS, PSPs, and PC/Mac laptops, there is sure to be a style that fancies you. It comes to no surprise, then, that GelaSkins has teamed up with Camilla d'Errico, to offer up some beautiful skins with the infamous Yuuta and Iguana. Check out the entire d'Errico collection here.

MGO Scene Expansion

Konami announces a brand new expansion pack for "Metal Gear Online." According to Famitsu, this third DLC pack from Konami, titled "Scene," brings more "Metal Gear Solid 4" characters and new map locales into the online battlefield. Both Vamp and Raiden will be added to the playable roster in this expansion, and three new territories are available to explore: "Hazard House" (a countryside manor), "Outer Outlet" (a shopping arcade) and "Revaged Riverfront" (a riverside town).

According to Konami's press release, the Scene expansion pack will be available in North America by March. Those who pre-order the pack off Konami's shop one week ahead of the release will get a complimentary "cardboard man" headgear. [Source: Joystiq]

Japan Nite US Tour 2009

Japan Nite, the annual tour that brings in a number of Japanese acts to the states, is making its way to the U.S. again this year. Japan Nite 2009 will span over one week, March 21-29, in several venues, and will bring 13 bands, many who haven't been outside of Japan, to give fans in America a chance to experience the bands in one fell swoop.

As a special treat, HearJapan.com is offering one track from six artists available from Japan Nite for free download until March 29. The six artists include quaff, Dirty Old Men, Asakusa Jinta, THE EMERALDS, HONEY SAC, and OMODAKA. Each artist made one track available for a free mp3 download to fans in America. So if you're like me and probably won't be able to make it to this year's tour, you can download these songs packed into a sampler entitled, "Japan Nite US Tour 2009 Sampler." Check out the full press release here.

Nintendo DSi US Release Details

Details of the North American release of the Nintendo DSi system have finally been revealed. The DSi will be released in the US on April 5th, retailed at $169.99. The system will be available in black and blue. Since the system launched in Japan in October 2008, it has only been available in black. The blue system will be unique to the US launch.

The Nintendo DSi system is an enhanced handheld that features two cameras, an SD card slot, built-in 256 megabytes of writeable memory, the ability to play music files, and new online connectivity with download functions. Check out IGN's hands-on report here.

Katsucon 2009 Con Coverage

Coming Soon...

Black ★ Rock Shooter Miku PVC Figure

Wonder Hobby 9 continues the onslaught of stunning figures and leaves you asking how can you get your hands on these goodies. Sifting through all the photos, without a doubt, one in particular stands out from the rest.

Good Smile Company brings us one sexy figure from Huke's Black ★ Rock Shooter Miku. This 1/8 scale PVC figure has no price tag as of yet and I'm hoping this wasn't just for display. The color palette, the stand, the pose, the everything is oozing in uniqueness and perfection.

For more photos, check out Akiba Hobby.net.

Live Action Blood: The Last Vampire Teaser

With increasing talks of Hollywood Live Action adaptations of our favorite anime titles, it's hard to remove the unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach. But just like I agree that despite being pro-sub there are some good english dubs out there, I have to believe that there has to be some adaptations that do justice to the original work. When I first reported on the live action adaptation of "Blood: The Last Vampire," there was something about it that told me not to judge ahead of time - that this adaptation shows promise. It's months later now, and a 31-second teaser is now streaming and I have to say, my first impressions are positive.


South Korea's Jeon Ji-hyun (under the credited name of Gianna Jun) plays the main character Saya, a 16-year-old sword-wielding girl hunting down supernatural creatures. Japanese actress Koyuki plays her opponent Onigen. The film will open in Japan on May 29 (under the title Last Blood), in the United Kingdom on June 12, and then in France on June 17. No American release plans for the movie have been officially announced yet. The Korean news website Star News reported last August that Universal Pictures acquired the domestic distribution rights, but the reported 2009 American release date is unconfirmed. [Source: ANN]

The Pre-Katsu 15 Rush: Day Zero

Anticipation and high adrenaline levels was the atmosphere that greeted me tonight, the day before the official start of Katsucon 15. Excitement has filled the Hyatt with pre-registrants, including plenty of cosplayers, anxious to get the party started. The line to pick up the coveted Katsu badges wrapped around the lobby several times, marking the first official line of the con. The attendance cap has definitely brought in more pre-registrants, at least from the looks of the line. And according to the website, about 1,600 more tickets are available for on-site registrants. So with that, it's time to make some final touches on my costumes, then it's a good night's sleep.

I leave you with a little tidbit of information that I've been waiting months for...that is, the location of Katsucon 16.

Domo the Manga

Domo, the international icon that needs no introduction, will be making a worldwide english-language manga debut according to TOKYOPOP's recent press release straight from New York Comic Con. Not much information regarding plot, etc. has been divulged, except that the manga will be in full-color and debuts worldwide September 2009.

"He’s been described as “a strange creature that hatched from an egg.” His favorite food is a meat-and-potato stew, but he loathes apples. He communicates sotto voce with a verve that only his friends can understand. When he’s nervous or stressed out, watch out—he is infamous for passing some serious gas...In these truly hilariously unpredictable and endearing tales, Domo’s wreaks havoc with his friend’s video game, trains a
fighting beetle, enters a box car race by being the car, and decides to literally become any character he sees on TV—including Tarzan, a samurai, and finally, a top chef."

Plasmikat's Geisha Girl, Yume

When I first laid eyes on this particular resin figure, I instantly fell in love. Created by French artist Mat aka Plastikmat, Yume, the little geisha girl, is 5 inches tall and is tentatively due out February 28th. According to Tomopop, the insanely gorgeous white edition is limited to only 9 pieces, while a colored edition is also on the way and is limited to 29 pieces to be released March 31st. A third Altertoys board-version has also been announced. Yume carries at 59 euro price tag. I must have Yume! (Reza...tasukete!!)

Medicom's Shinji Ikari RAH Figure

As mentioned briefly in last week's post, Medicom has released its latest figure in the RAH series of Evangelion's Shinji Ikari.

The pictures are pretty impressive as far as details and likeness goes. The facial characteristics and the attention to detail with the Third Child's plug suit is amazing. If a photograph looks this good, I can only imagine what it looks like up close.

Shinji is about 12 inches tall, looks to be poseable with extra items, including a stand, and is retailed at 17,640 yen. [Source: AmiAmi]

Ghibli Museum Video Tour

As a big Miyazaki fan, it's always been a dream of mine to not only go to Japan but to visit the Ghibli Museum. The J:Com community television channel offers a glimpse into the famed museum through it's Kantō Kenbunroku sightseeing program. Film and photography inside the museum is prohibited for regular visitors, so this streaming video offers a very rare opportunity and treat to catch a glimpse of the museum.

"The segment describes the museum's connection with the namesake studio that created Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and many other film classics. The video highlights the new "Shikirō" or "Mirage" zoetrope — an early form of animation created through rapidly updated pictures — and "The Theory of Evolution," the eighth "Film Guru Guru" film. Both of these are in the museum room dedicated to showing how animation comes to life." [Source: ANN]

A Post-Hiatus Recap

After making it back to the country in one piece -- traveling over 20 hours completely feverish was anything but pleasant -- I wanted to track back and see what I missed over these past 2 weeks. Rather than re-state what's been reported, I thought I'd jot down some initial reactions on select headlines. But before I start, I had to post this photo I took while I was in India out looking for postcards, I was surprised to find a little Naruto homage hidden within the shelves of a gift shop.

Well first of all, I'm excited to hear that 3 titles by Eiji Otsuka will be continuing in a new magazine this summer: MPD-Psycho, The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, and Yakumo Hyakkai. The title migration was brought on as a result of Comic Charge ending its 2-year run, ending with its March issue.

Zakka Films has released its first DVD entitled "The Roots of Japanese Anime: Until the End of WWII. This english-subtitled DVD is a compilation of 8 cartoons created by various Japanese animators between 1930 and 1942. Their goal of bringing out early and lesser known Japanese films has definitely caught my attention. I can't wait till the DVD arrives at my doorstep. Currently, the DVD is only available for purchase through FilmBaby.com

Another item I'm itching to see is Quentin Tarantino new 7-minute Kill Bill sequence of Chapter 3: The Origin of O-Ren. Seems like Production I.G. has finished producing the new sequence.

I just saw the promotional video for Ichigo Mashimaro Encore (Strawberry Marshmallow), adapted from Barasui's slice of life manga...totemo kawaii!!!

On the figures realm, Moon Toys has released a very beautiful figure from Tome Kei's Skit Scooter title featured in Range Murata's ROBOT anthology. My eye was immediately transfixed on the scooter.

But the figure that definitely caught my attention was via Medicom's latest figure in the RAH series of Evangelion's Shinji Ikari. This figure merits its own blog post, so look out for more details (and photos) soon.

Then there's the ever awesome vintage design robot Chubu 01 by Kazushi Kobayashi (pictured). This no doubt lands extremely high on my aesthetic meter. You can immediately see some anime influences in the design -- like blending the best anime has to offer.

I was going to jump into the video games, but that may take longer than I expected. Right now I've got my eyes set on F.E.A.R 2 and Resistance: Retribution.

Camilla d'Errico at NYC

Camilla d'Errico has quickly become one of my favorite all-time artists. Based in Canada, d'Errico's work is heavily influenced by manga demonstrating her love for comics. Her works have since been expanded to a variety of mediums and industries. You'll find her work on comics (via BURN), clothes, snowboards, apparel and toys. I am especially a huge fan of her black and white prints therefore, instantly fell in love with her limited edition handbags.

New York is the place to be in February for all d'Errico fans and unfortunately I'll be stuck in DC. So it pains (and excites me) to announce the following: d'Errico will be at this year's New York Comic Con, signing at the Arcana Booth. According to her blog, she promises to have BURN #6 issues available, as well as new prints. Her signing times are Friday from 3-4pm, Saturday 2:30-3:30pm and Sunday from noon to 1pm. And since she's already going to be in NYC for Comic Con, she will be attending her Limited Edition Art Print Release Party at the Ad Hoc Art Gallery Thursday, Feb 5th, for one night only.

Sword of the Stranger in Theaters Feb. 5th

When I first posted about "Sword of the Stranger" back in July 2007, never would I have imagined I would be making the following announcement.

CM Fathom and Bandai Entertainment bring the U.S. debut of SWORD OF THE STRANGER, one of the most rousing Samurai epics in recent memory, to select movie theatres nationwide for Only One Night –Thursday, February 5^th at 7:30 PM (local). This exclusive event will include a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of SWORD OF THE STRANGER, complete with never-before-seen interviews with the voice actors.



Hunted by the Mings from China, a young boy named Kotaro and his loyal dog Tobimaru meet a nameless samurai (“Nanashi” or “No Name”) who is haunted by his past – a memory so terrible he has vowed to never draw his sword again. Among the Mings is Luo-Lang, a ruthless Western swordsman with the Chinese name who has walked the earth in search of a worthy rival.When both groups clash with a feudal lord and monks torn between faith and survival, the truth behind the Mings’ pursuit of Kotaro tests the bond between the boy and the samurai with no name…

This event will conclude with all new interviews with the English voice actors plus rare footage shot behind the scenes at Studio BONES (Cowboy Bebop) during the making of SWORD OF THE STRANGER. Director Ando and Bones President Minami highlight this unique look behind the making of a modern anime classic.

Tickets are on sale now.

Vampire Hunter D: Volume 11 Parts One and Two - Pale Fallen Angel

Hideyuki Kikuchi continues to outshine the only person that can truly compete with him -- that is, himself. "Pale Fallen Angel" is an epic saga streaming over four parts, with volume 11 containing the first half of the tale. This specific story has everything we love about the world of D, all jam-packed into one neat parcel.

Equally riveting, detailed, and groundbreaking, "Pale Fallen Angel" brings D in a one-of-a-kind situation -- ensuring the safety of a member of the vampire Nobility, Baron Byron Balazs, who is out to take the life of his father, Lord Vlad Balazs. The movement and interactivityof the wicked duo of D and Baron is awe-inspiring. For the first time we see D "aiding" a noble (of course one that is out to kill another noble). This alluring duo is sure to attrack attention as they continually encounter waves of attacks. The enemies in it of themselves are powerful and interesting.

If you've ever doubted the genius that is Kikuchi, prepare to become addicted to Vampire Hunter D. The last half of their journey continues in the next volume.

xxxHOLIC: AnotherHOLIC

NISIOISIN, author of "Death Note: Another Note," gives us his take on a popular CLAMP title with his spin-off novel entitled "xxxHOLIC: Another Holic - Landolt-ing Aerosol." The novel is divided into three parts - outerholic, underholic and afterholic, and though these three stories can be taken as separate entities, NISIOISIN does a nice job tying all three into one underlying theme -- the Eye World Theory.

xxxHOLIC follows a high school student named Kimihiro Watanuki, who has quite a special ability that, well, he isn't too fond of. With eyes that can see spirits, Watanuki has always wished to be rid of this curse/gift, especially since spirits seemed to be attracte to him.

Enter the shop that grants wishes.

Shop owner Yuko Ichihara is a cruel and cunning character. And the main premise to her shop is granting wishes as long as one paid a reasonable price. Watanuki's prices is servitude to Yuko. But rather than concentrate too much on their relationship and what becomes of Watanuki, "Another Holic" delves into the philosophies of the human mind and behavior -- from a woman unable to accept happiness, to the power of self that lies not within ourselves but through others. It's amazing how as you read through the novel (which by the way has a beautiful cover), the clearer and more profound the take-home message becomes. So it seems only befitting that I end with it:

There are a great many strange things in the world.
But no matter how odd...
How incredible something may be...
If a human does not touch it...
If a human does not see it...
If a human is not involved with it...
It is simply a phenomenon.
Simply a matter that will fade with time.
Humans.
Mankind.
Homo sapiens.
Humans are the most profoundly mysterious living things in the world!

Two-week Hiatus

Just wanted to quickly note that I'll be out of the country starting today, but not to worry, I'll be back in business Monday, January 26th, hopefully not too hungover with all the airtime awaiting me. I may have some new reports for you during that time, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled. Till then, Ja ne!!

To recap last week:
2009 A.D. (Jan 1st)
HearJapan's Visual Kei Week Updates (Jan 2nd)
MAGFest VII Coverage (Jan 5th)
BLOOD's Final Tour (Jan 7th)
JICC Hosts "The World of Anime Fandom" and "Honey Clover" (Jan 8th)
FF XIII and FF Versus XIII Sites Open (Jan 9th)

FF XIII and FF Versus XIII Sites Open

Official websites for both Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII have opened. And while there isn't much there on the information realm, especially for Versus, they are definitely pages to bookmark. The photo gallery featured in the FFXIII page is gorgeous and will leave you wanting more. Very fitting for Square Enix... [Source: Kotaku]

JICC Hosts "The World of Anime Fandom" and "Honey Clover"

There's always something brewing at the Japan Information and Culture Center. Since the first time I discovered them, they have never disappointed with their continuous flow of live action, anime, and inspired exhibits.

To celebrate their one-year anniversary of JICC's monthly anime series offerings, the DC Anime Club will give a presentation on "The World of Anime Fandom," including the cosplay phenomenon. As a special treat, you can win a prize by attending in costume. The event takes place on Friday, January 16th at 6:30 p.m.

JICC will also be screening, in association with DC Anime Club, "Honey and Clover" on January 23rd. Based on the best-selling manga series by Chika Umino, "Honey and Clover" is the touching story of five art school friends struggling to navigate the tricky transition from student to adult. Their ideas of life and love are forever changed when they befriend the talented young Hagumi, whose very presence seems to complicate their quest for personal and professional fulfillment. Honey and Clover received the Kodansha Manga Award in 2003 and is immensely popular in Japan.

These events are free, but requires your RSVP to Jiccrsvpwinter09@embjapan.org. For more information, visit JICC.

BLOOD's Final Tour

BLOOD, the electrifying visual kei band formed back in 2002, have been touring the world and to say the least, making great music. So it comes to some surprise that BLOOD has announced their final tour ever entitled "La Fin de la Journee." The japanese goth rock band will make several stops in the US which will include full concert performances. Special guest appearances by Echostream and others will be in Cambridge, New York, and Philadelphia. BLOOD will also be doing an in-store event at the Cure Shop in Los Angeles, California.

Check out the tour dates and be sure to take part in this momentous event. [Source: Official BLOOD Myspace]

MAGFest VII

The Music and Gaming Festival or MAGFest celebrates its seventh anniversary and returns to the Hilton Mark Center in Alexandria, VA from January 1st through Sunday, January 4th. MAGFest VII was bigger than ever, yet still retained what makes MAGFest unique and exhilarating - a focus on the classics and the fans themselves. You won't find the basic and ridiculously long lines or crowded halls or demos or even a formal environment for that matter. The laid back atmosphere was packed with lots of goodies.

Discussions and panels were a plenty. "Name that Tune" was extremely fun especially trying to remember just which Mega Man series did the track come from. Lots of favorites came up especially songs from several Metal Gear Solid games, and whole section for Final Fantasy, Gears of Wars, Super Mario, and even some Silent Hill. And classic video game music was definitely on the forefront with a spectacular series of concerts. Just check out the guest list -- X-Strike Studios, the Angry Video Game Nerd, Armadillo Tank, Armcannon, Metroid Metal, Year 200X, Tommy Tallarico, Overclocked Remix, Robert Aldrich, Benheck, and more...lots more. It was hard not to spend my entire weekend in the 24-hour game room.

But when I did venture out, I checked out the Katsucon table, bought some Anime DVDs and an adorable sculpture from Fizz Man Industries. My time "out" of course also gave me vast opportunities to stroll down memory lane and try out all the arcade games. My weekend at MAGFest VII was unforgettable and I can't wait for next year!!!

HearJapan's Visual Kei Week Updates

HearJapan kicks off the new year with some new visual kei debuts. The first is their coverage on X Japan's first show in a live house in 2 decades. Dubbed as a "Return to X Japan's Roots," the countdown event took place on December 31st, 2008 at Akasaka Blitz. Check out their entire detailed report here.

On the download front, the first album of 2009 to be sold on HearJapan is an exclusive visual kei release from an up and coming band, XodiacK. You can download their demo single, "Kuroi Taiyou" for free on their site. From the press release: "XodiacK describe themselves as galaxy metal. They came from a parallel universe sharing one soul and they have two existential beings. The concept behind these divine beings revolves around the destructive power of a massive awe inspiring universe-like force." Click here for more info.

For those of you who went to Otakon this past year, you should be familiar with MarBell. The band is led by female lead singer, Mar, and guitarist Takanori Tsunoda. "MarBell differ from most other visual bands, not because the lead singer is feminine, but because she is actually a female. While the band is supported by the fashion brand H.Naoto and place a high premium on their visuals, the music has numerous pop influences making it great on first listen. Their first album "Sister " is about an imaginary sister the singer Mar would turn to during tough times, especially when her brother died during the production of the album." You can purchase the album which comes with 9 extra pictures at HearJapan.com.

2009 A.D.

A brand new year is among us and it's amazing how one little date can exude so much rejuvenating motivation. Always tagging along with this revived spirit is a genuine look at the major milestones of the past year. Life proves again that in any attempt at defining it, "a rollercoaster ride" full of ups and downs, is always an accurate part of that description.

Quickly glancing at my 2008 posts provides a tiny snapshot of this past year. The economy has been anything but kind to us, but we are hanging in there. The biggest highlights of my year were all thanks to a slew of events, where I made wonderful friends. Early in the year, there was the JAPAN! Culture + Hyperculture event at the Kennedy Center, where I was privledged to be part of the "Genius Party" premiere and where I got to meet the one and only Shinichiro Watanabe (and Maywa Denki). Not to mention my good friend and contributor, Reza's fateful meeting with Hideo Kojima. And I certaintly can't forget seeing Yoshitaka Amano and Hideyuki Kikuchi at the New York Anime Festival, let alone celebrating Kikuchi's b-day with him, Kevin Leahy, and a handful of lucky Vampire Hunter D fans. Also scheduled to be present, Amano unfortunately couldn't make it to the dinner, but sent us all a sketch which I will always treasure. I got to see an incredible performance by Versailles Philharmonic at Anime USA.

Plenty of great anime and video game titles, too many to list, graced 2008. These include Vampire Knight, True Tears, Shigofumi, Kuroshitsuji, and more in the anime realm and Resistance 2, Rock Band 2, Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core, God of War Chains of Olympus, Prince of Persia, Silent Hill Homecoming, LittleBigPlanet, and more in the video games realm. And of course, what I, like many would have to dub the 2008 Game of the Year, Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

On that note, it's time for me to end this post as I am off to start a new year the right way, at MAGFest VII, a video games convention. I'd like to thank all my readers and look forward to a new year with you.