Same Manga-ka, New tricks (part one)

So its a new year and there’s a new show  line-up. But, perhaps some new books to pick up as well. Today we’ll  be looking at a series from a manga-ka you may know already.

Rinne, by Rumiko Takahashi

Now Rumiko Takahashi is no stranger to manga. She’s penned such hits as Ranma1/2, Maison Ikkoku, and Inuyasha, all of which have  been globally  popular. Her newest work to date is Kyokai no Rinne, which is being released here in the U.S. by Viz Media.

Rinne is the story of  Sakura Mamiya, a high school girl who can see spirits. But Sakura isn’t the typical Sakura of anime style. She isn’t  a card captor, not a ninja, or a samurai. Nope she’s normal, level headed and completely excepting of the world around her.

The story kicks off when Sakura meets Rinne, a red headed half shinigami, half human. Rinne isn’t all that typical either. And before the Bleach fans start harping that Takahashi a copycat, please recall that there have been PLENTY of Shinigami before Rukia and Ichigo met.(Ex, Botan in YuYu Hakusho, the cast of Yami no Matsuei/Descendants of Darkness) Rinne, has quite a large debt on his shoulders, and spends his days living in the school’s club house and exorcizing spirits.

Takahashi’s work is amazing as usual; you would think there would be some sort of disconnect (seeing as she’s been writing for quite sometime) but her charcters are a perfect fit. While the series is only up to seven volumes so far, the characters have slipped into their roles and a dual sided harem is forming, somewhat reminiscent of Ranma and Akane’s multiple suitors. Takahashi’s work has always had a comfort zone, the cast may laugh, cry, or head into battle, but they  still remain the same. It’s good to know masters like Takahashi are still around.

You can find Rinne in the New York Public library, and read  the chapters at

http://www.shonensunday.com

Here’s a trailer from Shonen Sunday  (Please note there isn’t a Rinne Anime…yet.)

Be aware that the series has been on hiatus (on the viz website) since the tsunami. No word on when it resumes.

But I ‘d check with the Rumic World Website. They know their Takahashi. And she’s worth knowing.

http://www.furinkan.com/

And honestly, I doubt the (official) wait will be long.

 

So You want a (accurate) taste of Japan? Head to Sunrise Mart!

Okay, so if your otakuism has hit ‘sage mode’ you’ve probably felt it. That Meron Pan Shana’s always snacking on, That Ramen Naruto wont shut up about, you want a taste of the real thing. So today, We’re gonna show you where you can find some good Japanese cuisine that wont drain your wallet.

Sunrise Mart is wonderful little marvel. It’s part bakery, part supermarket, part restaurant. It’s got all the staples from your favorite Anime and Manga: Okonomiyaki (Ranma anyone?), Yakisoba Bread, Meron Pan, and The infamous An Pan. And then its got genuinely good food, Like Katsu Don (My favorite!)

Ah, Hurray for Katsu Don. Pork cutlet, onions, ginger pickles, egg, and rice. A good deal for only seven n’ change! Another great thing about Sunrise Mart is the customization- You can have brown or white rice…Add some shrimp, take out the ginger pickles…etc.
And when I saw ‘Shrimp’ I mean these. For like, a buck fifty each.
Not only is food good, the store itself is pretty nice.

Here is the upstairs seating area. It’s a nice size, and built for comfort. I mean the bathroom is up there, and lo and behold, you don’t have to go downstairs to ask for a key. I hate places like that.
(I’M LOOKING AT YOU, CHINATOWN.)
In addition, if you’ve been flappin’ your gams with your friends and your food gets cold, there’s a microwave. It’s awesome.

 

And if you’re of drinking age, they have Sapporo Beer in the ‘mart’ portion of the store. Drink Responsibly (or I’ll find you).

This Sunrise Mart is at 12 E 41st St.

But if that sounds unfamiliar…..

 It’s on Library Way.

And if that DOES sound familiar…

It’s where the store Book Off used to be. I wont talk about Book Off here though ( Its mine! All mine!)

Sunrise Mart has three locations:

4 Stuyvesant St( This one is more ‘Mart’ than ‘Sunrise’ )

  12 E 41st St. (The one featured in this post)

494 Broome St( Made me feel a little claustrophobic)

Why 2012 can’t be the end… I seriously wanna see this stuff!

I know we’re in the fall line-up, but I’m already looking at the Winter set. In fact, I’m looking at the next year, period. This is the first of a few rant-like posts, but stay with me.

Youko X Boku SS/Inu X Boku Secret Service

At first glance, it looks like some Shana knockoff is hanging out with a bishonen butler…Thank goodness that’s not it. There’s a bit more to this story. The young shana looking girl is Riricho Shirakin, who’s just moved into a apartment complex named “Maison de Ayakashi”. Those who watch Kekkaishi may already be in on the joke but for those of you who don’t know, :Ayakashi: is a general name for things that go bump in the night. Those who dwell in the Apartment Complex are given their own SS (Secret Service Member) and Riricho’s dude is a stud who worships the ground she walks on. He may look like a pretty face, but he’s actually a (Spoiler?) Fox (Spoiler?) This manga is getting an Anime adaptation and will be hitting the silver screen January 2012.

Here’s the trailer:

http://www.inuboku.tv/movie/index.html

The manga is online, take a look around to find it. But remember, should it come overseas, support the official release.

 

The Magic Treehouse

 

ZOMG. Okay, I used to read the Magic Tree House series when I was like…nine. And lo and behold, it’s so awesome it’s getting a movie over in Japan. If you don’t remember or have never heard about it, The Magic Tree house was a series of books about a brother and sister named Jack and Annie. They travel to different lands and time periods and well, I don’t want to give away how they do it or why, you just gotta read ’em.
So apparently their getting a movie over there. I’m hoping we get a series. And that it comes back over here. And airs on PBS. No, I’m not crazy. Shh. That books series was awesome. Harry Potter fans would like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KKxzPIFa5Y0

The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra

I’m pretty sure this has been blogged to death but yes, I’m waiting for this series. Of course, its title makes no sense (THANKS A LOT JAMES CAMERON) but this is it, the sequel to Avatar: The last Airbender. Korra picks up a hundred years later, and the Avatar is female, a water bender, a rides a Polar bear/dog thing. Awesome already, I know. The original cast is out of the picture but we get traces of them here and there (I won’t say too much, ’cause then it won’t be fun for everyone else) and the new setting is pretty spectacular.

Here’s the pretty trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmsT63BgFPw

Check out, Fall 2012.

The Secret World of Arrietty Official Trailer

A Ghibli movie? In American theaters? Heck yeah. Arietty is based on The Borrowers…You know, that book where tiny people live in your walls and take stuff they know you wont notice missing.Once again, Disney is dubbing Ghibli work and sticking their name all over it. Well, over at Pixar they love their Ghibli, and if it weren’t for them some people would have never heard of Miyazaki, so I can’t be too mad. As usual they’ve hired big names to pull off even the smallest roles in the film, so let’s hope for good voice acting. Even though one of them sounds too old already.

This one will be in theatres February 2012.

That’s it for now. Also, The Mayans are totally Liars.

So you wanna meet other Ner-Er, Otaku.

I was sitting in class the other day when a debate broke out over who would win in a fight: Superman or Goku. Now, arguments like this are common among fanboys and girls, and can be alot of fun…When you’re not doing them by yourself. We know that a side effect of Otakuism is the Hikikomori lifestyle. Staying indoors, watching several hours of shonen anime, and playing Marvel VS Capcom. But let me stop you there. It’s way more fun to share your Anime experiences than sit in your room. But, I admit that that’s easier said than done. So today, we’re talking about meeting your fellow Otaku.
(I vote for Goku btw)

The first way: School.
Check if your school has an Anime club. You’d be surprised, most schools from Junior high to College have one. But if you happen to go to some weird place that doesn’t, start one up. Talk to an advisor, find a Teacher to monitor it, a empty classroom (hopefully with a smart board, or ask to borrow a tv) and you’re in business. I was in Anime Club..heck I was President for awhile. In a club its easy to make friends ’cause you already have a common interest. From there you can go to event, which leads us to our next topic.

The second way: NYC Anime.
As amazing as it sounds, our city has its own Anime Club. You can look them up here at
http://nyc-anime.com/ They have events and meet ups to attend, and the whole thing can be a lot of fun. Since they do Anime screenings, you can wait till they pick one of your favs to drop by. Members also attend Conventions, which leads us to topic 3

The third way: ANIME CONVENTIONS!
Oh yes. You’ll meet a lot of fun people at Anime conventions. It’s also an excuse to cosplay in public and take pictures. Conventions have panel where you can meet your favorite voice actress (Like Junko Takeuchi, who plays Naruto. She was at NYAF this year!) or play the Anime dating game, or attend a Masquerade Ball. It’s good fun. Conventions can sometimes cost a bit of money,. but others are free, so there’s no excuse not to try one out.

I’m not going to go on and on, but the list is almost endless. They have anime screenings at the Mid-Manhattan library,or you could go to Kinokuniya bookstore (They always have something going on there)….

Speaking of Events..
On the tenth of november, there’s going to be a screening of a Vocaloid concert! It’ll be at At the AMC Empire 25 with IMAX, 234 W 42nd St btw 7th & 8th Ave
and the Regal Union Square Stadium 14, 850 Broadway at E 13th St
Tickets are 20 bucks. It’s FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY. So either go see it, or don’t.
That same day, there’s a meet up at the Skyline DINER. See the NYC-Anime website for more details.

Why Tokyopop going down the toilet isn’t a bad thing

If you’ve been hanging at your local Barnes and Noble’s you may already know, bu there’s something for those who aren’t in the loop:
Tokyopop books are in the clearance section at Barnes and Noble’s across the city.
Of course, they’ve been there for a while, but if they go unsold, they may wind up in secondhand bookstores for a higher price. So go get them. NOW.
I found a bunch of Chibi Vampire (Also known as “Karin”) novels in the Barnes and Noble’s on Court street, in downtown Brooklyn. But I wouldn’t go there, (Their discounted manga has dwindled down to a few books at the front door) I’d try some of the other bigger ones.

Fall Anime Picks

Reviewing the initial episodes for each series.

Pursuing my True Self with Persona 4

Okay, Let me start off by saying (In the words of LK’S Naruto) that this Anime is “totally A-MA-ZAAAHH”

Persona 4 makes a very clean transition from Video Game to Anime. The story appears to be intact, and the character designs aren’t tampered with. Fans of the game should be pleased with this one, while newcomers will probably be pulled in by the humor/action/suspense aspects. They aint meant to be flashy. Before you write it off as bland looking, know the characters live in a hicktown. One of my concerns (As someone who’s played the game)was how the main character would turn out. Yu Narukami isn’t completely lifeless, but he has little presence on his own show. When he does react to something, its almost like you’re being reminded he’s there. On a side note, The show isn’t just like watching someone play the game. It moves pretty quickly, as the first hour of gameplay is captured in  one episode. Somethings are skipped, but others are expanded upon. This makes the show more well rounded. I’m giving it A for effort.

 

 

So Everything that makes me whole isn’t in Guilty Crown 

I’m..not too impressed with Guilty Crown…yet. The concept is nice though. There are certain things in the show I like, including  the fact pilots aren’t actually in their mechs (Which look like Code Geass Knightmares, a.k.a Gundams on roller skates) And there are things I don’t get, like Inori. If you’re on the run and you work for a underground organization, why are you running around in a skimpy dress and heels? And the main character…His name is Ouma ( Ou=King) Shu. Ouma Shu. OMASHU. Avatar the last airbender anyone? No? Okay…And I don’t wanna  call him a Shinji clone, but…If Inori had blue hair, I’d swear I was watching Eva. And this guy…

 

This dude is like the love child of Break (Pandora Hearts) and Fai (Tsubasa) on Acid. So. Creepy.

 

Ouma Shu. Hoping for more from him. Awesome weapon though.

Is Guilty Crown copying Persona 4?

This is from Persona 4, a show about going into the world of television and fighting monsters.

This is from Guilty Crown, a show about using power to extract weapons

I had to point it out. It was bothering me. Both OPs are pretty good. (Though I admit I’m partial to P4)

Guilty Crown gets a B for now.

Fly! With Shakugan no Shana FINAL 

A nice surprise. The newest (and last!) season of Shana starts off good. Things heat up (Bad pun) as Yuji has made the jump from protagonist to (SPOILER?) villain (SPOILER?) and I’m so glad he did. Shana is looking a little shaken with her Yuji gone, but it feels like she’s maturing. All the characters in the loop about the Flame Hazes seem a little tense. Margery gets tossed around early on, and I hope to see some more developments with her and her lackeys.It seems war is raging and time is of the essence, so no fillers man. No fillers. Please. The OP in this one also feels like Kotoko’s usual brand of goodness, but I wanted a little more.

 

Look! Yuji’s doing something!

 

Shana, learning something new.

 

Stuff is about to go down. Finally.

A+ For Shana. Keep it moving.

 

 Maybe I know nothing, But still I will walk with UN-GO

What is this…I don’t even. First off, I was curious about this when I heard it was based on a Meiji Era (Kenshin anyone?) book, but pushed into the near Future. I was like, “Whaaaaat?” And then when I saw the movie was coming out, I figured this series was serious stuff.  And I was right. UN-GO feels like one of those WTF anime but plays like a solid detective show. The characters  are all designed well.  This one was of course brought to us by noitaminA (They gave us No.6 this summer) so I was excited about that. Plus, its got a wonderful OP and ED. The OP is performed by SchoolFoodPunishment ( Eden of the East’s ED). The trippy ED is from Lama (NO.6’S OP) The cases are  basically on par with Detective Conan so far, and the character set up seems intriguing.

 

Oh, that’s his assi-

 

 

(O_O) wait, What!?

 

Emo Dark haired main character…Why does that seem familiar…

a A- for UN-GO. Hoping this doesn’t turn into a total WTF.

I’m hoping to see more from Guilty Crown. Seeing as its Simultaneously broadcasted, it’s got a big audience.  Persona 4 an UN-go are okay. I hope Shana pushes the bar and leaves us with a good final season. Also if you were wondering what the weird bold sentences are, I simply lifted lyrics from each OP .

We’re done here. HAPPY HALLOWEEN

 

 

Next Discussion: Fall Picks

Next time we’ll be looking at Persona 4, Guilty Crown, Shakugan no Shana, and UN-GO.

As for Anime in New York…There’s more to come.

Future contenders include Digimon Adventure 02, Tiger and Bunny, and Red Garden.

If there’s an Anime that takes place here that you’d like to see reviewed, post it in the comments.

Anime… in New York(2): Baccano! and Chrono Crusade

Baccano! was originally a novel series by Ryohgo Narita. Narita is also the dude behind Durarara! The two shows take place in the same universe. And in case you’ve never heard of them, I feel sorry for you. (At the end I’ll tell ya where to find it) Baccano jumps back in forth in time, but ‘Carol’ starts the story from November, 1930.

Now let’s get to those screen shots!

 

 

Characters Isaac and Miria, in a alley (during the OP)

 

Firo and a beggar on a side street. Looking good.

Grand Central Station!!! \(>.<)/

Okay, despite the fact its name is Grand Central Terminal, most of us call it Grand Central Station.

(And apparently, New Yorkers have been doing so since 1913)

 

This one is really great. (Ignoring the clone people at the bottom.)

 

Still looking Amazing.

 

Did I mention its about Immortal Gangsters? Good stuff.

 

Putting the Backdrop aside, the fashion in this era are accurate too, if you ignore Isaac and Miria. They have a habit of wearing things that break the realism every now and then.

And since I showed them in the last two Anime, here are the Fuzz:

I could respect some feds  that look like that.

Baccano hits very few snags in Accuracy. There is a moment when Grand Central  is spelled wrong, but I’ll over look that ’cause heck, I can’t even write in Japanese so why complain about their English spellings?

Baccano! is released in the U.S. by Funimation. You can watch it on Hulu or Youtube. You can also find it at the New York Public Library.

Now for our second show, Get ready for Nuns with Guns and Demons! It’s Chrono Crusade.

The Chrono Crusade Manga starts in 1924. The Anime starts in 1928. Why, I have no idea. But, I must also say that the Anime isn’t a complete adaptaion from the Manga, it was also directed to look more like a horror movie, then a Shonen title. (Kinda like what they did in the original FullMetal Alchemist.) Anywho, Let’s see that old timey NYC!

I’m totally digging Rosette’s car.

 

Now, if only she could drive without almost killing them.

In comparison to Baccano! Both look pretty similar. Chrono crusade has a  slight AU feel due to the demons, but Baccano isn’t too far behind.

 

Our main characters, Sister Rosette Christopher and her assistant Chrono.

 

(O_O)….

I’m also curious about where the Magdalene Order’s New York Branch is supposed to be. Sister Kate refers to Brooklyn like its a separate place, there’s no mentions of Queens or the Bronx, they can get to Grand central pretty quickly so I don’t think its Staten Island.  But the grounds are kinda big, I have trouble believing they’re in Manhattan.

Chrono Crusade was originally released  by ADV films, and is now available from Funimation. You can find it on Youtube and Hulu. You can also borrow it from the New York Public Library.

 

Aside from the Backdrops… The English Dubs get extra points for authenticity. The team at ADV did extensive research on the time period, resulting in some jazzy slang. It’s definitely worth listening to.  The actors over at Funimation seemed to be pulling their weight too (for Baccano!).

The upcoming posts: Anime in New York (2) and Fall reviews

First off,  thanks for the feedback! I’ve got some locations to visit now regarding Saki in Eden of the East. I’ll try to get to there sometime this week.

Secondly…The next post will be about Two Anime that take place in New York, period. (Not just a visit.) These two shows also take place around the same time period, so playing the accuracy game will be fun.

Third, the next discussions after that will be Reviews of two Fall picks, and two others.

Anime…. in New York(1): Eden of the East and Detective Conan

The big apple. It’s hip, it’s cool. And sometimes it feels like the center of the universe.  New York often is the setting of Shows, Books,  and Movies. So today, we’re looking at  two moments in Anime that take place in New York.

Our First Contestant, Eden of the East: The King of Eden.

Eden of the East is a short but Amazing anime with the themes of conspiracy, love, action, and humor. Eden of the East: The King of Eden, is a movie that picks up  right after the show ends, and takes place primarily in New York City. Let’s see their interpretation of our home.

Holy crap.

I think I’m in love.

Whoa baby.

THIS…IS…ACCURATE!

As someone who lives in the five boroughs, I care alot about how outsiders view my city. Constantly, NYC has looked horrible in movies and shows. But this…is good.

‘scuse me while I represent for the Brooklyn Bridge. Also, check  out the Seaport!

The best thing about it? Check out the Freedom Tower! Perfectly rendered, way before its completion in real life.

But here’s where things get a little off…Once Saki (The heroine of this film) leaves Manhattan, NYC looks a little weird.

Here she is in Manhattan

With a gun in broad daylight. AAAAWWWKWAAAAAARD.

Here she is in Brooklyn.

wait…what?

Seeing as that’s my Borough n’ all, I was curious to find out where she was standing. At first, I thought she was at the Brooklyn Promenade. In case you don’t know where that is…

It’s here.

But, Saki appears to be under the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Buildings look a lot taller. So her location must be somewhere down there, on those port looking things. I tried to get closer…

Judging by how close she is, She’s somewhere around here. I’m assuming that’s some slightly undeveloped park area. To the right of the bridge there’s a park area. But, to the left is uncertain (to me right now, at least) I plan on taking a look down there to match up her view with mine. Aside from that, to avoid spoilers, I won’t talk that much about the movie, but after she runs into a certain person, her run around Brooklyn looks…odd. It kinda looks like Williamsburg mixed with Park Slope, a hint of  Fort Greene, and a dash of Bay Ridge. Don’t try to decipher that.

Eden of the east is licensed by Funimation.  The entire show is on Youtube.

Our second contestant….Detective Conan (Released in the US as Case Closed)

Detective Conan is a fan favorite, with a big cast of characters,(currently) 73 volumes of manga,  many OVAS, Video Games, Drama Adaptations, Hundreds of Episodes, and (currently) Fifteen Movies. It’s got fans all over. So it should be able to represent NYC well  for  a couple of episodes…right?

Looks good so far.

Pretty cool.

Wow.

There’s main characters Shinichi (Jimmy in the US) and Ran (Rachel). Did I mention Shinichi’s mom is driving?

I can tell Gosho Aoyama, DC’s creator, ( as well as the staff behind the Anime) did his homework. It looks just as good in the manga.

I can’t tell which building this is supposed to be…However in this scene, Shinichi and co. are somewhere on Broadway , to see a play. So far things are pretty okay, but the first ep of their New York adventure hits a snag about…here.

Dat Engrish…Also, while we’ve got a cop on screen, let’s compare him to the ones in The Eden of the East Movie

Dat Accuracy.

Manhattan looks big and roomy. Check out this empty street.

And in regards to the quality, check out these Americans

I wasn’t aware we all had strange, triangle noses.

There should be a family of tourists somewhere in that picture. Aside from that and a scene in the next episode ( I won’t mention ’cause it’ll cause spoilers) The NYC accuracy is alright.

This was Episode 286. Detective Conan’s Manga and Anime are released here as Case Closed from Viz and Funimation. The English version is (currently)not up to this episode. The majority of the Manga can be found in the Brooklyn public library, the Anime is in the New York Public Library and the movies are in both  the NYPL and BPL. (The Queens library carries the beginning of the Anime and Manga.)

Well, that’s it for part one. We’ll be looking at another two next time.