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In this latest feature, Anime3000.com looks at the conventions being held in the month of February. This is part of our goal to provide the anime community with resources and information about various aspects of anime culture. The conventions featured in this con report include: Katsucon, Queen City Kamikaze, Naka-Kon, Tsukino-Con, Chibi Chibi Con, Con-G and Mizuumi Con.
Anime3000.com interviewed Maile Flanagan, the raspy-voiced lead character in Naruto. We actually conducted the interview when the show still aired on Cartoon Network. It was a simpler time for anime fans, the calm before the double-whammy of losing One Piece and Toonami. Now that anime is making its triumphant return to Adult Swim, it’s safe to promote the stars of dubbed Japanese animation again. She talks about her first audition, getting the lead in anime’s most popular series and winning an Emmy for her voice work.
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Since the advent of digital distribution, viewing anime is bigger than the current offerings of Adult Swim or Disney XD. With Crunchyroll and FUNimation’s pending Shodojo project, there is hope of having an amazing variety of resources for digesting anime content. In this new feature, we will suggest series and innovations that are available both online and through terrestrial channels. This week includes the rebirth of Adult Swim’s anime block as well as some old favorites making their way to Crunchyroll.
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Review by: Jd Banks
Created by: Wataru Mizukami
Publisher: Del Rey
Four-Eyed Prince doesn’t reach 20-20.
Really, Four-Eyed Prince’s only strong feature is its artwork. Unlike my vision, the art is crisp and clear. There isn’t a load of toning to busy the background and the scenes are very engaging.
However dynamic the art appears, the story’s outlook is relatively rose-colored glasses. When Sachiko Ohashi gets her heart stomped on by her crush, the distant Akihiko Masuda. Then, when her grandmother is shipped to a nursing home, Sachiko has to move in with her m other. To make matters worse, Sachiko learns that her stepbrother is none other than Akihiko. Sachiko quickly realizes that Akihiko doesn’t just wear glasses for his eyesight. He has a side job as a waiter, and being quite the ladies man, Akihiko hides his secret by wearing glasses. While Sachiko tries to figure out her new stepbrother, they inevitably fall in love, ultimately making the manga’s ending transparent as glass.
Review by: Jason Fetters
Director: Tetsuro Araki
Animation Production: Nippon Television Network
Distributed by: Viz Media
The series really gets going in the last few episodes as Light Yagami and Near prepare to battle it out.
In Death Note, Light judges people and allows them to die by writing their names in a magical notebook that causes death. His has many helpers in this evil task as Light takes on the role of God. Despite Light’s intelligence, he is flawed because all the people he murders make him no different from any other insane mass murderer. Eventually Light descends into insanity, which is sad and tragic to watch.
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Heads UP! February 2010
By Josh Dunham
Director: Keitaro Motonaga
Animation Production: White Fox
Based on the novels by Nisio Isin
Katanagatari tells the story of Yasuri Shichika, the only living man who posses the legendary Kyoto-ryo style of anti-sword martial arts. Although exiled, he is sought out by a woman named Togame, who recruits Shichika on a quest to collect 12 swords of extreme craftsmanship. Battles ensue as they attempt to seize them from their masters.
Review by: John-Paul Natysin
Director: Junichi Sakata / Mitsuhiro Tougou
Animation Production: Chaos Project / Radix
Distributed by: Funimation
I’m going to make one thing abundantly clear: I’ve never been a big fan of comedy anime. As I sit here writing this, I’m having trouble thinking of even five anime titles that I’ve found to be funny (sorry Air TV, unintentional humor doesn‘t count). Most of the visual gags that anime is known for just don’t do it for me. One anime that did make me laugh, however, was Comic Party.
Comic Party is based on a porn game of all things, but director Norihiko Sudo did something crazy with it. That is, he took out all the arbitrary sex and romance. What we’re left with is…wait for it…A STORY. After getting dragged to Comiket by his friend Taishi, Kazuki Sendo is persuaded (or more accurately, manipulated) into creating his own doujin. Sendo’s best friend, Mizuki, is not happy about this because she hates otaku with a fiery passion. It may not be the deepest storyline but it made me laugh while teaching me something new at the same time. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of it sequel, Comic Party Revolution.
Review by: Josh Dunham
Director: Katsuhiro Otomo
Animation Production: Oriental Light and Magic
Distributed by: Funimation
With any film adaptation, a certain amount of excitement fills viewers with hopes of the movie being wonderful, while the same amount of dread is also present of how horrible it may turn out.
This divides viewers into two groups. One group wishes only for an accurate portrayal of the original work, with total disregard for how horribly it may affect the movie. The other merely wants the film to flow well, with not butchering the original work being a bonus. Whether or not viewers will enjoy Mushi-Shi hinges not so much on which side of the line they fall on, but on their familiarity with Japanese culture.
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