Funimation Relief for Japan

This has actually been going on for a few weeks now, but Funimation has started a charity auction to raise money for Japan. They’re auctioning off some rare merchandise on eBay, along with items which can be purchased without bidding, and the shipping for all purchases is free. More information can be found at their site. They don’t have any auctions going at the moment, but they will have more up in May.

The reason I brought this up now is because the item I bought arrived in the mail today. I purchased a set of four Spice & Wolf coins, which they were selling for $20. I decided to buy these because they were the cheapest thing they had up at the time, plus I happen to like Spice & Wolf. Here’s what they look like:

The coins weren’t the only thing that they sent though.

Otaku in Review Podcast: Spring Preview 2011, Part 2

I returned as a guest for one episode of the Otaku in Review Podcast to discuss some of the Spring 2011 anime I’ve been watching. Listen to Scott cringe at the mention of some of the shows I’m watching, and see why he’s convinced that me and Mike (current co-host) are the same person. There’s also news and the usual trolling between the two co-hosts.

Episode 62: Spring Preview 2011, Part 2

Sakura Con/Anime Boston News

Sakura Con and Anime Boston continued today. With the numerous industry panels taking place there were plenty of announcements to cover. Here they are, divided up by company:

Sentai Filmworks

At their Anime Boston panel earlier today, Sentai Filmworks announced that they had licensed Senko no Night Raid, which they referred to as Night Raid 1931. Night Raid was the second series in Aniplex’ and TV Tokyo’s joint project Anime no Chikara, which focused on creating original anime series, as opposed to adapting them from manga or light novels. It focuses on a group of Japanese spies dispatched to Shanghai in 1931 due to the First Sino-Japanese War, Russo-Japanese War, and World War I. Sentai will be releasing it in a complete series set on DVD and Blu-Ray this August.

Sentai also premiered their dub of Angel Beats, which will be out on DVD and Blu-Ray in July. Unfortunately the host of the panel did not have a cast list with him, so the actual cast is currently unknown.

Funimation Entertainment

At their Anime Boston panel earlier today, Funimation announced that the final Eden of the East movie, Paradise Lost, would be released in August. Kenji Kamiyama, director of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Moribito Guardian of the Spirit, directed both the TV series and the movies. The TV series originally aired during Fuji TV’s noitaminA block, and was released on Blu-Ray and DVD by Funimation last fall. The first movie, King of Eden, comes out next week in a DVD/Blu-Ray combo pack and includes Air Communication, a 90 minute recap of the TV series.

The also announced that they would simulcasting the series Aria the Scarlet Ammo starting this upcoming Tuesday at 10 AM Central. Aria the Scarlet Ammo is about a bunch of girls with guns at a high school who probably shoot stuff.

Those were the only new announcements made at the panel, with the rest being devoted to Q&A as well as going over releases for series that have already been announced such as Shin-Chan, Sgt. Frog, Excel Saga, Dance in the Vampire Bund, and the Soul Eater and Yu Yu Hakusho Blu-Ray releases.

Bandai Entertainment

Bandai held a panel at Sakura Con earlier today where they made several announcements.

The first couple of announcements are about Gundam properties. Bandai had mentioned last year that they intended to re-release the original Mobile Suit Gundam series, this time with the original Japanese audio that was lacking from its first release. Today they’ve announced that they plan to release the series on DVD this summer. There was another Gundam announcement at the panel, this one in regards to the Gundam 00 movie, A wakening of the Trailblazer. Bandai announced plans to release it on DVD and Blu-Ray this summer.

Bandai also announced plans to release The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, the latest entry in the Haruhi franchise. They aim to release it some time this summer on DVD and Blu-Ray. The movie adapts the fourth book of the Haruhi light novel series, in which Kyon arrives at school one day to find that Haruhi has vanished, and the other members of the SOS Brigade claim they don’t know him. Kyon seems to be the only person who remembers Haruhi and the SOS Brigade, and he seeks an answer as to what’s going on.

The last announcement Bandai made at their panel was the acquisition of Star Driver. This was to be expected since they had teased the announcement a few weeks ago. They have not announced a release date, format, or any other information whatsoever.

That’s all the information out of the conventions today. Aniplex USA held a panel at Sakura Con, but had nothing to announce.

Funimation Sakura Con 2011 Announcements

Not much news came out of Funimation’s panel at Sakura Con today, but there are a few announcements.

The biggest announcement was the acquisition of the currently airing series Fairy Tail. Dubbing of the series has already begun, and they plan on releasing the first DVD set in the Fall. An announcement of this series was expected to come from one of the US distributors as Manga Entertainment, who is distributing the series in the UK, had mentioned that the series would be released here, but they couldn’t say who would be releasing it. The series premiered in the Fall of 2009 and is currently being simulcast on Crunchyroll, though older episodes aren’t available.

They also announced that they would be releasing season three of Shin-Chan, though this isn’t really a surprise since the DVD has been listed on Amazon and RightStuf for a while now.

They also mentioned that they will have more news at their Anime Boston panel tomorrow, including possibly a simulcast announcement. Luckily enough, Janai will be attending that panel so I’ll hear of any announcements as soon as they happen.

It’s A Mind Game, Right, Right? The Head Trip of Haruhi Suzumiya Part 2

Well kiddies, gonna be busy the next few days so’s here’s next weeks article TODAY!

One can only guess as to how this bunch could find itself in a mug shot line-up. One good guess as to who. Hint: It's niether of the pairs on the ends.

So what is it about The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya that’s had anime fandom by the short hairs since 2006? Sure, the concept, plot, storyline, & stand alone eps are great. Animation, artwork, & music (both original & use of classical), are more than well done. These, of course go a long way in ensuring the success of a show. But there’s more to it than the sum of the above. I think it’s the little brain whacks you’re hit with from time to time. They certainly make it for me. Here’re a few.

First, there’s the convoluted plot from the light novels made even more so when it was put to the screen. As a result, there are two “seasons”. Certain selected story arcs were used for the first season leaving out intertwining events/episodes from other arcs thus leaving “gaps”. Not that you’d notice. Second season broadcast the 14 eps of the first plus another 14 with extra material, thus most of the gaps filled. Because of this curious way of producing a program, the show can be viewed three or more(?) ways: Broadcast, “chronological”, or DVD. It all makes out for a seemingly well thought out tapestry where everything is connected & not as confusing as one might think.

An interesting little order anomoly is ep 00 of season one: The Adventures of Mikuru Asahina, an amateur film made by Haruhi & the gang as a school culture fest project. It’s also the “final” ep in The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya story arc from the SECOND season. One wonders why this would be a first ep as the “movie” seemingly makes no sense at all. A subsequent viewing after watching the first season, has all these little details jumping out at you (Oh! Now I get it! Don’t know what it is, but I get it! Huh?). It’s also a great little study on how NOT to make a movie (Turn off auto focus. Have an actual script & shooting schedule. Get people who can ACT, etc.).

The Sigh arc, by the way, shows what an inconsiderate, abusive, little jerk the title character can be, resulting in the best & worst scene in the series. Best, as Kyon is about to deck her for her abuse of Mikuru (Liquoring her up to make her more compliant for the movie.). Worst as Itsuke stops him (So what if the world could end? Supreme being or not, the kid’s got it coming!)

I find the first few seconds of the first season opening credits sequence, interesting. (A new intro has replaced it for season two. It’s nice but I really like the first.) A long shot of title character looking up longingly at the night sky. “Camera” sweeps in, accompanied by the sound of church bells & the singing of the first line to the opening number (“The answer is always in my heart.”). The heavens open up, “THE HAND” reaches down. As she clasps it, the look on her face transforms from absolute, dumfounded surprise to sheer, total joy of the moment. She’s found it! Or it’s found her! (Rapture believers, take note.) Amazing how the manipulation of a line or three of a subjects face can make for such a great effect.

In ep 06/05 (Season 1/season2. I refer to the dvd order.), the Anthropic Principle is set straight. The universe is NOT the way it is because mankind sees it that way. It’s as it is because HARUHI sees it as just so. Well I guess that pretty much settles that. One can rest easier in knowing. Vox Haruhi. Vox Dei.

The series is like one of those movies (ex. The Wrong Box) where you see something new every time you view it. There’s always something going on in the fore/background, some related to not only the ep being viewed, but to later ones. Ex: In ep 07/06 we briefly see two members of the ENOZ rock band practicing under a tree, in a long shot toward the end. They don’t show up again until ep 12/26, Live Alive, which has a lot of fore/background action itself.

The anticlimatic last ep, Someday In the Rain, depicts a rather “ordinary” day for the members of the aptly named SOS brigade. Haruhi, being the user she is, & Kyon, Mikuru, & weasel Itsuke, being the “victims” they are. The only “extraordinary” thing happening is a long sequence of Yuki, “on station”, seated, back to the camera, reading a book as we hear events in the school building taking place around her. We’ve all heard of “the banality of evil”. Is this epsode an illustration of “the banality of the divine”? Haruhis’ last gesture pretty much says it all. I guess the joke’s on us.

Next time: The third and last part of The Head Trip of Haruhi Suzumiya. The head trips within the biggest head trip of the series. “See” ya then.

Article copyright © 10-11-2010 Jay Agan

This article was first published at http://jaysteevee.blogspot.com/