May 08

Quanzhi Gaoshou (King’s Avatar) Anime Review

Quanzhi Gaoshou (King’s Avatar) Anime Review

The relationship between anime and video games is well-known among both gaming audiences and anime fans. Both forms of entertainment have taken inspiration from each other and it’s common to see video games with anime art styles and see animes that borrow from video game story beats.

For example, in 2016, Square Enix released Final Fantasy XV. Final Fantasy XV is a classic JRPG that takes place in Eos and sees Noctis and his three friends roam around in an open-world, taking down enemies and exploring. Noctis and co.’s character designs already seem ripped from an anime and that’s what led to Brotherhood Final Fantasy XV, an anime series of five episodes that continued to follow the adventures of Noctis and his friends. Square Enix is also the publisher of the Kingdom Hearts franchise, which is a series of anime and JRPG-style takes on Disney characters. The Kingdom Hearts franchise has sold more than 24 million copies around the world, highlighting the interest in this merging of genres. read more

Apr 10

Hourou Musuko Wandering Son Anime Review

Hourou Musuko Anime Review

Source: Facebook via Hourou Musuko

Title: Hourou Musuko

Other Titles: Wandering Son

Genre: Romance, Slice of Life, Drama, School

Studio: AIC Classic

Based on: The Hourou Musuko manga by Takako Shimura

Length: The show is made up of a single 12 episode season, with the story beginning partway through the plot of Takako’s source manga material. Each episode is roughly 23 minutes long.

Release Dates: Aired January – April 2011

Where to watch: Crunchyroll has the entire season in its library, available for streaming 24/7. read more

Mar 15

Every Studio Ghibli Film Ranked From Best to Worst – Top 10 Studio Ghibli Films – The Best Studio Ghibli Films – The Worst Studio Ghibli Films

Much like our recent list of the best and worst Disney films, here is a list of the best and worst Studio Ghibli films. Disney owned distribution rights for awhile for several Studio Ghibli films, but I think that has since changed hands to Gkids. Many people who love Disney films also love Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli Films; after all, they have a lot in common with each other. Both studios rely mostly on making films from well known children’s literature and fairytales. Both studios have a very recognizable animation style. And both studios excel at creating stories that the whole family can enjoy together, cartoons that appeal to young and old alike. read more

Mar 09

My Love Live School Idol Festival Kotori Minami Snowbird Cosplay Costume

Note: This costume was designed for me by Kathy’s Creations in Greenville PA. This is the 2nd cosplay costume that Kathy has created for me. About 2 years ago I also commissioned her for my Lunar Eternal Blue Lucia cosplay costume.

I have a bad habit of not taking wig caps with me to my fittings and/or losing wig caps lol. I will buy wig cap before the anime convention next month. These pics aren’t great, because of no wig cap, and I also wasn’t wearing any makeup, not even lip gloss, lol. read more

Mar 07

I Want To Take an Anime and Manga Tour in Japan

OMG… I want to do this. (Maybe Next Year – I don’t have Vacation Time left this year since I will be going to Peru this summer) Their next tour is in just a few weeks, and seems to only happen once a year, in March coinciding with the International Anime Festival AnimeJapan.

https://japandeluxetours.com/japan/group/anime-japan-tours#anime3

Visiting Japan is my life long dream. (sadly, mostly just so I can go shopping for anime, game, and doll stuff lol. Although I do want to do the museums and cherry blossoms and hot springs and other cultural things too – though mostly, I’m just a big geeky nerd who loves anime and wants to go shopping – which is what this whole tour is designed for <3) read more

Mar 05

The Best Anime Apps for Your Iphone

The Best Anime Apps for Your iPhone

Technology has made it possible to participate in your favorite activities regardless of your location. Easily stream and watch your favorite anime via your smartphone with any of these apps.

Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll has both free and paid membership plans available for anime enthusiasts. No membership is required to watch many of the anime streams. Going premium simply means you can enjoy your favorite anime without ads, you’ll have faster release times, and you get the ability to stream to other locations besides your iPhone. Crunchyroll has access to the best anime shows with over 25,000 anime episodes available, including Naruto Next Generation, Dragon Ball Super, and Cowboy Bebop. read more

Mar 01

Artbook Review: The Art of The Secret World of Arietty

I received this book for free in exchange for a review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

This large, beautiful hardcover artbook is a must have for any Hayao Miyazaki or Studio Ghibli fan. Within its pages lies a treasure trove of not only gorgeous artwork, but also a behind the scenes look at the work that went into creating The Secret World of Arietty. This book is very high quality. Its large oversize format makes it excellent for laying on your coffee table or bookshelf and its presentation is so inviting that your friends won’t be able to resist picking it up and scanning through the pages. Its an excellent conversation piece, as well as a great asset for a collector’s own private and personal collection. read more

Feb 22

Gree Animal Days Mobile Game Graveyard Review

Gree Animal Days was my all time favorite mobile game.

Be warned, before reading this review; the game was shut down several years ago.

There are lots of articles available online pointing to why the game failed. But largely, from what I read, the developers over promised and under estimated how difficult it would be to maintain their production schedules for new content and features which ultimately led to them shutting down the game as they could no longer maintain it.

There were not many games like Gree Animal Days at the time available in the android or IOS app stores. read more

Feb 21

Viz Media Launches New Shojo Manga Series by Meca Tanaka: The Young Master’s Revenge

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF THE SHOJO MANGA SERIES THE YOUNG MASTER’S REVENGE

Plans For Revenge Go Awry In This Romantic Comedy From The Creator Of METEOR PRINCE

San Francisco, CA, February 21, 2018 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), a premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing, delivers the print and digital release of THE YOUNG MASTER’S REVENGE on March 6^th.

The series, by creator Meca Tanaka, is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will be published under the SHOJO BEAT imprint. Meca Tanaka is also the creator of the acclaimed shojo manga series METEOR PRINCE (also published by VIZ Media). read more

Feb 15

Viz Announces Studio Ghibli Secret of Ariettety Artbook

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF

THE ART OF THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY

New Hardcover Art Book Edition Features Vivid Illustrations, Concept Sketches, And Interviews From The Beloved

Studio Ghibli Film

San Francisco, CA, February 15, 2018 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), a premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing, expands its renowned Studio Ghibli library with the release of a new hardcover edition of THE ART OF THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY on March 6th. read more

Feb 15

Pop in Q Anime Movie Review

Title: Pop in Q
Length: (approx) 1.5 hours, feature length film.
I hear there is a 2nd film in production as well that will finish telling the story. *hint: Keep watching after the credits of the first movie*
Genre: Shoujo, Magical Girl, Fantasy, Idol, Musical, Slice of Life, Drama
Studio: Toei Annimation
Release Date: December, 2016

Score Card:

Geeky 1/5 – There is a bit of action later in the film, also some nostalgia to anyone who grew up watching shows like Digimon. But largely, this is pure shoujo aimed at very young girls. Afterall the girls themselves are middleschool students in this film. read more

Feb 09

Imagine: Figure Skater Nintendo DS Retro Videogame Review

With the 2018 Winter Olympics well under way, I’ve been thinking a lot about games and anime (such as Yuri on Ice which I reviewed here) that showcases the dedication that a skater must possess. I remembered fondly an NDS game from “a few” years ago that I played that allowed you to take on the life of a professional skater, competing in various events, training, dating, and dealing with drama.

This game, as it turns out, was Imagine: Figure Skater for the Nintendo DS. The game first came out in 2008 (at least in North America), making it “retro” by my definition (I consider anything greater than 10 years old to be retro.) I’m thinking about digging out my cartridge and playing it again this weekend. I’ve also been thinking about rewatching Yuri!! on Ice. read more

Feb 08

Lu Over the Wall Yoake Tsugeru Lu no Uta Full Length Standalone Anime Movie Review

Title: Lu Over the Wall

Japanese Title: Yoake Tsugeru Lu no Uta

Genre: Slice of Life, Fantasy

Length: (Approximately) 2 hours feature length film (Also after the credits it says that Lu and Seiren will be back in “The Real Lu Dawn Greeting Song”) Maybe hinting at a 2nd movie (or TV series?) (or could just be a music video or musical or something else). Though the end seems unfinished and seems

Studio: Science Saru and Toho

Where to Watch: Gkids Licensed this anime a few weeks ago, and it seems from this page they are trying to generate interest for a US theatrical release. https://www.gkids.com/films/lu-over-the-wall/ read more

RoseCityGames-VIZMedia-TheWorldNextDoor-KeyImage

Feb 06

Viz Media and Rose City Games Partner to Create Video Games

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VIZ MEDIA AND ROSE CITY GAMES PARTNER TO LAUNCH A NEW PUBLISHING PROGRAM FOR INDEPENDENT VIDEO GAMES

The First Original Game To Be Published Is The World Next Door

Portland, OR, and San Francisco, CA, February 6, 2018 – Rose City Games and VIZ Media announce a partnership to debut original, narrative-driven games. VIZ Media, publisher of popular gaming adaptations for POKÉMON, SPLATOON, THE LEGEND OF ZELDA, HOMESTUCK, MONSTER HUNTER and more, will deepen its robust connection to the gaming world. Rose City Games, a leader in the rapidly-developing indie game scene, will introduce new and diverse voices from the world of indie games to the massive pop culture audience VIZ Media has cultivated since its founding. read more