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Bleach anime episode #358 "Clash!? Xcution attacks Ginjo!" is out.

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FUNimation has acquired the broadcast, home entertainment, merchandising, mobile, and streaming rights to last year’s school comedy television series Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai. FUNimation simulcast the 12 episode series last fall as it aired in Japan. The comedy about a school club for teens who have trouble making friends will be released, eventually, on bilingual domestic DVD & BD.

This acquisition, of course, should surprise no one, as this title is too high profile not to get licensed by someone domestically. Although it didn’t turn into another OreImo scale smash hit, it wanted to.

Source: Anime News Network

FUNimation has formally ceased distribution of the “Kodocha,” and Nerima Daikon Brothers anime television series, and the Korean/American animated film Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles.

FUNimation has also discontinuted production and distribution of the Dragon Ball Z Kai part one to four releases, as those releases have now been superceded by the current complete season DVD & Blu-ray sets.

Source: Anime News Network

Japanese digital retailer DMM is now streaming the six-minute long first episode of the current Gokujyo. Gokurakuin Joshi Koryo Monogatari television series. The episode has no English translation but is available to international viewers that have Microsoft Silverlight installed. The episode was scheduled to premiere on the Chukyo TV network on the 16th, but at the last minute, the TV network chose not to broadcast the episode. Likewise, the Chukyo TV network decided not to broadcast last week’s third episode. DMM will be streaming the uncensored first episode of the risqué schoolgirl comedy until February 6.

Toei has released a 30 second preview of next week’s first episode of Smile Precure. The ninth Pretty Cure television series will take over Suite Precure’s timeslot on February 5.

This is increasingly obviously looking like a remake of 2007′s Yes! Precure 5 with marginaly younger characters. The trailer footage from :16 to :18 appears to even begin the story in a library, just like the first episode of Yes! Precure did.

Source: Anime News Network

MBS Television network’s anime producer Seiji Takeda reportedly revealed at the Anime Business Forum+ 2012 convention yesterday that a feature film spin-off from studio BONES’ 2011 sci-fi robot anime series Star Driver is in development. Considering that BONES’ original robot anime series Rahxephon & Eureka Seven have both gotten feature films, a Star Driver feature isn’t so out-of-the-ordinary.

Source: Anime News Network

Question:
I was wondering are there anyother monster collecting anime that hasn’t been brought over to America?

Answer:
Since the spring 1997 debut of the Pocket Monster anime, the anime medium has felt like it’s been heavily populated by monster collecting shows. To a limited degree, and in a certain sense, collecting shows and anime involving kids partnering with a monster have been prolific since 1997. However, strictly speaking, actual monster collecting shows have not been especially common. Provided that clearly unaffiliated children’s hobby anime are excluded, including shows like Kabutoborg VxV, Medarot, and Danboru Senki, which may include kids, toys, and competition but don’t include anything resembling monsters, a relatively large number of anime series still remain for consideration. Some of those anime are “monster collecting” shows while some are not but may get arbitrarily lumped into the category due to superficial similarity.

In the years since 1997, a number of anime have premiered that revolve around kids partnering with and battling monsters, creatures, or insects. For example, the Jibaku-kun (1999), Bouken Yuuki Plusterworld (2003), Konjiki no Gash Bell!! (2003), Kochu Ouja Mushiking ~Mori no Tami no Densetsu~ (2005), Spider Riders ~Oracle no Yuusha-tachi~ (2006), and Net Ghost PiPoPa (2008) television series all star kids that partner with creatures, but none of these shows involve collecting anything.

Simply defining “monster collecting” anime becomes further confusing due to the presence of numerous shows that revolve around kids partnering with a collectable creature or involve collecting of some sort, but still don’t actual contain literal monster collecting. In the Rockman.exe (2002), Dragon Drive (2002), Legendz: Yomigaeru Ryuuou Densetsu (2004), Onmyou Taisenki (2004), Bakegyamon (2006), Bakugan Battle Brawlers (2007), and Kodai Ouja Kyouryuu King D Kids Adventure (2007), the protagonists only have one monster partner rather than collecting a variety of them. But these shows do revolve around collecting something other than monsters, or the protagonists simply don’t make an effort to collect a variety of monsters, although they could.

A variety of card battle anime have premiered since 1997, including Yu-Gi-Oh (1998), Duel Masters (2002), the Kabutomushi Ouji Mushiking: Greatest Champion e no Michi motion picture (2005), Treasure Gaust (2007), Battle Spirits (2008), Live On Cardliver Kakeru (2008), and Cardfight!! Vanguard (2011). Strictly speaking, these aren’t monster collecting anime because the children actually collect trading cards, many of which depict monster avatars.

Among the anime which may be strictly and accurately defined as “monster collecting,” Pokemon (1997), Digimon Adventure (1999), Monster Farm ~Enbanseki no Himitsu~ (1999), and Rokumon Tengai Mon Colle Knight (2000) have all received official American release, although Mon Colle Knight, the anime adaptation of the Monster Collection trading card game, did not get a home video release. The only remaining strictly defined “monster collecting” anime that I can recall which has never received an American release is the 50 episode Shin Megami Tensei Devichil TV series from 2000 and its 52 episode sequel from 2002, Shin Megami Tensei D Children Light & Dark. While the 2002 Shin Megami Tensei Devil Children: Hikari no Sho/Yami no Sho Game Boy Advance RPG was released in America in 2003, none of the anime based on the game series was ever officially brought to America.

0.0 out of 5

Ichigo 100%

 

• Manga and Anime

This is going to be short and may seem brutal but I wanted to quickly review this, almost as quickly as I watched and read it. It's not that I don't understand the premise, the drawings, the style or whatever but some things just don't ring true to me.  
  
I always thought I should throw my cold cruel black hearted feelings about romance manga and anime out there so at least I'm being honest. 
 
I tried to read it, hard, the drawings seemed badly finished and not filter tip finished. The characters are like large blocks of wood that one would be better GROWING strawberries in and overall it reminded me of movies like Transmorphers. Bleach fans might accidentally read it, which I did. 
 
May seem like I'm ragging on this for no reason? I'm start to get close to reading Fruits Basket and Fairy Tail is screaming at me, both of which have .. girls and stuff. I'm excited to read them, I am, I know what Bible Black is and I've watched Ouran Movies but this, this whole straight up romance thing, is just painful to me. I really can't explain how much I can't understand it. 
 
I've been single, for ages, btw, so its not like a condescending "ha, I'm ok, you losers read that" sort of thing. I want to understand why Girls read this stuff and feel, sort of, better. 'Cos I don't, I feel like men are just gratuitous porn watching faces with haircuts, jawlines and pectorals to be rubbed up against like some sort of washboard with dildo attached.  Which we aren't, we also write emo poetry too. 
 
Nonetheless, I'm not japanese and don't claim to be capable of culturally empathising with a thousand years of artistic iconography. But some stuff is universally cool and this kind of bland love making wannabe-ness isn't, we over here, like our love stories dimorphic, crazy, sexy and with some sort of dramatic resolution. Most people in the west who read this would pretty much sleep with any girl who was offering it without marriage, and would have to just to avoid being virgins forever. Like me. 
 
I'll let you know how I get on with fruits basket. Right after I'm done with Shaman King, baby.
 

Final Result

 1/10: Somebody still had to draw it and the pictures are cool for most of the time. I couldn't draw like that.

0.0 out of 5

D.Gray-Man

 This all contains spoilers; SO READ IT! 

• The story of Allen Walker and the Earl of the Milennium is actually a very personal story, as I see it, and I think the simplest way to review what happens in this Manga is to look at it from both sides after each other. Starting with the 'good' side. 

 

The Exorcists and Allen Walker

 

• The Exorcists are a group of Priests selected (with righteous fury) by the Vatican and equipped with the strongest of holy weapons, Innocence. Some are weapons, some are items and some are parasites that live inside and augment the physical body. There's one 'innocence' called the Heart Innocence that is said to be the strongest of them all. The Exorcists explain to Allen they are looking for it, but in reality the over-arcing story is based in some reality, the Church are exorcising Demons (akuma) to keep the peace.
• Although the story follows Allen Walker as its lead it veers off quite violently towards the other bit part players when they make their appearances. Kanda, Marian, Lena and even Bak-Sama all get heavy face time when the story allows for Allen to be close to them. This actually makes Allen kind of a weak character as the story goes on, but given the weight of the organisation he is working for, that does make following logical sense.
• Throughout the story Allen makes friends, learns their powers, gets stronger and it all rattles along a nice pace that feels very Shounen and well made. It seems to have very definite goals, big fight scenes, uncomfortable romance, that sort of thing but its not until the finality starts to climb in that I saw this as a truly outstanding Manga.
• Effectively like all mainstream Manga/Anime, it hits the ceiling, the roof of what is acceptable and logical by what normal people should follow. Usually these things just blast past it and go on to just sell bigger and more ridiculous ideas. D.Gray-Man sort of doesn't, it hovers over every fight making you constantly uncomfortable reading it because you never know what might happen. In the midst of this Allen is actually representing a normal, thought out, morally fair opinion. The Exorcists are ruthlessly dedicated to the point of self deprication, whilst the Noah and Earl are like little children playing at destroying all humans. 
• What this achieves is something that I found, to be pretty unique. Lastly my favourite things about the Exorcists are the mysterious nature of their true power and the people behind it, accompanied by the constant uphill battle the protaganists face trying to stay in the confines of Dogma and actually beat these maniacal Demons.

The Noah, Akuma and Earl of the Milennium

 

• Earl, his Noah and the Akuma they make are all subhuman. Humans that have been consumed by some sort of evil power and turned into automatons for Earl. It seems that they do what he asks because he grants them limitless power, a place on earth for all eternity and the freedom to rampage and kill as they see fit. They can never love, reproduce or be free of his control.
• The story, really, centres around the Earl's decision to bring a two thousand year war to a close. He's been gathering his forces (the Noah) and slowly corrupting as much as humanity as is possible (many akuma can still form human shape) so as to mount a huge assault to find the Heart Innocence. One of the great plot devices is that Earl thinks the Exorcists have it or know where it is, whilst in reality, they have absolutely no idea. It's early on that earl captures one of the Stronger Looking Exorcist Generals and tortures him to learn that knowledge.
• So as the story revolves around, with the two groups chasing each other in slowly deepeningly serious battles, it basically unwravels that the Exorcists without Allen and his friends have absolutely no guard against Earl's forces. However no matter what happens, the Heart Innocence seems to remain pretty well hidden.

• Ultimately it winds up a little bit Harry Potter-ish, it actually draws so many interesting elements from different theologies, philosophies and moral idealogies that I don't even want to get into it. It's really worth reading yourself. 

  Final Rating

  9.5/10: I love this manga, I may be a heathen westerner with a large coke but this is exactly the kind of challenging thing I love. It darts around and keeps you guessing, don't let the haters tell you what it is and isn't and what it could of been. It's a fantastic story with some many great themes and motifs that I really now, having written this, feel I didn't do it justice and should just re-read the whole thing. Huge fights, demons, weird boy/girls and a totally wigged out loved-up pyschopath bad guy villain who just loves violence so much he wants to put it on and screw it. So much fun. 
  
  
  Maybe the only thing it lacks is a little bit of romance and sexuality, but I think if you look for it you can see why it isn't there, as to say it isn't omitted just shifted out of focus. I admit thats personal, I find staring at huge anime tits for hours and not getting uncomfortable, hard.
  
  
  On another note don't ever watch the Anime, it's god awful. 
  
  

0.0 out of 5

Introduction

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Ultimo is a 15 part manga Series centered around small robotic dolls and their masters; there are 6 evil 'douji' and 6 good 'douji'. This series tells of their final battle after an eternity of struggle.

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ULTIMO 1 : The Foggy Mountain Pass of the Old Westerner

ULTIMO 2 : The Crimson Child's Short Playtime

ULTIMO 3 : Yamato - Body Engulfed in Flames

ULTIMO 4 : Dreaming of Raseimon

ULTIMO 5 : Carnage Under the Moonlight

ULTIMO 6 : The Masters Meeting Ward

ULTIMO 7 : The Bus Gas Explosion Man

ULTIMO 8 : Master On The Cliff

ULTIMO 9 : The Ceremony of the Vow

ULTIMO 10 : A Nonchalant Lovers Suicide

ULTIMO 11 : The End of The Beginning

ULTIMO 12 : The Destruction Of Life And The Heavens

ULTIMO 13 : The Surging Light Of The Karakuri Lantern

ULTIMO 14 : Love Wasabi

ULTIMO 15 : Decisive Battle At The Antique Store

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Beginning

You're dropped right into the whole ancestry and saga of the Karakura Douji universe, in all its weird time travelling, history crossing, memory remembering glory. It reaks of Fan Service with blatant iconography of Stan Lee, effectively on an ego trip, becoming the samurai master lord of all technology that he probably always wanted to be. Thing is for someone like me who is reading Ultimo mostly because it has the words Stan Lee on the cover that does make sense and it gives you something to focus on instead of the whole; is Uru meant to be a girl?

The style is slick, the drawings are amazing and really I think a lot of Stan Lee's additions are just angling, shading and making the epic moments a bit more epic. When I first read this I literally freaked out, I thought it was amazing and now I've finally finished I think I was right to love it.

The start should really grab you if this is the kind of manga for you.

Middle

The main thickener in the story is the 'Vow' between Uru and his/her master Yamato, as opposed to what you might expect, a long drawn out saga between Ultimo and Vice. A lot of the story centers on Yamato's failings as a person leaving space for his eventual turn at the end, whatever kind of turn that might be.

They introduce three other characters really, properly, Jealous, Gluttony and Regulate. These guys all have very distinct personalities and really help to give a bit of depth to the story, as in most manga/anime it makes you instantly think every one of the minor characters is going to get that kind of focus. Which draws you in further. I really loved all the interactions with these guys and their respective masters, a lot of the other panels with the Good Douji Group are just style homages to different classic Tokyo type-sets. Which is cool but a little high brow for my level of understanding. I just about understand that the thing on all the Doujin except Ultimo is like the curse seal. Just.

Ending

As for the ending, a lot of it is like a false ending, where almost all of the characters are properly introduced then summarily cast out to literary nothingness as fast as they appear. Exposing one or two major plot gaps regarding the March of the Doll army, Jealousy's master and how the seperate personalities that have been reborn interact with each other. Morally the message seems to be, Evil gets on better just because its more fun to organise killing than protecting.

The actual end is fantastic, Yamatos personality is completed and rounded off, it even tips a hat to romance themes and ends with enough swearing and gums-hone to shock you, thus keeping you reading. I would say I think that, (GOD FORBID HOLY ALLAH) it could do with a more definite resolution and no space left for expansion. Like, you know, Zombie Powder or DBGT. But such is the theme in manga ATM.

Overview

SO good. An awesome read, loads to explore visually and lots of deeper messages hidden in the backgrounds. I have no doubt there are numerous fancy pants kana and kanji related ossums taht are way above my low brow head. I appreciate the shines though. The only thing you might not like is that Ultimo is actually pretty weak as a character and doesn't really have that much to say for itself. If you're used to a goku style lead; then you might be saddened.

Rating: Must read.