We are just having fun reviewing and discussing comic books, graphic novels, manga, anime/animation, music and movies that we have recently read, listened to or watched.
Finally some news about a North American distributor for Space Pirate Captain Harlock. Ketchup Entertainment has stepped up and will be distributing the CG film, with a March 3 slated release date. All of you that have been around for a while will remember this anime and manga from back in the day. This film is an adaptation of Leiji Matsumoto’s manga.
Yano Research has finished a report that gives the digital content numbers for the last year in Japan. In the digital book category, approximately 65 Billion Yen or 540 Million Dollars was spent on digital manga. This accounts for 80% of the overall digital book market. If only people in the United States would shed the concept of comic books only for kids, we could have a bigger interest here.
KOEI Tecmo America is streaming the opening and a small segment of game play on their YouTube channel, of Dynasty Warrior 8: Empires. The video game is scheduled for release January 27 and will be on the PlayStation 3 & 4, Vita, and PC. Check out both videos:
Disgaea fans here’s one for you. The newest Makai Denki Disgaea 5 game is coming out March 26, for the PlayStation 4. Until then Nippon Ichi Software is wetting your appetites by streaming the main theme to the game. The theme is entitled “Kill Real” by Mamoru Miyano. Check it out through their YouTube channel:
Here’s a collaboration that makes you just say “huh”. KISS gets together with Momoiro Clover Z and their first single will be “Yume no Ukiyo ni Saitemina” composed by Paul Stanley and Greg Collins, with lyrics by Yuho Iwasato. The single is set to be released through iTunes January 28, 2015.
How cool is this Toyota has used two pieces of soundtracks that anime fans will probably recognize in their Aqua commercials. Below you can watch the two spots from “maidigitv” YouTube channel. The first is for the Aqua which is set to Dragon Quest III‘s “Adventure” and the second is for the Aqua X-Urban which is set to Monster Hunters “Proof of a Hero”.
I know that these types of musicals don’t usually do well in the U.S., but maybe it will in Japan. If nothing else that cast and their costumes look amazing! Naruto is played by Kodai Matsuoka, Sasuke is played by Ryuji Sato, Sakura is played by Yui Ito, and lastly Gaara is played by Kenta Suga.
The mobile provider Au by KDDI is having fun in Japan with a new signal boosting truck. They have outfitted a Comiket 87 with a Celty Sturluson inspired look from the manga and anime Durarara!! You got to love it!
Masamune Shirow gave science fiction fans Ghost is the Shell as a glimpse of what our future may be like. Now NTT Docomo Ventures is funding projects to look into the technology aspects of Ghost in the Shell to bring the science fiction technology to actual science technology.
The pictures above show Professor Masahiko Inami’s research into “optic camouflage” that allows the wearer to blend in with his/her environment. Naotaka Fujii is working on a head mounted display, “substantial reality system”, that plays pre-recorded images along with reality display. The last picture shows Shuuji Kajita’s work with humanoid robots.
So as has been done before we have individuals working on bringing our science fiction to life. Check out the full article and video at AnimeNews Network here: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2014-11-25/japanese-scientists-bring-us-closer-to-world-of-ghost-in-the-shell/.81311
If you are a fan of aerial combat games and like Ace Combat Infinity and the manga Area 88, you will want to check out the games special aircraft they will be offering from October 3 through October 14. If certain mission criteria are accomplished in the Bandai Namco game during that time a special aircraft will become available to the player from Kaoru Shintani’s manga Area 88. The four are pictured above and can also be seen in the trailer below: