Otakon 2012

Post-con fatigue has prevented me from posting the details of my weekend at Otakon 2012 until now. July 27-29, 2012 represented the pinnacle of the summer for me. Over the weekend, the city of Baltimore was overflowing with OTAKU! The biggest highlight for me was getting the interview with Peter S. Beagle that I was unable to get last year. I even managed to get someone to videotape it for me! Unfortunately, somebody cancelled the interview I was supposed to have with Jason David Frank, best known for his role as Tommy Oliver in the long-running TV show "Power Rangers." Dammit! I had even remembered to bring my VHS copy of "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" for him to autograph! Of course, I spent (or rather my Hubby did) a few dollars in the Dealer's Room! My purchases included several DVDs: 1. Season 2 of "Black Butler," 2. Discs 3 & 4 of "Fairy Tail," 3. "Unico In The Island Of Magic," and 4. 2 discs of "Princess 69." (Don't judge me because I like hentai!) And, yes, I did cosplay! Once again, I donned the personas of Toad from the Super Mario Bros. video game franchise, and also Rei Ayanami from "Neon Genesis Evangelion." I also picked up a new cosplay outfit in the Dealer's Room. I plan to debut it at Anime USA this year, which is being held from November 9-11, 2012! As usual, I made it a point to attend the Funimation industry panel on Saturday. I was ecstatic to learn that there would be a second season of "Fairy Tail," as well as a movie based on the series! I also made it a point to attend the Cosplay Masquerade. However, I was not impressed by the entries this year and left before the skits were done. Clearly, I had a good time at Otakon 2012 and can hardly wait for Anime USA to get here. In the meantime, I think I have enough anime to keep me occupied and to keep this blog interesting!

Outrage Over “Truly Outrageous” Series Sends Anime-niac Into Viewing Frenzy

I've been trying to post this since last Saturday (6/2/2012), but for some reason the www.blogger.com website has been acting up! So, here's what happend!
I woke up Saturday morning, expecting to be able to watch the third and final season of “Jem & the Holograms.” However, the first disc would not play (it was scratched), so I decided to watch some random anime. The lineup consisted of “The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya,” “Rozen Maiden: Ouverture,” “The Fantastic Adventures of Unico,” “Lupin the 3rd Episode 0: First Contact,” “The Secret World of Arrietty,” and “My Neighbor Totoro.”
The theatrical feature "The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya" (2010) reunites the characters (and crew and voice cast) of the popular series "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya" in an extended and appropriately offbeat adventure. Ignoring the bitter cold, Haruhi charges ahead with plans for the SOS Brigade to hold a Christmas Eve party. But when perpetually put-upon Kyon wakes up on December 18, the tinsel he bought the night before is missing from his backpack. Before class begins at North High, the murderous Asakura takes Haruhi's seat. When Kyon objects, he discovers none of his classmates have any memory of Haruhi. Asahina doesn't know him; Koizumi has transferred to an elite prep school; and an uncharacteristically meek Nagato greets him in the literary club room--where the SOS Brigade met. Apparently a major alteration of the space-time continuum took place early on the 18th. But who commands the staggering power needed to cause it? And how can Kyon, who has no psi abilities, repair the damage before it's too late? The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is darker in tone than the often knock-about silly TV series. Directors Tatsuya Ishihara and Yasuhiro Takemoto build the suspense skillfully, playing on Kyon's (and the viewer's) uncertainties. As Haruhi and the rest of the cast are AWOL through most of the film, the story becomes an internal monologue for Kyon. Voice actor Crispin Freeman does an impressive job of holding the audience's attention and keeping his character sympathetic.
Clocking in at 185 minutes, "Disappearance" is at least 15 minutes too long and suffers from multiple endings. It's a good film that will please fans of the series, but if Ishihara and Takemoto had tightened the story and ended it more surely, it could have been a great one. The many extras include footage of location scouting in Tokyo, a recording session with the pianist who performs the Satie pieces for the soundtrack, and special screening events in Kyoto and Tokyo. I think the worst i can say about any of the characters is that they are spineless, and Haruhi is too bossy! But, then again, I guess that's what makes it interesting. It's not a complaint, just an observation!

Rozen Maiden: Ouverture Deserves Ovation
I fell in love with “Rozen Maiden” after seeing a picture of a cosplayer dressed as Shinku, the main character, while flipping through the book Everybody Cosplay by Jan Kurotaki. After watching both seasons of the anime—“Rozen Maiden” and “Rozen Maiden: Traumend”—on DVD, I was excited when the “Rozen Maiden: Ouverture” OVA came out on DVD last December!
Journey back to 19th century London and the birth of the Rozen Maidens to witness the cruel and tragic origin of Rozen's first doll, and how, even when left abandoned and unfinished , she still fought her own way to the Rosa Mystica and the Alice Game! But leave what you think you know behind, for this is Souseiseki's story, and what she has to say may surprise you! Prepare for an all new tale of Rozen Genesis in Rozen Maiden: Ouverture!
I know that based on what I’ve seen in the anime, that Hina Ichigo is annoying and that Shinku is bossy and spoiled. However, the Rozen Maiden series as a whole is quite enjoyable. I may have to go back and watch the entire series!

Unico: The Fantastic Adventures of Unico
I used to love "Unico" as a child, but usually had to wait until I was with my cousins before I could watch it...I didn't own the movie! Thanks to my wonderful Hubby, that changed recently! "The Fantastic Adventures of Unico" in English, and simply "Unico" in Japan, was released in Japan on March 14, 1981. This musical film, narrated by Iruka, directed by Toshio Hirata, written by Masaki Tsuji, and with animation by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, presents the back story of Unico's banishment and his subsequent travels, as well as his friendships with Beezle (to whom he grants his own horn) and Chao/Katy (to whom he grants the wish of becoming a human girl).
Beezle (known as "Akuma-kun," or "Little Devil," in the original version) initially rejects Unico's overtures of friendship, but comes around when he realizes how lonely he really is. After Beezle saves Unico from drowning, the two begin their friendship in earnest, but then the West Wind comes to take Unico away.
The next creature Unico encounters is Chao (Katy), a black-and-white cat who dreams of becoming a witch. Katy and Unico befriend a lonely old woman, whom Katy mistakenly believes is a witch and will teach her some magic as well as transform her into a human girl. When Unico changes Katy into a girl, Katy at first believes that the old woman did it, until Unico proves it was his doing by changing her back into a cat; but Unico, seeing how selfish Katy has become, refuses to change Katy back to a girl, until one day when Katy saves the old woman from drowning. Katy then becomes entranced by a man posing as a lord (Danshaku in Japanese, Baron de Ghost in English). He invites her to his castle, gets her drunk and attempts to seduce her. Unico follows, rescuing Katy (with help from Beezle) after transforming into a majestic white winged unicorn and destroying the monster that the "lord" had transformed into. Afterwards, West Wind comes to take Unico away again, and Katy moves in with the old woman.
This movie includes several songs, most of which were performed in the original Japanese version by the movie's narrator, singer/songwriter Iruka; however, Chao/Katy's recurring theme song, Chao no Kuroneko no Uta (The Song of Black Cat Chao), was sung by Chao's seiyū, Kazuko Sugiyama. The movie's other songs include Unico no Teemu (Unico's Theme), Hontou wa Subishikute (Beezle/Akuma-kun's image song), and Majo Neko Chao (Witch Cat Chao), all sung by Iruka. For the U.S. release, all of the songs were dubbed into English along with the spoken dialogue, except for the ending song over the closing credits, which is an instrumental in the English version. Unico was voiced by Barbara Goodson in the English dub.

Lupin the 3rd Episode 0: First Contact
Lupin is after mafia boss Galvez's single most precious treasure: a treasure within a treasure. Jigen is Galvez's hired gun who fails to kill cat-burglar Lupin in his first attempt on the treasure and seeks revenge. Fujiko is the girlfriend of Lupin's rival, Brad. Zenigata travels from Japan to America to find and arrest Fujiko. Goemon seeks the almighty sword that cuts steel, Zantetsuken. This sword is mysteriously connected to the treasure in Galvez's vault.... After a series of twists and turns, these complete strangers become acquainted in their "First Contact," an epic adventure! I’ve come to love the Lupin the 3rd movies, and this one is no different, aside from the fact that I had to watch it subtitled. The DVD offered no dub option! As for the characters: Galvez was a fat, horny SOB, but other than that, not detestable. For Lupin’s first movie, he was pretty cool. Fujiko was a sex kitten. (Big surprise!)I hope to collect more Lupin the III movies in the future. I've heard about a few via online sources that I'm not certain are available yet in the United States. (Green vs. Red & The Legend of the Gold of Babylon). Maybe I'll find them when I attend Otakon this summer! But anywho...On with the blogging! To finish up my marathon, I watched 2 movies I've previously blogged about: "The Secret World of Arrietty" and "My Neighbor Totoro." All in all, not a bad day! (But I still would have preferred to watch Season 3 of Jem!) I may be an "Anime-niac," but that doesn't mean I have no respect for the animated world in which I was brought up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Witch Hunter Robin" Not Exactly Be-Witching Me!

After finally catching up on what I own of "Fairy Tail," I decided to check out a classic.  I spent most of today watching "Witch Hunter Robin," which Hubby Christopher Wanamaker purchased for me at Katsucon 2012.  "Witch Hunter Robin" is a Japanese anime series created by Sunrise. It follows the STN-J, the Japanese branch of a secret global organization called "SOLOMON" or the "Solomon Toukatsu Nin'idantai" (roughly "Solomon Executive Organization"), abbreviated as "STN".  Solomon  fights the harmful use of witchcraft using a database of witches, which includes those who have obtained the power of witchcraft through genetics and others who carry the gene (called "seeds") in order to arrest or eliminate them should their powers "awaken". The series focuses on one STN-J member, Robin Sena. 
Robin Sena is a "craft user", born in Japan and raised by the Roman Catholic Church in Italy. She is trained to use her craft of fire to hunt down witches. Witchcraft is a genetic trait, dormant within a number of individuals within the human population. Powers can be "awakened" in these dormant human "seeds" at any time, which seems to also drive the awakened witch into various forms of homicidal madness or sociopathy. Trained hunters, craft-users or "seeds" themselves that have not become full witches, are needed to keep watch over "seeds" and hunt those whose abilities become active, serving in secret organizations, such as the parent branch "Solomon" and the "STN-J" branch in Japan, as self-appointed witch police to curtail the use of witchcraft in society, and to keep the witch kind a secret from the public. Even the police, who cooperate with STN-J in abnormal criminal cases, do not know what STN-J does.
The series begins when Robin arrives in Japan to gain information for Solomon headquarters about a fabled item that holds the "secrets of the craft", while acting undercover as a new hunter to the STN-J in their efforts to capture witches. It is hinted that she subconsciously understands something of the STN-J's use of Orbo.
Orbo is a green liquid that negates witch abilities. STN-J's hunters carry small vials of it on necklaces in the shape of a cross as a form of protection against their targets' craft. Hunters also carry air pistols which fire darts or pellets of Orbo that dampen witch powers when it enters the bloodstream of the target witch. Hunters who are craft-users or seeds can use Orbo with little ill effects, although their own powers are reportedly diminished while using it. Robin, a craft-user herself, says that she will not keep Orbo on her because she says it is "disgusting" ("気持ち悪い" or "bad feeling" in japanese).
As the series goes on, Robin grows increasingly uncomfortable with her role in hunting and capturing other witches. She begins to question the treatment they receive while incarcerated in the mysterious "Factory". After the discovery of "secrets of the craft," she is entrapped and attacked twice by "witch bullets". Subsequently, the STN-J is attacked, presumably for "secrets of the craft," although the Solomon attack was carried out to find what Zaizen, the director of the STN-J, was planning.
Robin begins to worry that she will become a target and grows to suspect that her partner Amon will hunt her. Eventually, Robin does become a target of Solomon and labeled a witch, becoming "hunted". In the end, Robin finds out more about her craft and that of witches than she knew at the beginning.
Initially, the series appears to take a "monster of the week" approach. About halfway through the 26-episode season, the characters and the relationships between them are established and the main plot gets underway.
I'm not sure how to express my thoughts and feelings about this anime. I can't say I actually hated any of the characters, except for the old man (I think his name was Zaizen) who showed up in the last few episodes. I also cannot offer any protest with regard to the storyline progression.  I guess this is another one of those anime that falls under the "darker than normal" category, which I normally do not veer toward. (In spite of my love of "Black Butler").   Whether or not I will re-watch this in the future is something I have yet to sit down and consider.  In the meantime, I think I will finish today's anime marathon with "Kiki's Delivery Service, a "be-witching" anime movie I love! (And have previously blogged about!)

"Fairy Tail' Is A Dream Come True....So Far!

I spent most of yesterday watching Funimation's "Fairy Tail."  I only own the first 2 discs of the series, but at least 2 more volumes have already been released or slated for release.  I first learned of this show via the Funimation Channel (which was recently removed from the Verizon FiOS channel lineup! Damn!), and it piqued my interest enough for me to add it to my Wish List!  Hubby Christopher Wanamaker found the DVD/Blu Ray combo sets at Katsucon 2012!  (Thanks, Boo!)
"Fairy Tail"  follows the adventures of the celestial wizard Lucy Heartfilia after she joins Fairy Tail: "a certain guild in a certain town that soars high above the rest. One from which countless legends have been born; a guild that will no doubt continue to create legends well into the future" and partners with Natsu Dragneel, who is searching for the dragon Igneel.  Natsu aka "Salamander," is a Fairy Tail wizard and easily recognizable by his pink hair.  Natsu is the main male protagonist of the series.
Though to date, I've only watched 24 out of 124 episodes, I already find it to be highly interesting and entertaining.  I will admit, however, that it does focus quite a bit on fighting.  I have no problem with that, as it develops the storyline.  I did find one slightly annoying character--Happy, Natsu's blue feline partner. However, Happy also provided some comic relief, so that provided a balance to the annoying side of his personality.  Another character worthy of notice was Erza Scarlet, a  19-year-old S-Class wizard, who is usually tasked with performing extremely dangerous missions, and considered by many to be the most powerful female member of the guildcommon sense.  Scarlet was a little bossy, but still not a character to be hated.
I know that at least one more DVD of the series has been released, and I plan to get it when I attend Otakon this summer.  In the meantime, I can keep myself occupied by watching "Witch Hunter Robin," another title that was purchased for me at Katsucon!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Taro" is Terrific!

My Hubby, Christopher Wanamaker, bought me "Taro The Dragon Boy" at Katsucon last weekend.  I just finished watching it. Honestly, the storyline was good, though the animation quality was a bit archaic! (It was created in 1979).  "Taro The Dragon Boy" is the story of Taro, a lazy, selfish boy who loves to eat and sleep and wrestle with the animals.  He has little direction or inspiration in his life. That is, until a wizard passing through the forest one day bestows young Taro with a magical potion.  Upon drinking the potion, he gains the strength of a hundred men!  However, there is a catch: he may only summon this power when he is helping others.  Taro soon learns that his long-lost mother was transformed into a dragon as punishment for her greediness.  He sets forth with a sense of purpose  to locate his mother and free her from the spell.  All the while trying to help the peasants of his village, as well as other colorful creatures that inhabit the mountain.
 I can't be sure, but I think one of the voice actors for "Taro" also provided the voice of Giuseppi Mayart in "Wicked City!" (At least, it sounded like him!)  
More perplexing and probably shocking to prudish Americans is the film's casual and unashamed nudity, from Taro's genitals, which are inadvertently flashed when he stands on his head, to the surprising but completely logical appearance of semi-naked women several times during the story. The film is suitable for all ages, however, and such scenes will probably bother parents much more than their kids.    Inspired by an ancient Japanese folklore, "Taro the Dragon Boy" is an enchanting animated masterpiece! 

"Arrietty" Is Amazing!

My Hubby and I had a great day yesterday.  We went to see the movie "The Secret World of Arrietty!"  I loved it!  It takes its story from "The Borrowers," by Mary Norton. 
The story takes place in 2010 in Koganei, western Tokyo and as in the novel revolves around a group of "tiny people" who are 10 cm tall and live under the floorboards of a typical human household.
A boy named Shō arrives at the house his mother lived in as a child, to live with his great aunt, Sadako. When Shō leaves the car, he sees a cat trying to attack something in the bushes, but the cat leaves after being attacked by a crow. Shō goes to see what the cat was trying to attack. He then sees a Borrower named Arrietty.
That night Arrietty's father, Pod, takes Arrietty above the floorboards to show her how he gets sugar. Their first stop is the kitchen, then they walk within a wall to reach a dollhouse in Shō's bedroom, to get tissue. Before Arrietty and Pod can leave, Arrietty notices Shō is awake, and accidentally drops the sugar cube they got. Shō tells them not to be afraid of him.
The next day, Shō leaves the dropped sugar cube beside an underground air vent where he first saw Arrietty, but Arrietty's mother Homily warns them not to take it because their existence must be kept secret from humans. Still, Arrietty sneaks out to visit Shō in his bedroom and the two become friends. On her return, Arrietty is intercepted by her father. Pod and Homily realize they have been discovered, and decide the family must move out of the house.
Shō learns from Sadako that some of his ancestors had seen Borrowers in this house, and they had the dollhouse made especially for the Borrowers, with working electric lights and ovens. The Borrowers had not been seen since, however, and the dollhouse stayed in Shō's room.
Pod returns injured from a borrowing mission and is being helped by Spiller, a Borrower boy he met on the way, who also informs them of some places the Borrowers could move to. While Pod is recovering, Shō uncovers the floorboards above the Borrower household, uproots their kitchen, and replaces it with the kitchen from the dollhouse as a display of kindness, in hopes the Borrowers would be more accepting of his knowledge of their existence. Instead, they react quite oppositely from Shō's expectations, the action causing the Borrowers to speed up the moving process.
After Pod recovers, he goes to explore some of the places Spiller suggested to them. Arrietty goes to say goodbye to Shō. During their subsequent conversation Shō theorizes that the Borrowers are becoming extinct, which hurts Arrietty. Apologizing, Shō reveals he has had a heart condition since birth and will have an operation in a few days. The operation does not have a good chance of success.
Meanwhile Haru, Sadako's maid, notices the floorboards have been disturbed. Sadako is out and Shō is still in the garden speaking with Arrietty, when Haru unearths the Borrowers' house and puts Homily in a jar in the kitchen. During this time, Arrietty hears the cries of her mother being captured and leaves Shō in the garden so she can go see what is happening to her mother. Saddened by Arrietty's departure, Shō goes back inside the house and into his room, unaware he is being followed by Haru, who subsequently locks him in his room. Haru then calls a pest removal company to smoke out the Borrowers and bring them to her alive.
When Arrietty returns to find Homily missing and their house disturbed, she goes to Shō for help. Arrietty helps Shō break out of his locked room, and Shō then carries Arrietty to the kitchen and distracts Haru while Arrietty rescues Homily. Sadako returns soon after the pest removal company comes, and tells them to leave. Haru tries to prove to Sadako that the Borrowers really exist, but Homily has escaped, and there is nothing below the floorboards: The Borrowers have already set off on their move, and Shō has destroyed the remains.
The Borrowers stop for dinner during their move, and Shō's cat spots Arrietty. The cat brings Shō to Arrietty. He gives her a sugar cube as a parting gift, and tells her the Borrowers' fight for survival has given him hope to live through the operation, which will happen in two days' time. In return, Arrietty gives Shō her "hair" clip. The Borrowers then get into a teapot, which Spiller steers down a river. Spiller gives Arrietty a red berry after joining him on the teapot's top.
  It was a terrific film!  However,  I was not fond of Haru, the maid.  She was such a nosy busybody!  Ugh!  However, as with most projects involving Hayao Miyazaki (as the screenplay writer),  even the villain was not so mean as to be completely hated.  I can't wait for the DVD to be released!  I suspect that it will be here no later than July, right in time for Otakon!  Hooray!  I'll be one happy "Anime-niac" if I'm right!

Katsucon 2012: Exhiler-18-g!

I spent President's Day Weekend 2012 as I have since 2003--at Katsucon with Hubby Christopher Wanamaker!  (and the rest of the Otaku!)   Friday (2/17/2012), Chris and I cosplayed as Jem & Rio.  Saturday, our alter-egos were Mario & Toad (Super Mario Brothers), and on Sunday, Chris was Ben 10 and I was Rei Ayanami (Neon Genesis Evangelion)!  Of course, the Dealer's Room had me feeling like a kid in a candy store! LOL!  Chris bought me most of the items on my Wish List.  2 discs of "Fairy Tail," "Taro The Dragon Boy," part on the the TV series "Squid Girl," the complete collection of "Witch Hunter Robin," and "Princess 69: Lesson 1" (a hentai!).   I bought a few DVDs for my cousin Lonnie and my friend Amber.  (Don't make me have to beat you down like Stewie Griffin beat Brian....I want my money!)   I also found a stuffed "Ponyo!" (I've been wanting one since I bought the DVD when it first came out!)  Sadly, I could not find "Princess Mononoke" for my niece, Anaiya!  I guess I will make a trip to Best Buy to see if they have it!  Or wait until Otakon this summer!  Aside from the Dealer's Room, I also enjoyed attending the Funimation panel.  It was there that I learned that the second season of "Black Butler" will be released on DVD in April!  Of course, I'm going to check it out!!!!!!!!!!  I blogged about the first season of "Black Butler" in 2011.  (see the post "Black Butler: One "Hell" Of An Anime About "One Hell Of A Butler!")  Not surprisingly, I managed to get some great photos!  There were cosplayers dressed as characters from "Fairy Tail," "Black Butler,"  and several people cosplayed as characters form the "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic" series.  I think my favorite cosplayer was the woman who was dressed as Satsuki and carried a doll of Mei (from "My Neighbor Totoro)!  There was also a guy dressed up as Totoro himself!  Needless to say, I had a great time, and can't wait to attend Otakon   this summer!!!!!  In the meantime, I have plenty of anime to keep me busy writing this blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I know what I'll be doing on Saturday!!!!!!!!!!  Watching anime (hopefully) uninterrupted!!!!!!!!!!!!  Woe unto those who dare disturb this "Anime-niac!"  LOL!!!!!!!!!!!