Tag: Anime Expo

Flip Chairs And Get Trolled In The ‘Danganronpa V3’ Demo

by Josh Jackson

It’s been a struggle to stay spoiler free as we approach the much anticipated release of Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony. As the first original game being released for the PS4, excitement has been through the roof among fans like myself. So when I got a chance to play the demo to help tide me over until the September 26 release date, I was shocked when the game gave away the death of a major character from the previous games and anime! Not to mention the previous protagonists being locked into this new killing game with the new cast. Couldn’t they have saved such a big reveal for the real game!?

Then I came to my senses and realized that the game was just messing with me, continuing its running gag of having Hagakure serve as the murder victim in the demo, only for him to survive all the way through the main game. But among the returning characters from the previous game is a whole new cast of ridiculous students with their own unique talents, with each of them suspected of this most recent murder. As the new lead, Kaede Akamatsu, we’re asked to take on the familiar task of searching for clues in the point and click sections of the game. It’s immediately apparent that the game is putting the extra horsepower of the PS4 to good use, with sharper, more detailed environments as well as character portraits that serve as charming, bright contrasts to the dreary backgrounds of the new academy.

This time, Kaede is going to have to work a little harder if she wants to load up her Truth Bullets, since the environment is far more interactive this time around. Important items can be found under tables, chairs and other obstacles, so what do you do when you need to move furniture around? You slap the crap out of it! The new ability to slap items out of the way is as hilarious as it is addicting, spicing up the sometimes tedious investigation segments.

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Demo_20170706142410

An investigation doesn’t mean much if you can’t put your findings into action, which is why the returning Class Trials continue to be the highlight of the game. In the past, you would shoot down contradictions or point out statements you agree with to discover who the killer really is. As with investigations however, this time is a little more complex. Mass Panic Debate does its best impression of the 2016 debates by having characters talking at the same time over each other, asking us to find the contradiction in a myriad of statements simultaneously. If snowboarding for the truth wasn’t weird enough, the new Psyche Taxi literally has you driving down a road to pick up the truth. Other new mechanics include an updated Hangman’s Gambit, team debates where two halves of the class take sides and argue back and forth, (which was a golden opportunity to call it a mass debate…), and the much touted ability to lie with the new Lie Bullets. How it will change the flow of both the story and game play is exciting, which is why I can’t wait for the next two weeks to pass!

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Demo_20170706142720

With the game right around the corner, what characters have left an impression on you so far? What did you think of the demo? And who are you hoping to see return? Let us know in the comments!

Anime Expo 2017: We Tried The ‘Dragon Ball Super’ Card Game Ahead Of Release!

by Josh Jackson

Much like the Dragon Ball series and its multiple iterations, fans have burned through more card games than Vegeta has gone through Scouters. With the latest series, Dragon Ball Super, reignighting the fandom in ways that hasn’t been seen in nearly two decades, it was only a matter of time before the show got a card game of its own. But right off the bat, it’s clear that the game is aiming to be more than just another anime card game. By combining eras spanning the entire Dragon Ball saga, featuring some unique mechanics and highlighting them with some of the finest artwork I’ve seen at this side of the world, and we have the beginnings of what can be the next big hit.

Naturally, the first DBS card game heavily features the new characters from the ongoing sequel series. Highlighting Super Saiyan Blue versions of Goku and Vegeta, newer fighters such as Beerus, Champa and Hit fill out the roster alongside old favorites like Gohan, Piccolo and Frieza. Cards are divided into different types, including support and energy cards used for summoning, new characters, many of which serve to power up your leader.

These Leader Cards are the centerpiece of your 52 card deck, cleverly designed as double sided cards that act as transformations. Each time a player’s leader is overpowered and defeated by an opposing leader with more attack power, you pull one of eight cards that are set aside at the start of a match. Serving as your Life Points, being defeated eight times results in a loss, but each point lost gives you an extra card to possibly mount a comeback. Once you take enough damage, your leader will awaken their true power, flipping to their ultimate form highlighted by some eye popping artwork. In fact, the gorgeous designs are a trait that most of the rare cards share.

Standard card designs aren’t anything special for the most part, primarily featuring images from the show. With this in mind, it helps the Super Rare cards stand out so much more. Leaders look especially great, but in a sea of card games with increasingly impressive artwork, the rest of the rare cards help provide that extra layer of excitement when drawing one of your ace cards. 

But more importantly than cosmetics, playing the Dragon Ball Super card game is lots of fun, with the novelty of creating your own super team and fighting it out with the universe’s strongest offering plenty of appeal. I’m excited to see how the game grows from here, but if the pre-release is any indication, then it’s off to a promising start.

Check out the trailer below to get caught up with all the specifics ahead of release! The Dragon Ball Super card game will be officially releasing on July 28.

Anime Expo 2017: Here’s A First Look At Blizzard’s Upcoming D.Va Statue!

by Josh Jackson

If you’re an Overwatch fan, then you surely heard about Blizzard’s upcoming D.Va statue. Priced at a heartbreaking $450, we knew that it had to impress to justify the price tag. After seeing it unveiled in person however, and it’s hard to argue otherwise with all of the detail put into it.

When explaining the process of bringing Overwatch‘s gaming goddess to life, the design team knew that she couldn’t be in her Mecha from the start of the design phases. D.Va is unique in the sense that she’s actually two characters, so the team wanted that to be well represented when it came to her statue. With as many minute details that the Mecha has, it was the most challenging statue for them to design so far. Determined to stay one-to-one with the game assets, the legs in particular were a unique challenge to represent, with so many small sections in the joints needing to look like they would properly function while looking like it does in the game. The entire process was completed using both hand and digital work, taking about 8-12 weeks to fully sculpt. To put the finishing touches on the statue, the team used dental tools to create scratches, making both Hana and her Mecha look battle hardened.

With so many intricacies going into the design, it’s not hard to see why it’s so expensive. But then again, owning a piece one of last year’s waifu of the year winners is priceless. Check out our photo gallery below and let us know if you’re going to take out a second loan to pick this up, and let us know if you know any good divorce lawyers in the comments, since I’m pretty sure my wife won’t be happy when this shows up at my door.

The Neplushie Is Our Second Anime Expo Exclusive Item At The Idea Factory Booth!

by Josh Jackson

In our story about the pixel Neptune figure being the first AX exclusive this year, we promised that there was more to come. Following up on that promise, Idea Factory has revealed their second exclusive item for con-goers at this year’s Anime Expo, and it might look a little familiar!

This eight inch “Neplushie” closely resembles the handmade plush that Plutia used as one of her weapons in HyperDimension Neptunia Re;Birth 3 and Victory. Except now, we all have the benefit of hanging it on our keys! So the next time we can’t find them on the way out the door, having the notoriously lazy and irresponsible Nep to guard them will give us an out. It’s better than acknowledging our failing memory, that’s for sure.

As mentioned previously, the exclusive items will surely pop up on Iffy’s Online Store if you can’t make it to LA that weekend, but for all those that can, you better make a B-line to booth 4401!

And that’s not all! IF is promising one more big surprise, and we’ll be sure to let you know what it is when we find out!

Idea Factory’s First Anime Expo 2017 Exclusive Is Pixel Neptune!

by Josh Jackson

Last year, Idea Factory went all Comic Con on us with their exclusive Anime Expo merchandise. This year, we’re getting the slow burn treatment with items being revealed as we approach the convention taking place from July 1-4. Knowing that we could never have enough Nep in our lives, the first item set to debut on the Exhibit Hall floor is this adorable pixel Neptune!

Made up of 140 Lego connectable brick pieces, this mini goddess stands at 2.5 inches, perfect for when you want to low key worship everything that is Planeptune. If you can’t make it to the show, chances are this item will hit Iffy’s Online Store sooner than later, much like last year’s Top Nep hats, the NepuNepu plushies and the NEXT form T-Shirts. But for everyone else, you know where to be when the merch hall opens.

With that first reveal out of the way, what could be coming next? Stay tuned in the coming days as we wait for the next announcement.

Geekscape Interviews: Kazue Kato – The Creator Behind the Hit Manga Series “Blue Exorcist”

by Kari Lane

One of the guests of honor at Anime Expo 2016 was Kazue Kato, the creator behind the hit manga series Blue Exorcist, which is also a successful anime series (season 2 comes out in 2017 and there is also a film). She took a moment to speak with us (via a translator) about her process, her visit to the United States (this was her first time here!), and more!

Read on to learn about the beloved series creator Kazue Kato!

 

How has your experience at Anime Expo been? 

I wasn’t sure how many U.S. fans there are, and I came to Anime Expo not really understanding that. It was my first time seeing my U.S. fans, and it was the first time that I could visually see all of these fans that are reading my comic. Yesterday, I was able to meet them during the autograph signings. I was actually able to meet all my fans live and in person and get their reaction and feedback. They are very warm. I was very touched by their friendship and support.

Did you see many cosplays of your characters? 

Yes. Yesterday, at lunch, there were some Rin cosplayers who came in to where we were having lunch just by pure accident, so it was fun.

There were a lot last year. 

You are saying compared to this year?

Yeah, because they screened the film. 

I see.

You kind of touched on it a little bit, but how has your stay in the U.S. been so far? 

My stay in the U.S. has been a lot of fun. I have been doing some sight seeing in between too. It was my very very first time in the U.S. so…

Welcome, welcome. 

I’ve always kinda looked to the United States through movies and TV that I see, so I am really excited to be here.

Who and what inspires you? 

Oh, Hollywood films and TV. I get a lot of influence from anything overseas pretty much.

How do you come up with your character designs? 

I try to read as much manga as I can and design things in a way where they are easy for readers to understand. That aspect is really important to me. I work in my own tastes while taking that into account.

Blue Exorcist Color Collection

AO NO EXORCIST © 2009 by Kazue Kato/SHUEISHA Inc.

What are some of your favorite mangas to read? 

I get asked that pretty often. At this point, it is getting hard to have a favorite.

What are your top three manga? 

Maybe Sato Zakuri, but I’m trying to think of what I have read lately, but I can’t think of anything. In the past, there was Akira and Neon Genesis Evangeleon, but lately Attack on Titan and what else… There is also Kimi ni Todoke… but I am not sure there is a U.S. release for that [ed note: it’s published in North America by VIZ Media]. Oh, From Me to You is the English title. My Love Story and some other Shojo manga. So, not the top three, but those are the ones that are current.

Your art has changed a little bit over your career. Would you like to talk about your growth as an artist? 

So, this is based on Time Killers?

Yes. (In Time Killers, a collection of Kazue Kato’s short stories, she talks at the back of the manga about how her art has changed over the past 5-9 years). 

Back in the day, I was just drawing because I liked to draw. But now, I am very conscious about how my fans, how my readers, will understand and read my works so it has changed that way. There is more of a fan input influence compared to when I first started. So, now, I feel like my older habits are starting to come back these days. I am always sort of teeter tottering between my habits versus giving my fans what they want. Yeah, that is about it.

What do you enjoy drawing the most and what is the hardest thing to draw? 

Let’s see. Do you mean characters or manga?

In general. 

Let’s start with the hardest – the story and how to build the story is really difficult. The regular pattern is that we are really working on the story so much that I have to cram the drawing process. I feel like I have more… I am starting to feel a little bit more joy in the story and the storytelling process compared to back in the day when that was just really hard. It was a struggle. I am starting to find the joy in the storytelling part too. As far as the drawing… Yeah, there’s parts where I can just… like it was breathing air, completely effortless. When I am really in that concentration zone, it is great.

With the first question we kind of touched on this, but when you started drawing characters for Blue Exorcist, did you have any idea that it would be as big as it is now? 

My life has had a lot of mistakes and things that haven’t gone well, so being able to… At first I thought, I mean now it is series, but I thought I would only have one or two volumes and that was it, but it is an entire series now, so that was unexpected.

Who is your favorite character? 

I get asked that often, but I keep answering that I don’t really have a favorite. I might pick one now… I like everyone. Maybe, just for the record, I will say Rin. Yeah, because Rin took a lot of effort to develop his character.

BEX_01_pp5_6

AO NO EXORCIST © 2009 by Kazue Kato/SHUEISHA Inc.

It is like a parent having to pick their favorite child. 

It is very similar, yeah.

Do you have more in store for Blue Exorcist? 

In the manga or the anime?

Manga. 

There are things coming up. I would definitely like to make it more fun and entertaining.

Your self-portrait is a rabbit… Why the fascination with rabbits? 

Yeah, people ask me that pretty often. That one derives because I just generally like animals. When I was a child, I tended to draw more animals than humans. In Japan, there are a lot of rabbit toys. There are these little characters called Sylvanian Families and they are these biped animals that are about this big and a little bit furry. And the main family of the Sylvanian Families series is a family of rabbits. So, with that, I would always be drawing rabbits all the time. So when I would write letters to friends, in the little corner next to my names I just draw a little rabbit. It is from those days and I kind of continued doing it.

KazueKato-SelfPortrait

Ah, kawaii (cute). Have you been to the bunny island in Japan? 

I know about the cat one, but… is it a theme park?

No, I went in October. It is just an island where there is a hotel and you can stay there. When you walk out the front door, they are everywhere. You can feed them and they will come sit on your lap. 

Kawaii.

It is very pretty. It is a beautiful island. 

Yes, I am Japanese and I didn’t even know that.

Next field trip – it is research. 

*laughs*

You can pick which one speaks to you, but which character, short story or manga are you most proud of? 

Hmm what am I most proud of? That is a cool way of phrasing it. I wish I had a really good response. Maybe just having had a career in drawing. Maybe, overall… Right now, there is nothing I could say I am really proud of because I am in the middle of that career process, but having not quit. Yeah, I think I am about to come upon that… This is what I am going to be proud of. That is definitely a goal, to create something I am proud of.

What are you currently working on? 

Mostly Blue Exorcist and maybe contributing a little bit to the anime, but nothing outside of that. Yeah, and developing the next big storyline.

BEX_01_pp116

AO NO EXORCIST © 2009 by Kazue Kato/SHUEISHA Inc.

Another one stemming off that, as a manga artist and character creator, how are you liking the anime version of your creation? 

Yes, so Sasaki-san, Keigo Sasaki, is the character designer. So my manga is actually living and breathing, moving on the screen. Everyone has been telling me that he has really captured who and what my characters that I created are about. I have been getting good feedback. Before the anime started, I was told that there are some isms, my isms that in my characters and I was worried how that would transfer over to anime, but now Sasaki-san … you know his version of my characters are obviously equivalent, but it has been a smooth transition. I think it really had to be Sasaki-san doing the character design, otherwise, it would have been difficult to capture everything. There is a new season of the anime coming out and Sasaki-san is in charge of that as well.

How did you feel when you first watched the anime of Blue Exorcist? 

It didn’t really hit me, there was no, “this is really happening”, it did not quite hit me. It was like, “oh. they’re moving.” And even around me too, everyone is like “Wow, it is an anime now”.

That is great. Thank you very much.  

Thank you.

BlueExorcist_01_Cover

Anime Expo 2016: ‘Gal Gun: Double Peace’ Is The Most Japanese Game I’ve Ever Played

by Josh Jackson

When you’re at Anime Expo, you expect to come across some weird stuff considering you’re surrounded by all things Japan. Knowing this, I was confident that I found the most Japanese game I would ever hope to play early into the first day. If you have your doubts about such a bold statement, imagine a rail shooter where your targets are an army of Japanese school girls who are desperately in love with you. And you can see through their clothes when zooming in. And headshots are replaced with a bullet to the boobs or vag.

GalGun trailer 1

Yep, that’s Gal Gun: Double Peace in its purest form. As the sequel to the original Gal Gun, which was released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, was shockingly never released outside of Japan. Proving that there is still good in the world, that’s changing with this PS4 and PS Vita sequel. As far as I could tell from my brief demo, the girls are being controlled by demons that are forcing them to attack you with their love, and it’s up to you to shoot them down with your pheromone bullets to help them come to their senses. That’s right, even in a game such as this, the girls have to be coerced into paying attention to you. Being the hero that you are, no breast will be untouched as you save your school from this menace.

Beneath all of the absurd content, there’s some solid gameplay to be discovered. Believe it or not, the game is developed by Inti Creates, the team behind classics such as the Mega Man Zero series. Searching the environment for hidden demons and passports give you extra points and more insight on your classmates, while pulling off a series of one hit kills gives you huge bonus points for that coveted end of stage rank. Once your special meter fills up enough, you’ll be able to use a special attack that rounds up as many girls as you can fit on your screen and sits them down in compromising positions, while you rub and poke the evil out of them by finding their favorite spots. It’s for their own good, you see.

GalGun trailer 3

Double Peace isn’t all about shooting though. Sometimes, you’ll have to give your clumsy friends a helping hand. One example showed your friend try to look out of a window, but ended up getting stuck when she bent over and stuck her body outside of it. You’ll naturally want to get her out of that position in the quickest way possible, so what do you do? Open the window further? Push it upwards to give her a little more space? No, you’ll obviously stand behind her, grab both of her hips, and proceed to push and pull her until she’s able to pop out of her predicament. Using the PS4 controller’s touch pad to simulate pulling her by sliding your thumbs up and down the sides, I can honestly say that’s a first in my many years of gaming. And yes, this game is completely self aware, which is obvious since the game actually has a command to blank the screen out and replace it with a fake 8-bit RPG. Yeah, that’s right. The game has a panic button to hide your screen in case someone walks into the room. But hey, your character is a girl! Does that make it better or worse?

GalGun trailer 2

When I walked away from Double Peace, I knew that nothing at AX would be as shameless as the time I spent with the game. And yet, given how ridiculous the game was from start to finish, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. In a completely unironic way, I can’t wait to see how much more absurd the final game can get, which is why I’m suddenly finding Gal Gun on my radar.

Gal Gun: Double Peace is scheduled for a July 19 release.

Anime Expo 2016: Looks Like ‘Azure Striker Gunvolt’ Is Getting The Anime Treatment

by Josh Jackson

During their Anime Expo 2016 panel, Intl Creates had two big announcements regarding their Azure Striker Gunvolt action platforming series. First, the first and second games would be getting a physical release in the form of the Striker Pack, courtesy of Yacht Club Games. But perhaps more surprisingly, the series will soon be getting its own anime adaptation in the form of an OVA.

While little was said about what the show would cover, we do know that it’s likely to be a single episode considering how it’s being classified. Whether or not it will be a short episode or movie length is unknown, but chances are it will be long enough to cover the events of the first game.

The irony is that Mighty No. 9, which was co-produced by Intl Creates, announced its own anime version a few years ago at the very same convention, but not much has been said about it since. Yet, much like the games that they’re based off of, Gunvolt is ahead of the game, with its sequel, AND its anime counterpart debuting in 2016. No extra Kickstarters required!

Check out the teaser below and let us know what you think. Expect the OVA to be out by the end of the year, with the Striker Pack hitting stores on September 30.

Anime Expo 2016: Here Are This Year’s AMV Contest Winners!

by Josh Jackson

Every year, one of my favorite Anime Expo events is the Anime Music Video contests. Sometimes, you’ll come across the perfect song to go with your favorite anime, but you don’t have anywhere near the amount of talent it takes to put the two together. And by you, I mean me.

Thankfully, people who do have the talent come together to make us laugh, cry and pump our fists in the air, as the best of the best are pit against each other in six different categories. Divided among action, drama, fun, dance, comedy and sentiment categories, one of the light hearted “trailers” that played in between categories won the fan vote, while a real tear jerker captured the judge’s attention.

First up, “Seven Years” by YouTube user Sakoda15 brought together the reminiscent Lukas Graham hit of the same name with the time traveling anime, Erased. The tragic nature of the series coupled with the lyrics symbolizing days gone by created a deeply emotional video that captured our attention, even if we had never heard the song or watched the show before this point. Between the two meshing so well together, the terribly sad scenes depicted, or the masterful editing, it’s easy to figure out why this was well deserved. Seeing as this was the video that I picked for my video of the show, I was thrilled to see that it won one of the two big awards by the time all the votes were counted. Watch it yourself below, and make sure to keep a box of tissues nearby.

On the more humorous side, the fans voted not for one of the main categories, but rather one of the mock trailers that combined anime with our favorite commercials and movie previews. As a match made in heaven, it’s no wonder why the One Punch Man and Deadpool mash-up produced by Otaku Lounge Productions, Deadpunch, walked away with the popular vote. The funny thing was I didn’t even know you could vote for a trailer when it came to video of the show! Not that it would’ve changed my vote, but I’ll keep it in mind for next year.

What do you think of the winners, and if you were there, which videos did you vote for? Sound off in the comments and let us know, assuming you’re emotionally stable enough to type after that first video.

Anime Expo 2016: Welcome Back Maya In The Latest ‘Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney- Spirit Of Justice’ Trailer

by Josh Jackson

2005 was the year that Phoenix Wright took the courtroom by storm here in the West, and where Phoenix was, Maya Fey wasn’t far behind. But after getting in her fair share of trouble across the first three games as Nick’s spirit channeling assistant, the pair went their separate ways, failing to make a significant appearance in the series since.

As you might have heard, that’s about to change with the sixth mainline Ace Attorney game. Considering Spirit of Justice partially takes place in a country known for spirit mediums, you know Maya can’t be far. Splitting protagonist duties between two characters for the first time in series history, Phoenix will be by Maya’s side in the country of Khura’in while Apollo takes back his starring role as he holds the fort at the Wright Anything Agency. As detailed in our E3 preview, Phoenix will take on a court system that has banished lawyers, (thanks to its method of viewing the final moments of the deceased when they were killed), with some new mechanics that will help turn the tables. On the other side of the world, Apollo and Athena will use their unique skills, (including Athena’s psychoanalyzing that debuted in the fifth game), creating a unique gameplay experience for each.

Naturally, we’re expecting plenty of strange spirit shenanigans with Maya back in the mix, but will we see the return of any of the other Fey girls? What’s Pearl up to these days? It can’t be any weirder than that time Maya helped Nick fight Marvel’s strongest heroes in Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. Either way, make sure to watch the trailer below and watch Maya’s return fully voice acted, then check back with us as our coverage of the Spirit of Justice panel goes into detail on what we can expect from the next big turnabout.

Anime Expo 2016: Here’s What We Can Expect From The Return Of ‘Samurai Jack’

by Josh Jackson

In case you were on your own time traveling journey over the last few months, Samurai Jack is returning to Toonami in 2016 with a brand new season! Aside from a pre-release image shown last month, no new details have been revealed regarding the next chapter in Jack’s adventure. During the Toonami panel at Anime Expo however, Genndy Tartakovsky and his team decided to open their doors and give us a peak at what we can expect later this year.

This behind the scenes look, (which can be watched in the trailer below), shows how much of a passion project this has been for the team. Ranging from the creators, to the animators, to the voice actors, the enthusiasm is easy to see. Emphasizing a new, darker Jack, the years since we last saw the time traveling samurai have not been kind to him. Sporting long hair and a beard, the fifth season is promising to be a much darker, more violent story than we were used to years ago. Other obstacles, like the death of Aku’s voice actor, Mako Iwamatsu, are discussed in depth in the seven minute video, that has been uploaded to Adult Swim’s YouTube page after its debut at their panel.

What were your biggest takeaways from the video? What are you hoping to see when Jack returns later this year? Sound off below, and be sure to check back for all your Anime Expo news.

Anime Expo 2016: ‘One Punch Man’ Will Debut On Toonami This Month!

by Josh Jackson

We went from literally no news on the eventual English broadcast debut of One Punch Man to its premiere being right around the corner.

During Anime Expo’s Toonami panel, it was revealed that the popular anime adaptation of the Shonen Jump action / comedy series will be making its dubbed debut on July 16, two weeks after the announcement was made.

Starring Saitama, a man who decided to take up being a super hero as a hobby before becoming inexplicably strong, the show follows him as he searches for a worthy opponent to cure his boredom, since he has become powerful enough to defeat any foe with one punch. Acting as a self aware parody of typical Shonen style manga, OPM manages to ride the line between full on satire and typical action anime pretty well, especially after Genos, an android who seeks to become stronger under Saitama, fills the role of the “normal” anime hero. Or at least as close as you can get.

Elsewhere, Viz revealed the key English cast members, which you can see below:

Saitama – Max Mittelman

Genos –  Zach Aguilar

Speed O’Sound Sonic –  Erik Scott Kimerer

Mumen Rider – Robbie Daymond (The new Tuxedo Mask)

Who else will be tuning in when One Punch Man makes its English debut? What do you think of the cast? And did you remember that sale that’s going on at the local market? Let us know what you think in the comments!

Anime Expo 2016: Idea Factory Reveals Their Con Exclusive ‘Neptunia’ Merch

by Josh Jackson

If you’re a big fan of games like the Hyperdimension Neptunia franchise or Fairy Fencer F, then you might want to seek out Idea Factory’s booth at Anime Expo this year, since the publisher is bringing more con exclusive merchandise than you can shake an eggplant at.

First off, NEXT Form T-shirts will let you rep your favorite goddess while showing off their new form from the recently released VII. Ranging from Small-XXL, there’s no reason why you won’t be able to display your love with pride.

Next, (get it?), are the Nepu Nepu plushies! This set of four tsum tsums stuffed Nep burritos are incredibly adorable, and almost make up for the fact that we didn’t get those Plutia style plushies from a few years ago.

NepuNepu Screen

If you missed out on any of those hard to get collector’s editions, the booth will also have some copies for their past games, including Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2, Re’Birth 3, Action Unleashed, Blanc + Neptune Vs. Zombies and VII among others. Like last year, the booth will also be giving away jumbo convention badges featuring games like the soon to be released Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force. And if you have A LOT of space in your room, the booth is holding auctions for some of their jumbo promotional banners. But most importantly, the company added Top Nep baseball caps as a last second addition! Be the meme as you show the world who runs Gamindustri.

Neptune Top Nep Hats

So stop by, demo games like MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death, take some pictures with the Neptune and Tiara standees and pick up some cool stuff while you’re at it. Who else is stopping by? And if you see the dork covered in Neptune gear, it’s probably me, so come say hi!

Bluefin Announces Exclusive Collectibles for Anime Expo ’16

by Kari Lane

Leading Japanese collectibles distributor, Bluefin, returns to Anime Expo (July 1-4) with new Dragon Ball figures and a wide array of new Gundam model kits! They have also announced a colorful collection of exclusive products that will be displayed and available for purchase during AX.

Bluefin will be located in Booth #1401.

Dragon Ball fans that purchase a Bandai Scouter headset at the Bluefin booth will receive Super Saiyan Hair that can be placed snugly over the head.

Read on to learn what figures/model kits will be available:

Bandai Figure-rise Standard “Dragon Ball Z” Super Saiyan Son Goku  

Height: 6 Inches

A new breed of action figure model kit that blends high articulation and detailed sculpts together in one package! Super Saiyan Goku is constructed using layered colored plastic techniques that blend the seam lines together with the folds of his outfit and contours of his muscles leading to a natural appearing joint system.  Simple construction patterns ensure it will be an easy to build figure even for those who have never built a model kit before!  Includes different hand parts for various martial arts poses, and 2 types of kamehameha effect parts with stand, and one powering up facial expression!

goku_3

Bandai Figure-rise Standard “Dragon Ball Z” Final Form Frieza

Height: 5 Inches

A new breed of action figure model kit that blends high articulation and detailed sculpts together in one package! Frieza is constructed using layered colored plastic techniques that blend the seam lines together with the contours of his muscles leading to a natural appearing joint system.  Simple construction patterns ensure it will be an easy to build figure even for those who have never built a model kit before!  Includes different hand parts for various signature poses, and 2 types of energy weapon effect parts with stand, and one wicked facial expression!

freezar_3

 

Notable Bluefin Anime Expo GunPla products include: 

 

Bandai HG Full Armor Gundam Thunderbolt (Theatrical Clear Variant)  

***Anime Expo Exclusive!!***

MSRP: $34.99

A clear special model kit variant originally made available only at the Japanese theatrical screening locations for the animated short, “Gundam Thunderbolt.” It’s now a special Anime Expo exclusive. Don’t miss your only chance to score one this summer! Features 4 shields on movable arms, double barrel beam rifle, back mounted beam cannon and missile launcher, missile pods, beam sabers and propellant tanks. Limit 1 per person.

 

The Bandai Gundam Thunderbolt kit also will be included as part of an exclusive new Blu-ray bundle set that will be available (MSRP: $120.00) and offered during Anime Expo.  

 

Mr. Hobby Mr. Super Tool Set  

MSRP: $29.99

A specially designed tool kit with everything necessary to expertly build your GunPla model. Set includes a metal file, tweezers, a nipper, knife with replacement blades, and a black Gundam marker for panel lining. A must-have for the true GunPla model builder.

 

Bandai Shokugan Gundam Converge LTD 2016 

MSRP: $29.99

This special 3 pack consists of metallic colored versions of the Gundam MK II in AEUG and Titans colors along with G-Defenser that can combine with either figure to create the Super Gundam. It has been made specifically for select regions such as the U.S.!

00

 

Bandai RG Wing Gundam Zero EW Pearl Gloss Version 

MSRP: $36.99

A special event exclusive RG Wing Zero Ver EW that has been coated in a beautiful pearl gloss finish. Utilizing the Advanced MS Frame that allows armor to be mounted on to a skeletal support structure, this iconic angel winged Gundam from “Gundam Wing Endless Waltz” is capable of performing its signature poses with its Twin Buster Rifle.

 

Bandai MG Hi Nu HWS Ver Ka Mechanical Clear Variant 

MSRP: $114.99

The MG Hi Nu Gundam Ver Ka fitted with a specially designed Heavy Weapons System in clear transparent outer armor designed to show off the amazing mechanical skeleton underneath.  Based on its original illustration by Yutaka Izubuchi, this Ver. Ka brings its original proportions into modern kit form from esteemed mecha designer Hajime Katoki.  Includes beam rifle, hyper bazooka, beam sabers, shield, and detachable HWS system which was originally a P-Bandai Web item.  Available in limited quantities for the U.S.  Limit 1 per person.

 

Bandai HG Barbatos Clear Variant Set 

MSRP: $16.99

The iconic and radical Gundam from the “Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans” TV anime series in a special clear form which can show off the incredibly detailed Gundam Frame underneath.  Includes parts to recreate Barbatos first and 4th forms and comes with Sword, Mace, Shield Arm, Long Range Cannon, and Mobile Worker. Available only for purchase at special events!  Limit 1 per person.

 

Bandai RG 00 Raiser Trans Am Clear Version 

MSRP: $35.99

A translucent version of the RG 00 Raiser from “Gundam 00” in Trans Am colors originally available only in Asia.  Special clear colored plastic allows display of the amazingly detailed Advanced MS Frame with the outer armor on. Includes a number of weapons and accessories including GN Sword III, GN Sword II, beam sabers and O Raiser which can detach from the body of the main Gundam.  Limit 1 per person.

 

Bandai Petit’guy Mass Production Type 

MSRP: $7.99

A cute little beargguy colored in Gundam’s iconic mass produced Zaku green! Includes one puzzle piece display stand which can connect to other Petit’gguy models!  Build your growing Beargguy army with one of these limited Petite Bears!  Purchase limited to 2 units per person.

 

Bandai HGUC RX-78-G3 Gundam 

MSRP: $13.99

A special limited color variant of the RX-78-2 Gundam in its G3 color scheme!  Featuring renewed proportions from the “Revive” campaign, this highly articulated Gundam features a beam rifle, shield, bazooka, and 2 beam sabers.  Limit 1 per person.

About Bluefin

Based in Irvine, CA, Bluefin built its reputation as a leading distributor of Japanese toys, collectibles, novelty and hobby products. In recent years, Bluefin has grown to include a range of high quality collectible lines from the United States, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore and established itself as the official North American consumer products and retail development partner for Studio Ghibli. Selling to thousands of specialty, chain and independent stores, Bluefin is an official North American distributor for Bandai Hobby, Kotobukiya and Capcom, is the sole provider of Bandai Tamashii Nations products, and is also the exclusive and official distributor for Hero Cross, Beast Kingdom, Mr. Hobby, SEN-TI-NEL and X-Plus. Bluefin also represents TruForce Collectibles products worldwide. Additional information is available at: www.bluefincorp.com.

Geekscape Interviews: FAKKU is Back for Anime Expo ’16!

by Kari Lane

Next week Anime Expo returns to the Los Angeles convention center and FAKKU will be there! I interviewed Mike Ingraham, Creative Director at FAKKU, about their exciting new changes and special event at AX 2016!

No idea who/what FAKKU is? Read our 2014 interview with them to learn all bout this hentai website/company.

 

******WARNING***** Adult content discussed below!

 

 

Gearing up for AX 2016, how do you feel?

Haha, what’s the best way to put this? Nervous yet excited. It’s another big year for us and there are a lot of odds and ends to wrap up before the big weekend!

What can fans look forward to at the expo?

FAKKU has a lot going on this year at Anime Expo 2016! Where to start… Besides our booth in the Exhibit Hall (booth #705), we are bringing out two Japanese guest artists, Napata and saitom. They will be doing signings and panels over the course of the weekend so be sure to come check them out! We have some limited merchandise including a dakimakura with art by Napata, and a 6 doujinshi box set of saitom’s work. Really excited to have those for the convention!

This year, FAKKU is also an official sponsor of Anime Expo! We’re throwing a big party on June 3rd at Lounge 21 at the convention center! It’ll be from 9PM-1AM and we’ll have an area for photos with the guests, drinks, giveaways, and live music! There will be three sets by HentaiDude, Revolution Boi, and Meishi Smile. It’s the first time we’ll be hosting an event of this size and I couldn’t be more excited. I’m ready to party! And anyone who comes through the door gets a free 7 day subscription to FAKKU. Be there!

fakkuflierBW

Since our last interview, FAKKU got into publishing. How has that been going?

It has been quite a year for FAKKU publishing. Not only have we published 24 books but we also launched our magazine subscription service. The magazine service publishes ~1,200 pages of brand new content straight from Japan every month. We get comic Kairakuten, Shitsurakuten, and X-EROS that have some of the most top tier artists. A subscription costs $12.95 a month and that’s roughly the same amount it would cost to purchase these 3 magazines in Japan.

Any other new changes?

As most people know, FAKKU removed all unlicensed content some months ago. It caused somewhat of an uproar but we are proud to have made this change.

What started these new changes for the site/company?

It was inevitable that we would have to take down unlicensed content . Hosting unlicensed content is how we started to combat the service problem of getting high quality hentai in English but we have now gone through the motions to remedy that. We now have new content flowing in every month where the artists get royalties from us.

Were there any difficulties in changing things up?

There were no immediate difficulties other than hiring enough people to put out this much content haha. Our team has grown significantly over the year and I’m happy to have everyone that works for us. People were upset that we lost so much free content and that’s perfectly understandable. But we have a lot of support and subscribers and I’m thankful for that. It keeps us afloat and gives FAKKU the potential to grow and do even more things in the future.

What are you most proud of regarding FAKKU’s new adventures?

I’m proud of everything FAKKU has done! Seeing our people work on daily magazine releases, new books, t-shirts, web development, and everything that makes FAKKU run is truly inspiring. We have some passionate people here and I’m proud of us. If I had to pick one recent project that I’m personally proud of, it would be the saitom box set that we are selling at Anime Expo. It was awesome speaking with saitom and his design team directly and working to bring this set to fruition. The last doujin in the set is Wrapping 2, which will be released by us before Japan even sees it. That’s a major milestone in my mind and I’m happy FAKKU has the opportunity to be a part of it. I hope you all enjoy it!

What are some of the recent conventions FAKKU has had a booth at? And how did things go with the fans?

FAKKU was recently at Phoenix Comic Con, Kawaiicon, and Fanime to name a few. We love going to conventions and meeting all the fans that support us. It’s kind of funny because our convention staff is typically just our work staff. When you go to a con you will meet the people who are working in the office. Graphic designers, typesetters, project managers, etc. All the people who are working on the content itself are the ones selling your hentai! Most people don’t know that and we are always happy when customers are happy with the product we worked so hard to create.

How has the feedback been from fans online and at the conventions?

The feedback has been great! It’s really something when, in one way or another, people let you know they’ve fapped to your work haha. But the fans make it all worthwhile. I love it when people come up and talk about the content we’ve published, offer some suggestions for books, or just stop to say hello.

Anything else new that you can share?

We just recently put up a Kickstarter for Toshio Maeda’s Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend. We’re super pumped to have the opportunity to work on Toshio’s work! There’s a lot of really cool tiers including original artwork by Toshio, and even dinner with him in Japan! I hope we get enough backers so we can release this awesome series for everyone. Of course, we have some secret things in the works that we hope we can announce the second half of this year.

Where can people find out more?

Be sure to check out our website (www.fakku.net) and follow us on Twitter (@FAKKU)!

 

Geekscape Interviews: Julietta Suzuki On What It Takes To Be A Manga Artist

by Kari Lane

Many manga readers dream of becoming manga artists. What does it take to make it as a mangaka (manga artist)? I spoke with the successful manga artist, Julietta Suzuki, about her career and what inspires her.

JuliettaSuzuki-CreatorOf-KamisamaKiss

Kamisama Hajimemashita © Julietta Suzuki 2008/HAKUSENSHA,Inc.

Q: How has your experience at Anime Expo been?
A: I just walked on the floor, quite a few people, a lot of cosplayers. It seems like there are a lot of visitors from all different countries and I felt the passion. It looks like a lot of fun.

Q: How does it feel to be a Guest of Honor with Viz Media?
A: I feel honored and very thankful.

Q: Whose artwork has inspired you?
A: Are you talking about manga?

Q: Yes.
A: Any genre? It doesn’t matter?

Q: Yeah, anything.
A: When I was a kid, I used to play an RPG game “Dragon Quest” and that inspired me a lot. I played a lot.

Q: Do you feel that your art style has changed over your career at all?
A: Yes, it has changed.

Q: What is your favorite thing to draw?
A: Stories – the human drama.

KamisamaKiss09-FrontCoverKeyArt

Kamisama Hajimemashita © Julietta Suzuki 2008/HAKUSENSHA,Inc.

Q: What do you find the hardest to draw?
A: I am supposed to finish like 30 pages in two weeks, so time is very tight. And within those 30 pages I will have to set up in that area what is exciting so I have to include that in the story and how to figure that out. How to figure out the structure is the hardest part.

Q: What advice do you have for aspiring manga artists?
A: In the States?

Q: Anywhere.
A: In Japan, it is actually not too hard to become a mangaka, but the difficulty is to continue drawing, but don’t be afraid. If you are inspired to become a mangaka, try to knock on the door and try to come to this world.

Q: What do you like about Shojo as a genre or a style?
A: The genre of Shojo manga basically revolves around human drama, so that is what I would like to draw. So, in general, I very much like to draw it.

KamisamaKiss06-FrontCoverKeyArt

Kamisama Hajimemashita © Julietta Suzuki 2008/HAKUSENSHA,Inc.

Q: In terms of your work, what are you most proud of?
A: Right now, the current work is Kamisama Kiss / Kamisama Hajimemashita and so far we have got twelve volumes and drawing those volumes, I have learned quite a few lessons just by drawing them. Just the mere fact that I made it this far, I feel very proud of it.

Q: What is next for you?
A: With the next work I would like to try to target an even higher quality of work.

KamisamaKiss-GN01_cover

Kamisama Hajimemashita © Julietta Suzuki 2008/HAKUSENSHA,Inc.

Anime Expo 2015: The Hyuga Clan Arrives On The Battlefield In ‘Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4’

by Josh Jackson

E3 has come and gone, but I have to say that the insane action of Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 still has a pretty strong hold on me. Once we hit the Anime Expo floor and noticed an updated build with even more characters to play with, we couldn’t resist putting our ninjutsu skills to the test for a second time, with the addition of series mainstay, Kakashi, to the previously established cast of Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Obito and Madara, the bigger story was seeing all three Hygua children as fighters as well. While Neji and Hinata are expected at this point, Hanabi, Hinata’s younger sister who has only ever been playable in 2008’s Naruto Ultimate Ninja 3 as somewhat of a joke character, makes her big return to follow up her prominent role in The Last: Naruto The Movie. We took this opportunity to play as her alongside the rest of her family, and came across some surprises along the way.

Hanabi essentially uses altered versions of her family’s attacks, consisting mostly of chakra sealing open palm strikes. Her version of Neji’s Kaiten still envelopes her in a protective shield that blows away any opponent caught in its radius, but unlike her older cousin, she travels across the stage while performing the move. This allows her to corner enemies who are attempting to flee, creating a different set of strategies both when fighting as and against her. Similarly, Neji himself uses many of the hard hitting 8-Trigrams techniques, using his fingertips to assault his enemies’ weak points. Not to be outdone, Hanabi has her own more elegant version, which serves to be just as effective. If up close and personal isn’t your style, Hinata brings in the long distance combat. While her strikes aren’t as punishing as the rest of her family, she makes up for it with her 8-Trigrams Vaccum jutsu, which launches a huge amount of force from her palm, attacking opponents at long range.

Naruto UNS Hinata

Even if each member has their own strengths and weaknesses, it’s clear that the three are at their best together. As with previous games, creating a three person team of characters that have close relationships with each other can result in some unique Ultimate Jutsu attacks. This is no different when it comes to the Hyuga clan, who can cover for each other quite well when dropping in for support attacks. Once its time to activate their ultimate attack, the team doesn’t disappoint, surrounding the enemy at all sides and pummeling each of their chakra points. If three wasn’t enough, the head of the clan, Hiashi Hyuga, drops in to help deliver a four pronged finishing blow, all with the amount of flash that we’ve come to expect from the series.

So it’s safe to say that the Hyuga Clan are as bad ass as ever. Who else do you want to see make the cut in what might be the last Naruto game? Let us know in the comments, then check out the latest trailer, which also reveals the big bad of the series, Princess Kaguya, in her video game debut.

Anime Expo 2015: Hand-On With ‘Sword Art Online: Lost Song’

by Josh Jackson

Last year when we played Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment, this game about gamers trapped in a game felt hindered partially by its slow pace. This issue is looking to be fixed in its upcoming remake, but would new installments learn from this mistake? It seemed obviously so in Sword Art Online: Lost Song, the upcoming PS4 and PS Vita title that looks to move Kirito and friends into a more fast paced, action focused affair while maintaining the illusion of an MMORPG. How well does this new system translate into the game? We put our monster slaying skills to the test in a brief demo at Anime Expo and Comic Con 2015 to find out.

Sword Art Online Lost Song Screen 1

For the purpose of the demo, Kirito and an AI controlled Asuna and Leefa were thrown into a huge, wide open field.  Littered with monsters both on land and in the sky, it was up to us to take out as many monsters as possible within a 10 minute time limit, just enough time to dig deep into what this new world has to offer. On the subject of how big the field is, Lost Song puts the power of the PS4 to good use, never encountering any slowdown despite how much was going on at one time. I found myself stepping away from fights and just flying high enough to enjoy the scenery, watching all the chaos going on below.

Speaking of flying, Kirito can now switch between land and air battles on the fly. Him and his team can now activate their attacks at will, coming off much more like an action game compared to previous SAO games, giving us plenty of ways to take down all kinds of threats. In order to keep the MMO feel, special attacks are still set to Macro style quick commands that are brought up by holding the shoulder buttons. Certain attacks would deliver huge damage to even the toughest enemies, but would also cost more ability points. If you have no points, you’re stuck with standard attacks, so in typical RPG style, you’ll have to manage these closely if you want to make sure to take out your biggest foes. When one person isn’t enough, delivering enough damage will give your team the chance to activate a triple team attack, inflicting huge damage and team boosts along the way. Keeping an eye on instant messages on the side of the screen will keep you clued in on what their status is, and sending across an encouraging message through emotes can only help!

Sword Art Online Lost Song Screen 2

If this sounds like a lot to take in, you’re not alone. My biggest issue with Lost Song in these early stages was that there’s so much to do, that it made the controls confusing to remember. Rarely feeling intuitive, there were plenty of times where I would get knocked down from the sky and slowly fall to the ground for what felt like ages until I figured out how to recover. Finding the right attacks and commands in the heat of battle often led to pressing the wrong one, keeping me from finishing off the giant dragon in the sky that I had worked so hard to take down. With more time and practice, this issue is sure to fade, but expect a decent learning curve when you pick up the game this fall.

Sword Art Online Lost Song Screen 4

All in all, Sword Art Online: Lost Song feels like a step in the right direction. Its faster paced game play is definitely a lot more fun, and if the controls can be ironed out, we have the potential to have a great game on our hands. As always, keep an eye out for updates as they become available, and feel free to leave any questions in the comments!

Anime Expo 2015: ‘Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden’ Goes Old School On 3DS

by Josh Jackson

As the years have gone by, Dragon Ball Z games have gotten bigger and fancier, with numerous 3D fighters on nearly every console imaginable. It’s a long time since the days where the only way you could get your Super Saiyan gaming fix was to buy expensive imports and mod your consoles. Still, some of these old games had an undeniable charm that gamers who experienced them still swear upon, but thanks to Namco Bandai, it will be a lot easier to bask in the glory of 2D DBZ this fall with Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden for 3DS. We got our hands on the demo at AX this year, and put our power level to the test.

Dragon Ball Z Extreme Butoden Screen 1

Promising over 100 characters that serve as both battle and support players, everyone from Baba to Launch was spotted in between your Goku’s and Vegeta’s, showing that it really runs deep with the history. The demo allowed us to put together teams of three after choosing between Goku, Vegeta, Teen Gohan, Piccolo and Fat Buu. Each character had their own value, which is the cost one will have to pay when putting their team together. If you don’t have enough points, you’ll have to replace your stronger fighters with the Krillin’s and Yamcha’s of the world. For this version however, the number was set so high that it didn’t restrict our ability to choose who we wanted.

Dragon Ball Z Extreme Butoden Screen 2

Once the fights started, it was immediately noticeable that it shares some of its mechanics with its 3D brethren while bringing in the foundation of a 2D fighter. The X and Y buttons are pressed in sequence to set up combos, while the A button shot energy blasts and the shoulder buttons guarded and charged up Ki. If you want to set off your character’s signature moves, certain combos have to connect to activate some flashy looking 2D animations to match up with the gorgeous character sprites, despite being a little pixelated. Tapping the character portraits on the touch screen allowed us to swap characters at will mid battle, helping us mix up the fight when we were backed into a corner. The battle ended once the entire opposing team was defeated, leaving our set of warriors standing tall.

Playing Extreme Butoden really took us back to a simpler time of anime fighters, and it was an exciting (ki?) blast from the past. Promising an updated roster featuring everyone from Golden Frieza and Beerus to Yajirobe and Oolong and everyone in between, there’s sure to be enough content to please DBZ fans both young and young at heart.

Dragon Ball Z Extreme Butoden Screen 3

Pre-ordering from Amazon will net you a download code for Dragon Ball Z: Super Butoden 2, an SNES game that was previously a Japan only release, in addition to six bonus support characters, so if you like what you see, that seems like the place to buy from come October 20th.

The Cosplay Of Anime Expo 2014

by Josh Jackson

Now that Anime Expo has come and gone, and as we gear up for Comic Con this week, what kind of jerks would be be if we didn’t share the incredible cosplay from the event?

From Monster Hunter to Hyperdimension Neptunia. Blazblue to Phoenix Wright. And of course, there was plenty of Sailor Moon at the show. Check out the best of AX 2014’s cosplay, and stick with Geekscape as we move on to Comic Con!

 

Step Onto The Red Carpet At The ‘Dragon Ball Z: Battle Of Gods’ World Premiere

by Josh Jackson

Just in case you haven’t heard, Dragon Ball Z is back in a big way, thanks to its first movie in over a decade, Dragon Ball Z: Battle Of Gods. A few months back, the people at Funimation announced that the dubbed version of the film would be getting a limited theatrical run so that Z fans across the country can experience it with the big screen treatment.

We were on the red carpet of the film’s premiere in Downtown Los Angeles, and got to see all of the stars hit the scene moments before the first official screening of Funimation’s dub. Featuring voice actors Kyle Hebert, Christopher Sabat, Sean Schemmel and Mike McFarlane amongst so many others, the event definitely had that big time feel… Aside from the gift bags full of iPads. Those were oddly missing.

And in case you were wondering, the movie was amazing, thanks to some brilliant voice acting, especially in a certain scene featuring Vegeta. As our review of the film stated, Battle of Gods is much more than an hour long fight, bringing tons of humor and cameos that in my opinion, not only celebrate DBZ, but the entirety of the Dragon Ball franchise. Not bad considering series creator, Akira Toriyama, was directly involved with the development of the film.

Check out our photos from the red carpet event below, and don’t forget to check the film’s website for a growing list of theaters that will be screening the movie. Dragon Ball Z: Battle Of Gods will run on August 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th.

NIS America Announces Two New Anime Releases For 2014

by Josh Jackson

During a weekend full of announcements, NIS America revealed their own anime releases hitting stores in 2014.

First, Hanasaku Iroha the Movie ~ HOME SWEET HOME ~ is coming in a premium edition box on October 14. Retailing at $49.99 , the package gets you the Blu-Ray film and an art book containing interviews with the staff behind the film.

From the press release:

About the movie:

In the days before the Bonbori Festival, Ohana’s friend Yuina comes to Kissuiso for training. While cleaning up after her, Ohana discovers a logbook kept by Beans from when her mother, Satsuki, was still a youth at Kissuisso. Through the logbook, Ohana catches a glimpse of her mother’s struggles, and realizes that maybe the two of them aren’t so different after all. Meanwhile, the rest of the inn staff are caught up in dealing with a blackout.

About the extras:

– Hardcover art book (full color, 32 pages) which provides a deeper viewing experience through scene-by-scene director commentary, staff member interviews, concept sketches, and setting illustrations.
– Original Japanese commercials

Second on the list is Nyaruko: Crawling with Love! Complete Second Season, also coming in a Premium Edition package on November 11th. Promising to pile on the charm in between saving the world, this 12 episode collection will also include its own art book at $59.99 MSRP.

Check out the synopsis from the press release:

About the show:
Mahiro has become accustomed to his protection detail of Nyaruko, Kuko, and Hasuta making his life interesting. Nyaruko starts scheming with Tamao to turn up the charm and sway Mahiro’s resolve, while Kuko reconsiders her own stance on love. Things get tricky as the gang deals with a monstrous monkey, an unexpected visitor from Kuko’s past, balancing love and duty, and of course, saving the world.

About the extras:

– Nyarlathotep-tested, alien-approved hardcover art book (full color, approx. 36 pages) with episode guide, character info, and gorgeous full color illustrations.
– Clean opening and endings, Japanese trailers

For more information on either series, visit NISAmerica.com/iroha and NISAmerica.com/Nyaruko, and check back with Geekscape for more anime news, impressions and reviews!

Anime Expo 2014: The ‘Sailor Moon’ Cast Is Reunited At The 90’s Dub Panel!

by Josh Jackson

If you’re into anime and you’re as old as I am, you probably were introduced to it by one of three shows. For me, Sailor Moon was the first series that really engrossed me while showing me that the show was more than just an early morning cartoon that aired before school. It’s overarching story, developing characters, deeper themes that went beyond what I was used to from American shows at the time, and its use of a unique type of super hero made sure that I was glued to the screen whenever that iconic song came on.

Now, years later, I’m more familiar with the name Usagi than I am Serena. I know the Sailor Scouts, (Warriors, or Senshi if you want to weeb it up), were killed, and not captured by the Doom and Gloom Girls. And I know that Rini/Chibiusa pulled a gun on Sailor Moon when they first met. Yet, despite the differences between the original dub and the original source material, DiC’s Sailor Moon will always have a special place for me, which is why it was absolutely amazing to see members of the original English cast back together again.

Out of the many activities taking place during Sailor Moon Day at Anime Expo, few were as exciting as seeing the actors many of us grew up with reminiscing on their time as the voices of these iconic characters, including how the characters shaped them in their everyday lives, when they realized the impact this show had, and a story about how Sailor Jupiter saved a house from a threatening raccoon!

Hearing the actors call out lines from the old show took me back to 1995. Take this chance to feel like a kid again and check out the panel in the videos below, then take it to the comments and tell us what your favorite parts were!

Kari’s Anime Corner: First Impressions of ‘Kill la Kill’

by Kari Lane

One of the popular cosplays at Anime Expo this year was Ryuko Matoi of Kill la Kill. There was a special panel/screening at the convention as well. Many of my friends have been fans of the show for quite some time and I finally decided to check it out. Let me just say, it is not my cup of tea.

Kill la Kill is about a girl, Ryuko, who shows up at Honnouji Academy looking for her father’s murderer. The only clue she has is a giant half scissor. This school and town are insane. Satsuki Kiryuin (otherwise known as Lady Satsuki) is the student council president who runs the school and town with absolute control. Students live in neighborhoods based on their academic status. Then there is extreme violence that is not only tolerated, but is expected. Is Ryuko’s father’s murderer at the school? What is Lady Satsuki hiding?

 kill7

Another strange part of this show are the outfits. Early on, Ryuko learns some of the students have uniforms that are like super suits. She tries to fight a student who has on one such uniform and is pummeled. After retreating, she comes across a mysterious and violently animated sailor uniform which also happens to be a super suit. Where did it come from? How does it work? Why does it have to be so naked?! The show does a good job of being self aware by having Ryuko question the size/look of the outfit. She is obviously uncomfortable about the lack of coverage. Remember I said this was a popular cosplay? Yep. There were many ladies and even some guys wearing Ryuko’s outfit (or even some Lady Satsuki’s outfit). The show is packed with fan service. Even the opening sequence has boobs flopping around for no real reason. Other characters are aware of the indecent exposure and the writing is pretty funny with everyone’s commentary.

kill3

Kill4

kill5

My main complaint with the show is the style of animation. I personally think it is ugly with its sketchy lines and jerky movement. Though the stills seem to look surprisingly good. The show is produced by Trigger (this is their first original TV program) and I thoroughly enjoyed their previous project, Little Witch Academia (short film). I am biased because I tend to prefer the more pretty Shoujo style art. The more saturated colors and cleaner lines are more pleasing to watch.

 kill6

The show is written and directed by the same team that did Gurren Laggan, which is an excellent series. Though the art is somewhat similar, I feel Kill la Kill is just not as engaging as Gurren Laggan. After 4 episodes of Kill la Kill, I am far from hooked but I might continue to see what all the fuss is about. There are many hints at deeper storylines within the first few episodes but not enough concrete substance for me to care about the characters, who seem very one dimensional at this point.

I cannot deny it is a popular show and the people who like it do LOVE it, but so far I am not won over yet. If the animation does not bother you and you like fighting shows, then you might want to check out Kill la Kill.

Anime Expo 2014: FAKKU Interview *Mature Content*

by Kari Lane

******WARNING***** Adult content discussed below!

 

A few years ago, Anime Expo added adult (18+) panels to their line up. These were well received with people lining up over an hour in advance and rooms filling to capacity. ‘Hentai Worth Watching’ hosted by FAKKU, was one of the first adult panels and has been back every year since. Obviously people are curious to know which hentai IS worth watching. During Anime Expo 2014, I interviewed Mike Ingraham, Project Director at FAKKU. Read on to learn more!

 

So for those who may not know, what is FAKKU?

M– FAKKU is the largest English speaking hentai website in the world and we just recently became publishers. We will be printing English uncensored copies of WANI Magazine’s ero manga. FAKKU has grown into so much more than just a hentai website as well. We have a great community and it is always so much fun coming to Anime Expo and meeting all these friendly faces in person.

How would you describe hentai?

M– Funny thing, hentai actually means perverted/creepy person, deviate, etc. in Japanese. It’s actually a rather harsh term! To the Western community, however, it has become the term we use for all adult material with the Japanese anime style. Manga, doujinshi, anime, anything adult themed could be referred to as hentai. What I love about hentai is that the possibilities are endless. You could have the sweetest love story or the funniest, most ridiculous scenario ever imagined.

How did FAKKU get started?

M– It started with Jacob wanting to start a doujinshi site because at the time they were all less than credible pay sites. He made the website in college and had it sitting for a while until he came across the word “fakku” which is slang Japanese for… well I’m sure you can guess! He then decided to put it on the web in 2007 and it has been growing since. I joined FAKKU a couple years later as a moderator on the forums and I have been going to cons and doing panels with him ever since!

fakku1
Mike Ingraham, Momoka cosplayer and Jacob Grady
 
 

How many years has FAKKU had a panel at conventions and about how many conventions have you attended?

M– Wow, how long has it been? Haha. I think our first panel was at Anime Boston in 2009. Since then we have been doing them all over the United States and even Otakuthon in Montreal. As for conventions I’ve attended, I think I’ve only been an “attendee” at two conventions, but working booths and doing panels… that’s a whole different story! It must be pushing 50+ by now…

How many years has FAKKU had a booth at Anime Expo?

M– I believe this is the 3rd or 4th year that we have had a booth at Anime Expo.

How was Anime Expo for FAKKU this year?

M– Absolutely unbelievable. I had so much fun meeting with all sorts of people, new fans and old ones. We had great reception about our deal with WANI Magazine and it’s just the kind of encouragement that I needed. To know that the community is happy for us and completely supporting us makes the job worth it. I’ve been a fan of hentai for a long time and to know that my peers are excited and looking forward to our releases is the best feeling. The panels are always fun and to get people laughing and asking us questions is why we do it!

Can you please give a brief description about the panel(s) you hosted at Anime Expo?

M– We had 3 panels this year, our first was ‘Manga and Doujinshi’. We talked about what ero manga and doujinshi were, the process, and our new deal with WANI Magazine. ‘Hentai Worth Watching’ is us showing a few of our favorite hentai anime titles, new and old, and giving some commentary of our own about them. This is a fan favorite, as well as a personal favorite of ours. Our last panel was the FAKKU Q&A. Fans line up to ask us questions about anything! This one can usually get a little personal but it’s all in good fun!

fakkubike
Jacob and Mike hosting ‘Hentai Worth Watching’ at Anime Expo 2012 – Bicycle Fairy

Congratulations on getting a bigger room this year for your panel! It seems there is quite a demand to attend your panel. Any comments?

M– Why do so many people want to see us!? We’re just a couple of blokes talking about hentai! Haha. But on a serious note, it’s great that so many people want to come see us but I heard that there were still hundreds of people that weren’t able to make it in because we hit maximum capacity. Hopefully next year we can get an even bigger room and not let anybody down!

What is it like talking to a room of hundreds of people about hentai?

M– You would think it would be strange or awkward but it’s so much fun! That’s what I love about what FAKKU has become, it’s more of a community of people with similar interests and Japanese anime pornography just happens to be one of them. I don’t get nervous or anxious because we’re all just friends hanging out and having a good time. We joke, laugh, share our thoughts, our favorite hentai or anime or manga, our waifus and husbandos, and anything else that comes to mind.

How do you choose the material you talk about in your panels?

M– Like I said earlier, we are just huge fans at our core. All of the stuff that we choose are things that we like or have seen that has made an impact on us as fans. Things that we want to share with everyone and think fans similar to us would enjoy.

Congrats on becoming publishers! Could you please tell our readers a little about FAKKU’s new chapter?

M– Thank you! We are very excited to announce FAKKU Books! Recently FAKKU has made a deal with WANI Magazine, one of Japan’s top ero manga publishers. We have the rights to release their work in English and completely uncensored! I have been a huge fan of WANI Magazine for a very long time, so this deal is still so unreal to me. They have worked with over 300 artists and chances are there is a favorite among them for everyone! Our first releases will be “Renai Sample” by Homunculus, “PuniKano” by Pyon-Kti, and “TiTiKei” by Ishikei.

Anything else you would like to share about your company?

M– I just want to say I’m so happy that I can work with FAKKU and bring porn to all the good people of the world. FAKKU Books is only the beginning and we hope to do even more amazing things in the future. Keep an eye out for our new releases and I can’t wait to see everyone again at Anime Expo 2015!

fakku3
Momoka by Cross_Over

Anime Expo 2014: The Classic ‘Sailor Moon’ Series Is Getting A New Box Set!

by Josh Jackson

Since it was announced a few months back that Viz would be re-dubbing and re-releasing the entire Sailor Moon series after winning a years long bidding war for the licensing rights, Moonies have been patiently waiting for more details on when the episodes would start rolling out. Based on Viz’s Anime Expo announcement, it looks like Christmas will be a very happy time for lovers of all things magical girl.

Releasing on November 11th, the first box set will be episodes 1-23 of the first season as a double pack, spanning three DVDs and three Blu-Rays in a two sided case. In addition, each box will include an 88 page color art book, a double sized box to hold the second half when it hits shelves and art work on the back that will line up with all subsequent boxes, making a full image when season five is eventually released. If that wasn’t enough cool stuff to throw in, early preorders at rightstuf.com will come with an exclusive collectors coin while supplies last, (which will also fit in the box for those completionists out there). The price? A low, low 79.98, and I mean that will all the sarcasm I can muster.

It’s great to finally know when we can start throwing money at this thing, especially when you consider that numerous episodes, (including the entirety of the final season, Sailor Stars), have never been dubbed, or even released in the West. On the other hand, if each half season is going to be $80, there are going to be a TON of broke anime watchers in the next year or two.

Will you be picking up any of these releases? Do all the extras make it too hard to pass up, or will you wait until the final box is released? And are you anxious to find out when we’re getting dubbed Sailor Moon Crystal!?

The First ‘Sailor Moon Crystal’ Trailer Makes Us Giddy!

by Josh Jackson

Sailor Moon fans have a lot to be excited about considering that we’re about a month away from the broadcast debut of Sailor Moon Crystal, the reboot of the classic anime series. Hoping to make that wait a little easier, (or harder if you’re going crazy with anticipation like I am), the first trailer for the upcoming show has hit the Internet. And man, is it glorious!

Hearing Usagi’s voice set to new footage for the first time in years was more incredible than I ever thought it would be, so kudos to the casting directors for bringing back the same seiryu that voiced her all those years ago. As suspected from the teaser images, the animation draws much more from the sharper, thinner characters of the manga compared to the round, cutesy style of the original anime. And while Sailor Moon was the only one we saw in action, the inner senshi look absolutely incredible… Except for Venus. I’m afraid of those beads… Now we wait on Tuxedo Mask!

Watch the trailer below, and I DARE you not to cheer when you hear “Tsuki ni kawatte oshioki yo!” at the end. So much nostalgia. Too many feels…

Sailor Moon Crystal premiers on July 5th.

Classic ‘Sailor Moon’ Licensing Update

by Kari Lane

Earlier this week, we were super excited to announce that the classic Sailor Moon series will be available to watch on Hulu! Yep, VIZ Media has acquisitioned the Sailor Moon anime franchise and as part of the new agreement,  VIZ Media has licensed all 200 episodes of the original Sailor Moon anime series (rated ‘TV-PG’), including the never before licensed for North America fifth and final climatic season, Sailor Stars.  The three feature films and additional specials for the long-running show are also part of the acquisition.

SAILOR MOON will be presented digitally for the first time, with subtitled EST sets available starting Summer 2014 and dubbed editions late 2014, and DVD and deluxe limited edition Blu-ray/DVD combo packs are planned for Fall 2014. The uncut and uncensored VIZ Media release of SAILOR MOON, featuring its original uncropped 4:3 aspect ratio, will also feature all original Japanese names, story elements and relationships, as well as an all-new, uncut English dub with a new voice cast.

VIZ Media premiered Sailor Moon Episodes 1-4 (subbed) on Monday, May 19th on its free NeonAlley.com anime streaming destination and also via the subscription-based Hulu Plus in High Definition. Two new Sailor Moon episodes will premiere every Monday.  Visit www.NeonAlley.com and Hulu.com/sailormoon for more information; the trailer may also be viewed at http://www.hulu.com/watch/635233 and http://youtu.be/RWPyM9afQ-w.

SMCロゴ完成_E

VIZ Media has also acquired the new Sailor Moon Crystal and more details will be announced at a later date.

“We’re pleased to partner with VIZ Media to bring the beloved SAILOR MOON anime series back to North America,” says Masayuki Endo, General Manager, Toei Animation, Inc. “This fresh uncut and uncensored release of SAILOR MOON featuring the most accurate adaptation available will be just as creator Naoko Takeuchi intended. We look forward to fans current and new discovering and falling in love with this classic series all over again!”

 

“SAILOR MOON is one of the extremely rare breed of anime series truly deserving of the title of ‘Legendary’,” says Charlene Ingram, VIZ Media Senior Manager, Animation Marketing. “Since its initial debut in the mid-1990’s, SAILOR MOON has been unavailable to English-speaking fans for nearly a decade. It has also never seen a complete and proper unedited release in North America…until now!”

 

“SAILOR MOON was groundbreaking in the way its storyline and main characters resonated with both a male and female audience, and these aspects continue to attract a new generation of fans eager to see this iconic series,” says Brian Ige, VIZ Media Vice President of Animation. “We’re thrilled to be able to release this empowering action title uncut and in its entirety. We invite fans to catch the official premieres on Neon Alley and to enjoy the series on DVD and Blu-ray later this year!”

SailorMoonCrystal-KeyArt

Exciting news for Anime Expo 2014 (July 3rd-6th Los Angeles Convention Center), VIZ Media will be celebrating Sailor Moon at the con! VIZ Media will host a variety of special activities and panels throughout “Sailor Moon Day,” on Saturday, July 5th. More details to come.

I would be kind of surprised if you have never heard of Sailor Moon (even Barenaked Ladies make a reference to it in one of their songs), but if you are in the dark, read below to learn what this fun series is all about.

The smash hit SAILOR MOON anime series is inspired by the bestselling manga (graphic novel) series created by Naoko Takeuchi (published in North America by Kodansha). In the series, Usagi Tsukino is a clumsy but kindhearted teenage girl who transforms into the powerful guardian of love and justice, Sailor Moon. Meeting allies along the way who share similar fates, Usagi and her team of planetary Sailor Guardians fight to protect the universe from forces of evil and total annihilation!

For more information on Sailor Moon or other award-winning anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

PressRelease_Horizontal_SailorMoon_Season1

Kari’s Anime Corner: First Impressions of “Attack on Titan”

by Kari Lane

Hi! My name is Kari Lane, and I’ve been an anime lover since I was a little girl. Those good old days when classics like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z, Card Captor Sakura, Digimon and Monster Rancher were on the most basic of cable.

Over the years, I have expanded my anime repertoire and have attended numerous anime conventions. I’m currently a host on Neo-Cinema, a web-based anime and Japanese live-action movie review show. Recently, I’ve been watching the first few episodes of various anime series’, and thought it an excellent idea to write reviews based on my “first impressions”. Of course, you’ll have many unanswered questions after viewing just 4, 5, or 6 episodes, but you can get a feel for the show and decide if you want to continue watching! I hope my reviews will help introduce you to some awesome anime, or help you avoid the more mediocre junk that’s out there!

attack3

Every year at Anime Expo, one show seems to be cosplayed the most, and this year that anime was Attack on Titan (also translated as Advancing Giants). I had heard of it via my anime friends and they all raved about how good it was so I decided to check it out. It totally met my expectations! It is good and INTENSE! The show is set in a post apocalyptic future where strange creatures called, titans, have wiped out most of humanity. Humans retreated and built a citadel like city consisting of three circles within each other framed by massive walls. This system kept the titans out for almost a century but then a new titan appeared, a colossal titan, who broke down the outermost wall. Chaos ensues and most of the humans in that city are annihilated. Eren, his adopted sister Mikasa and their friend, Armin, narrowly escape into the next inner city. There these three young people decide to join the army to kill titans and get revenge.

attack5

attack8

This show is filled with death and destruction. Do not get too attached to any of the characters because they will probably die. It is worse than Game of Thrones or a Joss Whedon show in terms of killing off people you care about. Also, it is not just that these characters die but they are destroyed. Nearly every death is cringe worthy. Speaking of disturbing, the titans are so weird they make your stomach turn and  totally creep you out. They are giant humanoid creatures that look strange, move abnormally and, oh yeah, they eat people. The animation on this show is done so well as to make these creatures super unsettling.

attack7

Even though the humans have the odds stacked against them, you root for the underdog and hope Eren and his friends succeed in there missions. The humans do have one small advantage and that is the 3D maneuver gear. Humanity has developed a way to fight back and that is by using a device that makes you swing through the air like Spider-Man and use thick swords to slice the back of a titans neck (the only way to kill them).

attack2

The show’s style is similar to Claymore and Akira with emphasized eyes that convey the emotional intensity of a situation. At times it can be a bit much but it goes with the overall heavy feel of the show. The outlines of characters are done with thick black lines and the overall color is nicely saturated. The actual animation is seamless and perfect to show how the characters zip around with the 3D maneuver gear and how bizarre the titans move.

attack9

I liked the show so much I am caught up with the current episode on Crunchyroll. I will definitely continue watching. Will Eren be able to conquer the titans? Where do the titans come from? What are they exactly? Who will die next? Will humanity be able win this war? If you want action, fierce character driven drama, and cool animation, you should check out this show!

attack6

attack4

Anime Expo 2013: ‘Naruto Shippuden: The Lost Tower’ Arrives on September 17th

by Josh Jackson

It wasn’t just a matter of if, but when the next film in the Naruto franchise would be released in the West. But for those few who might have doubted it, rest assured. Naruto Shippuden: The Lost Tower is headed to DVD and Blu Ray combo pack on September 17th.

The Lost Tower involves Naruto chasing a deadly new foe, one unlike he’s ever seen before aside from every movie villain before this one. But unlike enemies of old, this fight will see Naruto sent back in time where he meets Minato Namikaze, the man who would become the legendary 4th Hokage. Hmm, the only other dark blonde character in the entire world. I wonder if they’re related…

Keep your eyes peeled for the film’s release, which is sure to hit Viz’s streaming service, Neon Alley, shortly before the release date. But until then, we’ll just have to wait and see how Naruto avoids shattering the space time continuum or preventing his own birth fully English dubbed. Any Naruto fans out there excited? Watch the trailer below and get hyped! Believe it!