Kari Lane | Geekscape

‘Gam3rs’ Is In Hollywood For One Night Only, Get Your Tickets Now!

by Kari LaneJune 22, 2013

Available and near North Hollywood this Wednesday (6/26)? Good. Here’s something for you to see: a special performance of Gam3rs!

Gam3rs a hilarious one man show about a guy stuck at his call center job, while he tries to lead an epic raid and is constantly interrupted by his coworker, boss and girlfriend; each conveyed entirely by his reactions (it is a one man show after all). Gam3rs is packed to capacity with nerd and geek pop culture references so everyone (especially readers of Geekscape) can relate to some part of it. Also, the show is still very amusing, even if you have never played a role playing game: we’ve all had that boss, that phone call with mom, or that conversation with a significant other that made the day that much more frustrating.

This performance will be put on by Brian Bielawski, the creator of the play, and it will be “shown to a limited number of guests to help raise funds for GAM3RS the Web Series! Please join us for this magical evening of wine, raffles, and lots of laughter. Our focus will be on the actor, as the majority of the set will already be in San Diego for the Fringe.”

Seats are very limited, so please buy your tickets early for this one of a kind evening! Here’s where you’ll be headed:

                                             Wednesday June 26th, 8pm
                                              The SecretRoseTheatre
11246 Magnolia Blvd
                                                    NoHo Arts District
                                             North Hollywood, CA91601

For more from Gam3rs, head to http://www.gam3rsthewebsite.com/

E3 2013: Hands-On With ‘Spin the Bottle: Bumpie’s Party’

by Kari LaneJune 16, 2013

Most of us have been at a party where a game involved watching the TV (Guitar Hero and pretty much any other console game). Sure, gaming is a group activity, but you tend to get sucked in and not notice those around you. Well, Lau Korsgaard has developed a new party game that changes all that. Korsgaard explained it by saying, “Party games are killing the parties, you just stare at the TV”, but this game makes you look at each other. Spin the Bottle: Bumpie’s Party is a super cute game that makes you get active and pushes you to your comfort limit. It reminds us how we need to just have fun and not hold ourselves back.

Here is a pic from their area at the Indiecade booth inside South Hall at E3.

This Wii U game has seventeen mini games that “encourage moving around and being silly” (Korsgaard). See the pictures below to get a sense of what you have to do in the games. You can play with 2-8 players and only need Wii remotes. The game will release in July on the Wii U e-shop as a digital download.

I went back more than once to play with friends while at E3 and had a lot of fun playing! Also, we were all laughing pretty much the whole time. It is entertaining and helps you break out of your shell. This is the perfect game for parties and as an ice breaker!

Be sure to watch the teaser trailer to get a look at the adorable and goofy animation!

First Trailer Released For Anime Anthology ‘Short Peace’

by Kari LaneMay 31, 2013

Short film anthologies are a great way to sample various material by multiple creators. It’s like the phrase ‘two for the price of one’, but in the case of Short Peace, it will be four short films compiled into one full length feature. The film is assembled by the “top creators at the leading edge of Japanese animation, exploring possible future avenues of expression.”

Short Peace is presented by the talented creator of Akira, Katsuhiro Otomo, and Sunrise, Inc. (most notable for the Gundam series). This will be the second compilation film that Otomo has supervised; the first being Memories (1995). I thoroughly enjoyed Memories and cannot wait to check out Short Peace! Take a look at the trailer below to get a taste of what’s in store for us in this new anime film.

Short Peace release in Japan on July 20th. Here is a list of the four short films that make up Short Peace:

“Combustible” (“Hi-no-youjin“)
Screenplay, Director: Katsuhiro Otomo
Character Design, Visual Concept: Hidekazu Ohara (Memories‘ Cannon Fodder)
Music: Makoto Kubota

“Tsukumo”
Screenplay, Director: Shuhei Morita (Kakurenbo, Freedom)
Original Story Concept, Conceptual Design: Keisuke Kishi

“Gambo”
Director: Hiroaki Ando (Five Numbers!)
Original Story Concept, Screenplay, Creative Director: Katsuhito Ishii (Redline, Funky Forest: The First Contact, Taste of Tea)
Character Design: Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (Evangelion, .hack, Summer Wars)

“Buki yo Saraba” (A Farewell to Arms)
Original Story: Katsuhiro Otomo
Screenplay, Director: Hajime Katoki (mechanical designs in Gundam franchise, Super Robot Wars)
Character Design: Tatsuyuki Tanaka (Tojin Kit)

In addition, Koji Morimoto (The Animatrix‘s Beyond, Memories‘ Magnetic Rose, Noiseman Sound Insect, Genius Party‘s Dimension Bomb) contributed the film’s opening animation.

‘Lupin III Vs Detective Conan’ Anime Teaser Trailers Released!

by Kari LaneMay 23, 2013

Look out anime fans! The famous thief, Lupin III, and Detective Conan (Case Closed) will be pitted against each other in a new animated feature film. Set to release in Japan this December, the project is titled Lupin the 3rd VS. Detective Conan! Back in 2009, there was a television special by the same name that aired on NTV and earned a high rating of 19.5%. Hopefully that is some indication of the film’s potential success.

Not much is known about the new film, but the scenario will not be the same as the television version. The film’s site, lupicona-movie.com, posted these teaser trailers:

Lupin version:

Conan version:

Who will you be rooting for? I am excited to see these two brilliant leading characters duke it out, or team up to fight some other force (or both ^_^)!

Kari’s Anime Corner: First Impressions Of ‘Space Brothers’

by Kari LaneMay 7, 2013

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!

When they were young boys, brothers Mutta and Hibito witnessed a UFO and decided that they wanted to go to the stars after it. Flash forward about twenty years, and younger brother Hibito is an astronaut, while older brother Mutta is failing miserably at job hunting. This is the setting for Space Brothers – a twenty volume and counting manga, an ongoing anime (with 56 episodes currently free to view on Crunchyroll.com), and a live action movie.

The show has a slice of life feel as we follow Mutta in his struggles to find a job after being fired for head butting his boss (who insulted his younger brother, Hibito). Mutta believes the older brother is supposed to lead the way for the younger brother, but life has proven otherwise. This has put Mutta in a funk and he returns home to sulk. Secretly, his mother and younger brother send in an application on his behalf to be part of the space program in Japan. Much to his surprise, Mutta is accepted and proceeds to participate in the grueling tests and interviews one needs to pass to become an astronaut. Mutta does relatively well, but will that be enough to get him in? Will he be stuck living in the shadow of his younger brother? Will he find the drive he needs to finally succeed?

The art style is on the simple side (nothing too exaggerated, though not lacking detail) and the color pallete is dominated with light colors which matches the domestic feel of the show. Many people seem to really enjoy the show, but personally, it is kind of a meh for me. It is not very funny, and I do not care for slice of life or “domestic” (everyday life) anime. Animation has limitless potential, so anything this “simple” seems boring to me. Yes, there are exceptions, but that is generally my opinion. I may watch a few more episodes to see if anything new grabs me, but so far, I’m not overly impressed.

If you’ve decided to check the show out, let us know what you think!

Kari’s Anime Corner: First Impressions of ‘BTOOOM’

by Kari LaneMarch 21, 2013

Over the years, I have expanded my anime repertoire and have attended numerous anime conventions. I’m currently a host on AX Live, a web-based news program produced by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation. Recently, I’ve been watching the first discs 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 pick up the second disc! I hope my reviews will help introduce you to some awesome anime, or help you avoid the more mediocre junk that’s out there!

BTOOOM! is a cross between Battle Royale and the anime series, Sword Art Online. It was originally a manga (Japanese comic) and was made into an anime late in 2012. The 12 episode series is currently available to watch for free on Crunchyroll.com.

The series starts with Ryota Sakamoto, a 22 year old who drops out of school, has not had a job in two years and just stays home playing the online game, BTOOOM! (pronounced ba-TOMB). In the real world, he is a slacker, but in the game he is listed as one of the top ten players in the world and the best in Japan. The gameplay is similar to most FPS (first person shooter) games but your only weapons of choice are bombs of various types. The game world gives Sakamoto everything he does not have in the real world: respect, confidence, success and even a “wife” (only in the game).

Suddenly, Sakamoto wakes up in a tropical jungle dangling from a tree in a parachute. He has no idea how he got there or what is happening. He makes his way to the beach and learns that he is on an island. Later that evening, Sakamoto sees a man approaching and he calls to the stranger for help, however, to Sakamoto’s surprise the man starts hurling bombs at him! It appears that Sakamoto is now playing BTOOOM! for real.

Will Sakamoto be able to play just as well in the real world as he does on the computer? How many people are on this island and how many of them are ready to kill those they come into contact with? How did everyone get there and who is behind all this mayhem? The animation is fluid, and looks good (very detailed and the backgrounds are lovely). I found myself drawn into the show right away and liked Sakamoto even though he has his flaws. The story is intriguing and addresses some extremely heavy/dark subject matter in the game and the real world. I cannot wait to see what happens next!

***Make sure to check after the credits on every episode because sometimes there is an extra scene***

Kari’s Anime Corner: First Impressions of ‘Dokkoida?!’

by Kari LaneMarch 5, 2013

First Impressions! – Dokkoida?! (Disc 1, Episodes 1-4)

If you just want to watch something silly with a little bit of action, you should check out Dokkoida?! The show is about a young man, Suzuo Sakurazaki, who is currently unemployed and willing to do just about anything to make some money. His prayers are answered by an otherworldly little pre-teen girl, Tanpopo. She wants his help to test an experimental battle suit developed by her employer, an intergalactic toy company. Since he pretty much has nothing better to do and desperately needs the money, Suzuo agrees. Unfortunately for him, the design of the suit is a bit comical because it looks like he is wearing a giant diaper. The suit is in no way imposing and Suzuo’s reluctant attitude to actually fight bad guys gives way to most of the comedy in the show. Hopefully, he will man up and start learning how to use his suit’s special abilities/powers soon.

If that does not sound weird or silly enough for you, maybe some of the villains will convince you. One of the villains is a dominatrix who beats her male slave to the point that he breaks out of his human form and turns into a giant monster. Yeeeaaahhhhh….Somehow, Suzuo manages to defeat all of the villains in his initial encounters with them either by accident or by their own failures and mistakes. Matters are further complicated though, when all of the villains (using their cover identities, of course) move into the same apartment complex as our hero. This is a problem for more than just the obvious reasons because the intergalactic toy companies have mandated that the hero and the villains cannot know each other’s true identities or the experiment will end and Suzuo will lose the apartment provided by the toy company.

How long will everyone be able to live together? Will Suzuo stop whining and learn to use his special battle suit? The show is definitely on the goofy side but the fights are very entertaining. The animation is somewhat average; not too simple but not overly detailed. The style and the close living quarters plot line reminded me a lot of Tenchi Muyo. It is nice to have something light every once and awhile and I am curious to see where this show will go!

Geekscape Movie Reviews: ‘Dead Sushi’

by Kari LaneJanuary 23, 2013

While laughing at trailers for weird movies that we’d come across (my film of choice was Princess Raccoon), a friend showed me the peculiar preview for Dead Sushi. The movie looked hilarious and in the vein of Attack to the Killer Tomatoes/Evil Dead/ Piranha 3D. Coincidentally, the Downtown Independent in Los Angeles was screening this gem (1/18-1/24), so I made sure to attend! Of course, I donned my “Is that sushi in your pocket or are you just happy sashimi” t-shirt, and we went out for sushi in Little Tokyo right before the film. We had the entire theater to ourselves for the 11pm screening, and we had an absolute blast!

Dead Sushi follows a young woman, Keiko (Rina Takeda), who is the daughter of a highly skilled sushi chef. His training in sushi making and martial arts eventually become too much for her, so she runs away from home. Keiko finds a job at a rural inn where she is constantly bullied and she cannot seem to make things go her way. The president of Komatsu Pharmaceuticals and his associates arrive at the inn and Keiko’s torment only continues. Unbeknownst to everyone at the inn, a former research scientist from Komatsu Pharmaceuticals has followed the group, and he is determined to get his revenge for being wrongly accused and subsequently fired. The wronged associate has developed a serum that re-animates dead creatures, but it also causes them to be murderously violent and he unleashes this serum in a sushi squid that infects all the sushi at the inn! Keiko teams up with the inn’s former sushi chef, Sawada (currently the gardener) in an attempt to fight off the killer sushi and save anyone who’s still alive. Will Keiko be able to use the skills her father taught her to prove she is a true sushi chef? Who will survive and not become a meal themselves to these blood thirsty flying morsels of rice and fish?!

If you could not already tell, this film is OVER-THE-TOP in more ways than one. It provides a hilarious ride as long as you go with the flow and preferably watch with like-minded company. There was a moment while watching the film where I thought it could not get any weirder, but then it continued to surprise me (hint: shrimp cannons).

A few of the visual effects are CGI (flying sushi) but the meat (hehe) of them are practical (which I prefer), and the effects in Dead Sushi are done rather well. Be sure to watch through the credits to see an entertaining look at how some of the sushi were animated. A few characters have the unfortunate fate of their faces being attacked, and the practical effects here are gag worthy gross and may even make you sick to your stomach. There is also a simple exchange between two characters that involves an egg yolk that surprisingly made us squirm more than any of the blood did.

Blood is plentiful in the film, and the sushi attacks are creative and entertaining. The martial arts are fun and impressive to watch, and can be rather humorous at times (one sequence involves a naked man). Of course, what kind of horror film would it be without a little sexiness? There is a titillating dance performed by some of the inn workers clad in lingerie and a scene with a naked girl in the spa. The film has everything a horror/comedy movie fan could want, and Dead Sushi is ludicrously funny as long as you can laugh at its campiness. Do not take the film seriously and just enjoy all the flavors it has to offer.

Watch the trailer for the film below, and if you end up watching it, let us know what you think! You can check out the Downtown Independent’s schedule here, and if you can’t make it, Dead Sushi also released on DVD yesterday (January 22nd). Check it out!

Kari’s Anime Corner: First Impressions of ‘Starship Operators’

by Kari LaneDecember 19, 2012

Hi! My name is Kari Lane, and I’ve been an anime lover since I was just 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 AX Live, a web-based news program produced by theSociety for the Promotion of Japanese Animation. Recently, I’ve been watching the first discs 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 pick up the second disc! I hope my reviews will help introduce you to some awesome anime, or help you avoid the more mediocre junk that’s out there!

First Impressions! – Starship Operators (Disc 1, Episodes 1-4)

Starship Operators is a sci-fi series that follows the 73rd class of the Defense University. These untried cadets journey on their ship’s maiden voyage when they learn that their home planet Kibi has surrendered to the Henrietta Alliance of Planetary Nations. This “Alliance” is similar to the Empire in Star Wars; an oppressive super power that few can resist. The ship’s operators disembark as ordered, but the young crew surprises everyone by remaining aboard and taking a fighting stance against the Alliance.

Matters are further complicated when the young cadets agree to let the Galaxy Network fund their campaign against the Alliance in exchange for letting the network broadcast live from the ship (except during some battles when the broadcast of their plans may need to be delayed a little) as a new reality TV show. Sinon, the main protagonist, is not in favor of rebellion, but she does her duty to her crew and becomes an invaluable strategist as the ship’s executive officer. The show features a few strong female characters and the core group of “conspirators” (as labeled by the Alliance) is almost half women.

The art style is on the simple side and not overly detailed; the eyes are just dot pupils instead of the overly expressive eyes in shows like Rune Soldier (also created by Ryo Mizuno, the creator of Starship Operators). There is some computer animation for the ship and battles, but not so much that it becomes disjointed.

The show is a sci-fi action with strategic military battles, but it also focuses on the friendships and loyalties among the crew. There is some romance and one public declaration of love that has a rather unpredictable outcome. Will these “kids” be able to continue defeating the best ships that the “Alliance” can send? Will the pressure of life and death battles break the crew? Will anyone else come to their aid? I am definitely curious to see where this show will go, and have definitely enjoyed these first four episodes!

Fanboy Comics: Horror Graphic Novels To Make You Squirm

by Kari LaneDecember 19, 2012

Looking for some last minute Christmas gifts for that comic book fan or art connoisseur in your life? If they like their comics edgy, you should definintely check out Something Animal and Identity Thief, both produced by Fanboy Comics.

Something Animal follows a young man named Jack who witnesses the brutal murder of his sister. In struggling to cope with the aftermath, Jack has trouble eating and sleeping. He begins to have overpowering visions of his sister’s death and eventually starts hallucinating. Is his ailment simply in his head or is he himself turning into SOMETHING ANIMAL!?

Identity Thief opens with Craig and Daphne, a young couple moving into a new apartment. Craig needed to escape from some bad decisions, and everything appears to be going smoothly until they notice a strange hatch in the closet ceiling. Something’s up there, and it wants more than to just visit.

Both graphic novels have an extremely raw style of art. Something Animal was illustrated by Robert Burrows and her unique style adds to the visceral underworld that Jack travels through. Identity Thief was illustrated by Meaghan O’Keefe and its style creates a creepy world that makes your skin crawl as you read it.

Both graphic novels have many dark panels that can make it a difficult to discern what is actually going on, but they further emphasize the horror aspect of each.

Fanboy Comics strives to provide an outlet to new and up-and-coming artists and writers who want to create new works and media. They have definitely done that with their first (Something Animal) and latest (Identity Thief) graphic novels. If you like new and original material that is not your cookie cutter comic or standard graphic novel, I suggest keeping a close eye on Fanboy Comics!

More information about Fanboy comics and each novel mentioned can be found at the links below:

www.fanboycomics.net

www.somethinganimal.com

www.identitythiefcomic.com

Dresden Pictures Scheduled To Make A Live Action ‘Grave of the Fireflies’

by Kari LaneNovember 29, 2012

Studio Ghibli is know for many well loved family films such as My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and many more. However, there is another lesser known award winning film that was actually screened as a double feature with My Neighbor Totoro, and that film is Grave of the Fireflies (1988).

Dresden Pictures recently acquired the rights to Grave of the Fireflies and will be producing a live action version that is scheduled to start filming in 2014 (Produced by Liam Garvo and James Heath). In 2005, a made for TV live action version was produced, which aired on NTV to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. The plot of the TV version greatly deviates from the original animated version.

How much will this new adaptation change the original story? The plot of Grave of the Fireflies (the animated version) is extremely sad, and it definitely yanks on your heart strings numerous times throughout the film. I actually re-watched it before writing this review and I must say, I cried more than once. When I learned that a live action version was in the works, I wondered how Dresden Pictures would tackle this delicate subject matter. It’s similar to how I felt when I learned there was a film adaptation of The Road (SUPER depressing). Why would anyone want to watch such a downer movie when it was hard enough to read through the book? With animation, tragedy can be addressed, but of course is not as graphic as live action can be.

Grave the Fireflies follows an orphaned brother, Seita (age 14) and his little sister Setsuko (age 4) as they struggle to survive in constantly fire bombed Kedo, Japan during WWII. The story is based on a novel of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka, and is a semi-autobiographical tale/apology to his sister he could not save.

Another question I have is will the characters actually be played by Japanese actors? There were quite a few complaints when non-Japanese actors played characters in Memoirs of Geisha. This film is about people who lived through the fire bombings in Japan and it would be disrespectful to take their history away from them. Also, is the film audience ready to watch young children suffer? Hopefully Dresden Pictures will keep the integrity of Setsuko’s age and not make her 10 years old or even age her brother. There is something very raw and real about watching these young characters persevere against all odds and even risk everything so they can be together and maintain their own way of life.

Maybe this is a film that needs to be made today to remind people that in war it is usually the innocent that suffer the most. Even though the story is heart wrenching, it is a beautiful film that follows the love of a brother who does everything he can to keep his sister alive.

Kari’s Anime Corner: First Impressions of ‘Idol Project’

by Kari LaneNovember 28, 2012

First Impressions! – Idol Project (Disc 1, Episodes 1-2)

This very short OVA (Original Video Animation – straight to DVD) is only four episodes in all, thus this review is a little different because I’ve already seen half of the series! Idol Project follows Mimu, a 14-year old girl who dreams of becoming a famous singer (meaning she’s just like most 14 year old girls). Mimu idolizes Yuri, a woman who became the current president of the world, for her music is so profound that it brought about world peace (yes, really).

In the pilot episode, there is a special audition to join the ranks of Yuri’s disciples, the”Excellent Idols”. Mimu begins her journey with intent to perform for the legendary Yuri, and possibly even join the “Excellent Idols” herself. It doesn’t seem to be Mimu’s day however: she is constantly being stopped on her way to the audition by strange encounters, and moments before she’s out of time, she is interrupted by ALIENS! The poor girl just wants to sing! The extra-terrestrials kidnap the “Excellent Idols” and Mimu (by mistake), and take them to another universe!

Will Mimu EVER get to sing? This running gag got a little old for me, but since there are only another two episodes I think I can tolerate it. The art style is 1990’s Sailor Moon-esque: big eyes, legs for days, and rich/bright colors. While this show does not have a lot of fanfare/fanservice (gratuitously sexy imagery), there are numerous innocent panty shots. The show is rather cutesy and all of the “Excellent Idols” are extremely exaggerated stereotypes (surprise surprise), forming the basis for many of the jokes. Overall, this is a fun and light show and since I only have two more episodes to go, I will certainly be finishing it off. That girl better get her shot.

Kari’s Anime Corner: First Impressions of ‘Kurau: Phantom Memory’

by Kari LaneNovember 19, 2012

First Impressions! – Karau Phantom Memory (Disc 1, Episodes 1-6)

On her twelfth birthday, Kurau accompanies her father to his lab in an attempt to spend more time together. During her visit an experiment goes wrong and Kurau is hit with large amounts of “Rynax” energy. This energy is actually a life form which comes in pairs, and Kurau has been taken over by this life and its weakened companion. The story then jumps forward ten years, with Kurau working as an agent: a rough combination of bounty hunter, transporter, bodyguard, spy, and thief.

Though Kurau maintains all of her human memories, there is question as to how much of the her remains while the Rynax life forms are in her body. Having these beings around is not all bad however, as Kurau now has powers that make her one of the most efficient agents around. This show feels a little like Ghost in the Shell: the main character’s design, the overall animation style (also similar to Serial Experiments Lain), Kurau’s combat style and how far she’ll go to get a job done, and even her initial outsider persona before her partner awakens. There’s a lot of action/fighting as well, but the show is definitely not as violent as Ghost in the Shell.

The concept is intriguing and I’m curious to see where it goes. While the Rynax relationship is labeled as “sisters” to the human world, it has undertones of being a yuri (girl on girl) couple. This idea is strengthened by Kurau being depicted as tomboyish/androgynous while her counterpart, Christmas (yes her name is Christmas), appears kawaii (cute) girly. The animation is fluid and cool to watch, especially how the Rynax is animated. I will definitely be getting the second DVD, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!