CCXXIII: Lupin III: The First

It's bittersweet, to be brief, to finally see Lupin III: The First. Because that same year, a tragedy happened that may have marked the end of our gentleman thief, unless someone picks up the pieces. The movie is essentially a CGI work that was made as recently as 2019, and it would be a year prior that I was even aware of it. The series itself is quite lengthy, with manga, anime, and a few movies under their belt, even crossing over with the likes of Detective Conan, as if to compliment the thief/detective combo.

The long and short of it is that Arsene Lupin III is a gentleman thief of an ancestral line, if not a bit of a sleaze... but even among thieves he has an honor system that crosses with more sinister criminals, and is constantly pursued by one Koichi Zenigata, an inspector of Interpol that has it in for Lupin. He is sometimes aided (and sometimes not) by Daiskue Jigen, a sharpshooter and best friend of Lupin's; Goemon Ishikawa XIII, an ancestral samurai of his renegade ancestor of the same name eland experienced with his sword Zantetsuken; and Fujiko Mine, a diva who utilizes her sex appeal to accomplish her objectives, often to the chagrin of the other members, including Lupin.

In the movie, an event in someone's past leads her, under the instruction or coercion of her grandfather, to swipe a treasure possibly connected to the supposed resurgence of Adolf Hitler, centeres around an artifact Professor Bresson obtained prior to his passing. This, however, is also the target of Lupin and his gang, which leads to a race to uncover what that treasure is, and that this unwilling thief and Lupin may have more in common than they thing as they reluctantly work together.

Made entirely in CGI, this movie captures well the antics and zaniness the series is well known for, and didn't lose a step in the transition, but has yet to receive a dubbing, despite being okay'd for North American release via GKIDS, with help of Fathom Events last year, with supposed redistribution later this year via GKIDS and Shout! Factory. The movie, subtitled, is also available via Netflix, though it's uncertain if this is a region-locked matter.

I call it bittersweet, because that same year, Kazuhiko Kato, the brains behind the series who was more well known as Monkey Punch, fell to pneumonia on April 11th, months prior to the initial December 9th release in Japan. With the brains behind it buried, it is unlikely we will see any more of him unless an understudy exists who can take the mantle proper. It is unclear who will voice who in the dubbed version of this film, which was teased some time back that same year, but it's ironic, albeit sad, that a film called The First was for the series possibly its last. The only critique I have is that the subbing may have been... off-kilter to be nicr, but even then I understood the gist of what they were saying... though this is also likely not the official translation I watched.

While not perfect, the film did damn well from beginning to end, earning a solid 9 of 10 from me. I only hope this isn't the end for Lupin III, even if they should resort to being occasional crossover characters with TMS Entertainment sibling Detective Conan.

CCXXI: "Demon King Daimao"

Well... granted I often end up a sucker for anime that either has harem, a slight bit of perversity, or just one with a big dose of weirdness involved, it doesn't surprise me that, despite how backed up I am in anime to watch, I would come across Demon King Daimao at some point. Granted, it was on the list to look into, ever since seeing a trailer for it at Otakon a while back. After spotting this via Netflix, I checked it out and... I initially had no witty response to it. But let's get into what this is about.

Let's see... picture yourself as a transfer student who found himself as a new entry in a school dealing with magic. Now then, if you were this person, you'd probably have some idea who you desire to be in the future. Okay, now imagine that idea of yours is in your head, only for those dreams to be crushed by the prediction that you're to be the Demon King. for Akuto Sai, this is his reality, regardless of how much he wishes to refute this, and he has to deal with all the undesired attention and rumors that a mere crow (albeit magical) sparked when he made such a claim. Between people giving him Hell (no pun intended) about his predicted future, as well as girls surrounding him with perversity swords and what not, his simple school life is officially anything but that: simple.

Licensed under Sentai Filmworks, it's original run began and concluded in 2010 with merely 12 episodes. It is in English language, so naturally, there are hard copy DVDs and Blu-Rays of this, and as I stated before, found via Netflix as well. While it has action and fantasy, it is also a romantic comedy and harem (which I seem to be a sucker for), and with ample perverse moments involved. With the way it ended, it doesn't quite suggest a season two, but who knows. It's small, but there is a window of opportunity should they bother falling back on it. The boy-turned-Demonic King is voiced by Chris Patton, who is a name seen in quite a few works.

I could go on to talk about this, but at the very least, I will say that unlike some titles (eyeing Magikano), at least the plot is picked up from the initial episodes, and despite that it took a while to get serious, they didn't stray from the focal point in a sense. The part that rattles me is that, obviously, its length. I feel that so much more could be involved in this, but at least unlike the previously mentioned title, it doesn't quite have the whole "Screw You!" ending in which the plot does a complete reset. Nah, compared to that, to me it's favorable, yet leaves a bit to be desired. I'll call it a 7 of 10 as a general score, and hope that this, as well as my new fave Highschool DXD, see some extra episodes attached. Time will tell, right?

Vlogger is now active!!

Seiko here! As the title says, the Vlogger is go, and the first entry is already posted. Here's the link to it, watch, comment, and keep in mind your etiquette:

The Wolfe Vlogger: wvlogger.blogspot.com

CCXX: "Squid Girl"

A title similar to my last post in terms of plot, Squid Girl, aka Shinryaku! Ika Musume is one that's more down to earth, and thankfully shorter. I never thought I'd see this title so soon, but the internet just keeps throwing the title in my face (in various ways, at that.) I might as well get started on this.

The title character is, of course, Squid Girl, a sea emissary who plotted to invade Earth as the denizen's consequence for the pollution of the sea. And yet, after busting a hole in the wall of the Lemon Beach House (a restaurant owned by the Aizawa sisters Eko and Chizuru), she ends up serving the very humans she wanted to conquer. However, it's not as depressing as it initially sounds, as she meets curious characters, learns things on the surface, and eat loads of shrimp! Will she ever invade the planet?

Unlike Sgt. Frog, Squid Girl isn't perceived as an alien, and while she looks close to human, she actually features and uses traits you would find in squids, well... various squids. The title in question is a slice of life comedy, and having seen stuff of this genre, it's a breath of fresh air to see a type that's actually humorous a little. Squid Girl has 2 seasons that are 13 episodes a piece, with an OVA released August of last year, and another debuting overseas in 2 weeks. Media Blasters licensed this title for the US release, so it has been dubbed, at least Season 1 has, which I found via Netflix. The cast this times feature mostly names I never heard of before, though Christina Vee has a role in here. Christine Marie Cabanos voices the lead character, and I remember hearing her before in Rozen Maiden Overture.

Initially, I couldn't make heads or tails of this, but as it progressed (yes, I still hung in there), I started to come to terms with it a bit more. And it's definitely a bit more upbeat, compared to normal slice of life titles, and a huge plus over the dramatic ones. An interesting thing to note here: in the raw/subbed versions, she stresses the ika term and usually ends her sentences with de geso. In the dub, these are dropped, being replaced by dialogue with squid-based puns. What charms me about the latter is that some of the puns are positioned in a way that it can be considered unintentionally censored.

Squid Girl was as... redundant, but a bit more bearable, so I'll file it as a 7 of 10. I never thought I'd get around to completing this, but I tried, and did. On to the next, as they say...

CCXIX: "Sgt. Frog"

Sgt. Frog... where do I begin with this? Ever deal with anime that deals with a strange being that plots to take over your world, only to live there and do anything but that? On record, there are two titles like this I have seen, one of which I'm still viewing, so I might as well cover this one since I'm done with it.

Sgt. Frog (Sergeant, in case you're not familiar with the abbreviation), also titled Keroro Gunso, is an anime involving an alien race of frog-like beings, who attempt to conquer Earth, only to mess up in comedic outcomes. The leader of this platoon is the point character Keroro, the platoon's Sergeant. While initially successful in missions prior to this, his arrival to Earth more or less changed him. Long story short, he shifted more towards otaku interest as opposed to his original task. Moreover, he ends up residing in the Hinata residence, whose members include the nerd Fuyuki, the brash Natsumi, and the house head Aki. And even with his squad there, something tells me it'll be a while before he completes his goal...

Sgt. Frog is a title that has an absurdly large episode count and a batch of films under its belt. I can't recall how many of them were dubbed, but it has in this phase 358 episodes that began in April of 2004, with talk of its return. The film count is Super Movie Keroro Gunso 5, which is the latest entry that dates back to 2010, and neither of the films are dubbed. In terms of studios, Sunrise was more or less all over this. The episodes that DID come stateside were licensed under Funimation, something I felt would happen. But as I stated, there is talk of its return, and what hardens this statement a bit is that the manga for it is still ongoing.

Honestly, I wasn't sure what to make of it, and in some ways, I still don't. Even when entertained with pop culture references (especially that of different anime titles), and the occasional 4th wall humor, I still couldn't bring myself to thoroughly enjoy it yet. It is a sci-fi- comedy with action involved, but a tad too long for my tastes, which is funny considering I still keep tabs on Detective Conan.

Well, I'll update this when I decide to come back to it, but for now, I'll call it a 6 of 10. It doesn't necessarily suck, but it wasn't all that interesting to me either...

Ev15-16: Matsuri and the Awesome-ness

Yo, Seiko here, and man, am I ever lingering with excitement. Two weeks have gone for me and I found myself at a street festival and a convention. It left me mentally drained, but lucky for me, these were local events, so let's cut the crap and get to them.

Event 15: Sakura Matsuri 2013: Despite the destruction of my young smartphone, going to Sakura Matsuri in DC was nothing short of amazing. Once again donning the ponytail Malachite, I ment with Melissa's crew again, and saw my favorite Jpop idol Reni Mimura perform. I helped out with one of the staff from Katsucon in regards to the table for it. I even saw a few buddies from my days of the Art Institute of Washington at this event. The key highlight to me that weekend was playing Arcana Heart 3 and Gundam Extreme Versus, both of which I'll review in due time. I also went to varuous memorials where the cosplay fun didn't end. All in all, bad start, but a great night.

Event 16: Awesome Con DC: For a first time in DC, Awesome Con made quite the stellar debut. When I heard gaming, I wasn't expecting tabletop gaming, which is something I don't involve myself with much. What's more I saw some MORE AiW buddies there, so big shoutout to them. I also met a cool blogger who not only cosplayed, but also won the group contest by cosplaying a title I never expected to see so soon: Bioshock Infinite. I also met a few FB Friends there, met DJ Asu, and other familiar faces, and even met Theodus Crane from AMC's The Walking Dead, which I truly felt was an HONOR! In a nut shell, Awesome Coin DC was nothing short of AWESOME! I really look forward to next year's con.

In short, it was quite the past 2 weekends. Shame I couldn't get photos of it to show you. Maybe next go rount, I'll take plentyof shots, but if you're a comic book/ tabletop fanatic, check it out. I promise you'll have a good time. But for now, that's it for me! Seiko out!

CCXVIII: "Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-Chan"

Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-Chan is a title I head scratched about for the longest, mainly due to what happens in this one. I watched this prior to the start of my blogging, so this is coming out of me rather late, but hey, it's better than never, right?

Okay, on to the... plot. This title is centered around a boy named Sakura Kusakabe (yes people, this is a boy named Sakura...), who in 20 years supposedly force all women to cease aging. His reason... (I cannot believe this....) was to create a Pedophile's World (...<FACEPALM!!> And yes, before grilling me over these facts, check it out yourself. I swear I am not pulling anyone's leg here!!) In response to this, the killer angel Dokuro Mitsukai was dispatched to eliminate him, since the God was offended, due to the possible outcome of him discovering immortality. However, seeing hope in him being redeemed, she shifts to making sure the thought never corsses his mind by keeping him occuped as opposed to killing him outright. However... because of what she is, this ends up happening regardless in a bloody mess, though this is usually rectified my immediate resurrection. Despite her stance, the Rurutie order will stop at nothing to see Sakura dead. Will they succeed in their assassination, or will Dokuro keep him alive and surpress the forbidden thought... without killing him herself?

This title saw 2 anime sessions, each lasting very short, with 2 episodes paired into one. The first series is 2 episodes made into 4 sets, with the follow up, Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan 2, having 2 episode into 2 sets. I just found put that it is dubbed, regardless, it's licensing was done by AnimeWorks as a whole. Not sure if they still do, but this title was released for consumer purchase in the form of DVDs. The first title ran its course in 2005, while the second ran briefly in 2007. Because of the many instances of Sakura getting killed (and immediately resurrected), it has been censored, though viewers could still seek it out with all its blood-splattering glory. Johnny Yong Bosch, who did roles like Adam of Mighty Morphing Power Rangers and voiced characters like Bleach's Ichigo Kurosaki, voiced Sakura. Dokuro is voiced by Wendee Lee, who is known for a wide range of anime roles, such as Haruhi Suzumiya from the anime of the title The melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, as well as Sonia Strumm from the Megaman Star Force anime, in the few episodes that were dubbed here.

For a dark humor title, the blood is a bit much, but I don't mind it. I give it just shy of 7 of 10, like a 6.9, due to not only the title's shortness, but also in part to the frequent, albeit hilarious, moments of Sakura getting killed. I'll leave it at this until I see the dubbed episodes.

CCXVII: "To Love-Ru Darkness"

A long while back, one of my first 10 entries was a joint review between To Love-Ru and Black Cat. To Love-Ru Darkness is the sequel to another title of the series, so this review is kind of out of place, but I'll deal with Motto To Love-Ru at some point, I'm sure. Alongside an OVA, this title is adapted from an ongoing manga of the same title, which succeeds the original manga. As with the others, it deals with zany ecchi moments, alien beings, and mayhem aplenty, with more characters added to the regular cast.

It has been a while since Rito Yuuki came in contact with Princess Lala Satalin Deviluke. After a marriage that eventually threatened the world, Lala, alongside her sisters Momo and Nana, adjusted to life on earth, living with Rito and his mature, younger sister Mikan. Just as well, other beings like the living weapon Yami/Golden Darkness, also reside on the planet. Of course, peaceful times are threatened once more with the appearance of Mea, a being similar to Yami. On top of having his life at harm's risk, it complicates things with Momo and her plan to make Rito a harem king. As the one centered in another mess, Rito has to put up with life while being targeted in a 3-way struggle: involving Mea, Yami and Momo.

To Love-Ru Darkness, in addition to a pair of OVAs, have the count of 12 episodes, so like it's preceding titles, short. Not dubbed in English, it was made in Studio Xebec, with Sentai Filmworks behind licensing. It was made, and had it's run end last year, though as with halfr the titles I review, the manga has much more content. As there's no english voices, I can't provide any data in that department.

While there isn't THAT much of a difference from before, To Love-Ru Darkness has a bit more of my interest, gaining 8 of 10 from me. That's not to say that this is one of the better titles I have seen, but it is good, albeit a tad redundant.

ST4: Colorado Aftermath

Hey, Seiko here. I know this isn't at all related to this blog, however, there are somethings in the real world that I can't ignore. Now, you're all familiar with the mass shooting in Newton, Connecticut, right? You know, the one where one man singlehandedly slayed 20 young students, 6 faculty members, and did in his own mother? Yeah, THAT one, which ran a huge run on the news. There were similar instances with the incident in the city of Columbine, same state, and the one in Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, VA. I'm sure there are others, but my time alive can only account for those 3. While the act in itself upsets me, my bone to pick isn't about the events of that day. No... it's the aftermath of that day that wreaks.

Namely one in particular. Before you read on, I advise you take a look here in reference to what I'm putting on blast here:

http://news.yahoo.com/claim-seeks-100-million-child-survivor-connecticut-school-003646074.html

Okay, are we all abreast of the situation? Good... to begin, this incident brought out contempt in many of us, and because the man silenced himself, justice was not properly extracted, rather, in some form, divine punishment is carried out. However, this dead assailant, Mr. Adam Lanza, is not my concern here. In the article, this "Jill Doe" has a claim filed against the Department of Education, the Board of Education, and the Education Commissioner stating that they, and I quote: "...failed to take appropriate steps to protect children from 'foreseeable harm'", and went on to say, and I also quote, "They failed to provide a 'safe school setting' or design 'an effective student safety response plan and protocol'". This Jill Doe is a 6-year old survivor of the tragedy, her claim filed with the assistance of Attorney Irv Pinsky of New Haven. The only thing holding water, if this checks out to be true, are voices with contents of gunfire, yelling and profanity which were supposedly heard.

Now then, on to the "thoughts" section of the post.

1> How will something like this pass?

This I cannot answer with a straight face. From face value, this is ridiculous, asking to be shot down. However, there has been times were the laws don't see things in the obvious matter. Remember Casey Anthony? Yes, I'm bringing her up, as the perfect example on how they can make the opposing call to an obvious situation. Such has a chance of happening with this Jill Doe's claim. We'll just have to wait and see how long this stack of papers can leave a trail.

2> The reason for the claim

Supposedly, according to her, the incident was foreseen, and because no action was taken, she supposedly suffers physical and mental damage, extent currently unknown. Sure, things like this are bound to take place in such scenarios, and obviously, when something like this does go down, people want answers. Granted she's young, I won't rule out the possibility of such damages, but I'd expect this from someone who witness that happen right in front of their own eyes. It can hold water, but worth the price? I think not...

3> 100 Million!?

With lawsuit claims comes money, and this claim has a whopping 1 Mil attached, but for what? Surely surviving is a blessing, but they want cash too? A bit greedy, wouldn't you say? Now, I know for a fact that the 6-year old survivor isn't seeking that, because even if she won this claim, I guarantee this will be used for things other than soothing the wounds for those whose loved ones actually died that day. And frankly, I heard no such thing mentioned as far as intent with this money, so I suspect something shady regarding the amount. Besides, most traumatic stress issues in cases do not ask for much, and no child's life is worth any amount of cash. Borrowing a little sample from MasterCard: "A human's life: Priceless."

4> "Foreseeable"?

My last, major thought here is the claim this event was "foreseeable". By whom? For what? What reason? How come? From who's words? I raise much question to this claim. Hearing things from a speaker, a foreseeable incident it makes not. Of course, I might be wrong, I've seen weirder things happen. Still, I question how this was foreseeable, if it was heard through an intercom. No school can be ready day-in, day-out for a mass slaughter. Nobody can rightfully perceive if and when things like this happens. Conflicts occur everyday, sure, but they're like lightning: no human can predict where it strikes, and how bad the damage will be. So, as a realist, I'm calling them out for saying this unexpected accident was "foreseeable".

5> Punishment

The shooter is dead, along with 26 people from the school, and a mother he slain carelessly. Amazing how it took the actions of one man to cause one to point the finger at the Education Commissioner, as well as the Department and the Board. They may not have established safety measures for this, but I state again: something like this is unpredictable, so who in the Hell and the River Styx could prepare for this!? I dunno, maybe I'm being slightly harsh, but if you're the type that feels that the school board should have a direct hotline to those like FBI and the military if one even thinks a shooting is imminent, jump off a bridge now. Just to place a couple of officers in costs an arm and a leg, and last I checked, that meant not a damn thing in Columbine. People still died. And while I saw fingers pointed, where was the Education Board, or any of the three directly involved? I think this is also a dumb call.

That's all from me, but what are your thoughts on this? Feel free to chime in, but be respectful and courteous not only to me, but to anyone else voicing their views. The last thing we need are the flame wars, common on Facebook and YouTube.  But tell me what ya think. This is Seiko, logging out for now!

CCXVI: "Is This A Zombie?"

Normally, dealing with the undead would leave to some pretty creepy anime, but despite this stereotype, there's been a few exceptions, one of which in the form of Gegege no Kitaro. Korewa Zombie Desu Ka?, or Is This A Zombie?, is another, and is somewhat similar to Gegege no Kitaro, save for it being newer and... different.

Ayumu Aikawa is a normal high school student... well, scratch the normal part. Like our potty-mouthed hero Yusuke Urameshi of YuYu Hakusho, he's one of the dead early, rather hin Ayumu's case it's from the first episode onward, perhaps preceeding even this. Why this is so mainly stems from a serial killer lurking from his surroundings, and trying to save a screaming woman, he meets not only the killer in the dark, but also his end... as a human. Thanks to the silent Necromancer Eluciwood Hellscythe, he is brought back as a zombie, but not the kind that are brainless and blood-craving, as are the ones from Highschool of the Dead. Rather, because of his status, he can use as much power as he pleases, as well as recieve multiple wounds and still rise... and transform into a Mahou Shoujo... wait, WHAT?! I kid not, through some circumstance, he has the powers of a Mahou Shoujo, normally wielded by Haruna, with whom he had a grizzly meeting with, so to speak. With a Necromancer, a Mahou Shoujo, and later a pair of special ninja, Ayumu has to figure out and stop the one behind the killings, especially since the culprit is responsible for his death.

This series has 12 episodes and an OVA made to be the 13th, while there is a second season titled Kore Wa Zombie Desu Ka?of the Dead, which ended June of this year. It has the same episode count, yet 2 OVAs. Both are licensed by Funimation for English release, and the first season is dubbed and released in full. Is This A Zombie? of the Dead is currently going through the dubbing process, set to be a 2013 title. Both titles were made in Studio Deen. The first season made its short run in Japan last year, and I assume this was the year it made it's run on English TV. Eluciwood undergoes many voices in this title (this I'm not sure why...), but Ayumu Aikawa is voiced by Austin Tindle, who voiced in other works like Deadman Wonderland and Sgt. Frog. Moreover, it's speculated that Tindle will reprise his role in the next season.

I enjoyed it, even amist all the wierdness and semi-perverted moments it has. I'll easily call this an 8 of 10. To me it's funny, and grew to be a new favorite of mine. I hope season 2 follows this.

CCXV: "Kodomo no Jikan"

(This post will be at face value a mere review, but there is a Seiko's Thoughts moment in regards to the title. Just making it clear! - SW)

Wow... I'm at a loss of words for this one. I'vce covered titles like Kiss X Sis, M!, the hentai Sexual Pursuit, and many others I scratched mynhead at, most of which I ended up enjoying. I''m kinda thrown about this one, called Kodomo no Jikan, mainly because it deals with a scenario that seemingly only happens in H-manga: an elementary student falling in love with her teacher. Something like this is controversial in the real world, obviously, but this title isn't the real world, but it offically didn't reach the states because of this. That aside, let's peel the skin off of this odd fruit...

In Kodomo no Jikan, Daisuke Aoki is the male lead who landed his first teaching job at Futatsubashi Elementary School, and he manage this withoutn any prior teaching experience/training, so he's hopeful, but has to work his ass off to be a proper teacher. Of course, it's not long after that he has a rather peculiar matter. A precocious third grader by the name of Rin Kokonoe develops affections for Daisuke, and tries anything possible, even going as far as sexual innuendo, to claim him, even going as far as to outright declare Rin as his girlfriend. Then there are others like Kuro, who's quick to nail barbed remarks towards him, mainly on his virgin status. With all he has to deal with, keeping track of the class roster and assignments merely scratches the surface of his troubles, as Rin's actions could cost him his job!! How will this newbie teacher fare?

I've seen stuff like this happened here at home on the news, though I can't say that, as far as they've gone, they weren't even remotely mutual, but more so criminal. I guess it's because of this, as well as the "anti-lolicon" law of sorts that this title was shut down, even when it made it as far as Los Angeles. In fact, responses to this following the LA-based Seven Seas Entertainment's refusal to publish this has been unfriendly, but somewhat legit. I mean, flip the roles around and Mahou Sensei Negima! comes to mind, and that's a success here in the states. Toren Smith, who used to be a manga editor, cited this and criticized that the people who supported the reverse gender scenario in Negima! were hypocrites. Harsh, but I see his point, considering that this would be classified as shotacon. I acually have reviewed Negima! whose series has since then concluded, and made no mention of these terms until today, and I feel it's only fitting that I get into this a little. Before I forget, and I'm sure some of you heard of this term before, but Lolicon is what's classified as underage girl fetish, and is derived from the term "Lolita Complex." Kodomo no Jikan is an example of this. On the flip side of things, Shotacon is similar in nature, though with genders reversed, meaning it's the fetish for underage boys. Like it's female counterpart, it's a hybrid from the term Shotaro Complex, in which Negima! is an example of. I don't get how one could be approved yet another can't, but in my book, I call this a classic double-standard, but I digress.

Kodomo no Jikan isn't a long title, which has 12 anime episodes, and 3 OVAs, one of which is composed of 4 episodes. It's not a new one either, as this began in 2007, the 4-episode OVA releasing in 2009, and the last one releasing January of last year. While I can't verify this of the last OVA at the moment, all animeted works were made in Studio Barcelona, never licensed for the US, so there is no English version, and based on the controversy of its content, most likely never will be. The manga itself, also never officially released here, is still ongoing. In both works, there is a censored and uncensored version.

For what I've seen, normally this would be hard to stomach, but as a romantic comedy, it seems innocent enough at face value, though personally, I find this similar to B Gata H Kei: Yamada's First Time, and with that's said, I'll leave this ar a 7 of 10 before I can give a more accurate rating.

CCXIV: "Marvel's Black Panther"

I never thought I'd be back to dealing with Marvel so soon, but ever since running into this, I've been curious. BET, a network I've long stopped watching for obvious reasons, collaborated with Marvel in making the Black Panther TV series.

I can't shed much light in terms of the show itself, but as far as on TV appearnces, this wasn't his first. A premier black superhero, he actually debuted on TV in one episode of the Fantastic Four: "Prey of the Black Panther". From then, he has appeared in other works, his latest being Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, as an on-and-off part of the Avenger roster. The TV series is animated, in form of a motion-comic. In this one, T'Challa is the new Black Panther following the assassination of his father King T'Chaka. However, much like that in the United States, there is a corrupt force back in the exotic area of Wakanda, an area concealed from the outer world. However, a group was formed to take over this land, the man behind this being Ulysses Klaw: an adventurer who is responsible for T'Chaka's assassination. Spurred by revenge and honor, and aided by known faces, T'Challa must prove himself as Wakanda's leader and defender. His foes better watch their backs around this cat...

As cool as it looks, it's lifespan is short, given that there are only 6 episodes, each running 20 minutes a piece. Aside from heroes and villains, not normally heard from, there are plenty of familiar faces on both sides: such as Juggernaut, Ororo (Storm), Logan (Wolverine), and Scott (Cyclops) that appear in the series. T'Challa is voiced by Djimon Hounsou, who is also known for the role of Mateo from the film Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, and appeared in televised work, among which delaing with 6 appearances on the show ER. Singer Jill Scott took the role of Ororo Munroe, or Strom from The X-Men, and Stan Lee himself got involved as the voice of General White. It premiered in Australia from January 16th-30th, 2010, while in the US, the dubbed version debuted and ended on BET the following year between November 15th-29th. With only 6 episodes, it wasn't a worthwhile stay for the black hero, but acceptable either way.

I call this one, despite it's shortness, a 7 of 10, mainly because I rarely seen motion-comic works so nicely done. And with that, I'm hoping Marvel will give Black Pather more exposure, like in another film, perhaps... I hope so, at least!

CCXIII: "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure"

Once a strictly film/OVA/manga franchise, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure gained so much popularity that here in 2012, an anime series is in the works under this name. But it wasn't by those alone. There was even a game series that was made, and apparently, it was so well known, the words "ZA WARUDO", which is English "THE WORLD", just rolls off the tongue. But I digress. Even now, other things, such as the MUGEN build-it-yourself titles, often feature characters that mimic, if not the aforementioned phrase, then the oher bizarre, insanely unnecesssary, yet brutally entertaining moves he performs... down to the steamroller! If I come across this game, I'll mention it in the gamer blog, but for now, let's go strictly anime here.

Interestingly enough that the series is pretty long by itself. But this is expanded on by generation-specific characters, much like that of Mobile Suit Gundam AGE, but longer. The eight generations mentioned makes 8 Parts to the plot, taking place in a certain location, with each featuring their proper title and "JoJo" protagonist. Here's the rundown, but I'll leave you to find out their connections:

Part 1 - Phantom Blood - Johnathan Joestar
Part 2 - Battle Tendancy - Joseph Joestar
Part 3 - Stardust Crusaders - Jotaro Kujo
Part 4 - Diamond is Not Cash - Josuke Higashikata
Part 5 - Vento Aureo - Giorno Giovanni
Part 6 - Srone Ocean - Jolyne Kujo
Part 7 - Steel Ball Run - Johnny Joestar/Gyro Zeppeli
Part 8 - JoJolion - "Josuke Higashikata"

Despite being a physical key player in parts 1 and 3, Dio Brando is the series' main villan, and while physically absent from the other 6 parts, his death more or less influences the plot further. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure started animation-wise as a 6-episode OVA title. A prequel to this, titled JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: ADVENTURE featured 7 episodes, both done under Studio APPP, and licensed by Super Techno Arts for North America. The 6-episode OVA debuted November of 1993, ending on the same month a year later. In addition, the latter OVA set debuted May of 2000, and concluded October of 2002.

There's also a film based on the Phantom Blood arc, and properly titled so. It was made in Studio APPP as well, premiering February of 2007. Now on present day, the anime production is in full swing. An accurate episode cound can't be vouched for, but based on the promotional images of Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando, thoughts point to the anime beginning from Part 1. I will update this as I see the actual episodes released.

For what I have watched, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure isn't in the perfect circle... yet. But with what I have found, a 9 out of 10 is appropriate, as the series is indeed a good one. Here's hoping that the anime performs as highly as the other titles.

Still Alive!!

Hello again. Yes, I know I've been away for a long while, but... stuff happened. I won't dwell on this though, as I'm here to simply say that I, along with this blog, are still alive. My next review will be a while though, as I've haven't been watch anime as often as before, due to circumstances uncontrollable.

However, I am finfing new material, and recommendations are welcome. I just thought I'd shed some light on my absence (as if people care that much...) Still, I'll be back as soon as I have my next topic. Till then, otaku!

Ev15: Lolita Picnic 2012

With rain happening here and there, we relocated to the center eatery area of the Smithsonian Art Museum and Potrait Gallery in Chinatown to have the Lolita Picnic this year. A few people in lolita cosplay came, I once again came as Malachite, and I met some others there from ICD 2K12 (see post Ev14), as well as people I rarely hang around outside the clubroom, among which my supervisor Betty.

I was expecting a larger turnout, but in comparison to the number of events where only a certain  fraction appears, this was without question the best trnout, as the majority who said they would come actually did. Alas, we had food, we loligagged, and even had a bit of a humorous Gangman Style dance session (which I DIDN'T take part in.) Still it was a fun afternoon, too bad I couldn't take any photos of it.

In any case, there isn't that much to say in reference to this, but not a bad event at all. Sorry for the short post, but perhaps in the future, I'll get back to making longer posts, as well as some reviews for a change. Seiko Takeda, signing out.

Ev14: International Cosplay Day 2K12

International Cosplay Day, which I'll shorten to ICD, was a blast, and I attended the 3rd Annual ICD for this year with buddies from the DC Anime Club, which was split into a weekend. Lots of photo-bombing, girl power, and photoshoots happened that day, and we were the highlights at the US Botanical Gardens in DC.

The first day had a large group consisent of myself, friend and Club Prez Chris Wanamaker, and his wife, my friend and fellow blogger Momo, along with many others I met either for the first time ever, or at club meetings and conventions. Dealing with a lot of people, it was kind of a hassle keeping everyone in check, and Mother Nature's indecisiveness didn't help matters. A day filled with laughter, dancing, and shenanigans, I couldn't wish for anything better for a Saturday, despite almost not making it. I dressed as Rokuro "Rock" Okajima of Black Lagoon.

For Sunday, it wasn't AS eventful, but in a way fulfilling, since I regrouped with Melissa Williams and company after parting ways with Chris and Momo. Assisting them with a music video they're doing (still in progress), the day didn't feel like a waste for me personally, as I once again donned the garb of Sailor Moon's Malachite that day. The weather was still a hassle to bear, but I came prepared for it. Following this, I went around Capitol Hill in the outfit (and no complaints were heard), and then switched up and headed home, but not without doing a little shopping.

Oh, speaking of which, I also had a pic taken Saturday with Capitol Hill in the background: one by myself, and one with a Vocaloid Cosplayer, and we both had green ties that day. And now I must wash the other one for the Lolita Picnic this coming Sunday at the Freer Gallery. I will post what I can about that another day.

All in all, a grand time, and here's hoping ICD 2K13 will be bigger. Seiko Takeda, signing out!

Ev13: Otakon 2012

Oh boy... this summer was hot, and once again I found myself near the Ice Cold Water guy in Baltimore, MD. Yep, Otakon 2012 happened there, and for me, it was my second and most interesting con year yet.

Unlike before, I had no room nor model kits, but I saw many things. From the Aniplex and Funimation booths, to the tables of the likes of Nekocon and adult visual novel company Mangagamer. I also attended the Masquerade show... scratch that. I was actually IN it, debuting in a new costume. The Saturday evening and Sunday of the con, I dressed up as Truth from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Even now, I'm thinking of others, among which Shirou Emiya of Fate/Stay Night and Roger Smith of The Big O. I also met the likes of Aya Hirano, who is the seiyuu of Haruhi Suzumiya from the Haruhi Suzumiya works (which I blogged about before.) But the GREATEST honor, and what I'll never forget is that Jason David Frank, who played the role of Tommy for Mighty Morphing Power Rangers, and Power Rangers Zeo, Turbo: The Movie, and DinoThunder, was actually present in Otakon this year.

To our dismay, Jaleel White (who voiced Steve Urkel from Family Matters as well as the first voice actor for Sonic the Hedgehog) , nor Eddie Lebron, who made fan films for both Sonic and Mega Man, couldn't be there, nor was the Sonic fan film in which White reprises the role. I also managed to see my cherished friends as well as a certain cosplayer I keep seeing since Tigercon last year. Still, she pulls off Street Fighter's Juri Han well. And kinda late for me, and somewhat irrelevant, but I tried for the first time Street Fighter X Tekken. I'll post my thoughts about this in Seiko's Gamer Base later.

Otakon 2012 was fun indeed, I just hope next year I have much more to write home about... as well as something to spend. Seiko Takeda, signing out.

CCXII: "Samurai Champloo"

I am a nut for anything dealing with swords, so naturally, I couldn't pass up on Samurai Champloo. Another one o those titles I caught on Adult Swim, it's a popular piece, partly because of the theme, composed by SHING02 and the late Nujabes. In direction, this was Shinichiro Watanabe's first directorial effort, succeeding that of the preceding and famous work Cowboy Bebop. As it was critically acclaimed, it reached the plateau its predecessor took before.

Kind of a weird way the three individuals meet one another. Fuu is a waitress who ends up being harassed by a band of samurai, not helping that one of those happens to be the son of Magistrate Tomonoshima. However, things go south for him as she is rescued by a rouge named Mugen, while shortly later, another samurai, Jin, enters. After their own respective battles, the two match glares with one another, sparking a fight amongst themselves. However, during the conflict, the restaurant burns, and the prefect's son ends up one arm less after Mugen sliced it off. Caught by the authorities, they are set to be executed, but Fuu intervenes. As compensation for saving their lives, Fuu enlists their help seeking a samurai that smells of sunflowers. It came with a stipulation, however: until this man is found, they are not to attack one another. And with both acquainted in battle once, this is a tough stipulation to hold... especially when it's the ronin and the vagabond hungrily at each other's throats!

Where Cowboy Bebop had a jazzy to early rock theme to their music, Samurai Champloo features a hip-hop to mid tempo style. A few songs also had R&B elements to them too, and during the battle, the tempo picks up. Even in their game, they feature a turntable (I've yet to play it, but should I do so, I'll put it in the Gamer Base blog.) Like Bebop, Champloo saw 26 episodes aired on TV, shown as part of the Adult Swim block. Made in Manglobe Studio, it was licensed by the defunct Geneon Entertainment, and one of the several titles turned over to Funimation Entertainment, who currently holds the license. Between the anime and the video game Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked, the voice actors have been for the most part consistent. In the case of Mugen, however, he had two different ones: in the anime he was voiced by Steven Blum (who was known as the voice of TOM of Toonami, and amazingly as Spike from the aforementioned Cowboy Bebop anime), while Liam O'Brien (who voiced Taishi of Comic Party and Captain Ukitake of Bleach) voiced him in the game. The latter two are consistent, with Jin voiced by Kirk Thornton (who voiced Saito of Ruroni Kenshin, and as of the game Sonic Free Riders, is the current voice of Sonic series character Shadow the Hedgehog), while Fuu is voiced by Kari Wahlgren (who also voiced Kagami Hiiragi of Lucky Star, and debuted as Haruhara Haruko of FLCL.) I can only say this now, but even with the editing out of some bloody scenes, the nudity, and the language, it's still errs into the not-so-kid-friendly zone as far as content, so keeping the little o0nes away is a must.

Samurai Champloo ended up as acclaimed as Cowboy Bebop with good reason. Fitting enough, not perfect, but another 9 of 10 is satisfying. Personally, as far as directing goes, Watanabe did great.

Ev12: Fiesta Asia 2012

I know it's been long since I've done ANY posting, and I'm sorry about that. But things have become complicated, what with having limited internet service as well as my preparations for July and August (another issue I'll address soon.) In the meantime, I came back from yesterdays excursion at Fiesta Asia 2012, down near the National Archives in D.C. Once again, I went with my friends of the anime club and had a wonderful, yet humid, time, busting out my Rock (Black Lagoon) cosplay for the first time. As with any Fiesta Asia, we took part in the Cosplay Parade, though unlike a year ago, I didn't have to march with the banner myself this time. We also had a few photoshoots here and there, photos I'm still waiting to see, and with my Blackberry I took a few more, some of which I will put on here a little later.

As for what's ahead, I'm not only going to Otakon in July, but the month after, I'll be in Europe for a while, namely Austria, so it's doubtful if I'll have internet, let alone be able to review anime for a while. However, in the mean time, I'm also involved with this documentary that the students of George Washington University students are doing about anime (I know, it's exciting for me.) It's unnown if copies of this will be made, but if possible, that would be great. VERY doubtful if I can sync this to the Wolf Vlogger, though. In any case, that's it for now, but stay true and golden, and I'll post again sometime later. Seiko Takeda-Wolf, signing out!

CCXI: "The Avengers"

Some posts back, I saw before the masses Captain America: The First Avenger, now my wish was fulfilled, when days ago, I watched The Avengers, the Marvel flick comic fanboys were dying for. And boy, was it a hell of a film!! Heading to Silver Spring with my friends was sorth it, despite returning late.

When Loki decides to raise hell, he does so in a big way. Getting his hands on a certain artifact, he wages war on Earth, with little effort at that. But there's one thing you should never, ever do, and that's to rile up a man of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury to be exact, because it made him desperate enough to assemble a band of heroes to raise Hell. Divided, they are greats on their own, but together, they aren't a team to take lightly. From thawed out legends, to destructive faces, The Avengers will save Earth, or Avenge it!

Starring the likes of Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, and Scarlett Johansson, it brings together some of Marvel's most familiar and famous faces. The only thing I can say is that you stick around for the whole film to see what Marvel will do next, but if you want destruction, lasers and pipebombs, this movie does not disappoint. Pending on who favors it, we were lucky to see it in IMAX 3D, and it was interesting, despite the gaudy design of the glasses themselves.

Make tomorrow, May 4th, the date people, for this Marvel film is worth seeing. Perfect, 10 of 10, any best rating I say just isn't enough to describe how awesome The Avengers is. I encourage you to see this film!!