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Anime Review: 'First Squad: The Moment of Truth'
World War II, it is said, has a shadow history. Behind the front lines, in darkened rooms and secret laboratories, occultists on all sides of the war sought to use arcane powers to tip the battle in their favor.
...about.com | 29-Jan-2012 18:09
Anime Review: 'The Dirty Pair: OVA Series'
They're back! And it's still not their fault!
Last year, I was thrilled to report the English-language DVD premiere of The Dirty Pair, the original 1980s TV series that gave us the riotous misadventures of Kei and Yuri, far-future "troubleshooters" who get called in to clean up the messes no one else wants to touch ... and who leave behind even bigger ones.
...about.com | 28-Jan-2012 22:53
Anime Review: 'The World God Only Knows'
Keima Katsuragi's a lover of women -- but not real-world women. Rather, he's a serial seducer of the women he encounters in a peculiar subgenre of video game called "dating sims," where his score is based on how effectively he wins over a woman's heart.
about.com | 25-Jan-2012 19:05
Anime Review: 'Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You), Part 1'
It's never easy being the dark horse of the class. Sawako knows all too well what that's like -- she's such a dark horse that the other kids call her "Sadako", after the malevolent ghost in The Ring. So what's a girl to do when she's barely able to say hello -- and then finds herself befriended, almost by accident, by one of the most outgoing and popular boys in her class?
about.com | 19-Jan-2012 23:26
Nominations Open for 2012 About.com Anime Readers' Choice Awards
Every year, the About.com Readers' Choice Awards showcase the best products, people, organizations, and services in multiple categories, from technology to hobbies to parenting to religion, and yes, manga and anime too!
about.com | 18-Jan-2012 01:36
Anime Review: 'Heaven's Lost Property, Season One'
All Tomoki wanted was a little peace and quiet ... and the occasional glimpse down the necklines of his female classmates (or a peek up their skirts). Then one day, the "Angeloid" named Ikaros quiet literally drops into his life. She can grant any wish, and it isn't long before Tomoki's using her to do everything from sneak into the girl's locker room to you-name-it -- but who is this mysterious creature from the sky, really?
about.com | 12-Jan-2012 12:46
Anime Review: 'Sekirei: Pure Engagement'
Anime has its own vocabulary -- not just words that aren't native to English (e.g., hentai), but English words that have been given a new meaning through anime.
about.com | 05-Jan-2012 23:07
Anime Releases for Winter 2012
Welcome to the new year, one in which with any luck the world won't end on schedule (my money is on "won't"), and in which we will be inundated with a whole spate of new anime releases. To celebrate that fact, here's a list of some of the best and most head-turning, eye-opening anime products for the first three months of the year -- including the title featured here in this post, Princess Jellyfish.
about.com | 02-Jan-2012 23:38
Anime Review: 'REDLINE'
What better way to close out the year than with a review of a title that is technically out next year, but might well have been among the very best releases of this year? (It's technically out in January, but review copies found their way out before then.)
about.com | 30-Dec-2011 00:29
Best Miscellaneous Anime Of 2011
We're finally closing out the year's roundup of best anime titles here at Anime.About.com, and the last article in this series collects anime from all those categories that didn't quite fit anywhere else.
about.com | 26-Dec-2011 17:57
Best Anime BD/DVD Re-Releases of 2011
Our penultimate retrospective for 2011 is now here: the best anime BD/DVD reissues and re-releases of 2011. Here we take the time to look for shows that fell out of print, disappeared from sight and traded hands at ridiculous prices -- but which have since been rescued by the intrepid folks at various video companies.
...about.com | 26-Dec-2011 01:11
Best New Anime BD/DVD Releases of 2011
With the last weeks of the year fast upon us, it's time for our next look back over our shoulder at what the year's had to offer us: our roundup of the best newly-premiered shows on DVD and Blu-ray Disc for 2011.
about.com | 23-Dec-2011 14:49
Anime Review: 'Rosario + Vampire: Season One'
Transferring to a new school's always a source of anxiety and confusion. But the school Tsukune Aono just enrolled in is a flat-out nightmare: it's a training school for monsters of all kinds. Even worse, Tsukune himself is no monster -- he's just an ordinary human kid, and if his classmates find out what he really is, they'll flay him and use him for a seat cushion!
...about.com | 20-Dec-2011 22:42
Best New Anime Premieres Of 2011
With the end of the year less than two weeks off, it's about time we started casting our eyes back across 2011's spate of releases and started singling out the real stars of the year. Here's the first of those overviews: my selections for the best newly-premiered anime of 2011.
about.com | 18-Dec-2011 18:22
New Feature: 'Best Samurai Anime'
Is there any one word more closely associated with Japan than "samurai?" Apart from the word "anime" itself, perhaps not -- and "samurai"'s been part of the topical vocabulary for Japan in English far longer than "anime."
about.com | 13-Dec-2011 19:21
Anime Review: 'Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040'
A sure sign of anime's open-endedness is the way any number of genres are represented within it. Consider cyberpunk, the love child of high-tech science fiction, noir thrillers and slam-bang action movies. There's a whole roster of cyberpunk-inspired anime to choose from: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Mardock Scramble, Burst Angel, Eden of the East. But the vast majority of them owe a debt to one anime that's also responsible for seeding a fair amount of grassroots anime fandom in the West: Bubblegum Crisis.
about.com | 10-Dec-2011 21:31
Anime Review: 'Chaos;HEAd'
Poor Takumi Nishijo. All he wants to do is hide in his room, play video games, and moon over his collection of anime-character figurines. You'd want nothing more than that, too, if you were worried that your grip on reality was disintegrating -- and if there was a serial killer working his way through your city, leaving behind some very theatrically-murdered bodies -- and you've been haunted your whole life by the idea that your thoughts might be capable of becoming reality.
...about.com | 30-Nov-2011 18:35
New Feature: Best Out-Of-Print Anime
Few things in anime are as sad as telling someone about a beloved series or film ... only to find in the time since you discovered it the item in question is now out of print.
about.com | 30-Nov-2011 18:05
Anime 401: The Advanced Course
After the beginners' course of anime, a survey of the more advanced 200-level anime (some knowledge of Japan required), and a survey of the longer-running titles out there, it's time now for the 400-level titles. This is anime's advanced course, a selection of shows for those who are ready to sample anime at its most adventurous, fan-oriented, and culturally sophisticated.
about.com | 29-Nov-2011 14:32
Anime 301: The Long Runners
First, there was Anime 102 -- anime for those with no prior experience but plenty of curiosity. Then came Anime 201, a course of shows that required a little additional knowledge about Japan. Now we've brought you Anime 301 -- a course of anime for those looking for long-running shows to steep themselves in.
about.com | 26-Nov-2011 21:24
Anime Review: 'Tekken: Blood Vengeance'
Earlier this year, at Otakon and AnimeFest! 2011, I had the chance to screen Tekken: Blood Vengeance, the 3D CGI animated feature film that's an official canon part of the Tekken game franchise. Written by Dai Sato of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Eden of the East fame, it's in the same visual vein as Vexille or the Appleseed feature films.
Now, after being screened in a limited theatrical run and at conventions, the movie's been released for English audiences both as a standalone DVD and on Blu-ray Disc in a bundle along with new versions of Tekken Tag Tournament.
Tekken is hardly the first example, or even the most obvious, of the way video games and anime cross-pollinate. Street Fighter, one of the more durable game franchises around, has been through any number of adaptations. Disgaea, .hack, and Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ all had video games as their inspirations, although the final products vary wildly in quality. And Tekken itself even received an animated adaptation back in the Nineties, although it was something most people did their best to forget about.
Plus, any number of anime have been in turn back-adapted into video games. The Ghost in the Shell continuum became the inspiration for several PlayStation and PSP games; Samurai Champloo spawned its own beat-'em-up; and Fullmetal Alchemist now even has its own iOS card game.
Based on my own conversations with both video-game and anime fans, though, there's not as much automatic crossover in the audiences between those two as there might seem at first. Rather, the crossover between the two is typically a one-way street: there's a great many anime fans who are also avid gamers, but not as many avid gamers who also automatically pick up on anime. This effect is obviously more pronounced in the West, since it's easy to be a gamer without ever coming into contact with a single game that's also an anime crossover property. No fault of their own, mind you: if they haven't already been bitten by the anime bug, in my purview it's not likely to happen because of a game.
Check out our review of Tekken: Blood Vengeance, and don't forget to speak your mind in the comments below.
Image: Tekken: Blood Vengeance © and courtesy NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.
about.com | 24-Nov-2011 00:05
Anime Review: 'Rurouni Kenshin: The Motion Picture'
And here we have the last of Aniplex's Blu-ray Disc re-releases from the Rurouni Kenshin catalog: Rurouni Kenshin: The Motion Picture.
No, this isn't the long-awaited live-action adaptation of Kenshin which has been in the works for some time now -- believe me, I wish it was! -- but rather the feature-film spinoff released theatrically during the original TV show's run in Japan.
...about.com | 15-Nov-2011 15:14
Anime Review: 'Fairy Tail'
It all started when Lucy, a budding young wizard, decided to run away from home and throw in her lot with Fairy Tail, the most notorious magic guild in all of Fiore. She got her wish, all right -- but she also got swept up in one crazy adventure after another, no thanks to the recklessness and unhinged bravado of her new guild-mates. But at least her life wasn't boring anymore.
...about.com | 11-Nov-2011 22:37
Anime Review: 'Darker Thank Black: Season 2'
It's been described as "X-Men meets X-Files" -- a mix of super-powered heroics, espionage and skullduggery, and full-tilt otherworldiness. There was no denying Darker Than Black was a cut above when it was first released, and that made anticipation for a sequel all the higher. Given how open-ended the conclusion of the first series was, there were any number of places that a second series could go.
about.com | 07-Nov-2011 15:00
No Anime In This Year's Animated Feature Oscar Submissions
Of the eighteen animated films submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for consideration in the Best Animated Feature category, none of them were from Japan. That's a sad state of affairs, considering some of the features that were released this year in Japan ... and compared to what's been released domestically.
...about.com | 06-Nov-2011 14:01
'Hellsing Ultimate' OVAs, All 8, Headed Our Way
After what feels like decades of waiting, a key installment in one of the most long-delayed anime properties is finally on its way to being released in the U.S.: the eighth chapter in the Hellsing Ultimate saga.
about.com | 04-Nov-2011 23:29
'Akira' Gets Possible Stars: Garrett Hedlund, Keira Knightley
The Hollywood Reporter's leaked news that names are beginning to surface for the casting of the live-action adaptation of Akira currently being set up at Warner Brothers: Tron Legacy's Garrett Hedlund as the lead, Gary Oldman and Helena Bonham Carter in supporting roles, and now Keira Knightley as well.
about.com | 04-Nov-2011 01:59
Western Live-Action 'Death Note' Still In The Works
The Akira live-action project garnered a new lease on life thanks to a slimmed-down budget and a new director at the helm. But there's another live-action anime project which is also still inching its way through Hollywood's development hell: Death Note.
about.com | 01-Nov-2011 14:30
New Feature: 'Anime 201: Some Understanding of Japan Required'
First, there was Anime 102: A Course of Anime For Newcomers. Exactly what it sounded like: a list of anime to start with that required little or no knowledge of anime, or Japan, to be accessible. Now comes the next installment: Anime 201: Some Understanding of Japan Required.
...about.com | 28-Oct-2011 23:58
Anime Review: 'Rurouni Kenshin: Seisou-hen (Reflection)'
Aniplex has been almost too good to us this year. Most recently they gave us a spectacular Blu-ray Disc reissue of Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuioku-hen (Trust & Betrayal), the tragic and powerful prequel story to the samurai adventure Rurouni Kenshin.
about.com | 25-Oct-2011 02:28
Live-Action 'Akira' Greenlit - Again
The Western live-action remake of Akira is back in production, this time with a much smaller budget ($90 million), a new director (Jaume Collet-Serra) and a possible new front-runner for a star: Garret Hedlund of Tron Legacy, according to an AceShowBiz.com article.
about.com | 20-Oct-2011 12:44
New York Comic-Con / Anime Festival 2011: The Rundown
Last weekend I braved the crowds and became one with the hordes (100,000 strong!) for the sake of covering New York Comic-Con 2011 -- also known as New York Anime Festival 2011.
about.com | 19-Oct-2011 00:19
This Weekend: New York Comic-Con (and New York Anime Festival)
This coming weekend, from October 13 through October 16, New York City's Javits Center will be playing host to thousands of comic, movie, TV--and, yes, anime--fans from all over for New York Comic Con 2011.
about.com | 12-Oct-2011 12:27
Anime Review: 'Legend of the Millennium Dragon'
The number of anime feature films out there is dwarfed by the number of for-TV productions -- especially original anime features not derived from other properties. It's always news when an anime feature film comes out in English, especially when it doesn't have the names Miyazaki or Studio Ghibli attached to it.
about.com | 10-Oct-2011 01:49
Anime News Roundup: October 7, 2011
The highly-anticipated anime adaptation of a fan-favorite video game debuts this week; old-school manga gets a new-wave 3D reboot; and much more. Read on:
Persona 4 Anime Premieres In English: The Anime Network has picked up the long-awaited anime adaptation of the latest installment in the stylish, moody video game series that's built a solid fanbase. The first HD-quality episode started streaming in English yesterday -- after some initial technical snarls -- and it promises an experience that closely follows the mood and look of the game. The only possible downside: if it follows the game so closely that it becomes a mere walkthrough or shuts out everyone who didn't play, it'll be more of a curiosity than anything else.
...about.com | 07-Oct-2011 15:18
Anime Review: 'Katanagatari: Vol. 2'
Not long ago I was sent a show for review that knocked my expectations into a cocked hat. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from Katanagatari, based on the riot of color and shape that greeted me on the front of the product box. What I got was one of the most creative and original shows I'd seen in a long time -- well, the first half of it, anyway. There was always the chance the second half of the show wouldn't follow through, and leave us with nothing but a glossy wrapper.
...about.com | 07-Oct-2011 00:17
Rifts With The West
Food for thought time. First, go read this essay at 1UP.com, entitled "Why Japanese Games are Breaking Up With the West." You don't have to know a great deal about ...
about.com | 05-Oct-2011 15:28
Anime Review: 'Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuioku-hen'
There are few anime this emotionally powerful. Many anime overwhelm the emotions with brutal spectacle or try to furiously tickle your ribs. Few of them are touching, and the few that are earn and keep an audience which connects to this feeling.
...about.com | 01-Oct-2011 22:55
Friday News Roundup: September 30, 2011
It's been a while since I looked at some of the major goings-on in anime news, so here's a quick tour of this week's highlights: Persona 4, the new Naruto Shippuden movie, the streaming of Fate Zero, and more.
...about.com | 30-Sep-2011 21:45
Anime 102: A Beginner's Course
One of the main reasons Anime.about.com exists is to give people new to anime some sense of where to start, and how not to get lost along the way. To that end, I'm starting a new series of articles, starting with "Anime 102" for beginners.
...about.com | 29-Sep-2011 13:22
Anime Review: 'Spice and Wolf, Season Two'
The first season of Spice and Wolf introduced us to a memorable pair of characters through an unusual premise: a walking tour of the economy of a medieval society. Based on the light novels of the same name, the adventures of merchant Kraft Lawrence and the wolf-goddess Holo made for an intriguing and off-beat show.
...about.com | 28-Sep-2011 14:08
On Being Led By The Hand into Anime
I'm currently working on some new pieces about where to begin with anime -- a common-enough question, and one that most people answer by simply throwing out a list of titles. I'm trying to take a more nuanced approach, but one of the things that did come up was how many existing anime watchers are brought into the fold by a fellow fan. If anything, that seems to be the preferred way to do it.
...about.com | 25-Sep-2011 23:55
Anime Review: 'Trigun: Badlands Rumble'
What's the most efficient way to make a feature-length anime production from a TV series that's itself an anime? Make a standalone episode of the show and spin it out to feature-film length. After all, it worked for Cowboy Bebop, Naruto, One Piece and many others, so why not Trigun as well?
...about.com | 21-Sep-2011 13:31
Anime Review: 'Mardock Scramble'
Last year at New York Anime Fest I had one of those experiences that reminded me all over again why I watch anime in the first place. It was the first installment in an OVA series based on an SF novel whose author I was vaguely aware of, but other than that I knew nothing walking in.
...about.com | 19-Sep-2011 01:31
Is Original Always Better?
If you've followed anime for any length of time, it quickly becomes clear most of it is derived from other works -- manga, mainly, but also light novels, conventional fiction and plenty of other sources. It's a "target" medium, in the same way many other things are re-made into movies (including, well, other movies).
...about.com | 17-Sep-2011 18:12
AnimeFest 2011: Dai Sato Panel on 'Tekken: Blood Vengeance'
Who would have thought the screenwriter for Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Ergo Proxy and Eureka Seven would become the screenwriter for the 3D CGI Tekken film? Nobody, most likely -- but that's precisely what happened.
...about.com | 15-Sep-2011 16:42