Anime Zen Blog

A trailer for the upcoming Genshiken episode 13 OAV is now online. The episode will be released on the first Japanese DVD of the Kujibiki Unbalance series. Source: Animenation

NPR (National Public Radio) has posted an article / radio show about Japanese Otaku in Japan. The article was originally broadcast on November 24 and can be listened to in its entirety (5:30). The printed and audio versions of the article are near identical. It covers Japanese Otaku at the Tokyo Game Show and also briefly mentions Akihabara, maid cafes, Train Man and other Otaku phenomenon.

Starting December 11, Japan will be introduced to three varieties of Gundam pocky, each with its own 1/144 scale Gundam model. Bandai and Pocky maker Glico are reportedly targeting 30 year old males with the limited edition snacks. Source: Gunota

Death Note: The Last Name notched its third straight week atop the Japanese box office, beating out newcomers Saw III, Children of Men, and The Devil Wears Prada. Source: Kogyo Tsushinsha

The North American premiere of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society will be among the anime film screenings at New York Comic Con (February 23-25 in Manhattan). Detailed schedules will be available early next year.

Satoshi Kon’s Paprika is screening at 10 a.m. at Laemmle’s Grande 4-Plex in downtown Los Angeles through Sunday. This screening makes the film eligible to be nominated for an Oscar.

People I know who have seen this say it is a good film

Time Asia has honored Hayao Miyazaki as one of the continent’s Artists & Thinkers over the last 60 years. Thanks, Mariz Capulong.

Ken Ishikawa, creator of Getta Robo, died suddenly at 10 PM (Tokyo time), Wednesday night. According to his mentor, Go Nagai, Ishikawa collapsed at a dinner banquet, after a day of golf, and was rushed to the hospital, but he was already dead. Ishikawa was 58 years old. Source: Takachiho-Notes

http://www.advuniverse.com/

click there to see what ADV has updated in their download store, several titles are available, including episode 1 of Utawarerumono, which is scheduled for a January 2007 DVD release.

Based on the adult PC game as developed by Type-Moon (Lunar Legend Tsukihime), the animated series Fate|Stay night is one of the most recent Japanese animated productions birthed from alternative media. Distributed on western shores by Geneon Entertainment and scheduled for release in late December 2006, Fate|Stay night is a fantasy series with wizards and magic that summons unique characters for one of mankind’s greatest battles. This will be a tale of action and fantasy that genre fans won’t want to miss out on.

Some years ago a war had been waged for the rights to the Holy Grail. The war was hard fought with superb skill from expert wizards and excellent strength on the part of summoned servants, who were contracted to aid their master wizards. But at present, our story begins with a young man named Shirou, an apprenticed wizard and mechanic whose skills are anything but that of a “master.” With a late family member of his having been a magician, Shirou knows about the existence of the world of magic and sorcery, but his own talents are reserved in nature.

Unfortunately for Shirou though, he is reluctantly forced to come to grips with the reality that the secret war of wizardry possesses, and Shirou will thusly become involved in this war for the Holy Grail, perhaps fulfilling the role of wizards past wherein only the destruction of those involved is the sole inevitability.

Originally developed as one of Type-Moon’s first releases as a professional game development company, Fate|Stay night as an adult PC game was a hot selling title. With attractive character designs and character relationships that wind and wind, Fate|Stay night has only been on the market for a couple of years, yet has managed to have established a solid, though perhaps platform-based fan following. Emphasizing personal relationships especially those concerning the summoned servants that work along with the master wizards–such as the recognizable character Saber, whom is summoned for Shirou–Fate|Stay night as an animated series retains a particular story framework that is indicative of an origin within an alternative media outlet.

Distributed by Geneon Entertainment, the first DVD Volume of Fate|Stay night entitled “Advent of the Magi,” will be available on store shelves beginning December 19th, 2006 for $29.98. An anime program with action and fantasy, Fate|Stay night attempts to establish a deep and involving story with meaningful characters for the audience to care for or be interested in from start to finish. Extras and bonus materials available on “Advent of the Magi” include a limited edition pencil board (while supplies last) and an art gallery.

Fans of the franchise since its inception only two and a half years back cite a love for the personable character designs and are often found commenting on the fluidity with which the action scenes are often integrated into the style of animation. With a sizeable cast of characters, some with vastly different personalities, and a storyline that traditionally speaks of being heavy on character development, Fate|Stay night is a title to watch out for this winter season.