Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan on VIZAnime.com and Hulu

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is showing Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan on VIZAnime.com just hours after the episodes are shown in Japan.
This will happen every Monday.

The videos are hosted on Hulu, as you can see on the player at VIZAnime.com.
After getting to the page, I waited...and waited...and got nothing on the player but a black screen.

So I went to Hulu and did a search on Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, found the page there and it loaded right up.

Maybe VIZAnime.com was just having a glitch that day.

By the way, it says on the Hulu site...
" Each Monday Hulu will add -- direct from Japan -- subtitled episodes of Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, one episode per week immediately following their original Japanese airdates."

So if you go to VIZ and can't see the anime, just go to Hulu.



Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan on VIZAnime.com and Hulu, posted to http://anime-times.blogspot.com/ on July 7th, 2010

Are Anime and Manga Going Live Action?

Since DC and Marvel are rolling out (usually successful) films based on their superheroes, why wouldn't Hollywood start mining Anime?
Well they are.
Steven Spielberg is working on Ghost in the Shell, James Cameron is working on Battle Angel Alita, Peter Segal and Michael Ewing are working on Bleach and The Hughes Brothers are working on Akira.

Over at indieWIRE, guest blogger Cameron Carlson has an article about the upcoming live action films based on Anime, and a whole lot more that are in development...

" Would you buy a ticket for a big-budget, live-action anime feature? What if there were four of them released at the same time? That could be the plight facing anime fans in 2011, and while the fans of japanimation recognize the difference between a cyborg and a mobile battle suit, the general public does not."

You can read the full article here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2010/05/04/anime_next_big_thing/

So with that in mind, here are a few Anime/Manga projects that have already made the leap to the big screen...

Lady Snowblood (1973)
Based on the manga by writer Kazuo Koike and artist Kazuo Kamimura.
There was a sequel, Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance in 1974, and a science fiction remake in 2001, released in the US as The Princess Blade.
Quentin Tarantino has said the film was a major inspiration for his Kill Bill films.

The Guyver (1991)
Based on the Bio-Booster Armor Guyver manga series written by Yoshiki Takaya, it spawned a sequel, Guyver: Dark Hero in 1994.

City Hunter (1993)
A Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film based on the manga series written and illustrated by Tsukasa Hojo.
Notable because it starred Jackie Chan as Ryo Saeba.

Hana Yori Dango (1995)
Based on the shōjo manga series Boys Over Flowers by Yoko Kamio
In 2008, Hana Yori Dango Final was released in theatres on as the end of the live action Japanese TV series.

Crying Freeman (1995)
A French and Canadian produced action film based on the manga by Kazuo Koike & Ryoichi Ikegami.

Blue (2001)
A Japanese romantic drama based on the manga Blue by Kiriko Nananan.

Blue Spring (2001)
A Japanese film based on a manga by Taiyō Matsumoto.

Doing Time (2002)
Based on the manga by Kazuichi Hanawa.

Cutie Honey (2004)
Starring Japanese model Eriko Sato and based on the manga and anime series Cutie Honey.

A Battle of Wits (2006)
This Hong Kong historical action drama film, was based upon a Japanese historical novel and a manga series written by Hideki Mori.

Death Note (2006)
Not one, but three films were based on the manga and anime series by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.
Death Note was released on June 17, 2006, Death Note: The Last Name was released on November 3, 2006 and a spin-off L: Change the World, was released on February 9, 2008.
This film is one of those set for a remake by Warner Bros.

Dragonball Evolution (2009)
Based of course on the Japanese manga and anime series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama.
Despite the fact the film flopped at the box office, with critic and with fans, there is a sequel rumored

The Top Ten Anime Girls, Sakura, But Which One?

Well the number one female anime / manga character on this list is kinda hard to figure out.
At number seven, we had Sakura from Naruto.
But, the name Sakura comes in at number one.
Is it Naruro's Sakura?
Or is it Sakura Kinomoto, from Cardcaptor Sakura?
That's the question.

Is it Sakura Haruno from Naruto?

It looks like both of them have a loyal fanbase, and with both being named Sakura, how can I tell the difference?
I really hate ties, I like to see one clear winner, but the only thing I can think of is to call it a draw and list both Naruto's Sakura and Cardcaptor's Sakura as a tie for number one.

Is it Sakura Kinomoto, from Cardcaptor Sakura?

This is kinda like DC comics and Marvel both having a character named Batman, and trying to figure out which companies character is the most popular.

Personally, I'd have to give the nod to Sakura Haruno from Naruto, but like I said Sakura Kinomoto seems to have just as much popularity.

Or is it this?

Of course since Sakura means Cherry Blossom, so maybe it's just that cherry trees are really popular.

The Top Ten Anime Girls, Sakura, But Which One? , posted to http://anime-times.blogspot.com/ on April 16th, 2010.

The Top Ten Anime Girls - Eve - Black Cat

Number Two - Eve (Black Cat)

Eve, the genetically engineered bio-weapon that looks like a young girl from the Anime and Manga Black Cat comes in at number number two on the list.
Using nanotechnology Eve can transform her body into various types of offensive and defensive weapons.
At first she could only do parts, but later, she developed the ability to transform her entire body into a weapon, though it puts quite a strain on her.

You have to admit, having a person on your side that can turn her arms into blades, hammers, shields etc., and turn her hair into fists and more blades, turn her skin into steel, sprout wings and swim underwater like a mermaid has it's advantages.

Eve was raised to be an emotionless killing machine and designed to be the ultimate soldier.

She is usually called "Princess", or "Hime-chan" by Train.

Eve versus Leon (Black Cat)



Eve - Black Cat, posted to http://anime-times.blogspot.com/ on April 1st, 2010

Crunchyroll review - A headless fairy and Japanese gang wars

"Durarara!!" is a new masterpiece which combines a motley of unusual characters with a story rich with scientific experiments and controversy.

Produced by the same studio behind "Baccano!", this series has garnered plenty of attention for its fantasy characters. Some possess superhuman strength. Others are involved with genetic mutation experiments. One of them has no head. All of them live in the eclectic Tokyo neighborhood of Ikebukuro, where gang violence runs rampant.

This review covers episodes one through eight. Each episode is narrated by a different character in the series, with each person bringing their own unique characteristics and powers to the story. The series begins behind the perspective of an incoming high school student named Mikado Ryuugamine.

Although he comes from a rural neighborhood, he grows ever intrigued by the fascinating urban legends of Ikebukuro. Certainly the area is a dangerous hot spot for the Japanese color gangs, including an obscure group known as the Dollars.

But the area is also the home of a headless motorcyclist, known simply as Celty. Her background is based on a Medieval legend of the fairy named Dullahan, who carries her head under her arm and rides a headless horse. However, Celty isn't carrying her head anymore, because someone stole it. She's now a mere transporter who rescues innocent people. She's still hoping to find what she lost.

As far-fetched as the entire story is, the pacing of the series is excellent. There isn't any single time where you feel as if the characters are spending too much time in boring conversations. Something suspicious always runs amok in Ikebukuro. Gang members kidnap innocent people. Superhuman characters are battling hordes of gangsters. A sleazy gang boss calls his minions to kill off students.

And even if most of the story involves a bunch of high-intensity encounters with extraordinary fighters, a headless motorcyclist and a Russian wrestler, nothing ever feels wasted. Every event somehow progresses the plot in subtle ways.

This is a unique tale surrounding many people who are trying to discover something they loved which was lost. All the characters are caught in a swirling cloud of mystery, in a neighborhood where anything and everything is possible.

Image courtesy of photobucket.com

Click here to watch the series on crunchyroll.com

Re-release madness: Paradise Kiss

One of the series I really missed out on reviewing last year was "Paradise Kiss." The series was picked up and re-released by Funimation.

"Paradise Kiss" portrays the excitement and danger of the fashion industry in Japan with striking, and sometimes depressing, realism.

It begins with a spiky-haired rock band guy catching a glimpse of Yukari, a beautiful high school girl. Scared off by his "pick-up lines," the girl runs into a transvestite and faints. Next thing she knows, she wakes up to find herself in Paradise Kiss, the bar turned into a fashion studio. The employees include the transvestite, the punk rocker, a cute pink-haired girl and a tall, gray-haired man named George.

They are all interested in keeping Yukari around to model their new clothing brand, ParaKiss. However, Yukari is more interested in George, the elusive ladie's man who wants to keep Yukari around for more than just modeling. Her best friend in school, Hiroyuki Tokumori, soon worries about her absence from school. Only time will tell when Yukari truly finds her own sense of happiness.

This romance story is clearly intended for more mature audiences. Right from the bat in episode two, viewers will catch a glimpse of a hot make-out session between two employees at the fashion studio. This is just a foreshadowing of some of the steamier moments to come in the series.

"Paradise Kiss" isn't just about sex. It encompasses a tedious romantic entanglement in Yukari's life, in probably one of her most stressful moments in the school year. George is clearly using the schoolgirl, but at the same time, he opens up a new world of possibilities for Yukari. Although the manga tends to portray him more as a jerk, the anime is more even-handed in its portrayal of this handsome prince with an obsession for young romance.

The complexity of romance in "Paradise Kiss" is what makes it unforgettable. Sure, there are moments when the characters are obnoxious. However, all these unique voice actors give complicated performances, making "Paradise Kiss" one of the best anime I've ever seen. The two lead characters especially expose the unnerving possessiveness of rich men in Japan, while at the same time revealing the seductiveness of the Japanese fashion world.

Some critics are bound to disagree with me. Yet, the unsettling drama portrayed in "Paradise Kiss" is a powerful glimpse of all the problems and new possibilities of a post-modern Japan.

Image courtesy of funimation.com

DVD Review: More relaxing in Neo-Venezia

It's especially hard to keep up the momentum for "Aria," an incredibly relaxing series with serene imagery and comforting character.

However, even "Aria" has some really unusual characters in Neo-Venezia to add some variety in season two.

The first part of season two brings back all the classic characters of "Aria" for a reunion at the Carnivale. All Akari's buddies from season one, including little Ai, return to Aria to see the mysterious Casanova.

This sets up Akari and Ai's new Totoro impersonation. The humongous, masked Casanova invites Akari and Ai to join in his dance. There's nothing cuter than watching Akari and Ai sing "Zutto, zutto, zutton, pon!" while they are following the Casanova, who may be related to Cait Sith, king of the cats.

There's plenty of new characters who arrive. Probably the best new addition, however, is the gnome Edward, who is also Aika's love interest. Their new romance is one of the most touching parts of season two. There's something charming when Aika says that Edward is so unfairly nice. She tries to look away, but the chemistry they have together is irresistable. Aika even comes up with a line to say to him whenever he gives weird elderly statements to Aika aloud.

The characters also take up more difficult changes to their attitudes in this series. Alice has a dramatic episode in which she turns down a warm invitation to have dinner with the other Pairs (gondola navigators) in her company, Orange Planet. She has a nervous fear that her coworkers are jealous of her and hate her. Thankfully, her teacher, Athena, is willing to help her open up.

Admittedly, the series makes me fall asleep, but not because it is boring. In fact, the beautiful images of water and the complex characters are just captivating. However, I often wondered just how long the anime director could keep this series of pure bliss intact. "Aria" ran for 39 episodes. It's difficult to keep the tone consistent, yet allow room for the characters to evolve.

However, there's plenty of things for the characters to say, because they always discover new things that are unique in Neo-Venezia. Whether they encounter the ruins of a neverending cat city, a bakery which serves bread made from buckwheat noodles, or a children's puppeteer, there's always something new in the city to find.

Most of all, Akari is friendlier than ever. The bubbly characters never lose their charm. I'm already itching to watch the second part of season two.

Image courtesy of aria.rightstuf.com

Re-release madness - Rumbling Hearts

I noticed that I still didn't finish "Rumbling Hearts," so I figured I'd watch all the episodes.

"Rumbling Hearts" is a lousy, sexist romance anime, with women who are so dependent on their men and sex that it's just disgusting.

The plot revolves around Takayuki Narumi, some bumbling teenage guy who is a friend of Mitsuki Hayase, the top swimmer at the high school. One of Mitsuki's girl friends, Haruka Suzumiya, has a crush on Narumi, so Mitsuki hooks the two together. They become close friends, and they even have sex together. However, the love story ends tragically with a fatal car crash putting Haruka in a coma.

The second half of the story takes place three years later. Within this time period, Narumi has a romance with Mitsuki, who is now part of an insurance company. However, everything seems to change when Haruka finally wakes up from her coma.

Overall, the storyline is passable. However, "Rumbling Hearts" suffers from overplaying the drama. Mitsuki is a jerk, who really doesn't care much for her former friend who almost died in a car accident. In fact, Mitsuki spends half of the series worrying that Narumi will not love her anymore. She's so obsessed that she tries her best to keep Narumi's attention off of Haruka.

This story boils down to the voice actors and the story, which is extremely overrated on the Anime News Network and animenfo.com Web sites. Eventually, this anime revolves completely around Narumi's love relationships will all three girls in the story: even Haruka's sister. With so many girlfriends around, people will wonder why on Earth Narumi would want to focus on the selfish Mitsuki, who obsesses all the time about whether Narumi loves her.

Narumi claims that he doesn't want anyone to get hurt, but what he's really saying is that he wants to make sure Mitsuki doesn't kill herself looking for someone else to love her. The screenwriter is so self-centered in restraining Mitsuki to an overdependent relationship with Narumi. Honestly, women in Japan will never want to be this constrained to the servitude of other men.

In fact, the only likable character in this series is Haruka. Yet, even she keeps longing for a sexual relationship with Narumi after she awakens from her coma. Haruka is supposed to be the strong, independent girl who learns to fight to recover, but even she is restricted to relying on Narumi for all her support. Narumi is not trustable either: he always seems to be lying about his own relationship status constantly.

There's very little to appreciate about "Rumbling Hearts," which is based on an equally disgusting dating game. In fact, there should be no reason for it to gain so much popularity in America. However, the male audience of anime fans undoubtedly love this infantile orgy of adolescent sex and romantic overdependence. Honestly, they should know better than to watch this series, which is filled with a bunch of jerks fighting for selfish romance.

Image courtesy of funimation.com

Film Review - Ponyo is one of Miyazaki's best

"Ponyo" is by far the best anime film of 2009, with incredibly creative hand-drawn animation and visuals.

The latest anime film from Hayao Miyazaki focuses on a little goldfish with a human face, named Ponyo. It begins with Ponyo sneaking her way through a submarine window. A boy named Sosuke finds the little fish and decides to keep it as a pet.

Sosuke has no idea that Ponyo is more than just an ordinary goldfish. She has a human face, and she even speaks Sosuke's named aloud. Ponyo is the daughter of an underwater magician named Fujimoto, who says that the natural order of the ocean will become out of balance if Ponyo lives in the human world.

The film gradually grows more wildly creative. Miyazaki's use of hand-drawn animation is perfect for the character of Ponyo, whose actual body undertakes some magnificent metamorphosis from a simple red goldfish.

The true spotlight of the film is on director Hayao Miyazaki's visuals. Miyazaki has always been known for creating a wonderful variety of characters, from the chaotic demons in "Princess Mononoke" to the cute creatures of "My Neighbor Totoro." However, Ponyo may trump them all as being the cutest, but possibly the most powerful of all the characters. Ponyo has the ability to shift the oceans and cause floods and tsunamis.

In fact, her loving relationship with Sosuke is the only thing that keeps her powers in check. Although the romance between the two is kept to a minimum, Ponyo's voice is adorably cute. To the very end of the film, the beauty of "Ponyo" lies in the power of love to withhold the Earth's obliteration.

Director Miyazaki has created another masterpiece which ranks among his best. His palette of colors is filled with beautiful blues, greens and purples. His drawings are pushed to the limit, with smoothly animated creatures and humans. He even squeezed in a lovable song at the end all about Ponyo.

The English voice actors also hold the film together marvelously. There are a few lines that don't translate too well, some of which involve an innocent conversation about a mother's milk in the second half of the film. But for most of the film, the voice actors' lines don't sound awkward at all. Even Frankie Jonas is believable as the simple boy, Sosuke.

Hands down, "Ponyo" is one of Miyazaki's best films ever made. Don't be surprised if "Ponyo" wins an Academy Award for best animated film.

Images courtesy of wdsfilmpr.com

DVD Review: The Claymore Battle Royale

From the first volume, "Claymore" hit the ground running with intense monster battles. Volume two heats up with flashy superhuman Dragonball Z-style sword battles.

Episode 6 opens with Claire actually speaking out her heart to Teresa, pleading to stay with her. There's even a scene where Claire strips off her clothes to show that Teresa means everything as her only mother. It's a saddening sight to watch Teresa leave Claire for her Claymore duties. However, when a band of thieves burns the town down, Teresa has no choice but to kill them.

A Claymore isn't allowed to kill humans, though. However, Teresa refuses to die this easily, slaying the Claymores who planned to execute her. But her Claymore buddies don't plan on letting her leave. The organization sends four of the top-ranked Claymores to fight her, leading to some ferocious, incredibly fast battles.

It's an understatement to say that "Claymore" is one of the craziest action anime series ever made. Each of the Claymores has a unique special power, and some of the Claymore powers are visual astounding. For example, Irene's quick sword technique cuts so quickly that no one can even see her arms. She can move her arms faster than the speed of light. This leads to an amazing sequence in which Teresa arm is speedily blocking Irene's sword slashes at the speed of a Dragonball Z fight.

The fight turns to a fatal end in episode 8, with one of the Claymores, Priscilla, growing amazingly powerful as she slowly uses more and more of her Yoma powers. Many Claymores die in this volume, leaving the remaining survivor devastated. This tearjerking episode will tear viewers' hearts out with emotion.

Volume two sets the tone for Claymore as a godlike superhuman action anime. Although it is limited in its rather formulaic Dragonball Z-style plot, the true draw of the series is the visuals. The dark colors and fierce fighting make for one of the most sinister, violent anime ever seen. However, this is a wonderful anime for its expression of raw female power.

To say the least, the battles are stunning. There's nothing more astounding than watching Claymore jump to incredible heights, swinging their swords in a rapid-fire machine gun fashion and healing their wounds extremely quickly. Like any typical action series, it tends to rely too much on the same formulaic tearjerking action sequence, with one character dying off and another seeking revenge.

However, this series is even more earth-shattering for its horrific displays of violence, with characters getting their limbs and their heads chopped off. This series is definitely not for kids--the violence is very intense. However, it's a beautiful series which shows the power of women, even when one of them is getting attacked by disturbing tentacle monsters in episode 10.

Although I had my misgivings for the series when it began, "Claymore" is a definite keeper for anime fans. However, be prepared to get shocked with this second DVD.

Image courtesy of amazon.com and their wallpaper downloads.

DC Direct: AME-COMI Anime Hero & Heroine PVC Statue Series

The pictures up above are 4 different brand-new "Japan Anime-Inspired" PVC Statue Figures to keep an eye out for in the future. They're called "Ame-Comi Hero & Heroine Series". Of course they are Japanese-Style versions of Batman, Robin, Modern Batgirl ( Cassandra Cain ), & Catwoman. Each figure measures approx. 7 1/2 to 9" tall & come with a display stand inside a window box. They also vary in price from $60.00 to $70.00. Batgirl & Catwoman have a release date of October 21st, 2009. Batman & Robin won't be out until around February 10th, 2010. ( Thanks Saul for sending me the improved photos ).

DVD Review: Lucky Star Comes to an End

After the disappointing fifth volume in "Lucky Star," I really hoped for a good wrap-up for this series. After all, "Lucky Star" is one of the most educational series about Japan for Americans.

And thankfully, "Lucky Star" wraps up with far more exciting end-of-high school activities in episodes 21-23 and a stylish cheerleading routine in episode 24.

Considering that "Lucky Star" was more of a mix-up of jokes compared to Azumanga Daioh, volume six is much more neatly organized from episode 21 to 24. There's still the same mixed bag of anime jokes with some dramatic side stories, but each episode has a unique theme to it in volume six.

In episode 21, Kuroi-sensei announces that her senior class will be taking a field trip to Kyoto. The episode opens with a fascinating look at the Buddhist temples. In the middle of the trip, Kagami receives a letter from a boy to meet at a bus stop in the middle of the night. It's an emotional, but surprisingly realistic side story for the series. And thankfully, Konata makes sure to cheer up Kagami from her melancholy mood.

However, the series also features a touching spiritual reunion with Konata's mother. Or rather, the ghost of Konata's mother. Konata (with an "o") actually spends some special time talking with her father about her mother, who died a few years after Konata was born. And then the ghost of Konata's mother appears in the room. Even though Konata cannot see her, this is a very heartwarming episode where her mother checks up on how her daughter is doing.

Some of the best jokes of "Lucky Star" take place in episode 23. Konata, the most observant high schooler, actually catches on to the secrets of her little cousin's friends. It's a little too embarassing for the cute cousin, Yutaka, to read the explicit manga drawn by her friends, or to hear from Konata that Minami secretly hopes to grow bigger breasts. But thankfully, Yutaka doesn't seem to mind, and they actually become far better friends thanks to Konata.

The humorous "Lucky Channel" segment of the series also takes a dark turn when Minoru Shiraishi arrives on the set with his body scratched up and his clothes tattered. Turns out he was getting water from Mount Fuji for the selfish host Akira Kogami. From then on, Minoru Shiraishi yells that he's so tired of working with Akira, picks a violent fight with her and rips apart the "Lucky Channel" set in his rage.

Now that's edgy stuff that we will never see in the "Animaniacs" show. But it's probably the funniest turn for "Lucky Channel," in which the audience is left wondering whether Minoru and Akira will even have a job when the series is over.

However, probably the best episode is episode 24, also known as the infamous episode with the full cheerleading routine of the "Lucky Star" girls. Sure, it's really just an excuse for cosplay fangirls to perform the same dance routine at anime conventions. But it looks great, and it sounds oh so irresistably nonsensical. And surprisingly, the serious, studious Kagami is really hyped about the cheerleading dance.

It's a tearful but wonderful farewell to one of the best slice-of-life anime series I have ever seen. Certainly it's a little more based on down-to-earth everyday life than most anime, but this is exactly what makes "Lucky Star" so special. It's a simple anime about schoolgirls who love talking about anime and manga, without magical powers or flashy special effects.

It still doesn't beat out the cute everyday humor of "Azumanga Daioh," but volume six of "Lucky Star" is a definite must-buy, with some of the most heartfelt moments of the series.

Image courtesy of kurogane.animeblogger.net

Anime at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

In case anyone hasn't heard, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is showing off an art exhibition called "ANIME! High Art - Pop Culture."

This is one of the big exhibits to check out in Beverly Hills. It features plenty of the original frames of cel animation from some of the best anime, from Studio Ghibli films to "Sailor Moon" to "Akira" to "Ghost in the Shell." And there's also some saucy erotic anime in a special area closed off with a pink curtain for anyone who loves fan service.

Unfortunately, I can't show very many pictures from the exhibition, because the museum doesn't allow anyone to take them. However, these cel frames are truly a sight to see.

The Top Ten Anime Girls,Orihime Inoue (Bleach)

Number 3. Orihime Inoue (Bleach)

Number three on the list is Orihime Inoue from the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo.

Besides the manga and anime series, Orihime has appeared in Bleach video games and animated films.
Her likeness has also been made into items like action figures, figurines, key chains and you can even buy replicas of her ever present hair pins.
She has also ranked very high in popularity polls among readers.
Outside of Bleach, she has appeared in Gin Tama created by Hideaki Sorachi.

Bleach: Excellent Model Series Inoue Orihime & Yoruichi PVC Figure 1/8 Scale

The Top Ten Anime Girls, Misa Amane / Death Note

Misa Amane, Manga

Number 4. Misa Amane (Death Note)

The Japanese manga, anime and film series Death Note was created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata.
The female protagonist in the Death Note series, Misa Amane, is very popular.
Popular enough to come in at number 4 at least.

Misa Amane, Anime

In the series, Misa is a famous model, singer and actress and is infatuated with Light Yagami.
She usually refers to herself in the third person by calling herself "Misa-Misa" to be cute and she leans toward being hyperactive.

Misa Amane, Film

In the film adaptations of Death Note, Death Note (2006), Death Note: The Last Name (2006) and the spin off movie, L: Change the World (2008) , Misa was portrayed by Erika Toda.

The Top Ten Anime Girls, Chi

Number 5. Chi (Chobits)

Chi (or Chii) is a character from the manga and anime series Chobits, that also appears in the series Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle and Kobato.
She is a Chobit (a persocom or personal computer) created by Ichiro Mihara.
The name Chobit comes from her creator who called anything "small and hopelessly adorable" Chobi.
So two Chobi, Chi and her sister Freya, became "Chobits".

Chobits - Persocom (Vol. 1)

The Top Ten Anime Girls, Yuki Nagato

http://blogs.ign.com/foxrevolution/2008/03/29/85340/


6. Yuki Nagato (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

The catgirl Yuki Nagato from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya comes in at number six on the list.
This introverted, but supernaturally powered young lady seems to be pretty popular.
She's popular enough that several PVC Statues of her have been released, one of which you can see below.

Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Yuki Nagato White Bunny 1/6 Scale Figure

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Vol. 1

DVD Review - The City Gets Darker

Volume three of "Darker Than Black" provides two fascinating episodes taking a look inside the gigantic wall and two exciting and dramatic episodes about Yin's past.

The first two episodes cover parts one and two of "Within the Wall, When You Recover Something Lost...", in which Li Shengshun (a.k.a. Hei) undertakes an investigation inside the Pandora agency, which is scientifically studying the phenomena of Hell's Gate, whatever that is. He's searching for the Meteor fragment, a large lens with mysterious power. He befriends Nick Hillman, a scientist who has a telescope which could see the stars through the fake night sky. But he also has other secrets.

The other two episodes cover both parts of "On a Silver Night, the Heart Does Not Sway On the Water's Surface." In these episodes, someone from a rival syndicate steals the observer spirit of Yin, the silver haired girl who has the power to spy on people wherever there is water. We learn that she is actually a lifeless doll who was once a pianist in Finland. Her piano instructor visits her, ready to take her back.

This anime has a great storyline which looks further and further into the disaster which led to the creation of Hell's Gate and the Contractors. Hei's infiltration into Pandora as a janitor is one of the more perplexing stories, involving Nick and his mysterious sister, who is a spy for Hei's syndicate. Certainly the Meteor fragment had made Nick's own wish come true, as shown at the end of episode 12, but at the expense of his life in the real world.

More fascinating, though, are Hei's memories of the aftermath of the creation of Hell's Gate, which obliterated the entire city within the wall. Scientific examinations in Hei's mind also introduces a mysterious girl with green hair in a flashback. Could this girl be Hei's sister, the girl shown briefly in the introduction of episode 12?

Probably the most emotional episodes were 13 and 14, which circle around Yin, the silver haired girl in Hei's syndicate. As the syndicate's field supervisor, Hei keeps Yin merely as a doll with an observer spirit, to spy on the city. However, when a Russian Intelligence contractor steals Yin's spirit, Yin wanders aimlessly around the city, recalling her life as a piano player and her dark memories of her parents.

Although this part of the series almost too much storyline in two episodes, it still manages to remain surprisingly emotional. Huang is all too eager to kill Yin for exposing herself to other syndicates, until he discovers that Yin has emotions.

However, we still don't know exactly what PANDORA is, or what the hell Hell's gate is. Hopefully the series ties up these mysteries soon.

Image courtesy of bj0rn.animeblogger.net

The Top Ten Anime Girls, Sakura

I'm dead sexy.....

The seventh most popular anime girl is Sakura from Naruto.
Really?
I don't see it.
I guess she has a nice personality.

I mean even Masashi Kishimoto says he has had difficulty drawing her, resulting in her having a huge forehead.
But she ranked high enough to be number seven.