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Synopsis
Paris, 1742. A coffin floats in the shimmering Seine. On the lid, a word written in blood: Psalms. Inside, the body of a beautiful woman: Lia de Beaumont. Now her brother, D’Eon, seeks the reason for her mysterious murder, and uncovers an evil that shadows both the palaces of kings and the dark alleys of Europe.

A power wielded by spell-casting poets, and manipulated by royalty. A force so powerful it brings Lia’s soul back from beyond to seize the only weapon she can possess to avenge her death: her own brother.

Review
Le Chevalier D’Eon is something fresh. It is unique in that a blend of history (other than Japanese) and fantasy rarely happens. But in this piece, the combination of French history and fantasy makes Le Chevalier D’Eon something special. Right off the bat, the show leaves the viewers intrigued as the narrator, an old D’Eon tells his story of his adventure to discover the reasons and the people behind his sister, Lia de Beaumont’s death. As a coffin floated down the river with the word ‘Psalms’ written on the cover, the corpse of Lia Beaumont laid. Oddly enough, her body was filled with mercury which prevented her body from decomposing, hence, the decision to not give her a burial. Personally, I liked the idea of seeing her corpse, rather than just a tombstone. It gives off a different kind of feeling that you do not get from the tombstone. Maybe because it feels like she will open her eyes and rise up at any moment. In any case, her corpse also plays a role in the show so I guess it was important to mention it.

Now it would not be France if the details of the surroundings were not focused on. If you have had any art history classes that covered Versailles, you would be able to tell the various famous artistic pieces that made the Palace of Versailles special. Louis XIII’s desk and the paintings on the ceilings along with the extravagant view of the garden, they were all beautiful and detailed to the touch. I mean, I even recognized the gates that led into the palace along with other buildings that existed in Versailles. Production I.G. has done it again with their superb animation. Their focus on the details of France during Louis XV’s reign is certainly evident. But if you thought Le Chevalier D’Eon was only about replication of the arts, you are wrong. This show boasts both magic and skillful swordplay. This is another aspect of the show that I find somewhat different with the other sword swinger shows out there. There is a sense of reality in Le Chevalier. I know, there is nothing real about magic, but the way the fights are conducted, are where the difference is at. I got the sense that skill was more of a factor than how much ‘pow pow’ you can put into a sword and swing it at the opponent.

So now that you know what to expect visually from Le Chevalier, let us move onto what you should expect watching this piece. Le Chevalier is mysterious. For those who have read any of Dan Brown’s works, such as, ‘The Da Vinci Code,’ this show moves somewhat in a similar way. It uses historical facts to its advantage and twists it to flow with the end goal, which is to find the cause of D’Eon’s sister’s death. Other than the secret societies, what makes this anime series most like a Dan Brown book is the constant moving pace. Its nonstop pace keeps the show interesting. From what I have seen in the two volumes that I had access to, I cannot believe how much I loved the way everything played out. Judging by the cover, I did not expect anything great, honestly. At first, I thought it was not going to work, but by the time I got a grasp as to what was happening, the show became extraordinarily addictive.

Le Chevalier D’Eon revolves around the murder of Lia de Beaumont. It then becomes a thrill ride as our main character D’Eon de Beaumont and his comrades uncover dark mysteries, battling powerful villains called Poets with the involvement of the rifts between the Royal families. These Poets are able to wield unheard of powers and have the ability to control Gargoyles (animals that have been marked, including humans). These Gargoyles have the feel of a zombie, but their difference is that the victims have a chance to return to normal, although it is not actually shown on the screen whether they regain consciousness after being manipulated by a Poet, I am basing my assumption through what I have speculated, so until I am shown otherwise, I will believe the Gargoyles do return to normal if taken cared of correctly.

It is no wonder why Tow Ubukata decided to make his creation into three formats; anime, manga and novel. Le Chevalier is astounding as an anime in itself. As a manga, we should not expect much less and as a novel with its mystery and its use of historical facts and characters along with its consistent pacing, it should be good for the readers out there. Thus far, I like this series a lot. Le Chevalier D’Eon is a beautiful picture and its tale to be told makes it even better. I am definitely looking forward to the future volumes as they are being released.

The Breakdown
With its great animation, compelling story and astonishing mix of fact and fiction, Le Chevalier D’Eon gives the viewers an entertaining visual experience along with thought provoking mysteries. The show made me want to know more about the history of its setting so that I can further immerse myself into its attractive story. It was a neat idea to include historical notes and such in the extras of the volumes so that the audience can learn without having to look far.

Synopsis
Her name is Kurau, and in a world of mercenary agents, she’s the cream of the elite; a master swordswoman, martial artist and thief so skilled that no secret or objective is beyond her grasp. The greatest secret of all, however, is the one Kurau conceals inside herself: as the freak result of a disastrous experiment with a new kind of energy, Kurau’s body has been fused with a binary alien life form called the Rynax.

Every second Kurau lives is lived twice, one alien sharing her consciousness, the other still waiting to be born… and now neither of those lives may last very long! The truth about Kurau has begun to leak out, and a worldwide manhunt has been launched. The ultimate agent is now the ultimate target.

Review
Kurau was a little girl when her mother passed away; ever since, she had been attached to her father. On her birthday, she receives the gift of accompanying her father to work. It was this day, the lives of Kurau and her father will forever change. The discovery of Rynax energy was new and it just so happens that Kurau’s father was the head of the Rynax experiment. At the testing site, a phenomenon occurs and Rynax runs wild. When things were finally stabilized, Kurau underwent a change as Rynax now flows in her. What effects would this incident bring to Kurau’s future? The answer will be slowly revealed to you within this volume.

As the show fast forwards to the future, it is shown that Kurau utilizes her powers to take on jobs as a mercenary. And the first thing that I noticed right off the bat was she was no longer with her beloved father, which is a note worthy to jot down as they were inseparable previously. Anyways, although she lives as a mercenary, Kurau’s… or Rynax’s promise to Kurau’s father to take care of Kurau’s body is absolute. She refuses to take on dangerous jobs, but then things are a bit different when it is shown on the screen.

Kurau, the show is thoughtful. It is an anime series that requires viewers to think and question. One of those questions that were brought up early on in the show was if Kurau was Kurau or was she Rynax. Did the ‘real’ Kurau wandered off somewhere when Rynax entered her body? Or did it have no effect at all? But then if there was no effect, how come Kurau acted strangely right after the phenomenon? If that does not bring up some questions, what about her slow transition back to normal in her father’s standards? I mean, in the beginning he was distant towards her then when he saw the light his treatment towards Kurau was no different than prior to the Rynax incident. Hmm… and if Kurau was Kurau then why is she in search of her other half? Rynax exists in pairs and the sign that she is looking for her pair shows that she is not all Kurau. Am I just making something out of nothing or are there more that meets the eye? I do not know, but I get excited just wondering the various possibilities of outcomes that may exist.

Alright, enough with speculation and let us get down to something I am sure everyone who has looked at our heroine has asked. Is Kurau female or male? Heh, believe me if you at first thought Kurau was a guy, you are not the first, Kurau’s looks has tricked even Ayako Kawasumi (the voice actress of Kurau) and I during our first encounters. Now that we got that out of the way, let us get back on topic. From what I have seen thus far from this series is that there will be a lot of story development. And there seems to be a good split between dialogue and action to aid in the effort. This balance has kept the show somewhat interesting until during the midpoint of the volume, by that time I felt that things were just dragging on.

The drag on did not stop until towards the end of the volume, where the plot was beginning to unravel with certain questions from the earlier parts of the show being answered. At the end of volume one, you are revealed just enough to know what was going on and spark some thoughts as to what may happen in the future. I believe it was a decent wrap up for a volume, but Kurau will need more than the occurrences in volume one if it wants to keep its viewers. It will need to do more than what it has been doing, because the show itself from a standpoint is not attractive. It does not command the attention of a show like say, Gantz or Elfen Lied, where the characters are colorful and dynamic. In Kurau, Kurau herself shows little emotion prior to meeting her sister Christmas. And even after meeting Christmas, her emotions only improved a tad bit. Do not get me wrong, I am not saying an anime should consist of only happy, energetic characters, but it does help in my opinion for the main character to be the grasp of the show. With the introduction of Christmas, I felt I was moving my attention onto her, rather than Kurau. Rather the focus shift was intended for me or not, it does not matter, but for Kurau to work, it must maintain the audiences’ interest through its story development. There must be some sort of solid gripping aspect of the show in the next volume, or else it would be difficult for viewers to keep their attention span towards this anime.

The Breakdown
Kurau has the potential as it has shown with the beginning and the end of volume one. But at the middle was an area where the show stalled and seemed to have gone nowhere. The pacing of this piece was adequate; it gave viewers enough time to soak in what was the subject at hand and what should be expected in the future. Other than that, Kurau to me so far, is an average anime at best. I liked the action, I liked the animation and I liked the story to an extent, but it lacked the interest factor. There are the shows that make you want to continue watching and then there are those that you can do without. And Kurau is a do without show from my experience of volume one. I did not get the urge to want the volume to not end; moreover, I was hoping that it would end faster.

Synopsis
The Holy Grail War Begins! Ten years ago there was a secret war fought by master mages and their servants to obtain the Holy Grail, and the result was devastating to everyone. Today, the Holy Grail War is beginning again with new masters.

One such master, Shirou, must now come to grips with the reality of the secret world of war mages and their summoned servants when he unknowingly summons his own servant, Saber, said to the most powerful servant of them all. Perhaps Shirou will be the one to prevent the destruction that had marked the first war…

Review
Based in present time Japan, in a world where an ever revolving war occurs right after the next comes seven masters and seven servants. The battle ends as only one master and his/her servant survives. The reward? The Holy Grail, which will grant any wish to the bearer. You did not think it was just any type of war right? Because this is a Holy war that we are going to go through.

The show begins with a dream of the past of our main character, Emiya Shirou. In a city engulfed in flames, as he lay there waiting for death, a man appears out of the fog and saves him. This man who will become his adopted father passed on his ideals to Shirou, which will contribute to his character and personality later on.

Awaken from his dream his kouhai, Sakura Matou prepares his meals and has an affection for him that is more than just a senpai - kouhai relationship. The world surrounding them was changing. Incidents of ‘gas leaks’ were becoming frequent. Worst of all, there were no leads as to what the cause was. Then one day as Shirou stayed in school late to help out his childhood friend, he witnesses a battle between two servants. Whether you believe it was bad luck or good luck, witnessing a servant battle means death. And Lancer, one of the servants, abiding by the rule, kills him. Of course, there would be no show if the main character dies in the first episode, this event leads and connects us to the later happenings of the show. And before you know it, the loveliest servant of all, Saber, appears on the screen.

Fate is an interesting show. It limits itself in terms of the overall size of the show. What does that mean? When you take account of all the things that occur in the show, it will always bring you back to the main theme, the Holy Grail and the fight to death between the seven masters and servants. While there are touches of separation, the plot does not sway, which is a good thing. Fate is also a show with minimal comedy. There are light moments and when those moments lasted, they were tremendously enjoyable.

The character development of Fate Stay Night mainly revolves around Shirou and Saber. While Shirou’s character mainly derives from his father’s teachings, he does have traits that are a direct result of surviving the end of the last holy war as he was close to death. His most prominent traits are his willingness to help others and his unwillingness to burden others with his problems. It becomes a perfect clash of personalities as Saber is a servant who views herself as a knight before a woman, and Shirou’s character restricts her from fighting. The thing that gets my attention is the way that the plot progresses as the relationship between the two develop. There is a constant movement in their relationship, hence, setting the pace of the show with continuous progression.

As stated above, the story follows Shirou and Saber. While that may sound simple and boring; it is actually quite interesting as Fate, is mainly an action/fantasy title, but it does a nice job in combining other genres into the show to make it dynamic. I had a lot of fun just watching the lighter parts of the show, which made me questioned, ‘What if? What if Fate Stay Night was a love comedy instead of what it is?’ Hmm, certainly I would be interested, but anyways the plot was great. I loved watching the battles and how everything built up to the final encounter with a nifty surprise. Fate is definitely unique as not everything was predictable with experience. While I knew some things were going to happen, I did not know it was going to happen this way or that way. I am sure you guys know what I am talking about.

Moving on, let us get to the animation department of Fate. One word: Crazy. The animation was absolutely stunning. The various effects were amazing and character design was just as nice. One of the battles that I fell in love with was Archer’s battle with Berserker. I felt chills throughout the fight; it was certainly one of the best sequences Fate Stay Night had to offer. Man, that battle just leaves an impression on you like no other. And by realizing that it was only the midpoint of the entire show and things were already like this… you begin to have doubts as to whether the brains behind the show could top it. Of course, they have to, or else! Hehe. Seriously, I will leave it as that, if you want to know you should check out how this title plays out.

When it comes to acoustics, Fate fails to lure me in. The theme songs were boring. It lacked luster for my flavor. It could have been better, but its not life and death so it is not that serious of an offence. The voice acting and sound effects on another note were great; it really brought out the life of the piece.

The Breakdown
Fate Stay Night is a great title. The plot evolves from the characters and its ability to attract viewers with its superb animation and voice acting makes it an amazing piece to have in your collection.

The Start of it All

It is that time of the year again where one of the nation’s biggest Anime convention goes to San Jose, California. This year’s Fanime is bigger than ever with more than 11,000 counted people pouring through the San Jose convention center doors, ready to hit one of the many offered events. But before we move into the specificities of the convention, certain questions have come up from people, one of which is of interest: what makes Fanime so different than other conventions?

As the name indicates, Fanime is a convention for the people, by the people where fans who go and enjoy the convention find some value and appreciation for the hard working staffs who make Fanime possible as well as the convention in general. Through this, they come back the next year ‘to serve’ and not ‘ be served’. It is a progressive cycle created by none other than us. This year, I had a chance to experience Fanime not as just an attendee, but also as a person working ‘behind the scenes’ with other staffers who make this convention possible. A special section will be dedicated to my reflections regarding this later on. So without further delay, here is Fanime 2007.

Opening Ceremony

Every year, there is an opening ceremony kick off to welcome people as well as to introduce them to a few of the higher staffers who work extra hard to help make Fanime possible.

These people all look very eager to get the party rolling as they wait patiently for our hard working Fanime staffers to make their appearance.

The Dealers Room

This year, over 50 dealers made their appearances at Fanime, many of whom traveled across the country just to be here with us. You want something, they just about have it; from DVDs to PVCs to art books to even import games, thousands of people visit this room, Exhibit Hall #2, in search of that little special something they have wanted for a long time. As one takes his first few steps into this massive room of joy and experience euphoria, you have to wonder about one question: has your wallet run away yet? Regardless of such trivial matter which does not apply to me (as my wallet has always been strangely inhabited with killer butterflies), just walking around, looking through the variety of goods is enough. If anywhere, the dealers room is where the Anime collectors should be. Be sure to check it out if you have not when Fanime 2008 swings around in only 360 days…

For art book collectors and enthusiasts, this booth was the place to be.

And for those who are into pencil boards and figures, look no more.

Here we have import games. Guess some of us want to get caught up with the times with games only only in Japan so far.

Look at all the PVCs. So many to buy, so little money to spend.

E-Gaming and Arcades

‘FINISH HIM!’… well kind of. While Mortal Combat might not be part of any of the arcade games this year (even though it will remain in our hearts), there were many other popular games that made their show in Exhibit Hall #3 such as Initial D: 3, Guilty Gear, Melty Blood, Capcom vs. SNK 2 and many more. The arcades turned out to be fun for many as people slapped down their quarters waiting to get revenge on that someone who beat them 5 times in a row… you know you are one of them so do not even deny it. And if you need a little exercise, dance your night away with DDR or give your arm a little work out with Beatmania. Whether you want to challenge a friend or whether you are just waiting for the next event to take place, the arcades offer all the excitement with each quarter you toss down.

Racing anyone? Think you can take the challenge?

Here are some fighting games ranging from Guilty Gear to Melty Blood. Better start practicing because these people look serious.

For those games that can not be played in the arcades, e-gaming takes over bringing you popular games such as Smash Bros: Melee, Halo 2, Guitar Heroes, and Naruto. Dozens of people gather over one television set at times as they watch and wait in line to show off their skills. At night, e-gaming held hot-blooded tournaments for a variety of games that was sure to make your heart rumble. Aside from the actual physical interaction with a controller, a table off the side projected a variety of saved/recorded games beaten in record times and/or beaten with great skills. From being amazed by someone who beat Metroid in 24 minutes and collecting only 18% of the items to having fun in a very inexpensive way, the e-gaming area was a haven for those who’s luck ran out in the arcades (not to mention the quarters they have) as well as a place to sit down to relax and watch a few good childhood games played. So if you did not do so hot this year in your game, better start practicing for next year!

I think I see a few people studying the moves of some people playing.

The Swap Meet

With things that you buy and no longer care for, the saying ‘one man’s trash is another man’s’ becomes validated in a less ‘trash’ sense at the Fanime swap meet which took place in Exhibit Hall #3 Thursday and Friday nights. This year, 40 plus swap meet sellers looped this exhibit hall in what turned out to be a massive fest of haggling and trading among Anime fans as they try and get rid of or gain something rare. The key word I want to stress on is ‘haggling’. Yes, like any swap meet (a.k.a. flea market), you are allowed to make offers and receive counter-offers and so forth, which is one of the more interesting part of this whole meeting. It is one thing to straight up buy something at retail price, but it is another when you knock the price down by 50% if not more with your sweet talk. I mean, who can go wrong with buying the set of Cowboy Bebop DVDs for $24? Exactly. With the size of Fanime growing and the sheer number of people visiting and buying, you can not help to wonder what treasure you will find in the future swap meets. Next year, make sure to pay a visit to this event. You will not regret it.

It looks messy but you never know what you may find in all of this. Look! I see Megami!

Yes, even assassins show up to sell their stuff at the swap meet.

Many people go to the swap meet. Look at all these sellers, people just like us with something unique to offer.

Artist Alley

Yes, we all know the saying ‘ You can do it!’ from the movie Waterboy. But when it comes to Fanime, every artist hopes they ‘can do it’ as individuals showed off his works of art composed of Anime characters from a variety of series or even original art works in Exhibition Hall #1. If there is a talent one thinks he has, the artist alley is the place to be. Besides, all it really takes is a pencil and a strong passion and you are on your way. I must say I was impressed with some of the art works I saw and I wish the best of luck to the people who participated in artist alley. If this is your dream, passion, or gift, the artist alley in Fanime will help you chase after it.

Here is some original artworks by our very talent fans.

And another example of the talents these young people have to offer.

Maid Cafe

Hungry? Let’s go grab a bite to eat! I have an idea, how about the maid caf?�! This year Fanime introduced the maid caf?� on the second floor near the entrance of the Marriott. In case people are not familiar with the maid caf?� in Fanime, it is pretty straight forward: you are lined up, you are seated by maids, and you are served by the maids your order of food. Then afterwards, you can take a picture with your guest maids if you choose. Hopefully Fanime will bring this back as many people seemed to have enjoyed this experience.

People sitting down for a nice lunch at the maid cafe.

These maids were the stars of the stage at the maid cafe. We hope to see your work next year!

Guests of Honor

There were many guests of honor this year and I want to personally thank them for coming from where ever they are from be it Japan or another state to take their time off and make their presence at Fanime this year. It was unfortunate that I was unable to attend any of the panels or interviews as things came up, but I just want to say that Fanime is the place for you and I hope to see you again in the near future.

Anime Distributors and Others

From licensing Anime of what people love, to supporting Anime clubs and beyond, FUNImation, ADV, and Media Blasters are back this year introducing people to what they have to offer. Whether it is the newly licensed Anime, The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi by ADV or Solty Rei and Mushishi by FUNImation, these Anime companies work hard to introduce us to what we want and help further expand the fandom of Anime. I am glad they came back from their absences in 2006 and I hope they will continue to bring us what we love by making their appearances next year with something new to talk about out.

Look at these happy people from FUNimation ready to introduce one of the many Anime they have to offer.

Aside from Anime companies, the people who created, the popular game, Gaia online, showed up. This year Gaia had a huge space as well as an autograph session in the gaming room, Exhibit Hall #3, where fans of Gaia gathered together through arrangements with their respective clan and took group photos. If you are a fan of Gaia, be sure to check them out next time they swing by.

Looks like the Gaia is giving away prizes to lucky wheel spinners.

The autograph session of Gaia seems like a hit!

Black and White Ball

One of the newer events this year is the black and white ball where people hit the dance floor to show off their fancy footwork. Whether it is disco or techno, this semi-formal dance event gave people the opportunity to ‘let loose’ from the hectic day while having fun dancing with the person next to him. Like any other dance (yes, I remember high school from a while ago still), there were chairs and drinks with snacks provided in case people overexerted themselves a little. After a quick rest, it’s back to dancing the night away! A very unique event which would definitely draw more people in the future… that is… if they can dance the dance.

The night is young so dance your hearts out!

Karaoke Contest

Do not fear, Simon did not go and crash this annual Karaoke competition where contestants made their way up stage one by one to sing their favorite Anime song. From Kotoko to Dragon Ball Z, these eager singers nervously stood on stage and gave it their all to the audience. This event was not characterized with how well one can sing but more so on whether one is brave enough to face the challenge regardless of what people think so long as the person enjoyed doing it. Throughout the dozens of contestants who went up, there were moments of awe and moments of laugher. But whatever the reactions were, appreciation for these brave people was felt as they went up on stage to sing for the crowd of faces. And in the end of the competition, the winner received the chance to open up the ceremony of Masquerade with a song of her choice.

One of our brave contestants singing a Rozen Maiden song.

MusicFest

MusicFest took place throughout the week of the convention with many artists making their appearances from ZZ to MECHANiCAL PANDA. Stepping into a concert hall was a first for me as I experienced the chest vibrating, ear ringing (which eventually felt like someone poured lava down my ear), and ground shaking affects which stuck with me well after the concerts ended. Overall though, MusicFest was a big success this year as I watched the many people jump up and down, screaming with excitement. I must admit it takes a little getting used to, but for a newbie first time attendee it was still very enjoyable as I got caught ‘ in the moment’ a few times myself.

Here are some members of MECHANiCAL PANDA. Great performance!

Stage Zero and The Live Auction

Stage Zero is back for a second time this year along with AMVs, Music Videos, and even a live auction event. The money from this live auction, as well as the silent auction, goes on to support cancer research. The items ranged from a Digi-Carat box with the DVDs signed by none other than Sanada-san and a Murder Princess autographed board with a custom drawing signed by Sekihiko Inui. From $3 to over $1,000, the live auction was nothing short of exhilaration.

Here is a fun little AMV event for people to jump up and start singing to the music

Here we have up for bid… a hat!

Anime Screening Rooms and Others

As always, Fanime put up a great deal of effort to provide a well rounded selection of programs for the people ranging from Anime such as Bokura Ga Ita to Code Geass and onto the more mature themed genres such as Yuri and Hentai. Whether you want to check out what is new this season (or last) or are plagued with insomnia, the screening rooms is a great place to assuage your mind, giving your hours of entertainment throughout the night.

Down this path lies the true path… of the different screening rooms of course. What did you think I was going?

Masquerade

One of the highlights of Fanime is the Masquerade event which took place Sunday night as hundreds of people packed the San Jose’s Center of Performing Arts waiting to watch one of the many original performances put up by cosplayers. In case Masquerade is not too familiar with you, it is an event which involves cosplayers who perform various acts they make up with originality attached. It can range from an original song and dance to a skit from a variety of Anime. It can be funny, serious, sad, or even ridiculous. But like any Masquerade in the past, this year’s performance is nothing short of expectacular.

Our judges for Masquerade.

A Fullmetal Alchemist “broadway show” of wanting to be humans.

Here is a Card Captors Sakura short skit. Looks like they are making fun of a certain person…

Look! THe Ouran Cast! They never looked better in person than they do now.

WHat evil scheme could she be plotting..

Cosplay
And what Anime convention would be complete without our cosplayers? These people spent their time and made a suitable costume for Fanime. Whether it involved days or hours, the results were nothing less than impressive.

Oh no watch out Mikuru! Haruhi is up to something again!

Faye took from time to drop by and say hello. I wonder how much parking was for her…

Whatever you do, just make sure you don’t step on her after she transforms…

Still chasing after Kira even as far as Fanime aren’t you Misa?

Pay very close attention to Suiseiseki’s eyes…

Afterthoughts

Unlike my 3 previous appearances at Fanime, this was the first year where I was able to stay for 4 days and attend a few more events that time had permitted me. These long yet fleeting 4 days were filled with fun, excitement, work, and joy as I cruised from the dealers room to the musicfest and beyond, spending and cherishing every moment and memory that tags along. But with praises also come the criticisms. For one, the program guide did not make it to people on time who was present to pick up their badge. Only later was there an incomplete and scattered black and white copy as a substitute. But while a few people I asked were a bit upset, it did not seem to be a major problem as information booths this year did a great job in directly people and keeping the overall coherency of the public.

Another problem which affected me personally and caused a bit of disappointment was the general confusion with scheduling regarding panels and guests of honor. I was unable to meet with either Sanada-san or Yamaga-san for their autograph session or interview due to cancellations and ambiguities with the time or place. Although my personal disappointment has been assuaged, the main problem at hand involves the sentiments of the guests of honor who come from as far as Japan to meet both loyal and prospective fans. Now of course I was not part of guest relations and do not really know how things go down with that, I am worried our guests will pack their bags and leave without returning to Fanime. How sad would it be to see Yamaga-san, who had been committed to Fanime for many years, not return?

The fans who attended Fanime this year were truly something. I honestly don’t think I have seen more immaturity then I did during some of my encounters. For example, while riding down the elevator from the 9th floor, some person decided to act ’smart’ and tried to pack as many people into it as possible, with me in the middle of it, until the overweight alarm went off. An action this was not funny and can be quite dangerous. Also, glomping has become somewhat of a problem as unsuspecting people get tackled to the ground by a massive person who is too open to his expressions for his own good. Whether it’s Fanime or not, there needs to be the same level of respect for that person who is the victim of being tackle or even hurt from that very action. Again, this is not acceptable. And just because you think many people don’t mind being ‘glomped’, there are a few who do and those are the people who should not be discriminated due to one’s own selfishness. Luckily for me, I did not get glomp nor do I want some unknown person to glomp me without my consent. It is called respect. Learn that concept for those who have not. When it comes down to all of this, I question why some even attend this convention at all. To play arcades? To play magic the gathering? To just meet people and talk? Whatever the motives are, I am not the one to judge and say what he or she should do properly at this type of convention. But I do know one thing and that is you are the people who are attending and representing the image of Anime fans whether or not you realize it or not. All the running and screaming and ‘acting’ up does not promote any type of integrity let alone self respect. And while I sound like a teacher or a mother right now, I am not telling anyone what they should do. I am simply pointing out that one needs to realize what he or she is doing sometimes and ask if it is a responsible action.

Other than those minor things, I had a lot of fun this year meeting new people and talking about Anime. Honey and Clover II was a nice addition to the program, following the showing of Honey and Clover in Fanime 2006. The dealers room, as mentioned, provided a great deal of merchandise ( for me anyways) even though complaints were heard regarding dealers not providing Anime OSTs and so forth. I guess we can not always have what we want. Maybe next year you will find what are you looking for. The cosplays were also pretty decent as people dressed up in less mainstream stuff and slowly introduced the lesser known Anime treasures only old timers stay faithful to. Kudos to those who dedicated their time in making their costumes and I hope you come back next year even more spectacular when I make my return again. I hope this year has been a fun experience for you all and I hope to see what Fanime cooks up for 2008. Till 2008!

~Robert Lu

Special Section to The Registration Team, The Team I Worked With

This year, I decided to take on the responsibility of being a staff member as part of the registration team in order to provide a small outlook on what it took to make Fanime possible. For those who do not know what registration is responsible for, we stuffed your bags full of goodies, organized the pre-registration badges before you came so you could pick it up without delay, registered the pre-registration people as they come, made sure the line did not pile up when people are in line by creating sections, made badges for people who were on-site registration, and made sure everything went as smoothly as possible. There was an incredible amount of dedication involved as we worked towards not how long we were there but when we were there when we were needed. Sometimes one of us had to work for as much as 6 hours without stopping and if not more especially on Saturday when the lines were piling up faster than our ability to process the information. It was both a hard and fulfilling task at the same time. And while I made a few mistakes and got scolded on occasion, I did not regret a single moment of my time spent helping out registration. It was one thing to attend Fanime as a fan, but it was another when you were part of helping to make this convention happen. The faces of people you saw as they moved about the line, eager to go in provided a sense of responsibility as you help inch the line closer for them with each passing person. But it was not one person’s responsibility or burden to carry as we all worked as a team supporting each other and taking each others place when we needed a brief lunch break. In my case, I ate once a day for the first 3 days of the convention, eating dinner at 10PM at the closest McDonalds. I am sure many ate only once a day as well. I talked with a lot of people there and in the end, my very presence felt very comfortable. I want to take this time to acknowledge the hard working people who have been there this year and the previous years and say this was a very positive and satisfactory experience for me. I hope more people will find that obligation and experience something unforgettable.

Q/A With Antonio Eco

Here is a special Q&A with Antonio Eco, Head of Registration:

1. What is the best part of working as head of registration and what is the hardest part?

There are many ways we can improve registration, but what is feasible for next year is limited to what resources we have available. I’m still working on different ways to improve everything for both the attendee and the staff. Unfortunately, I won’t reveal how we are changing things, but I am excited about the upcoming changes.

Thank you for answering these questions and I look forward to next year. We appreciate your hard work.

Our staffs do their best in keeping an orderly line.

People patiently waiting for their turn to recieve their shiny badge.

Our team members occupied with serving the people who are registering for the convention.

Synopsis
What the hell is a daikon anyways?! What’s a band to do with no fame, and especially no sold-out arena to perform in? How can they grab the cash they need to build the Concert Dome of their dreams?! Well, they can’t. But the Nerima Daikon Brothers sure as hell are going to try! Watch as Hideki, Ichiro, and Mako farm daikon by day and battle slimy record producers, pachinko-mad hags, monstrous nurses, flatulent hospital administrators, and hot police babes by night. Listen as the band and the evil villains sing hilarious songs all along the bumpy, daikon-studded road! Tune in and see!!! (What’s a daikon? Is it a vegetable? Is it a fruit? A weapon? A girl’s best friend? All of the above?!) Pick up this copy of Nerima Daikon Brothers (right this minute!), and prepare to be amazed, grossed out, wildly entertained, sung to by cool blues musicians, and turned on by a fuzzy-wuzzy panda bear. (Did we mention the bushel-full of hot chicks?)

Review
Nerima Daikon Brothers is so wrong… in a good way. From the time the show starts to the time it ends you are filled with entertainment acoustically and visually. The show is an actual comedy play. There are a lot of singing and in the process a lot of ’smart’ remarks being exchanged. The story is about three individuals who happen to be related and their struggles to achieve their dream to build a dome on top of their farm in order to perform in concert in front of thousands of people. Of course struggles are not meant to be easy, and having Watanabe Shinichi does not help their case either. Nabeshin creates a show that is just hilarious. I will even say Nerima Daikon Brother is better than any of his works that I have seen thus far. For an example, a show like Excel Saga revolves around random crazy events, whereas, Nerima Daikon Brothers is actually relatable at some parts. I mean, talent search scams, gambling problems and nurse fetish hits home… if you know what I am saying. The things that occur in Excel Saga on the other hand… not always.

Anyways, the band is made up of Mako, Hideki and Ichiro. When they received notice that a talent agency was looking for talent, they immediately hopped on the wagon. What they did not expect were the other beings that would show up and the talent evaluator’s real motives. When it is all said and done, the show delivers some of the best laughs money can buy. The jokes are timely executed and the animation that went along with it was just as impressive. It was difficult to turn away from this title, because you just would not know what was coming up next. The tunes that accompany Nerima Daikon Brothers are not only outrageous in lyrics, but also can become a case of earworms for the weak. The Korean Wave Pachinko theme is constantly circulating in my head. It is getting to the point where I should seek some professional help. But oh wells.

There was one thing that stands out particularly in Nerima Daikon Brothers that I thoroughly enjoyed; the show’s pace. It moves on a consistent basis without pauses. In other words, this piece manages to keep the viewers interested by putting things on the screen that they (the viewers) would most likely find amusing… things like Mako, yes, Mako. What is unique about this anime is that each character has a distinctive way to blend in their type of humor. Just by realizing the way you respond to each character’s dialogue or action, you would be able to see what I am talking about.

The Breakdown
There are anime in this industry that you could just tell they are funny. Nerima Daikon Brothers does not sound like it would be a title that is worth anybody’s time, but judging an anime by its name is wrong. This show is hilarious. It is one of the better comedies that I have seen thus far this year. I enjoyed quite a bit of this little musical; it was a blast. Aside from some of the cons that I have brought to attention below, Nerima Daikon Brothers genuinely deserves a peep from anime fans out there.

On January 13, 2005, the Animesou.com staff did a Watcher on Appleseed the Movie. We had fun with the Watcher and so did Friday of SoulKool, LLC. After submitting the feature to her, she was delighted and proceeded to send me some goodies. The goodies included: 6 Appleseed posters (7 if I count the one I got from the New York to Tokyo special screening), 11 postcards, and 2 figurines. She also tossed in a special something something for me (Her friend’s band, Call Florence Pow CD). She was a great person to deal with and with all these goodies, I cannot possibly selfishly keep them all. With the title of Vice President to my name for my university’s anime club, I decided to dish them out during an anime meeting. So here are some pictures my assistant and I took while at the meeting. Enjoy!

On our way to the university. That is about 35 miles, so I decided to turn on the NOS.

I slowed down a bit, due to the Five O’s ambushing this area (cops). :P

And so my assistant and I arrived to the meeting room after about a 30 minutes drive.

Look at the garbage anime clubbers feast on. Potato chips and soda? Comon! (Oh yeah, I was the one that bought the chips ^_^;;).

The contest rules were this: Members of the club (excluding me) draws out a paper to see what they will be winning. Supposedly we were to ask questions, but due to the poor time scheduling of the club, the turn out was not great and there were enough prizes to give to everyone so the questions were omitted. (Friday, 7:00PM, that is when everyone is home chillin’ or warmin’, whatever you want to call it). But for those who did show up, I gave them the stuff the paper they drew out wrote.

For an odd reason, all the ladies got posters :). This thing is rigged!!!

This guy looks unhappy, even though he just received a Deunan figurine from me! What an unappreciative bastage!

This dude, just got Briareos and the dude with Deunan still looks dazed… maybe he is just lost?

Finally!!! A reaction from the dazed one! *Laughs*

Hmm… a rare sighting. The club president actually got a poster.

So here are the talkative members discussing about various things, everyone is smiling and into it, it seems like they liked the stuff they got. :)

While everyone is busying chatting down, this feature cannot be possibly complete without a picture of me and what once used to be my poster. :-(

My assistant here, was down on what he picked out from the papers, saying, “I went to this anime meeting and all I got was this lousy postcard.” After I took him to the corner and beat some sense into him, he was happy with what he got :).

In the end, I leave without anything… but hmm… I do believe I brought in a bag of other screening materials in case the club meeting has time for it. Where could that have gone?

This fool thinks he can get away, looks like someone will be walking home tonight.

Main Idea of this Rant?! - Giving back to the community can be quite fun.

Closing Statement(s) - The club meeting time is just horrendous. I mean, who goes to club meetings on Friday nights? Everyone is out partying or at home relaxing. If I did not plan to give out the Appleseed promotional items, I would not have gone to the meeting. But in any case, I liked this event for Animesou. It shows that we do not only sit on our behinds all day and watch anime, we actually try to do stuff to promote it. Also a big thanks goes to Friday, who has been so kind throughout the whole process. I certainly will look forward into working with her on other projects. And Raymond Tse, my assistant. He made my drive to the meeting much more enjoyable and helped out with various of things, such as, carrying the bags :P. Thanks brother man!

Synopsis
Spread your wings and fly! Welcome to the world of Storm Riders, where motor-powered inline skates called ‘Air Trecks’ take extreme sports to a whole new level. Those who dare to ride with these high tech devices risk life and limb in a struggle for fame, power and wings to take to the sky. Enter Ikki Minami, the toughest fighter on the east side of town. He rules his school, takes on violent gangs single-handedly and lives with the Noyamanos: four sexy sisters with a surprising secret. And after a humiliating defeat by a terrifying gang of Storm Riders, the sisters welcome him to the world of Air Trecks, where his strength, speed and ambitions soar to brand new heights. Now, with powerful new sings, he must protect his friends, his school and his pride in fierce Air Treck battles known as ‘Parts Wars.’ One mistake could cost him everything, but each victory brings him one step closer to becoming the king of the sky.

Review
Not sure if rollerblading ever went out of style, but if it did, Air Gear is certainly going to bring it back. The show first came off to me as some young audience based anime, but upon viewing it, that assumption went straight out through the window.

Air Gear is by Oh! great, you might have heard that name from another show, Tenjho Tenge. Anyways, as mentioned above, it revolves around ‘Air Trecks’ which resemble rollerblades in reality. Itsuki Minami, AKA ‘Ikki’ is our character in focus. He is reckless and fearless. One day he sneaks in the forbidden room of the house he is freeloading off of and discovers air trecks along with the Sleeping Forest badge. As he takes the ATs out for a spin one night, he sees Simca, the girl that he has been eyeing for a while, at a Storm Riders meet. After seeing that people were touching her and slapping stickers on her, the perverted Ikki, takes the Sleeping Forest sticker and slaps it on Simca’s back… little did he know, he put the sticker on top of another Storm Riders’ in which signifies a challenge. Many intriguing things follow and it will certainly be a treat for you to find out.

Air Gear is a show that nails it. The show is well balanced with comedy, action, drama and plot. The battle scenes are exciting and the characters leave a lasting appeal. The acoustics is no slouch either as the bumping soundtrack blends in with the scenes to create an atmosphere so impressive it leaves audiences in a state of shock. On the comedy side, Air Gear is not an anime that is focused on getting pure laughs; it utilizes situations and moods to build up to a certain point and then lets a quick jab to knock everything down. Basically, it is serious when it has to be, and even if it’s serious, the show will somehow bring it back to a laidback state after everything is said and done.

The Breakdown
From what I have seen so far, this show should be an entertaining experience for most viewers. Of course, ADV Films releasing the title uncensored helps as well. If you want a series to watch that will get you all pumped up, then look no further than what we have here. I can truly say, Air Gear has everything I look for in an anime.

It’s been 12 exciting years since I’ve officially proclaimed myself an otaku. Give me anything animated, with big eyes, from the land of the rising sun and I’d devour it. 5-10 hour marathon viewings were the norm. You name it, I’d seen it.

Now back in the early 90’s, anime wasn’t very well known. It was special. A niche hobby only few discovered and supported. Expensive as it was, I found a way to get those $30, 2 episode, VHS tapes. It was almost taboo to even talk about Japanese anime with someone who didn’t watch it. They’d think it was a term used only for animated porn. “It was far from animated smut”, I’d tell them. Sure there was the occasional hentai but that was only a category like how horror is only a genre of movie. Based on that if everyone thought horror was what a movie was in general, they’d be missing out on an entire medium. Non fans let that fly right over their heads and stayed narrow minded.

These were not cartoons! Not the ones made for kids that come on after school and Saturday morning. These were mature stories no different than movies we pay good money to see every weekend. They just happen to be animated. There was just something that pulled me in. The art, originality, quirky writing, offbeat humor, and to be honest, yes some of the unexpected nudity and fan service. It all clicked and it was like magic. That was all about to change though.

In 1995 the DVD format finally began it’s overtaking of the VHS. This seemed like an anime fans dream, a cheaper, clearer, more portable version of a laser disc. Not only that, it settled the everlasting argument, sub or dub, for the anime purist, since both were available on one disc. I couldn’t have been happier! I started to see more and more great anime get released, plus all the companies had a back catalogue of awesome classics to work with.

This would reveal itself to be a double edge sword. Pokemon and Dragonball Z were taking over the airwaves introducing millions and millions of new fans. Countless shows were being released, edited for the masses. My once secluded hobby was being over exposed. Companies began licensing everything in sight, good or bad. Now you’d have to do a lot more research to not get burned by a crappy show. This may be one of the reasons anime in general these days has lost its luster to me. The market has grown so big that most shows are being made from a worldwide, mass appeal approach, instead of being based culturally where they are from, Japan.

Don’t get me wrong, there are still diamonds in the rough, but with the ever expanding shelf space in the marketplace, it’s getting increasingly harder to find. A few of my new favorites are Marmalade Boy, Boys Over Flowers, and Kodacha. Notice something there? These shows are all from the early to mid 90’s. To be fair, there are current titles that got it right like, Kino’s Journey, Samurai Champloo, and Great Teacher Onizuka.

What titles are missing these days is characterization. There’s just that something that’s missing in a lot of the newer titles released. Most of the time I don’t even know the characters name by the end of the show. Things just seem one dimensional. I don’t know if it’s the digitization of the animation over the warmth of handrawn art, writing ability laid to flat, lack of originality or simply lack of breast. Ha ha, laugh if you must, but a characters reaction to seeing breast told a lot about them.

All in all, it boils downs to Hollywood influence, technology taking away some of the pureness, and phasing out the naughtiness that made anime fun and different to begin with. After having this hobby for as long as I have, what else could I expect? With that said, I’m still an anime fan. I’m just not addicted anymore.