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Yes, I have two reviews for you today on this gloomy Friday in New York City. I wish all of you who are dealing with finals week good luck and remember, after that, you’re free to watch as much anime as you want!!! Anyways, without further delay, here are my reviews on Viz Media’s One Piece Vol. 1: King Of The Pirates and Central Park Media’s Animation Runner Kuromi 2. Also, Ray is showing off his sexy Master Grade RX-78 Gundam model. For those who are interested in modeling or think you need some assistance, just hit the forums and contact him. Ja.

Synopsis
Kuromi is back, and more determined than ever to make it in the anime business. But all hell breaks loose when the boss quits smoking just when the workload bursts out of control. Can Kuromi overcome this almost insurmountable obstacle?  

Review
Those who are fans of the first Animation Runner Kuromi will find that this sequel is a nice little touch to a neat title that gives anime fans a peek at how anime is… or at least the processes that it goes through in order for it to be released. In the first installment of Animation Runner, Kuromi had to lead her unique, slacking team to create an episode of anime. If putting together one episode was that difficult of a task, then you would definitely want to see what kind of havoc would develop when the crew has been given the assignment to create one episode for three different series; that is three episodes by the way for those who are bad at math.  

How is Kuromi going to motivate her lazy staff? Well, she almost does not, because a hot shot animation runner comes barging in their studio and starts demanding things to be done by using strict methods… that works. Of course, since this hot shot animation runner is all about making the dead line, at the expense of the quality of the anime; we got a dilemma here. While Shihonmatsu is on the edge, going cold turkey from cigarettes, and the staff’s motivation runs low, it is time for Kuromi to take back Studio Petit, for the sake of her staff and for the sake of producing great anime.  

Animation Runner Kuromi 2, pretty much sticks with the same formula as the first installment. Nothing much changed, and nothing much added. As I was watching it, it felt like it was a good bridge between the two OAVs, but that is about it. Certainly this show is about delivering fun to the audience and at times it does. However, the fun is not always there, there are some tense moments that make you wonder if this really is what you wanted to bargain for.

Synopsis
A young man named Monkey D. Luffy dreams of becoming King of the Pirates. When he’s captured by a band of pirates, Luffy escapes to a naval base ruled by an evil captain. Luffy saves the famous swordsman, Zolo from execution in exchange for joining his crew, and the real adventure begins!

Review
One Piece is an example of a show where my stupidity led me to assume that a certain anime is bad because of the way it looked. Man I so deserve a beating from Nami. Not only did this show, proved me wrong, but it surpassed anything that I could have expected from it. The beef that I did have with One Piece is the version I received. It was the TV edited version, which means, some of the show was edited so that it would be appropriate to be shown on cartoon Saturdays or something. The addition of fade in and fade outs made for commercial breaks were annoying, but I guess I should stop with the ranting, I mean, it did warn me on the front and back cover that it was the TV version.

Okay, moving away from the being edited topic, because that can be a whole Rant-ON article in itself. The show is very enjoyable, and the characters are likable. Coby is one funny dude due to the way he reacts to the crazy decisions of Luffy’s. Obviously, our main character is the fellow with the straw hat, yes, that guy named Monkey D. Luffy.

From the start we are introduced to a few of the characters who will have some sort of significance in the show later on. You have heard two names already. Luffy, and Coby (somehow even though he does not become a pirate), the other names you will hear are Roronoa Zoro (Zolo), the pirate hunter and later on Nami, the pirate thieve. At first glance, you already know One Piece will be a fun adventure due to its animation style. It is not serious, although it could be. One thing I liked from the animation is the use of colors. The colors define the emotion a certain character is feeling and it is weird how I just like the utilization of that method in anime.

The plot of One Piece is kept to the basics. This whole adventure was sparked by a little boy’s dream; to be the Pirate King. That little boy has now grown and is now beginning to chase his dream by rounding up a crew of pirates. Of course, this task will not be easy, and if it was not for Luffy’s forbidden fruit abilities he would have been dead by the first volume. The show constantly hangs itself on the cliff. And that is how it gets you addicted to want to continue watching it. The way they did that certainly has me hooked and reeled in. Now if only an unedited version was released. Now that would be cool. I am sure a lot of us are yearning for it.

The Breakdown
Overall, One Piece is great. The story keeps the viewers entertained at all times, while everything else is consistent at providing a good experience. I have fallen in love with One Piece and I hope you do too, because if you do not, you will be missing out on some serious fun.

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive manga and animation licensing and publishing companies, has announced that it will publish an original sports manga that commemorates one of the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team’s most notable victories. (more…)

Clear the flight-deck, because we’re having an ADV sale! That’s right, soar and dive into great savings on some of ADV’s hottest new and old titles! Great shows like Area 88, Gilgamesh, and Princess Tutu! (more…)

ADV Films just contacted me about the trailer being up for This Ugly Yet Beautiful World, on IGN.com. It will be on IGN.com exclusively for a week or so. But look forward to May 16th. That is when the showsite of This Ugly Yet Beautiful World will debut on ADV Films.com.

Rx-78 2 Gundam Ver 1.5
Designer/Modeler: Ray

Manufacture: Bandai
Scale: 1/100 Master Grade

Release date: June 2000

Status: Finished on March 27, 2006

  

  

Review:

Skill Level: 4/10 - For a Master Grade model this was pretty easy, mainly because the engineering of it isn’t as advance as the current MGs. You can complete this model without any glue, but since it’s a MG and is more complex then a 1/144 model, I give it a 4.

Painting: 2/10 - Master Grades are usually molded in color, sometimes even their tiny parts are molded in color. So if you’re fine with not painting you model, then this is for you! But, I like to paint my models and this was very easy to paint, no masking was required. Just paint the color the part was molded in, it’s very straight forward.
Quality: 8/10 - The Quality on this model is great, no flaws or problems, but could be better, since it is a Master Grade.
Design: 8/10 - No problems here either, the design of the model was great, everything is proportional. It even comes with it’s full armor! and looks very cool in it.

Engineering: 8/10 - This MG is a new version release of the Rx-78, thus the Ver. 1.5, The engineering of the legs on this is just like the perfect grade Rx-78! it’s amazing!

Overall: 8/10 - You can’t go wrong with a Master Grade model, they’re just amazing.

  

  

Background Information:   

       The Gundam is one of three prototype mobile suits secretly developed by the embattled Earth Federation. After suffering tremendous losses to Zeon’s mobile suits earlier in the war, the Federation set out to create its own, using the very latest advanced technology. The Gundam is the most successful of these prototypes, a close-combat mobile suit protected by tough Luna Titanium armor, and armed with both lethal beam sabers and a devastating beam rifle as powerful as a battleship cannon. It’s also equipped with an advanced computer which learns from its pilot, ultimately enabling it to operate the Gundam automatically. In the hands of accidental pilot Amuro Ray, this one prototype mobile suit proves to be the equal of any Zeon weapon.
Source: Gundam Official
  

Specs:

Pilot: Amuro Ray

Head height: 18.0 meters

Base weight: 43.4 tons

Full weight: 60.0 tons

Generator: 1380 kW

Thrusters: 55,500 kg

180 ° turn: 1.5 seconds

Sensor radius: 5700 meters

Armor materials: Luna Titanium alloy

Armament:

60mm vulcan gun x 2
Beam saber x 2
Beam rifle
Hyper bazooka
beam javelin
Gundam hammer
Hyper hammer

  

Production Notes:

       I got this model when I was in Hong Kong, in 2000. I was bored as hell at my Grandmother’s place and since there was no internet, I had nothing to do. The cartoons weren’t even on yet either. So I went down to the mall to pick up some models for myself. Then I ran into this! I looked at the side of the box, and I was amazed, I was like “WOW! this comes with mad weapons!” It came with the javelin, Bazooka and the chain and ball thing (Hyper hammer). The last time I check on the Rx-78 MG, I don’t remember it having so many weapons, but one thing I didn’t know was, they released a Ver 1.5. Since I had no access to the internet, I had no idea what was going on.

       The only problem I had with the model, was it’s shield. the only way for it to hold the shield up was by making it’s hand hold the shield handle. Over time, the hands would get loose and the shield would get loose. So I made a little mod for the shield.

  

- This is how it looked before I painted it. Ok, I know it’s a bad picture, but it’s all I have for a before pic.

  

- The Internals of the legs.

  

- Flexing the sexy legs.

  

- Showing off the legs again.

  

- The Base colors full painted.

  

- A picture of how I sometimes mask my parts. I used Play-dough.

  

- Everything’s finished, Ready for decals.

  

- I like to use scotch tape for my decals, because they’re clear and it allows me to position my decals better.

- They’re also easy to peel off without damaging the paint and don’t leave a sticky residue.

  

- Don’t put tape over already decaled area, because the tape will rip them right off.

  

- All decals complete.

  

  

  

Finalized pictures:

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

- The model is now placed on my desk at work

  

Hey all, here is a review of ADV Films’ May 23rd release of Nanaka 6/17 Vol. 1: Not So Magical Mishap. More reviews to come soon! Stay tuned folks!

Synopsis
Growing up can be painful - especially when you fall down a flight of stairs, suffer severe head trauma, and wake up with the mental capacity of a kindergartener. Ouch! Now 17-year-old Nanaka Kirisato has to grow up all over again. You see, Nanaka thinks she’s been through a magical transformation, and she just can’t wrap her head around the head trauma. But if she thought fitting in as an unpopular bookworm was hard, subtracting eleven years certainly won’t help. Throw in a mullet-headed boy bully, a karate-chopping girl bully, a bullheaded best friend, and a barrage of schoolyard battles, and Nanaka’s problems multiply exponentially! It all adds up to mayhem and mass hysteria in the first hysterical volume of Nanaka 6/17.

Review
Imagine yourself being seventeen years old one day and then after a freak accident, turning six the other. Of course, you most likely would not be able to remember that you have mentally gone back eleven years, but the thought of it is something that intrigues some people. I mean, you lose (forget) all that has happened in between those eleven years gap. Do you or can you imagine how painful it would be for those who care for you, that you forget? You probably cannot. And in Nanaka’s case, such grief was not necessary. The serious, Nanaka, who only cared about the future and exams did not have much friends… except a childhood one. And she did not have anybody else to care for her in her family other than a daughter obsessed father who depends on Nanaka’s childhood friend, Nenji.

“Raging Hair” Nenji Nagihara, as stated above is Nanaka’s only childhood friend of any significance shown at this point of the anime. The dude is like a version of Seiji ‘Maddog’ Sawamura from Midori Days. He fights not because he picks them, but because people just want to spar with him… on a daily routine. And on one rainy day as Nenji beats his opponents to a pulp, Nanaka questions if he would ever stop fighting, and if he would ever grow up for a change. Oh boy. What a turn of events eh? After one killer line from Nenji to Nanaka, Nanaka runs off on her own, only to wake up eleven years younger in her mind.

Is it a bad thing or a good thing? That was a thought that has gone through Nenji’s head. Thinking about it. Nanaka who was too mature for her age turns immature, and the usually immature Nenji who would punch first, talk never, now has to learn a bit of responsibility by taking care of the six year old Nanaka, who also thinks that she has grown physically because of some magic spell. Things seem fine at the moment right? You are following all this right? Now let us get down a little further. Add these elements to the story. Jealous classmates, a love rival and the fact that this whole debacle has to be kept secret. How do you keep a six year old from not acting like one? Answer. You cannot. And Nenji learns that when the school becomes suspicious of them going out, as Nanaka is always with Nenji and vice versa. Sigh… I sure feel for him.

Anyways, Nanaka 6/17 is a loose title. It does not require you to put your thinking caps on in order to comprehend the plot. Its simplicity is what really appealed to me. Sure you like the good animation, the nice soundtrack and a dose of interest factor in it. But I believe that actually understanding the whole situation with those added features is better than being lost with those same added features. This title certainly delivers when it comes to that department. It is also a joy to watch this show after Nanaka’s accident as cruel as that may sound. Why? Because the mature seventeen year old Nanaka is one boring bookworm :). I know, she will recover from amnesia and turn back to Nanaka 17, but I can only hope that there are a lot of cool and fun things that happen as we deal with Nanaka 6 hehe.

The Breakdown
Nanaka 6/17 feels like a Midori Days like title. The concepts are very similar. One guy fighting character, one female character and one love rival. Midori was a shy serious girl before she became Seiji’s right hand… the same happens to Nanaka when she turns six. So it is easy to say that if you enjoyed a title like Midori Days, you will most definitely enjoy Nanaka 6/17.

Whether you’re looking for hot scoops on new shows available only in Japan, or in-depth features on titles you’re watching right now, May’s Newtype USA has got you covered! The top anime and manga monthly in North America is overstuffed with 13 features covering everything an anime fan could hope for. The fun begins with an exclusive cover story on Sgt. Frog, one of Japan’s most popular shows. You can’t miss Newtype USA’s sneak peek at this highly anticipated title! (more…)