The column, “Burakku Kin’youbi Anime”, means simply “Black Friday Anime”. Every Friday, I’ll take a look at the world of Japanese animation in hopes of getting more people to love it the way I do.
Introduction ~intorodakushon~
Welcome to a brand new column here on 411Black! In case you don’t know me, I’m Lee Baxley from 411Games’ Hump Day Otaku News Report. Previously, that column was about video games AND anime, but since 411Black came along, I figured I’d kill the old report, and give birth to a couple of phenixes. For the record, I did not know that the word phoenix had a plural, but Webster’s says it does, so I’m sticking to it.
Anyhow, the old Hump Day report will remain on games, with likely a new name (since I took out 1/2 of the reason it had the word Otaku in the title), and I’ll have this column here every Friday. This is a good thing because now I won’t have to hear some of those jackasses bitching at me for having something as stupid as anime in a game column. Normally, I would have said “f*ck them” (and I did), but the opportunity presented itself, so I went with it.
Oh, and this will show up under TV and Cartoons, which will likely piss of several people as well, considering how vehement many anime fans are about Japanese animation being lumped in with “inferior” American cartoons. Well, I say f*ck that too. Who cares what it’s called? Cartoons, animation, it’s all the same. Ah, but fear not true believers, I will only focus on the Japanese stuff here, and leave the American stuff to someone else.
So now that the introduction is out of the way, I’ll get on with the column itself. The form will be somewhat familiar to what has been seen from me before, but I hope to flesh it out much more than I have previously done. I’ll still do reviews (hopefully with much greater frequency than in the past), and news, and new releases. I’ll also bring back the TSRI bargains that I had for a while, and what do you know, since they’re released on Thursday, and this is released on Friday, the bargains will actually stay up for a while. What a coincidence! No, not really. That’s actually my primary reason for picking Friday. Ah, but who cares about that stuff. It’s time to get on with the good stuffs.
HAPPY FUN COLUMN BEGIN!
News ~nyuusu~
The news here comes courtesy Anime News Network. There isn’t a whole lot for this edition, but there should be more in the future.
Microsoft and Bandai Team Up
The makers of Windows and the makers of .hack are getting together to distribute streaming anime over the internet. Though it’s only active in South Korea, the two are releasing several different shows and movies. Currently they have three Gundam movies, Z Gundam, Dirty Pair, .hack//SIGN and Aura Battler Dunbine, and I’m sure more will be available in the future. They state that the service should be available in Europe, Asia and North America by the end of 2004.
TATU Anime?
Fans of the Russian duo TATU will be happy to hear that they will be starring in an anime movie to be released in Japan in November 2004. Little else is known about the movie, titled Paragate, but we do know that it will be directed by Norio Kashima and Susume Kudoh, with the opening directed by Shinichiro Watanabe (of Cowboy Bebop fame). More info will be posted when it is released.
Anime on International Channel
Changes will be coming to the anime line up of the International channel. Black Heaven will begin on January 5th, replacing Lost Universe, which finishes its run on December 29th. On December 30th, the Fushigi Yuugi OAV series will replace the FY TV series, which ends on the 23rd. The channel also shows El Hazard: The Alternate world every Wednesday, and Dragonball GT on Sundays, though the latter will end its run on December 28th.
New Releases ~reriizu~
December 9
Corrector Yui Vol. #3 (Viz) – $24.98 MSRP – $22.48 TSRI – $19.98 ACS
Final Fantasy Unlimited Vol. #2 (ADV) – $24.95 MSRP – $22.48 TSRI – $21.98 ACS
Heat Guy J Vol. #3 (Geneon) – $29.98 MSRP – $26.98 TSRI – $23.98 ACS
Inu Yasha Special Limited Edition Set #1 (Viz) – $49.98 MSRP – $44.98 TSRI – $44.98 ACS
Master Keaton Vol. #4 (Geneon) – $29.98 MSRP – $26.98 TSRI – $23.98 ACS
Neo Ranga Vol. #6 (ADV) – $29.98 MSRP – $26.98 TSRI – $21.98 ACS
Nuku Nuku Dash Vol. #2 (ADV) – $29.98 MSRP – $26.98 TSRI – $21.98 ACS
Orphen II Vol. #1 (ADV) – $29.98 MSRP – $26.98 TSRI – $21.98 ACS
Sugar Vol. #5 (Geneon) – $29.98 MSRP – $26.98 TSRI – $23.98 ACS
Super Gals Vol. #3 (ADV) – $29.98 MSRP – $26.98 TSRI – $21.98 ACS
Yu Yu Hakusho Vol. #19 ( ) – $24.95 MSRP – $22.46 TSRI – $18.98 ACS
Bargains ~yasuuri~
This week, The Right Stuf has a plethora of holiday bargains, with something for any anime fan! There’s a whole boatload of them, so I’ll just give a straight up list.
Cardcaptor Sakura DVD 1-9 – Reg $269.82 – Sale $98.99
Cutey Honey DVD 1-2 – Reg $59.96 – Sale $22.98
Devil Lady DVD 1-6 – Reg $179.88 – Sale $69.99
Fushigi Yugi Box Set 1 4 discs – Reg $198.99 – Sale $134.99
Generator Gawl DVD 1-4 – Reg $119.96 – Sale $29.99 (WOW!)
Orphen DVD 1-6 – Reg $179.70 – Sale $59.99
Strawberry Eggs DVD 1-4 – Reg $119.92 – Sale $43.99
Of course, that’s not EVERYTHING they have to offer. There are more sets, including several for you hentai fans out there, and all are a great buy. I recommend you check out the full list yourself, because I guarantee you that there’s SOMETHING you’d be interested in.
Plugs ~paragu~
Since this column is on 411Black and all, I don’t need to do any plugs, but I like doing them. So here’s some guys you gotta check out.
Eric S. gets an auto-plug just because he rocks. And to comment on what he wrote in his Wrestling Column on the EA/TNA situation, I personally find it very hard to believe that they can’t get out of their agreement somehow, considering it makes them unable to make any wrestling games for actual wrestling companies. I tend to think they didn’t like the cat getting out of the bag too early, which is exactly what Jarrett did, and either postponed or cancelled the whole thing. But what do I know?
Grut rocks, but now he’s got help rocking!
Scotsman has offspring. On one hand, I find this to be very disturbing, but on the other, I think he’ll be a great daddy.
Fried relates a situation that happened to him that hits home with me, because a very similar situation happened with me. The answer to the puzzle is: if you like them, you want to be around them, and if you tell them you like them, they don’t want to be around you unless they like you too. So DON’T tell them, stick around until they DO like you, and you’re all good. And if they never do, well, at least you still have a friend. I learned this the hard way.
Oh, and there’s this guy named Baxley over in 411Games that writes a killer report focusing mainly on RPGs. You should check it out.
Closing ~shuuki~
Well, that’s my first column here in the Black. I hope you’ve enjoyed it. The format may evolve over time, but maybe not. Oh, and if I completely f*cked up any of the Japanese on here, I’m sorry. I had to look it all up on a handy-dandy little page called JEDI, and it may be wrong. So until next week, have fun and watch some anime! OTAKU PRIDE, BITCH!
HAPPY FUN COLUMN END!