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“The Radius”

DVD Review: Venus Viruses Virus, The Complete Series

Director: Shinichiro Kimura / Studio: Studio Hibari / Author; Atsushi Suzumi

U.S. Distributor: FUNimation

U.S. Release Date: June 16th, 2009

Format: DVD / Fantasy, Action, Yuri /  290 minutes

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Similar Titles: Murder Princess and Moon Phase.

A hardened woman, an old man, a scared pre-teenage girl and a 5 year old girl – mix them all up and what do you have? I’m not really sure, but they all have their own special abilities and are very good at using them. Two of them are more connected than they know, and are the key to the fate of the world.

Happy Boys, Volume 1  

Author: Makoto Tateno

Distributor: Digital Manga Publishing

American release date: October 2009

Format/Genre: Emanga/Comedy/Drama

Publisher/Industry Age Rating: Young Adults/16+

Overall Personal Rating:  A-

The Lady Braganza is a butler cafe.  It is a place for men and  women to go for tea and refreshments, but even more than that, it is a home away from home, where they are treated with especial courtesy by the all male staff who wait upon them, granting their every wish.  As we begin Happy Boys, Volume 1, a young girl arrives at the cafe, greeted at the door by the butler, Katano.  She is then taken over by footman Shiva, who will wait upon his princess, as she is ushered to a table of her very own.

Black Butler, Volume 2  

Author: Yana Toboso

Publisher: Yen Press

American release date: May 2010

Format/Genre: Manga/Drama/Black Comedy/Supernatural

Publisher/Industry Age Rating: Older Teen

Overall Personal Rating: A +

Another day at Phantomhive Manor begins and, as usual, Sebastian is quite busy.  He has given the staff their marching orders, and is preparing for tomorrow’s visit of the children of an orphanage, whom Ciel has invited to the Manor.  But every time he turns around, something has gone wrong with what the staff is to do, beginning with Mey-rin and an overabundance of detergent.  Sebastian is so frustrated that he must see her – he must go to her, or go mad!  When he returns to his duties, feeling better than when he left, he discovers that the large chocolate sculpture of the wild Earl, which he so lovingly cast with his own two hands, is missing its head!  Whoever can the culprit be?

“The Radius”

Gunslinger Girl, IL Teatrino: The Complete Series

Director: Rei Mano / Studio: Artland / Authors: Yu Aida & Tatsuhiko Urahata

U. S. Distributor: FUNimation

U. S. Release Date: Aug. 18th, 2009

Format: DVD / Genre: Action Sci-FiL / 315 minutes

Age Rating: TV MA

Overall Personal Rating: A+

Similar Titles: Last Exile and Air

Counters

Contrary to what you may think, counting things in Japanese is a much lengthier process than in English. Japanese has a vast array of what are called “counting words” or “counters”. In English it is usually enough to put a number before the thing one wants to count, like cats- you can say “one cat, two cats”.  English has a few counters too, for example, if you were counting sand, you wouldn’t say “one sand, two sand”; you’d say “one grain of sand, two grains of sand”. But in Japanese there are counters for anything and everything. A common formula for using counters is:

Genju no Seiza, Volume 3  

Author: Matsuri Akino

Publisher: TokyoPop

American release date: 2007

Format/ Genre: Manga/Fantasy

Publisher/Industry Age Rating: OT/16+

Overall Personal Rating: A.

Good Omens

Author: Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Publisher: Workman Publishing

Original Release Date: May 1990

Type: Fantasy

Rating: PG-13

Overall Personal Rating: A

Similar Titles: The Color of Magic, American Gods

When Pratchett and Gaiman team up to deliver Armageddeon only the way they can, a good time can be promised for all. Well, if you survive the end of the world, that is.

Synopsis:

“The Radius”

20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope on DVD

Director: Yukihiko Tsutsumi / Studio: Viz Pictures, Inc. ? Author: Naoki Urasawa

Distributor: Viz Pictures, Inc.

American Release Date: Feb. 16th, 2010

Format: DVD / Genre: Drama / 140 minutes

Industry Rating: Not Rated (PG 13 suggested)

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Similar Titles: Death Note parts 1 & 2 and  Death Note: L Change the World.

So you want to becoming a maniacal world leader of a deadly cult and are looking for the “How To” handbook then spend a few hours of your time becoming familiar with 20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope.

“The Radius”

20th Century Boys 1: The Beginning of the End on DVD

Director: Yukihiko Tsutsumi / Studio: Viz Pictures, Inc. ? Author: Naoki Urasawa

Distributor: Viz Pictures, Inc.

American Release Date: Dec. 15th, 2009

Format: DVD / Genre: Drama / 142 minutes

Industry Rating: Not Rated (PG 13 suggested)

Overall Personal Rating: A

Similar Titles: Death Note parts 1 & 2 and  Death Note: L Change the World.

Anime Expo® 2010 Announces Internet Sensation, DANNY CHOO,

as a Special Guest

Anaheim, CA – May 21, 2010 – Anime Expo® is pleased to announce today that Internet sensation, Danny Choo, will be a Special Guest at its July convention. Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime and manga convention, is scheduled for July 1 – 4, 2010, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Danny Choo will participate in guest panels, meet-and-greets and autograph sessions.

AnimEigo announces the release of the Shogun Assassin Blu-ray!

Wilmington, NC – May 21, 2010 – AnimEigo is proud to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the legendary samurai cult classic, Shogun Assassin, by announcing the first ever high-definition version of the film!  The most famous samurai film in the Western World is finally coming to North America in the clearest and most pristine version ever seen by man, woman, or ninja.

In 2006, our first official release of Shogun Assassin set the bar for high quality with its crystal-clear DVD picture.  This time around, we once again reconstructed the film, this time using uncompressed 1080p 24p source materials.

The Radius

Title: Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen

Platform: Nintendo DS

Developer: ArtePiazza

Publisher/Distributor: SquareEnix

American Release Date: April 9, 2008

Format: Nintendo DS Game Card

Genre: Fantasy, RPG

Replay Value: B-

ESRB: E10+ (for Alcohol Reference, Animated Blood, Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, and Suggestive Themes.)

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Similar Series: Final Fantasy VI (GBA), Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride (DS) , VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (PS2), Golden Sun (GBA).

“The Radius”:

-Title: Star Trek The Next Generation-the Manga

-Author/Artist: D.Gerrold/E.J. Su, D. Duane/C. Delk,

C. Boylan/D. Hudson, F. Desanto/B. Kurkoski

-Distributor: Tokyopop

-American release date: 2009

- Format, Genre: Science Fiction Manga

- Publisher/Industry Age Rating: Teen-  age 13+

- Overall Personal Rating: B-

The missing link between Anime/Manga and Sci/Fi .  I was surprised when I saw this book, and really glad I picked it up. It is a four story collection, each with a different author and artist team – the human element survives in the future technical world.

TORIKO © 2008 by Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro/SHUEISHA Inc.

APPETITE MEETS ADVENTURE IN ACTION-PACKED NEW SHONEN JUMP SERIES TORIKO

It’s Eat Or Be Eaten As A Gourmet Hunter Tracks Exotic Big Game For His Clients’ Expensive Palates In Ferocious New Manga Debut

San Francisco, CA, May 20, 2010 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, delivers a new manga property that expertly blends action-adventure with the thrill of the hunt with the release of TORIKO on June 1^st. The new series, created by Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro, will be published under the SHONEN JUMP imprint, is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

TOKYOPOP and Odin’s Eye team up to produce The Dreaming film

Graphic novel adaptation set for Australian 3D live-action production

Cannes, France (May 18, 2010) – Sydney-based international sales and production entity Odin’s Eye announced today a partnership with Tokyo- and Los Angeles-based media company TOKYOPOP to produce a feature film adaptation of TOKYOPOP’s successful manga graphic novel series The Dreaming.

Written by Sydney native Queenie Chan, suspense thriller The Dreaming has been published worldwide in 17 languages. The feature will be adapted for the screen by Brisbane-based writing team Shayne Armstrong and Shane Krause. Producers Stu Levy (Priest, Van Von Hunter) and Michael Favelle (Crush, Three Blind Mice) have brought on Los Angeles- and Sydney-based Kate Woods (Looking for Alibrandi, Bones, Without a Trace) to direct.

Anime Expo® 2010 Announces Japanese Musical Artists, Megumi Nakajima and May’n, as Official Guests of Honor

Anaheim, CA – May 19, 2010 – Anime Expo® is pleased to announce today that Japanese musical artists, Megumi Nakajima and May’n, will be official Guests of Honor at its July convention. Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime and manga convention, is scheduled for July 1 – 4, 2010, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Author: Yusuke Yamamoto
Publisher: Funimation
Release date: August 25, 2009
Genre(s): Comedy, Drama, Paranoia, Slice-of-Life
Format: Anime
Age Rating: 17+
Overall Personal Rating: A+
Similar series: Otaku no Video, Genshiken

Synopsis:
Rarely is there a truly compelling series that deals with existentialism with such levels that it transcends the work itself; rarer still does such a work come from the anime and related industries, but Welcome to the N.H.K. is one such series and culture. While many western audiences may be unfamiliar with the specific conditions of the protagonist, Tatsuhiro Sato, it does not diminish the impact of the anime.

Gardena, CA (May 19. 2010)- Digital Manga Publishing is excited to announce their special guest for Yaoi-Con 2010, the prolific and fan-favorite yaoi mangaka-Hinako Takanaga! The creator of numerous manga, including Little Butterfly, The Devil’s Secret, Challengers, Croquis, Love Round!!, Liberty Liberty, and the soon to be released The Tyrant Falls In Love, Hinako Takanaga has been one of the most popular yaoi mangaka in the US, and will be making her second appearance at Yaoi-Con!

So come up to San Francisco in October, and meet the immensely talented Hinako Takanaga in person, and hear her answer questions about her process and her work!

“The Radius”

Darker Than Black Volume 4

Director / Author: Tensai Okamura / Studio: Bones

U S Distributor: FUNimation

U S Release Date: May 5th, 2009

Age Rating: TV MA

Overall Personal Rating:  B+

Similar Series: Baccano and Gunslinger Girls

A strange celestial gate has ascended to Earth and it changes the stars, but the stars are connected to humans. These humans have special powers but have lost their humanity and become contractors. These contractors are used by both government agencies and underground organizations to wage a secret war. When they use their powers they must make payment, it may be as simple as drinking a hot mug of milk or has harmful as loosing time from your life and aging in reverse.