Next big series on horizon? Sugar Dark: Umerareta Yami to Shoujo / シュガーダーク

Shinichiro Inoue, the president and CEO of the Japanese publisher Kadokawa Shoten, predicted that Enji Arai's Sugar Dark: Umerareta Yami to Shoujo (Sugar Dark: The Buried Darkness and the Girl) light novel will get an anime adaptation.

Story is about a boy named Muoru who has been arrested on false pretext and sent to a cemetery as slave labour. He calls himself the "grave keeper" and meets a beauty named Meria (Maria?). Muoru becomes enchanted with her while he spends his days digging a hole containing the undead monster named "The Dark."



He made the comment at 14th Sneaker Awards Ceremony and it is noteworthy that the last light novel to be bestowed with such honour is wildly popular Suzumiya Haruhi back in 2003. (kyon kun notwithstanding) It is interesting to know that the award only give 4 times in 15 years of its existence.

Perhaps this will be next Kyoto Animation project after K-On! ? Who knows. Kadokawa certainly smelled money in this work and I wouldn't be surprised if the prediction comes true. Just a matter of how soon.

anime

Sacred Blacksmith / 聖剣の刀鍛冶 utter bullshit on katana superiority

I am quite irritated by this trope of Japanese sword is better than Western sword which many, many anime series love to perpetuate. Latest of this is the underwhelming fantasy anime series based on light novels by Isau Miura which is now animated by Mangalobe; Sacred Blacksmith. There is even a scene where the katana cuts thru an axe (!) where the heroine's heirloom longsword broke against it earlier.



Sacred Blacksmith, a new sucky anime series by Mangalobe (Samurai Champloo, Michiko no Hatchin) touting the virtues of katana sword over blunt, European styled longsword. Which is not true. Look below for why I said so:



See? The European longsword might need little more force but it cuts thru the tamesghiri (straw mats) just as effectively as the katana. So the whole fact of "katana is superior than Western longsword" is utter BS. What is more ironic that the katana is often a secondary weapon of real samurai during the civil wars, they prefer to use bow, spears or later on, arquebus to fight in battlefield.

Here is the CONCLUSIVE evidence of the fact, katana versus longsword side by side against the same target:



There? I rest my case now. Oh, Sacred Blacksmith manga is more entertaining than the anime to be honest.

anime

Spice and Wolf US Novel cover controversy

Planned US release which causes so much furore and anger amongst otakus.



The original cover.


Hahahahah, this is rich. I honestly don't know why fans were so angry about original cover for Spice and Wolf translated novel series which is soon to be released in mid-December 2009. To me, it is not important what is on the cover but what is inside. I hardly bothered by cover when I read the novel, I mean it is not manga or comic so pictures are secondary to me, FFS. It is not like Horo will be different when the cover of novel changed, right?

Anyway, I will still grab the novel, regardless of what cover they use.

The rather spirited discussion on this here

Zac Efron in US version of Death Note?

The current heart throb actor who is rumored to be in Full Metal Panic! live action movie (Mandalay Pictures) also in talks for Death Note live action. However he did not really confirm anything concrete on these 2, and he dismissed Full Metal Panic! role as "unlikely". So far there is not much news on Full Metal Panic! (most likely still in plan), however I do feel that Death Note has more possibility to be adapted for silver screen treatment. After all, it is already have 2 Japanese live action movies and it is highly popular in US too. Plus, it did not require a lot of special effects too unlike Full Metal Panic!.

Source

Titan Rain

Production I.G (man they are rocking hard ain't they?) announced new project in collaboration wth Singaporean company Storm Lion Productions (Yona Yona Penguin) titled Titan Rain, a CG movie. Apparently some interesting names attached to the project:

1. Atsushi Takeuchi (Clone Wars director of General Grevious Lair)
2. Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica music composer)
3. Tow Ubukata (Heroic Age, Chevalier d'Eon, Fafner of Azure = OMG emo time?)

Project will be completed around early 2012 for worldwide release. So far what I can tell is it looks like a sci fi movie but information is pretty sparse for now. As usual the male lead is brandishing armour and looks so muscular yet the chick is skimpy. Hehe.

Maritan: Mili-moe?

Man, I don't know what to comment. I was laughing out loud watching this and...and...I am speechless. It is even funnier if you watched Full Metal Jacket, most of the punchline came from the fact that these were lines used by a famous Marine, R.Lee Ermey. The Engrish just puts the finishing touch on it. On Youtube there is several short lessons available for watch if you want more Marine cussing moe Drill Instructor.

The blonde white shirt is US Navy, the bespectacled girl is Japanese Self Defense Force.The strip and 4-koma manga started by Yukio Hirai and apparently it is first appeared in 2005 (books and CD format) to teach Japanese on how speak colloquial English (!) using US Marines mascot. It is an innocuous image of squeaky high pitched Japanese Engrish swearing off like a hard bitten Devil Dog but hilarious if somewhat disjointed mental dissonance. Apparently real US Marines stationed in Japan fond of Maritan and contributed some phrases to be used in the publication.

Perhaps she is first strange combination character in mili-moe genre (military + moe). This character is more appealing to me than Strike Witches to be honest.

Main Site

MS Gundam Unicorn HQ Preview

Looks great, hopefully the story and execution can live up to it. Though, Super Saiyan Mode Gundam is kinda silly to me, to be honest.