More details on EVA 2.0 new girl

Okay, this is what I know:

1. Maaya Sakamoto (Kara no Kyokai insane knife user Ryogi Shiki) will be voicing her.
2. She designed as "fan service" female character. Means naked scenes of her?
3. She will be center of "new shocking stories" that never seen before. More moe?
4. She is a glasses wearing trope of anime stereotype for appeal to meganekko crowd (spectacles fetish).
5. She did not have a name that based on any Imperial Japan's warship convention.
6. Her name will be Mari Makinami.
7. She is a brunette.

As for Asuka's new name, I don't know what is the significance. Perhaps an EVA fan can tell me more about this. To be honest, I am not too comfortable of where is the direction of remake of EVA is going. Ah well, it remains to be seen. My suspicion of Mari is somewhat a pastiche of Mana Kirishima and Mayumi Yamagishi, side characters from non canonical Girlfriend of Steel and 2nd Impression games. However what role will she play is entirely unknown, GAINAX have kept a tight lip on that.

Trailer here.

Kyoukai no Rinne / 境界のRINNE, new manga by Rumiko Takahashi

Most prolific female mangaka and famous for her long epic (ahem) stories, Rumiko Takahashi will be penning new manga called Kyoukai no Rinne and what is different this time is her new manga will be published at simultaneously in USA and Japan. Slated for debut on 22nd April 2009, the US edition will be available at Viz exclusive site of hers, The Rumic World.

This is her latest work after finished the long winded and draggy 56 volumes (holy shit) of Inuyasha. I remembered that after I finished volume 38 of Ranma, I swear that I will never touch her works anymore, LOL. Most of her detractors denounced her as commercialized, shameless drag-on mangaka specialist, her defenders asserted that she often did not have choice of say in her work, her publishers tend to squeeze as much marketability as possible from her work until it is dry. I kinda in between of these 2 main opinions on Rumiko Takahashi. However amongst veteran anime fans especially females (25 years old and above), her work is well liked and have huge following from this particular demography group.

The story of new manga is about a girl who got lost in woods mysteriously then acquire ability to see ghosts and spirits. It is not known if this will be horror story like Mermaid Saga or comedy hi-jinks like Ranma.

This represents new effort by legitimate business entity in manga industry to combat illegal scanlators, mirroring Animax simulcast of Full Metal Alchemist : Brotherhood and Tears of Tiara. I am quite skeptical if this initiative will be successful but it is definitely a backhand compliment on how pervasive scanlators are in bringing latest manga chapters from Japan to international audience.

It will remains to be seen if this effort worth the trouble or not. Or how long this manga series will be (grimaces and wince in pain at the thought).

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3rd Series of Zetsubo Sensei / さよなら絶望先生 is on

Just announced not long ago, Zetsubo Sensei /さよなら絶望先生 famous for titular character constant despair about everything, quirky girls, snarky comments on society and lampooning Japanese politics will be given 3rd installment, starting in July. Titled Zan Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei, it will be helmed by same fellas in SHAFT. Hiroshi Kariya will reprise his role as Itoshiki Sensei for 4th time (if you count the OAD/OVAs).

Who can ever forget his constant screaming of despair against everything around him? And the legions of quirky and eccentric schoolgirls (my favourite is the SMS girl).

More obscure jokes too. Bring it on!

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Question is, will it overstay the welcome? Some people felt season 2 is kinda pushing the obscure jokes and clever puns too far. To some people like me, it is a multi layered clever humor but to some, it is just battery of obscure Japanese jokes that made no sense whatsoever to outsiders.

Why Oda Nobunaga (戦国BASARA / Sengoku BASARA) often depicted as villian in most chambara / samurai medias?

He is portrayed so because many Japanese samurai commentators regarded him as upstart usurper that destroyed harmony of Japanese idealized samurai hierarchy. In their view, he is the motorcycle gang leader complete with punk hair and bad attitude. He is ruthless, brilliant, unorthodox and uncharacteristically non conformist hence his constant portrayal as dark lord from another dimension.



Confucian influenced samurai commentators did not like upstarts hence they often written Nobunaga in rather bad light, only concede grudging respect when it warrants so such as his conduct in Battle of Nagashino 1575 CE (the battle that signified the end of famous Takeda clan) and his putting down of Ikko-Ikki monk rebellion. Not to mention his ruthless campaign against Iga ninja clan (as shown in GONZO anime series Basilisk) which some historian compare it to Mongolian genocide against feared Assassin clan during the Crusades. This is the man who hired an African as his personal bodyguard, he purchased him from visiting Portuguese missionary which brought him as slave. He is also the one promoted sandal bearer to general which later inherit his legacy and finish uniting Japan in his wake. The sandal bearer's name is Toyotomi Hideyoshi whom Nobunaga nicknamed him "Saru" which means monkey. This is why Hideyoshi was carrying a pet monkey in Sengoku Basara series.



However the one that upset so many samurai commentators is his liberal usage of gun on Japanese battlefield, they considered gun has changed the nobility of samurai warfare. The katana blade and bow is no longer elegant weapon of decision which celebrated in timeless samurai poetry, it is a simple peasant with arquebus can gun down even the mightiest warlord from safe distance riled samurai purists to no end. Hence it is no surprise that they look on Nobunaga with sullen disdain for this tradition breaking aspect.




In latest game inspired anime series Sengoku Basara / 戦国BASARA, it is an easy template for story writers to copy this popular casting of Nobunaga as badass baddie instead of more understanding examination of him. Just like how most Romance of 3 Kingdom media usage of Cao Cao as villain most of the time.

The series is fun to watch but don't take it too seriously. However the cast VA is like who's who in Japanese VA industry which is like Yang opposite of concurrent infamous Queen Blade which boasted very impressive female VA lineup Ying (the anime with lactating acid breast ahem). Nobunaga is voiced by famous Norio Wakamoto which considered by many fans as most macho male voice comparable to James Earl Jones Darth Vader.

It is basically a Gurren Lagaan with samurai setting with little homoerotic spiced relationships (Yukimura and Lord Takeda is perfect example).

Somewhat sufficient Wiki entry

Hetalia Axis Powers/ ヘタリア Axis Powers sequel is on

An update that bound to upset some Korean zealots, season 2 of Hetalia is on and will be 26 episodes like 1st season. However it will limited to web streaming, no major TV broadcast thanks to effective protest by Republic of South Korea who protested demeaning portrayal of Korea in Hetalia. Despite Season 1 has zero appearance of Korea, the national anger even went up the highest office in South Korea's politics for discussion.

What's more, some Korea anime fans even attacking websites that were critical of them like Sankaku Complex.

Cheers.

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John Woo as guest VA in Souten Koro / 蒼天航路

A different interpretation on Romance of 3 Kingdoms anime series, Souten Koro / 蒼天航路 will feature the famous director as one of the voice soon. The particular episode is scheduled around 28th April.

It coincides with screening of Red Cliff 2 in Japan, so it is a form of viral marketing for his movie.

Red Cliff 2 is rather conventional story on Cao Cao as baddie who tried to conquer whole China whereas Souten Koro depicted Cao Cao as benevolent leader who tried to put down disruptive rebellion by Liu Bei and the gang.

Rather interesting juxtaposition.

Personally, I think both views have their merits but Romance of 3 Kingdoms were so shrouded in many mythos that is difficult to divide which one is true and which one is not.

As for Red Cliff 2, the movie tries to too hard to be epic but it kinda overwhelms itself by focusing too much on few individuals in such vast canvas. John Woo can't make up his mind which movie should be, epic or human drama. It is a shame.

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