Marvel has always been lacking when it comes to the animated world. While it has had such amazing series as the Spectacular Spider-man and X-men: Evolution, the comic book company is repeatedly outmatched by its competitor DC when it comes to animation. However, this looks to change with an upcoming series of Marvel inspired anime scheduled to be released on G4 developed by critically acclaimed studio Madhouse.

Last summer at SDCC, Marvel announced Iron Man and Wolverine, and today Blade and X-men were confirmed as the latter two adaptations. All four will air in 2011 throughout the coures of the year.

Each series will consist of 12 half hour episodes with heavy Asian influence added to the existing back story based off the Marvel comics. Each story line was outlined by Marvel veteran Warren Ellis and later scripted by Madhouse.



Source: Variety.com

When it comes to Western animation there are few series more lauded by critics and the public alike then Nickelodeon's pseudo anime Avatar: The Last Airbender. The series has one numerous awards and recently spawned a critically slammed live action adaptation. However, just after the bad taste of the M. Night Shyamalan's film has left fan's mouths Nickelodeon has provided the perfect pallet cleanser.


Today, as a pre-Comic Con announcement series creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko announced that Nickelodeon has greenlit a spinoff series taking place 70 years after the original. The Legend of Kora will follow a new hot headed female Avatar named Kora. The creator's have released the following press release regarding the plot of the show (courtesy of IGN.com):

The Legend of Korra follows the adventures of a "passionate, rebellious and fearless" teenager from the Southern Water Tribe, a girl named Korra. Having already mastered three of the four elements (Earth, Water, and Fire), she seeks to master the final element of Air. Her travels eventually lead her to the metropolis of Republic City, an epicenter for the modern Avatar world. Although a thriving society of benders and non-benders alike, Republic City is also ridden with crime, including an anti-bending rebellion that is gaining momentum. Under the guidance of Aang's son, Tenzin, Korra begins her airbending training as she confronts the dangers ahead of her.

The series will be released in 2011.

When it comes to classic anime sci-fi, there are few more beloved then the classic Toho's ( the same company that brought you Gojira and The Seven Samurai)Battleship Yamamoto. Following the efforts of a crew of a mighty space warship modeled after a WWII battleship, the series is a cult classic. Like any classic from the late 1900's, Yamamoto is now getting a big budget live action redux, and might I say I'm excited. Honestly, look at that. Best sci-fi epic I've seen in years. Finally, SPACE BATTLES!

Bioware is slowly becoming the most successful and influential video game studio in the industry. With such titles as The Old Republic, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age taking the world by storm, Bioware has changed the way that storytelling is approached in video games.

The critically acclaimed company announced last month that production had begun on a film adaptation to the science fiction epic Mass Effect. Today, Bioware released further plans to expand their franchises into different forms of media. According to aintitcool.com, Bioware along with FUNimation plans to release an anime adaptation of their fantasy RPG Dragon Age some time next year.

Here is the press release listed on the site:

BioWare and FUNimation Entertainment will be collaborating on an anime movie adaptation of well regarded fantasy RPG Dragon Age.

Production of the Dragon Age anime movie is slated to begin this month with a home video release in 2011. Executive producing the film are BioWare's Executive Producer Mark Darrah and Creative Director Mike Laidlaw, as well as FUNimation's president and CEO Gen Fukunaga and Director of Original Entertainment Chris Moujaes.

Dragon Age has been selected as the first title in FUNimation's slate of major anime movies to be developed through FUNimation's Original Entertainment team since the announcement of the company's co-production initiative in November 2009.

"Dark heroic fantasy" Dragon Age: Origins, reminiscent of works like George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, allowed the player to explore the history of a Human Noble, Mage, Dalish Elf, City Elf, Dwarf Commoner or Dwarf Noble before taking control of a Grey Warden in their campaign to revived Darkspawn.

Well I think I've had enough downtime unlike everyone else but Nick, and I am back from yet another hiatus to post more random reviews (only recently they have been of newer anime!). This time around it is of an anime I had quite frequently mocked before. Heroman, an anime made by Bones studio in association with Stan Lee, premiered and I was more than happy to give it a shot.

~Story~
Essentially the main character, Joey Jones (Stan Lee's name obviously) is a semi-regular kid, he has a part time job (a cafe that Stan Lee frequents), he is bullied, and he live with his Grandmother. But when a freak bolt of lightning strikes the toy robot he has been restoring, It turns into an eight foot tall automaton. Appropriately naming this robot "Heroman", Joey uses his control over the superhero to fight the Skrugg, a new bug-like alien race intent on collecting a specimen from Earth and then destroying it (yeah not too original haha). It looks like Joey's new toy is humanities last hope for salvation.

~Review~

I was pleasantly surprised with this anime. It turned out a lot better than I had hoped. The story was pretty and a standard alien invasion story. But it was easy to follow with likable characters and great animation. What really made me laugh was how hard they were trying to show you that it was America. I swear there was like a 20 second image of the American flag blowing in the wind between scenes, but it wasn't a big problem. It's the sort of anime that is easily enjoyed by casual anime fans and its pretty shonen battle genre.

Animation: 20
Story: 20
Originality: 10 (yeah not too new a concept)
Characters: 20

Overall: 70

Totally worth the watch. Not the best anime you'll ever see, but it's a great one to watch while you wait.

Lu~Kun!

Greetings and felicitations, ladies and gentlemen of the Internet!


I know, I know, it's been a really long time since I've written anything....to be honest, it's more like published anything. Either way, I have an anime for you all.

Le Chevalier D'Eon tells the story of a French knight, D'Eon de Beaumont, in 1742 who finds the body of his beloved sister, Lia, floating in a casket on the Seine. Consumed by the mystery of his sister's death, D'Eon becomes obsessed with the secrets Lia kept from him.


This anime blends historical fiction and supernatural elements with beautiful precision and crisp, clean animation. The animation looks like it came straight out of a drawing guide, a feature that has its merits but in this case, the animation could stand to be more detailed. The simplicity of the drawing style almost doesn't fit the intricacy of the plot and characters.


The plot of Le Chevalier D'Eon is deep and complex and interwoven with historical references. The anime is very accurate to the time period and the intrigue is subtly expositioned. Unfortunately, there was little action and it was overly talkative. I thought the plot was very original and unique, but it lacked a certain...believability that would've helped this to define a new genre of anime.

Animation: 16

Originality: 20

Story: 14

Characters: 18

Well, that's it! Happy geeking!

Okay so I kinda delayed my opinions on the anime coming out next month due to an outstanding lack of purpose. But, I sucked up my question of philosophy and the universe to bring you this list of the great (hopefully ) anime premiering next month.

First off is Senko No Night RaidThe second series of the "Power of Anime" project (the same project that started Sora No Woto). Set in the early 1930s, Senko No Night Raid is an espionage anime following a spy organization called Sakurai Kikan set up in Shanghai.
Luke: Honestly, Sora No Woto wasn't my thing, but this seems a bit different and has promise.

Second is Black★Rock Shooter
Based off of the Miku Hatsune song "Black Rock Shooter" the anime will feature an original protagonist and music.
Luke: It's things like this that teach me so much more about otaku culture (and here I thought I knew everything). But it looks fantastic and obviously the music will be great with huke and ryo at the helm, so I suppose time will tell.

Third is . . . oh god Iron ManMadhouse and Marvel kick off their four part Marvel character reinvention with Iron Man and I'm pretty sure that's self explanatory.
Luke: Visually, this looks incredible and the reinvention for Japanese audiences has not changed the iconic suit's look (does anyone remember Japanese spider-man? ). It's safe to say Nick and myself are looking forward to this project.

Fourth: HeromanWhile on the topic of Marvel, Stan Lee and Studio Bones collaborated to make this odd collaboration of Giant robot clashing against the forces of evil. Essentially it's the story of an American named Joey who finds a toy that transforms into a giant robot.

Luke: I really wanna see this, don't ask me why. It just seems like either a serious success or a giant WTF. But now I'm just waiting for the trailer to come out.

Fifth: Yojohan Shiwa Taikei
Based on Morimi Tomohiko's novel, Yojohan Shinwa Taikei follows a nameless third year college student as he recalls his previous years spent with the members of his club.

Luke: I'm really excited to watch this anime because of three reasons: 1) I like the story premise 2) It's directed by Yuasa, who is amazing. 3)Nakamura Yusuke is behind the character design!!! (Google it if you don't know why I love him).

Sixth (It's a long list): Arakawa Under the Bridge
Ko Ichinomiya, an upper class man, is pulled out of the Arakawa River by a beautiful vagrant named Rino. The residents of the area are a bit on the unusual side and now Ko is caught in the middle.

Luke: Such an odd premise for an anime/manga but I like it and like many of the others I've discussed, we'll have to wait and watch.

The rest of the list is as followed (I talked about the ones I'm looking forward to):

Angel Beats
House of Five Leaves
RAINBOW - Nisha Rokubo no Shichinin
Ichiban Ushirono Dai Maou
Working!
Giant Killing!
Yutori-chan!
Shin Koihime:Musou Otome Tairan
Kiss X Sis
Hakuouki - Shinsengumi Kitan
Mayoi Neko Overun!
Ikkitousen XTREME XECUTOR

Luke: Quite a few anime being released this Spring look good, unlike Winter (kinda lacking). I intend to watch and review as many as possible (even the bad ones).

Lu~Kun!

The Spartans are in many ways the center of the Halo universe. Even more so then the Halo rings themselves, these genetically enhanced supersoldiers are the real epicenters of the plot, and the characters we interact with the most. However, outside of the Halo novels very little is explored about their creation and origins.

Homecoming tells the story of one Spartan, Daisy, across her career. We get a detailed depictions of her early life, training, failed escape attempt, and a pivotal battle in her career. The anime works well as short fifteen minute biopic that also details the complex morality behind the Spartan program, and aspect that is often overlooked by the testosterone filled Halo universe. Daisy's story is a captivating watch that keeps you interested throughout the entire fifteen minute run. The action is also handled well carrying the necessary emotion needed for the story.

There is also a cameo at the end of the episode that is handled surprisingly well, and delivers the right send off to the episode

If there is one major flaw in Homecoming it is the bizaare flashback driven narrative. It takes you a good five minutes to understand whats really going on, and in an anime that lasts only fifteen that is a librety that costs it dearly. The voice acting in some areas also feels flat and insincere.

Overall, Homecoming is a brilliant addition to the Halo Legends saga and will probably rank as one of the better episodes of the series with its emotional character study.

Score: -A

Wow. A Halo Legends episode that was actually really good? Somebody slap me because I must have drifted into the Negative Zone or something. No I do not lie, Prototype by Studio Bones is a damn good episode.

The story follows Ghost, a UNSC marine who several years back got most of his team killed in order to complete a mission. Now faced with an overwhelming Covenant attack, Ghost dons a protoype piece of armor in order to hold of the enemy and get his remaining team members to safety.

The story may sound simplistic, but Studio Bones manages to inject surprising personality into the character Ghost. His story of redemption and self awareness is a familiar but powerful story that is thankfully delt with in a rather subtle manner.

The action in this episode is also top notch. Drawn in an anime style more akin to Origins and The Babysitter the battle between the marines, the Covenant, and the prototype armor is exhilirating and has the necessary emotion for the story. Unlike such travesties as the Package, Prototype finds that necessary balance between action, story, and character. It is also nice to not have a single Spartan appear throghout the episode, putting the focus on the characters that are often overlooked in the Halo universe.

Overall, Halo Legends: Prototype is a wonderful piece of anime that suceeds in its mission of telling a captivating and action packed story, especially one that lasts only fifteen minutes long.

Score: A

Few can deny that for a shooter Halo has a rather indepth lore. The origins of the Covenant, the Halo rings, the flood, and even the Spartans have a surprisng originality to them. So why is it that this episode detailing the origins of the Halo universe lacks that spark?

The episode picks up following the events in Halo 3, as Cortana relates to a comatose Master Chief the origins of the rings and the flood. What could have been an interesting look at the Flood's war with the Forerunners instead becomes a standarad recounting of what we already know. Not even a look at the Forerunners themselves is truly interesting enough to save this episode.

The animation is a welcome return to a more traditional anime style, similar to The Babysitter, which is welcome after the two previous episodes bizarre design choices.

In short Halo Legends: Origins suffers for telling a story even the most minor Halo fan is familiar with, and refuses to make it interesting at that.

Score: C+

Greetings and felicitations, ladies and gentlemen of the Internet.

~Opening~

Oh man, I am at a loss for words at this one. Even after the anime upon anime I watched today, I was able to stay focused on the sheer love I now have of Katanagatari.

~Story~
A sword fight story taking place in Edo era . Yasuri Shichika is the seventh head of the Kyotou school of Japanese sword martial arts and lives in Fushou Island with his sister Nanami. He inherited a style of swordsmanship in which the swordsman doesn't actually use a sword. With the order from a female samurai general Togame, he sets out for a trip to collect the twelve treasured swords created by a legendary swordsmith Shikizaki Kiki.

~Review~
Well this will probably be really biased cause I enjoyed it so much but here it goes: Katanagatari is a fun shonen action anime with an elegant yet simplistic art style. Honestly it is hard to explain everything. The story is good, but it it's far from original. The samurai searching for swords has been done before and it's not a new concept, but it works. I found that though it may be simplistic art, a lack of originality, and an easy to follow story; it works . If your looking for a story with violence, insanity, and really new ideas this isn't it.
Overall:

Art: 15
Story: 15
Originality: 10
Character Depth: 10

Overall: 70

Your probably asking where the extra 20 points came from. Well I decided that with anime, even if all things said out loud about it point to one thing, it can always surprise you. And it's based on my opinion anyway sooooooo . . . I really think this is the anime to watch if your just an old school anime fan or not a huge fan of the intense violence that seems to seperate popular fighting anime from shoujo nowadays.

Lu~kun!

~Opening~

My third review on the anime for the winter season is Sora No Woto. Starting out as an anime, Sora No Woto has no manga (well had, it does now) or pre-existing fan base and personally I love the idea.

~Story~

The story focuses on Kanata Sorami. When she is separated from her parents at a young age, she found inspiration in a trumpeter she met. She decides to join the army and become a bugler, despite the fact she can't play. She is assigned to the town of Seize, where she is taken care of by Rio Kazumiya, her bugler instructor who plays the trumpet, and the rest of the squadron.

~Review~

I might make Anna-chan do a serious review of this cause it isn't exactly up my alley so to speak. The character design really resembles K-ON and it seems like a really shoujo anime. Despite that, I thought it was good. A really touchy, feely type of story revolving around friendship no doubt. The animation is great (if i were to relate it to something it would be movie grade level animation) and the soundtrack/background music is even better. The voice acting is interesting and it's original. Like I said before I'm not a good judge of shoujo stories but it was all around a good anime. The only real downside I can think of is that it had no conflict whatsoever in the first episode (which is all that is subbed so far).

Overall:

Animation: 20
Story: 18?
Originality: 16 (seems just alittle too much like K-ON)
Characters: 15 (Not really that interesting)

Overall: 69
(again, I'm not the best judge of shoujo but it was good and I think it has more of an appeal to girls)

Lu~kun!

~Opening~
The second Anime worth watching this winter season: the anime version of Dance in the Vampire Bund is a tad different from the manga version, but it seems good so far. As for the opening sequence I decided I'd rather not talk about it rather it trigger my H-thoughts/darkside
.

~Story~

The story focuses on Mina Tepes (Vlad Tepes?? hinthint), princess-ruler of all vampires, and her "protector," Akira. Like other vampires, she has been in hiding with her people for many years. Seeking to end centuries of isolation, Mina gains permission to create a special district for vampires, "The Bund", off the coast of Japan by paying off the national debt of the Japanese government. Mina then reveals to the world the existence of vampires and her desire for both races to live together. Tensions, however, run high as fearful humans and extremist vampire factions begin to interfere with Mina's wish for peace with the human world.

~Review~

Off the start this anime is a bit different from many of the other vampire anime out there (cause heaven knows there's a lot). Mina shows the world, rather violently, that vampires are real off the start. The animation is beautiful, yet has a subtle grittiness to it (think Trinity Blood). Of course (considering the fact it's all about vampire's) it's violent and bloody. So far the story is simple to explain and a great concept. One of the most awkward parts of the story, however, is that it is partially a romance anime and the main protagonist is an ancient vampire who looks like an 11-year-old (can you say "excuse for lolicon" 3 times fast?). Also there is a bit of ecchi-ness here and there, but it doesn't take to much time from the story. It's actually pretty good despite all the suggestive images used to advertise it and worth the watch if you like the idea of vampires trying to get along with humans (and then there are the werewolves later . . .).
Overall:
Animation: 20
Story: 20
Characters: 16
Originality: 15 (still a vampire anime)

Overall: 71 (worth watching)

Lu~kun!

~Opening~

Well I said I would do it and here it is, a review for the Durarara anime.

~Opening Theme~

I was really drawn in by the theme and I instantly realized who did the animation for it. Turns out the manga was written by the same person as Baccano! which really explains a lot. The music is catchy, one of those anime openings I'll get stuck in my head for awhile and it follows the same "introduce every character in the opening cause there's a lot" structure to the imagery.

~Story~

Essentially, it follows the same story as the manga with a few changes in the character appearances.

~Review~

After I totally trashed then went back and second-guessed my review on the manga, I was surprised when the anime turned out to be really good. The animation is awesome (far from the manga's art) and the action is good. The voice acting could be better but it's not bad (kinda happy that one of the best characters doesn't talk). Honestly it reminds me of the chaos and insanity of Baccano with an equal amount of acceptable comedy (I nearly died laughing when a gang member was punched in the face so hard he flew backwards and spun out of his clothes). The story is equally as hard to follow as the manga, but it seems that the less you know, the more enjoyable it is. It's a good combination of insanity mixed with a dash of mystery. I would have to say that so far, this is the anime to watch this winter season (but it is a slow winter season for anime).
Overall I'd give it:

Animation: 19
Voice Acting: 16
Characters: 20
Story: 18

Overall: 73 (Definatly a watch if you have the time)


Lu~kun!

Well, that was....uh...a mess.

Halo Legends continues with its (awful) third episode, detailing the attack of a Covenant ship by Master Chief and a bunch of other Spartans with regular household names. (Fred, I mean honestly?!?)

Created by Casio Entertainment, The Package is a completely CG animated episode that is heavy on action, low on just about everything else. As you, dear reader, can probably tell, I didn't enjoy this episode, not at all. While I can say I like high octane action as much as the next guy, this episode took things to the next level. We were barely a minute into the enstallment before bullets were flying and people were dying. This itself isn't a bad thing, heck Star Wars did it, but The Package makes no attempt to explain istelf or its characters. People just exist to die and to shoot nothing more. Spartans die left in right throughout the episode and we feel nothing. In fact, their deaths feel so corny and tacked on that its actually annoying to see these characters die. It doesn't even make sense. Why would genetically enhanced superhumans die in such stupid ways? There is even an attempt to include a subplot including The Arbiter from the Halo video games, which falls flat and doesn't make sense with the chronology. The dialogue is also awful. I'm going to give an actual transcript from the end of the episode (trust me spoilers don't matter here):

Dr. Hasley: "You really are lucky. You know that?"

Master Chief: "Not lucky enough. We lost two Spartans today." (Which is completely incorrect seeing as atleast three died.)"Solomon, Arthur. And that Elite we encountered...he was strong....I have to be stronger..."

Dr. Hasley: "We all have to be stronger. Something tells me this is just the beginning."

The End

I kid you not. That's how bad it is.

The action itself is fun to watch, and there are some creative sequences, but without the emotional imput or logic it falls flat. The animation is also fairly impressive, but not for an anime. My brother happened to walk in when I was watching this episode, and he asked why I was watching game cut scenes. It doesn't look or feel like an anime, just a bunch of CG super soldiers shooting and dying.

Score: D+