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!

After several weeks of chaos, we finally have a new director for the latest Spider-man film. Golden Globe nominated director Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) is to direct the latest Spider-man film about the webslingers early years. Commenting on the announcement, Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures, said, "At its core, Spider-Man is a small, intimate human story about an everyday teenager that takes place in an epic super-human world. The key for us as we sought a new director was to identify filmmakers who could give sharp focus to Peter Parker's life. We wanted someone who could capture the awe of being in Peter's shoes so the audience could experience his sense of discovery while giving real heart to the emotion, anxiety, and recklessness of that age and coupling all of that with the adrenaline of Spider-Man's adventure. We believe Marc Webb is the perfect choice to bring us on that journey."

Arad and Ziskin added jointly, "Over the years, the Spider-Man comics have been told with bold and creative new writers and artists who have re-calibrated the way audiences see Peter Parker. Marc Webb will do for the new direction of the films what so many visionary storytellers have done with the comic books. He is an incredibly talented filmmaker and we look forward to working closely with him on this new adventure."

Webb said, "This is a dream come true and I couldn't be more aware of the challenge, responsibility, or opportunity. Sam Raimi's virtuoso rendering of Spider-Man is a humbling precedent to follow and build upon. The first three films are beloved for good reason. But I think the Spider-Man mythology transcends not only generations but directors as well. I am signing on not to 'take over' from Sam. That would be impossible. Not to mention arrogant. I'm here because there's an opportunity for ideas, stories, and histories that will add a new dimension, canvas, and creative voice to Spider-Man."

Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man, added, "I'm excited that Sony has chosen a director with a real penchant and understanding for the character. This is a brave, bold direction for the franchise, and I can't wait to see what Marc comes up with next."

Added Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, "The idea of re-imagining the on-screen story for one of the world's most iconic superheros is sure to deliver an exciting new dimension to Spider-Man fans everywhere. There are volumes of comics and material available to inspire fresh and compelling takes on Peter Parker and his journey as Spidey and we look forward to seeing this come alive onscreen."

Source: Comingsoon.net