A Japanese and Chinese Major

Archive for September, 2009

A screenshot from "Namakura Katana"

The title of the “oldest” anime goes to Junichi Kouchi’s (幸内純一) Namakura Katana, which roughly translates to “A Fine Sword”.

The film is a comedy, and revolves around a samurai warrior who was deceived into purchasing a dull-bladed sword.  He tries to fight people as they pass by to test his new prize, but the lower-class villagers revolt against him and knock him down.

The silent anime was created in 1917 and lasts only two minutes long.

Samurais and katakanas? The Japanese definitely knew the direction this medium would take.

Source

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AZNaddict.com is currently looking for a blogger who is skilled in the knowledge of the Naruto Universe and who wants to contribute their words for thousands of people to see a day.

The Naruto Shippuden reviews will be displayed on the front page of this AZNaddict website for everyone to see and stored in a navigational anime archive so that people will always be able to access them. People will see your Naruto episode review when they want to learn something about the series.

If you’re writing is very good, you may even be given your own free Naruto anime blog. AZNaddict will do all the hosting for you, free of charge, and help you setup and modify the site to your liking (This includes installation, theme choice, updates, plugins, you name it).

If you would like to write naruto reviews please refer to this post about AZNaddict looking for anime writers. When you apply state your desired position as “Naruto Anime Series Review Writer”, good luck!

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Are you an Anime know-it-all? Do you know what separates a good anime series from a bad one, and more?  Then AZNaddict.com wants you!

We are looking for two types of authors:

1. General Anime Review Writer

2. Anime Series Review Writer

The proper General Anime Review Writer candidate will have all of the following:

- Good familiarity with all old and current anime

- Up-to-date knowledge with the latest anime news and information

- The ability to fairly criticize and analyze characters and plot story

- A strong command of the English language

- Experience using or be able to publish with WordPress

- The discipline to submit articles regularly and on a timely manner

We will leave the anime series to be covered by the General Writer to his or her choice, but we prefer new series over old ones.  The writer will submit at least two articles a week, but more can be accepted depending on the quality.

Of the Anime Series Review Writer, the proper candidate will have the following:

- Extensive and thorough knowledge of a particular anime

- The ability to describe and analyze all characters included in the series

- A comprehensive understanding of the plot and story

- A strong command of the English language

- Experience using or be able to publish with WordPress

- The discipline to submit articles regularly and on a timely manner

The Anime Series Review Writer may choose  the series as long as the previously mentioned requirements are satisfied.  Two articles will be submitted per week, but more can be accepted depending on quality.

Benefits

Staff writers will enjoy the following benefits:

1. Your words will be published on the front page of this AZNaddict.com website, which is seen by more than 5,000 eyeballs a day.

2. The review will instantly be available on Google, the most popular and widely used search engine in North America.

3.  Your own author profile with AZNaddict.com, allowing you to become a well-known and credited author since every review will have your name on it.

How to Apply

Submit a brief statement letting us know why you would be the perfect person for the job and a sample of your work.  State whether you’re interested in the General Anime Review Writer position, the Anime Series Review Writer position, or both.  If you are applying to be a Series Review Writer, please state what anime you will specialize in along with a sample related to that series.

If you’ve got what it takes, apply now!

You may also send your application by email to:

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空の落とし物　- そらのおとしもの

Specifics
Japanese Broadcast Date: October 4th
Animation Studio: AIC ASTA (Bamboo Blade)
Writers: Saori Hayami, Souichiro Hoshi
Watch the Trailer: Trailer 1

Premise
This anime is an interpretation of Suu Minazuki’s Sora no Otoshimono (Heaven’s Lost Property) manga.

The plot focuses on Tomoki Sakurai, a typical middle school student who lives by the words “Peace is the #1 priority.” But, an odd girl comes to him in his sleep to request his assistance — except he is unable to recall what she looks like when he awakens. Later, his ordeal becomes even more complex at the moment an unidentified mysterious animal (UMA) drops from the clouds. We learn that the so-called “animal” is Ikaros, an angel.

Review
I’m impressed how Souichiro Hoshi can lend his vocal talent to greatly emotional, hate stirring male heros (Kira Yamato) along with the macho-ist (Keiichi Maebara). It’s my wish that he does not do the former since the plot shown in the preview is the average young gal waking up her buddy who is a little excited in the morning and branding him a sicko. That doesn’t conclude that the show will surely be lame, a few series could beat it out, however the probability is rather shallow (regardless, my intrigue reached its climax when I heard one installment was proven to be too scandalous for television).

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CANAAN episode 10

The most recent installment of CANAAN ultimately appeared to guide this string of episodes in the right direction, including a few interesting meet-ups,  meetings which gain more importance as the tenth episode of this progression unfolds.

As the team gets to the laboratory which was the goal of their destination, Canaan’s wounds present in the last show seem to have let her ability of synaesthesia to come back – Quite unlikely I would say, but just in the nick of time, because the adventurous group (not counting Maria and Yun-Yun, since they still remain at the car) are ambushed by the living dead. Well, the zombies are called Unbloom in this anime’s language, but let’s just get down to the point and call them what they really are: The walking dead.

The entrance of the zombies make Hakko run away, and Santana takes off from the rest of the group as well – These choices take the two directly into the grasp of Liang Qi, who skillfully pits the two of them to battle each other, causing terrible and unfortunate results, which threaten Canaan as well. While we’re on the subject of Canaan, Maria and Yun-Yun’s choice to go on a journey independently from the others results in an astounding finding – an uncovering that seems other groups of people would also be very interested in knowing about.

To be frank, in the initial part of this installment I began to fear CANAAN was putting more on his plate than he could handle and heading off into too many places at once yet again, but fortunately my thoughts were justified as those loose ends were quickly sewn back together rather skillfully by a storyline that appears to know where it’s going now. I’m not in the position to call this the most interesting and riveting anime ever by any means, but it contains the right amount of wonder and excitement to capture my attention enough to watch it until the final episode, and even Canaan is steadily being turned from her initially boring but tough personality into a person all-around more appealing in her own way.

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Ritz with beer

In America it’s a sign of alcoholism. In Japan it’s a delicious and encouraged combination.

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The US ambassador was eager to take off and show his shiny new play helmet to Japanese PM Hatoyama.

Can you think of a quote for this picture?

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This Is The One by Utada Hikaru

Utada Hikaru’s album “This is the One” failed to break  the US market when it was released 5 months ago.

This was her third attempt to woo American listeners, herself being a college dropout of Columbia University and native of New York City.  Her first attempt to enter the American market was “Exodus”, which sold around only 55,000 copies, a low number compared to her success in Japan, where she has sold over 26 million.

Will she ever succeed in making it big in the US or will Americans continue to give her the cold shoulder?

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