Next Club Meeting: December 14, 2024, at the Fountaindale Public Library in Bolingbrook from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

The Animatrix Network is an anime & manga fan club located in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. We usually meet on the third Saturday of each month (except when holidays or conventions coincide). The meetings are free and open to the public. Join us for a day filled with anime.

This site provides news, reviews, commentaries, and previews of the world of anime and everything it inspires, such as live-action films, comics, music, art, and other weird things to enjoy and contemplate.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

SDCC 2011: Attack the Block

At a Special Screening for the New Movie

Unfolding across one dark Bonfire night inside a 90 running time -- and we do mean running time -- Attack the Block is set in a place where they don't make movies. And that's just the start of its rowdy pleasures.

It kicks off with a mugging: a gang of five young hooded teen thugs rob a nurse (Jodie Whitaker) at knife-point in South London, only to be interrupted by a vicious ET that crashes to earth. Their leader Moses (John Boyega) shanks it -- unknowingly making them the target for an invasion of flesh-ripping alien monsters.

From there, Attack The Block never stops powering, riding the rails of the genre while bending them with fresh ambition, invention and wit. Cornish might be knowingly mashing Spielbergian childhood fantasy and love for lockdown '80s sci-fi schlock-horrors like Critters and Tremors, but he never elbows at us with overt movie-references. The fear and funnies are all anchored in reality, as Cornish and debut DoP Tom Townend cinematise the familiar brilliantly: strip-lit tower-block corridors (shot like the spaceship Nostromo from Alien), weapons (fireworks equal missile launchers) and vehicles (pizza-delivery scooters are almost clunky retro-tech) all become bigger than life.

Like exec producer Edgar Wright's Shaun of the Dead, Attack the Block nails that oh-so-tricky double-bull's-eye of horror and comedy. In between stitching together some exciting set-pieces, Cornish packed script jumps with kicky street-slang and pop-culture gags. The sweary, funny teenspeak is rattled off with rude relish by his young cast of likeable newcomers, with brooding lead-man Boyata making impactful work of the movie's most fully rounded character while Luke Treadaway has a ball as a posh stoner lisping faux-gangsta bon mots.


Cleverly, Attack the Block's gorilla-wolf-looking monsters are the snarling embodiment of all the tabloid buzzword used to described our hero-hoodies. While the aliens remain unknowable black beasts -- prowling blotches of dead space with no eyes and glowing neon fangs -- the youngsters gradually evolve from caricatures to characters.

Unsurprisingly, Attack The Block is way better at getting its teeth into cinematics than social issues. Some underwritten characters and repetition mean it's not quite the cult classic it wants to be. But Cornish's movie brings everything home with bang, ending on a terrific slo-mo climax that flies the Union Jack for a new kind of Brit cinema. Allow it.

Friday, July 29, 2011

SDCC 2011: Entire Panel for Legend of Korra

Watch the Entire SDCC Panel Here!
One of the best panels at San Diego Comic-Con was for The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra. Here it is in 5 parts, totalling 55 minutes of footage.

Part Five: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLYyEtMV8rk

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

SDCC 2011: Costumes

More Slave Leia Costumes

Assassin's Creed: Revelations - Game Trailer

Highlight from E3 2011
Assassin's Creed Revelations follows master assassin Ezio Auditore as he walks in the footsteps of his legendary mentor, Altaïr, on a journey to recover five ancient seals that hold the keys to the future of the Assassins brotherhood. It is a perilous path -- one that will take Ezio to Constantinople, the heart of the Ottoman Empire, where a growing army of Templars threatens to destabilize the region.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

SDCC 2011: Costume Too Hot for Comic-Con

Adrianne Curry banned from Comic-Con
[Source: Syfy] San Diego Comic-Con wouldn't bethe same without an army of Slave Leias, so we know that there's tolerance for skin here in the largest convention of its kind in this hemisphere. But apparently, there can be such a thing as too much skin... at least according to Adrianne Curry, who says that her Aeon Flux costume was too hot for the con.

Curry showed up at Comic-Con in the outfit you see here, and says she was quickly told she had to go. According to her tweet:

just got stopped by a ton of cops ... my costume is illegal ... the butt ... sigh CurryTweet072511.jpgBased on the pics, what do you think? Do you believe she was too over the top for Comic-Con? Or based on all the other flesh on display, did she fit right in?

Mobile Suit Gundam AGE

Promo Video

Saturday, July 23, 2011

SDCC 2011: Amazing Spider-Man Panel Surprise

Andrew Garfield's Appearance at Comic-Con

SDCC 2011: The Last Airbender: The Legend of Korra

Comic-Con Panel

Taking place 70 years after the events of "Avatar: The Last Airbender," this story follows the adventures of the new Avatar (after Aang) - a passionate, rebellious, and fearless teenage girl from the Southern Water Tribe named Korra. With three of the four elements under her belt (Earth, Water, and Fire), Korra seeks to master the final element, Air. Her quest leads her to the epicenter of the modern "Avatar" world, Republic City - a metropolis that is fueled by steampunk technology. It is a virtual melting pot where benders and non-benders from all nations live and thrive. However, Korra discovers that Republic City is plagued by crime as well as a growing anti-bending revolution that threatens to rip it apart. Under the tutelage of Aang's son, Tenzin, Korra begins her airbending training while dealing with the dangers at large.

Bastion

E3 Trailer
In Bastion, players take control of a character known as the Kid, who is thrust into a world that has literally crumbled around him in a great Calamity. He must now construct a safe haven and build a new world from the remnants of the past. The game features lush and imaginative artwork as well as an innovative reactive narration system that responds to the player's actions in real time all throughout the adventure. Bastion includes a variety of areas to explore set in several wildly different environments, an array of weapons and upgrades to discover, and a deep story to unravel.
 

Friday, July 22, 2011

SDCC 2011: Slave Leia makes friends

Comicon shenanigans defy description

SDCC 2011: Tintin

Comic-Con Panel
Peter Jackson (with Steven Spielberg) talks about an early Tintin clip.

Movie "Negima!" And "Hayate the Combat Butler".

Long-awaited film adaptation of the first official fan site www.negihaya.com! Public from 27 August! Special tag are two of Japan's romantic comedy! Collaboration hot enough this summer.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

SDCC 2011: "Twilight"

Was it worth the wait?
Fans were camped in line since Monday in order to get seats for Thursday's Twilight Panel in Hall H. Apparently, the three main leads of the new movie were going to appear in person. However, I wanted to see the panel for Prometheus but in order to get a seat I would have to suffer through Twilight: Breaking Dawn. When I got in line for Hall H about 2 hours before the doors were to open, I was expecting to see the line stretching behind the convention center. Instead, I found it to be quite short, about 500 people in line, and by Comic-Con measurements, that's nothing. When the doors opened and we were allowed inside the cavernous Hall H (which can seat 6,500 people), the room only filled to less than half its capacity. All the girls who stood in line since Monday had occupied the seats in the entire front section. Much of the back section was empty. It wasn't until after the panel that the room began to fill.

SDCC 2011: Breaking Dawn Cast

Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed & Breaking Dawn Cast at SDCC

SDCC 2011: Breaking Dawn

Twilight Cast appears at Comic-Con 2011!

SDCC 2011: Prometheus

Damon Lindelof and Charlize Theron Talk Prometheus

Naruto Shippuuden Movie 5

Blood Prison - Trailer 1 ENG SUB

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Space Battleship Yamato (2010 Film)

From Anime to Live-Action Movie
Space Battleship Yamato (SPACE BATTLESHIP ヤマト Uchu Senkan Yamato) is a live action film adaptation of the original Space Battleship Yamato anime TV series from 1974. The movie was released in Japan on December 1, 2010. It was released on DVD & Blu-Ray in Japan on June 24, 2011.
In the year 2199, after five years of savage attacks by an alien race known as Gamilas, the Earth Defense Force launches a counter-offensive near the planet Mars. The ship's weapons prove to be no match for the Gamilas, who easily decimate the fleet. During the battle, Mamoru Kodai (Captain of the Yukikaze), sacrifices his life by using his damaged ship as a shield to cover Captain Jyuzo Okita's ship, allowing he and his crew to escape. [Source: Wikipedia]

On Earth, Susumu Kodai (former EDF ace pilot and younger brother of Mamoru) scavenges for rare metals in a protective suit on the irradiated surface. A meteor impacts near him, throwing off his helmet, exposing him to the toxic radioactive atmosphere, and knocking him unconscious. When he awakens, he finds an alien object in the impact crater, and notices that according to his instruments, the area is free of radiation. He is rescued by Okita's returning ship, and it is discovered that the object contains a message from another galaxy. In that message are engineering schematics for a warp drive and coordinates for the planet that was the source of the object. After learning what happened to his brother, he accuses Okita of using his brother's ship as a shield to survive. Kodai tries to hit Okita, but Yuki Mori (a former member of his squad) stops him, telling him he wasn't there and he knows nothing about the situation. As Kodai is taken away by security, everyone wonders why Kodai is alive and well after deadly radiation exposure. Okita believes that Kodai's recovery is a sign that hope for humanity lies within the planet recorded in the probe. He convinces his superiors to allow him to command their last ship, the Yamato (enhanced with the newfound alien technology) on a mission to Iscandar in hopes of finding a way to rid the Earth of the radiation that is slowly killing everyone. An announcement is made to the world, informing the population of this, thus restoring hope to mankind. A request for volunteer recruits for the mission is sent out, and Kodai decides to re-enlist. He is given old position, Commander of the Black Tiger Squadron.

Before the Yamato can launch the Gamilas attacks with a gigantic missile. At this point Captain Okita gives the order to fire the as yet untested Wave Motion Cannon which successfully destroys the incoming weapon. Before testing their warp drive, Kodai is reunited with his old fighter squad. While everyone is happy for his return, Yuki (who had joined the army years ago due to her admiration for Kodai) is bitter and accuses Kodai of being a coward for quitting the military during their most desperate hours.

Later, the Yamato crew performs their first Warp test, and encounters more Gamilas ships. The Wave Motion Cannon cannot be fired because the warp system's energy is tied together with the cannon; Okita opts for an alternative out of this crisis - warping, but they have to wait until the engine recharges to warp again. To survive, the Black Tiger Squadron is launched to hold off the enemy. The Yamato successfully destroys their capital ships, but the battle damages Yuki's fighter. Kodai disobeys orders and goes out to rescue her. The Yamato is able to wait just long enough for Kodai to return and warp out of danger; Kodai is sent to the brig for disobeying orders. Later, Shima (his former squad-mate and ensign to Yamato) tells Yuki that the reason Kodai left the service was because he accidentally caused the death of his parents, as well as Shima's wife during a mission; it is then Yuki begins to think differently of him.

After another warp, the Yamato crew encounters a small Gamilas fighter adrift, caught along when they warped earlier. They recover the fighter to study it and learn more about Gamilas, but the alien pilot is still alive and possesses Commando Team Leader Hajime Saitō, in order to communicate with the crew. The alien calls himself Dessler and explains that Gamilas is a race that shares their minds as a single consciousness. When asked why they're attacking Earth, Dessler explains they're merely remodeling it. Kodai then uses his gun to stun Saito, killing the alien in the process.

Later, Captain Okita, who is dying, makes Kodai Acting-Captain of the Yamato. Moments after his promotion, the ship is again in danger. The recovered fighter is revealed to contain a homing beacon. A Gamilas ship soon attacks, and is destroyed easily by the Wave Motion Cannon. But unbeknownst to the crew, the attack is a distraction. A bomb unit latches onto their third-bridge located on the bottom of the hull of the Yamato, and begins counting down to self-destruct. Kodai reluctantly orders Yuki, in her fighter, to blast the third bridge support away from the ship to prevent the Yamato from being destroyed completely. Kodai's decision saves the rest of the ship and crew, but it affects his confidence and conscience; he feels he isn't fit to lead, but Okita has him remain as Acting-Captain, remarking that he did what he had to do and it was for the best. Kodai later visits Yuki and apologizes for ordering her to doom their crew-mates. The two comfort each other and eventually make love.

Later, the Yamato arrives at Iscandar, but is met by a large Gamilas battle fleet. The enemy manages to block the muzzle of the Wave Motion Cannon, rendering the weapon useless. Kodai makes the risky decision to randomly warp to save themselves. To their surprise, they the warp to the opposite side of Iscandar but are surprised to see that instead of the blue, lush world they had just been orbiting, is dull and lifeless, resembling the dying earth they’ve left behind . It is then discovered that Gamilas and Iscandar are the same planet. The crew begins to have doubts as to why they are here in the first place, seeing that they may have fallen into an enemy trap, but Kodai insists on pressing forward, asserting that they should have faith in Okita and their mission.

Kodai devises a plan to evade the Gamilas defense systems and act as a bait, making way for the Yamato to land without resistance. He is about to be shot down when the Yamato and the Black Tiger Squadron charge in after him and provides cover-fire, destroying the anti-air defenses. The assault team, consisting of the Black Tiger Squadron and Space Commandos then fight through the Gamilas in a large cavern citadel first by air and then in an armored vehicle. They are vastly outnumbered, outgunned, and a lot of men are lost. The armored vehicle is later overturned and the remaining Black Tiger Squadron members stay behind to cover for Kodai, Sanada, Saito and Mori as they head off to the designated location on foot.

At the coordinates, an alien possesses Yuki's body and explains that Gamilas and Iscandar are one and the same race. The alien explains that their planet is dying and Earth was the most suitable planet for their race to survive. Rather than co-existing with humanity, Gamilas chooses to wipe them out. However, there are those (known as Iscandar) that don't agree with the plan and are isolated from their collective. To give humanity a fighting chance, Iscandar sent the probe to Earth. It is then revealed that unknown to everyone but Okita, his superiors, and Kodai, and that there was no promise for a device to rid Earth of radiation in the first place. The story was made up to give mankind a glimmer of hope in their final days. Okita gambled on the fact that, since Kodai survived exposure to the radiation on Earth, with no ill effects, that there might be something the aliens could do to help. To prove their sincerity and powers, Iscandar makes Yuki the key vessel to cure Earth's radiation. After receiving the cure, Saito and Sanada sacrifice themselves by stalling the Gamilas forces and blowing up the Gamilas as Yuki and Kodai returned to the Yamato.

After the battle, the Yamato returns to Earth, and Okita succumbs to his illness. Unfortunately, a surviving Gamilas ship ambushes them and renders the Yamato defenseless. Dessler appears before the crew and says they no longer wish to invade Earth since the majority of the Gamilas were killed. However, as a parting gesture, Dessler intends to destroy Earth to avenge his fallen race. To save humanity and the Yamato crew, Kodai has the surviving crew abandon ship. He sacrifices himself by personally flying the Yamato close to the Gamilas ship and firing the muzzled Wave Motion Cannon, blowing up the Yamato and the Gamilas spaceship.

Five years later, on the recovered and green surface of Earth, Yuki plays with her son and remembers Kodai’s final words: “If I should die, and earth comes back, I'll be alive in every living thing there. And so I'll always be with you."

Monday, July 18, 2011

Miku - Compact Flash Mob

It happens everywhere...
What happens when Hatsune Miku and the new 2011 Toyota Corolla get together? A bunch of people break out in song and dance. Watch the flash mob in action.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Yoshitoshi ABe's Art Process using Painter12

Demonstrating his coloring process with Painter12
The video was sped up about 20 times faster, and the resulting 23-minute video was uploaded to YouTube with English subtitles. Yoshitoshi ABe is known for his work in Serial Experiments Lain, NieA_7, Haibane Renmei, and Texhnolyze. Source: Gigazine

Friday, July 15, 2011

Tintin and The Secret Of The Unicorn

Full Movie Trailer
Tintin and his friends discover directions to a sunken ship commanded by Capt. Haddock's ancestor and go off on a treasure hunt.

Celebrate The Last Harry Potter Movie

With Lindsay Lohan as Hermione Granger on SNL

Thursday, July 14, 2011

"Harry Potter - A Look Back"

It all ends here.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2," is the final adventure in the Harry Potter film series. The much-anticipated motion picture event is the second of two full-length parts. In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort.

More Pics from THE HOBBIT Movie

Presenting the Dwarves Fili & Kili 
Dean O'Gorman & Aidan Turner (respectively)

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Teaser Poster for the Dark Knight Rises

Kamisama no Memo-chou (God's Notebook)

"It's the only NEET thing to do"
The story revolves around Narumi Fujishima, an ordinary high school boy, who has spent most of his life moving from one school to another due to his father's frequent business assignments. He doesn't have much time to make any real friends and remains isolated from his fellow classmates. One afternoon, fellow classmate, Ayaka Shinozaki, invites Narumi to join the gardening club and introduces him to a reclusive detective named Alice, a young computer hacker who has shut herself away from the rest of the world and depends upon others outside for support. Alice hires Narumi as an assistant and puts him to work solving strange mysteries occurring within the city. Little does he know, it could put him and Ayaka in serious trouble. But he begins to be a part of a close-knit group of friends, each of them from various walks of life with their own quirks and mysterious backgrounds.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Squid Girl Music Video

"Ika Ice Tabena-ika?"

Bandai's Lantis label began streaming a 108-second preview of the music video for the third Shinryaku! Ika Musume/Squid Girl single on the YouTube website on Monday. The CD for the "Ika Ice Tabena-ika?" song went on sale in Japan on July 6. The limited edition of the single will bundle the music video on a DVD.

Entire San Diego Comic-Con Schedule in PDF form

The Big Event is Coming!
Comic-Con International rolls into the San Diego Convention Center July 21-24, with Preview Night on July 20! CCI is busy finalizing the plans and schedules for the show. Look for the complete programming, anime, autographs, games and more info coming in the next few weeks as they ramp up for the big show!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Newsletter - July 2011

July 2011
News Collected and Edited by Octavio Soto
Saber Marionette's Negishi Starts Zero-G Anime Studio posted on 2011-06-11 13:45 EDT
With Burn Up W designer Toshinari Yamashita, Armitage III director/designer Hiroyuki Ochi

Hiroshi Negishi, the co-creator of the Saber Marionette franchise and the director of such anime as Tekkaman Blade and Tenchi Muyo Movie 1: Tenchi in Love), announced last week that he is formally establishing a new anime studio called Zero-G. According to the staff, the new anime studio is inheriting the knowledge and skills of Zero-G Room, an anime studio that produced many titles during the 1990s and early 2000s.
The new studio's website lists two creators in its staff so far. Toshinari Yamashita was the character designer for Amazing Nurse Nanako, Burn Up W, Divergence Eve, Misaki Chronicles, and Shadow Skill. Hiroyuki Ochi directed the Armitage III anime franchise and Sol Bianca: The Legacy, and he also designed elements for Armitage III, Tenchi Muyo! GXP, and Explorer Woman Ray.

Game Designer/Animator Yoshiteru Tsujino Loses Wife, Son posted on 2011-06-11 16:00 EDT

Emergency team unable to revive 2 at home of Tengai Makyō/Far East of Eden RPG character designer
51-year-old game designer Yoshiteru Tsujino called the emergency phone number on Saturday at about 8:40 p.m. in Japan (7:40 a.m. EDT) to report that he discovered his 41-year-old wife Misa and 8-year-old son Kōta collapsed when he returned to their home in Mobara, Chiba. The emergency team arrived on the scene in the second-floor bedroom, but the two had already passed away.
According to the Mobara police, the wife was collapsed at the bedroom entrance and the son was on the bed. The two had no visible signs of external injuries. No note or similar item was discovered, but since the room had the odor of gas or rotten eggs, the police are investigating the incident as a possible murder-suicide by the wife or a possible accident.
Among other titles, Tsujino — who is also known as Torajirō Tsujino — created the character designs for the Tengai Makyō (Far East of Eden) role-playing game franchise for Red Company. He also worked on the Sakura Taisen (Sakura Wars) videogames, the Cardfight!! Vanguard card game, and the Lupin III: The Fuma Conspiracy anime film.

4Kids Plans to Pitch New Yu-Gi-Oh! at Licensing Expo posted on 2011-06-11 23:45 EDT

Judge previously ordered NAS, TV Tokyo to withhold re-licensing the series
The North American production company 4Kids Entertainment plans to promote the newest Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series, Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal, in a Las Vegas event next week to attract potential merchandise producers. 4Kids plans to release Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal this fall along with a 500th-episode special event on Toonzai. Further plans to promote the series will be revealed at the Licensing International Expo.
4Kids is involved in a court battle with the Japanese licensors of Yu-Gi-Oh!, ADK's Nihon Ad Systems (NAS) and TV Tokyo. Both Japanese companies intended to cancel their contract with 4Kids Entertainment due to allegedly fraudulent underpayment. 4Kids then filed for bankruptcy but it continues to operate in the meantime.
ADK and TV Tokyo then planned to pitch Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal themselves at the Licensing International Expo, but 4Kids filed a legal motion against this. Last week, Judge Shelley C. Chapman of 4Kids' bankruptcy case ordered a stay, barring ADK and TV Tokyo from selling the license to another company until the case of fraudulent underpayment is resolved.
4Kids Entertainment will also be showing the CG anime series Meat or Die about dinosaurs, as well as the Asian project Max Adventures.

(Updated) The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya Delayed to November posted on 2011-06-13 0:00 EDT

Manga Entertainment confirm delay by twitter.
Manga Entertainment has now confirmed that the feature film The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya has been pushed back to November.
The company was replying to a query about whether the film would appear on Blu-Ray. Manga replied, 'Yes, the Disappearance of Haruhi will be on Blu-ray. However, our release date has been pushed back. To November!'
It is not clear whether the November date referred to the Blu-Ray release or to the DVD as well. However, in the past, Manga has released titles to DVD and Blu-Ray on the same date.
Update: In a subsequent twitter, Manga said the delay was 'because the English dub will not be delivered to our authoring house until July. It takes 15 weeks to produce a DVD and Blu-ray.'
 
Range Murata's 1st Art Book Sold as English iPad App posted on 2011-06-13 09:30 EDT
1997's Like a Balance Life by designer of Blue Submarine No. 6, Last Exile, Shangri-La
The publisher Wanimagazine released Like a Balance Life, the first art book from illustrator and anime character designer Range Murata, as an app for Apple's iPad device in Japanese and in English in several countries last week. The book was first published in 1997, and while there was a low-cost paperback Like a Balance Life 0.5 edition in 2000, both editions are out-of-print and relatively difficult to find. The app compiles the materials from both print editions.
Unlike the print versions, the US$4.99 app includes a "Sketch View" which allows users to see an illustration side-by-side with its original rough sketch or Murata's text commentary (translated into English). The app also has a "Slide Show" feature to show the illustrations in a random sequence, accompanied by tracks in the iPad's music library.
In Japan, Wanimagazine is promoting the app's release by giving away rare autographed items, such as T-shirts and iPhone 4 cases, to people who retweet the publisher's announcement message before June 22.
In addition to his artbooks and manga, Murata created the character designs for the anime titles Blue Submarine No. 6, Last Exile, and Shangri-La. He is now designing the characters for the new Last Exile anime series, Last Exile: Ginyoku no Fam (Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing). Murata already released some of his dōjinshi (self-published) works on iOS devices such as Apple's iPhone and iPod touch.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

SDCC's Sunday Schedule now online!

Comic-Con 2011 Program Schedule
Sunday Program Schedule is Revealed!
Here it is... the last big day of programming for Comic-Con 2011! We're pretty sure we could keep going and schedule stuff for Monday, Tuesday, and onward, but alas...we turn back into a pumpkin on Sunday at 5:00PM. Follow the link for the Sunday, July 24 Program Schedule, and tune in tomorrow for a special (downloadable) bonus!

APPLESEED XIII Trailer

New Anime TV Series

Saturday, July 9, 2011

SDCC's Saturday Schedule now online!

Comic-Con 2011 Program Schedule
Saturday Schedule is Unveiled!
Has your head exploded yet? We certainly hope not, but we've unveiled the Comic-Con Program Schedule for Saturday, July 23, so you might want to don some tight-fitting headgear just in case. We're almost done showing you all of the mystical and wondrous secrets of the Program Schedule. Remember, Sunday will be revealed tomorrow. And we've still got some tricks up our sleeves. Other schedules and information will follow. Stay tuned for all of the exciting news. In the meantime, what are you waiting for? Check out Saturday's Program Schedule now after the link.

Anime Expo 2011 - Day 4

Lots of fun at this year's AX!
[Coverage by ] Well, what a great turnaround this AX has been. More cosplay photos and I reveal a big dark secret in the middle of this video. The events I attended were the Goodsmile x Nitroplus panel and Closing Ceremonies Closing Ceremonies was great. Hope to see everyone down at Comic Con.

See you next year!

Friday, July 8, 2011

SDCC's Friday Schedule now online

Comic-Con 2011 Program Schedule
Roll-out Continues with Friday!
If it's Friday, that must mean... it's time for the Friday Program Schedule! Comic-Con has been burning the midnight oil for the past few months, compiling the biggest program schedule the show has seen in its 42-year history. And check back Saturday and Sunday for... you guessed it: the schedules for Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24! Have a great weekend!

A Special Message from Nathan Fillion

Regarding a Major Concern in the Nerd World...

Anime Expo 2011 - Day 3

Cosplay at the Largest Anime Con in the U.S.
[Coverage by ] Today was one of those loose lax days for me at a convention. The only things that mattered for me today were the Culture Japan x Fakku meetup which I finally got Danny Choo's signature on a free Mirai poster and of course on a Figma Mirai and the Star Driver cosplay gathering. Afterwards, it's all nice cosplay photos. Enjoy.
 

Thursday, July 7, 2011

SDCC's Thursday Schedule now online

San Diego Comic-Con's 2011 Program Schedule
Roll-out Begins with Thursday!
This is it! Fire up the printer, get yourself an ice-cold beverage, and uncap those yellow highlighters. Today we light up the Internet with the first day -- Thursday, July 21 -- of the huge, gigantic, awesome, and utterly incredible Comic-Con Program Schedule! We'll be releasing all four days over the next four days (Thursday on Thursday, Friday on...well, you get it!). We do this day by day just to be sure your head doesn't explode. Get set for the most amazing schedule of comics programming this side of Krypton (well... if it still existed, that is).

CCI is once again utilizing SCHED* (sched.org) to make your life easier! You can create your own personalized schedule by picking the programs and events YOU want to see! Our handy MySCHED feature works with all major web browsers and is iPad ready. You can synch up your schedule with Google Calendar, Outlook, and Apple iCal and you can share it and see your friends' schedules on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Just follow the instructions on how to use it on our Programming Information page and create your own personalized schedule for Comic-Con!

Anime Expo 2011 - Day 2

"One of the Best Days Ever!"
[Coverage by ] Ah, today would probably go down in history as one of the best ever. The Hatsune Miku concert was the off the hook! I feel very bad for those who could not attend the event. Earlier I went to the K-On gathering but the concert will forever be the best concert AX has ever hosted. Hopefully this will be the first of many possible Hatsune Miku concerts in the United States.

Anime Programming Schedule for July 9, 2011

Prepare for an awesome weekend!
NOTE: During the summer months, our meetings will be pushed back by one hour due to a class in the morning. Starting time is now 1:00 pm.

1:00 - 1:50   Fortune Arterial 11-12 (end)
[Source: Wikipedia] Fortune Arterial's story revolves around the male protagonist Kohei Hasekura, who transfers into a prestigious public school in the style of an English six-year school encompassing junior-high and high school students. The school, named Shuchikan Academy (修智館学院 Shuchikan Gakuin), is on an island named Tamatsu Island (珠津島 Tamatsushima) off-shore from mainland Japan, and the only way to get there is by boat. Soon after transferring, he discovers that one of the student in the class next door to his, Erika Sendo, is in fact a type of vampire. Kohei is the protagonist of the story, and is a fifth-year student. After always transferring to other schools, he makes his way to Shuchikan Academy where he plans to stay for a while. Erika is also a fifth-year student, as well as the student council vice-president. She is a vampire. She is strong in literature classes and martial arts, and is very attractive, making her popular in her school. She has an inquisitive personality, and likes to do things directly. Once she has her mind set on something, she becomes very pushy, and will take her time making plans to make sure she gets her way. Her older brother Iori is the student council president.

1:50 - 2:40  Fractale 3-4
[Source: Wikipedia] The story takes place on an island resembling a futuristic Ireland (certain scenes are directly taken from Galway city in the west of Ireland), in a world ruled by the "Fractale System" that ensures mankind's stability and prosperity. One day, Clain meets a fleeing girl called Phryne, who disappears during the night leaving a pendant. When he is able to activate the pendant (which turns into a "dopple" named Nessa), Clain sets out for a journey with the girl-shaped avatar Nessa to look for Phryne and discovers the secret behind the Fractale System. While taking a walk, Clain has an encounter with the mysterious Phryne who was running away from a gang of pursuers. Clain and Phryne soon become friends, but in the following day she disappears without saying a word, leaving a mysterious item behind. While examining the brooch left by Phryne, Clain finds that Nessa, a doppel in human form, was sealed inside it. After trying to dispose of her, he ends up accepting Nessa's company, just before being captured by the same trio that was pursuing Phyrne. Clain and Nessa are taken to a village that is the headquarters of "Lost Millennium", an organization that is rebelling against the Fractale System. Soon after, Clain is caught up in a vicious confrontation between the rebels and the priestesses, where he meets Phryne again. The members of Lost Millennium kidnap Phryne and the temple puts a price on their heads. Clain decides to not get himself involved in the conflict, and just when he is about to run away with Nessa, the village is attacked by the temple's forces.

2:40 - 3:05    The World God Only Knows 9
[Source: Wikipedia] This episode Keima orders Elsie to go to the school library to learn modern human history after learning her knowledge about human history is two centuries out of date. Instead, she becomes fascinated on a book about Firetrucks. When she looks for more books about Firetrucks, she ask one of the librarians, Shiori Shiomiya and detects a spirit inside of her. After bringing Keima to library, the two are amazed that Shiori manage to find 458 books related to Firetrucks. While Keima thinks Shiori used the library index, Shiori, deep in thought, wants to tell him she was able to find them as she remembered all the books she reads in the library but is too shy to speak up. The next day, Shiori arranges the books in the library and explain her love for books. Keima is aware how shy librarian girls like her are easy to figure out as they are a common character in games but unlike games where he can read what the character is thinking, finding out what Shiori thinks might be more harder. As Shiori removes some books to be dispose off and laments to herself about their fate, Keima helps her get one book she can't reach. Shiori tries to think on how to thank him but fumbles in her words while thanking him.

3:05 - 3:55   Deadman Wonderland 3-4
[Source: Wikipedia] A massive earthquake ravaged Japan's mainland and destroyed most of Tokyo, sinking three-quarters of it into the ocean. Ten years later, the story shifts to Igarashi Ganta, a seemingly ordinary student attending Nagano Prefecture's middle school. An escapee, a survivor of the great earthquake, Ganta has no memories of the tragedy and has lived a normal life. This all changes when a strange man covered in blood and crimson armour floats through his classroom windows. Grinning madly, the Red Man massacres Ganta's entire class but instead of killing him, embeds a red crystal shard in Ganta's chest. Within days of the massacre, Ganta is declared the sole suspect and, following a quick trial, is sentenced to life imprisonment in Deadman Wonderland, a massive theme park like prison. Arriving at the prison, Ganta is fitted with a special collar which monitors his location and life signs. Due to the heinous nature of Ganta's 'crime', he has to live out his imprisonment under Deadman Wonderland's 'Death Sentence'. A lethal poison is constantly injected into his bloodstream through the collar, but it can be neutralized by consuming a peculiar candy-like medicine every three days. Additional candy can be earned through hard work or by purchasing it. In order to gather Cast Points, the prison's currency, an inmate has to perform in the facility's lethal games and survive. Fortunately for Ganta, he is aided by a mysterious girl named Shiro, who apparently knows Ganta, and is known by other prisoners as well. While trying to survive as an inmate on death row, Ganta becomes increasingly obsessed with the 'Red Man' and tries to find him so he could clear his name. In a bizarre twist, Ganta begins to develop the ability to manipulate his own blood, to the point of turning it into a weapon. Unbeknownst to him, Ganta has become one of the prison's 'Deadmen', a segregated group of prisoners possessing the Branch of Sin which makes them capable of controlling their blood. After his ability is discovered, Ganta is forced to participate in brutal gladiatorial death matches, known as Carnival Corpse, whose anonymous spectators pay large amounts of money to watch. In his struggle he manages to befriend some of those he fought off in the arena, and with their help Ganta continues his quest to uncover the identity of the Red Man, why he turned into a Deadman and the dark secrets the prison authorities are hiding. Put in charge of observing him by the promoter, Tsunenaga Tamaki, Yō gives Ganta a piece of Candy so he can keep living, unaware that he's putting him in his debt. Meanwhile, the red man, known as the Wretched Egg, breaks lose and appears before Ganta. Ganta tries attacking him using his own abilities, before the Wretched Egg escapes and Ganta falls unconscious. After waking up, Ganta hears from the other witnesses that they keep Wretched Egg locked up in the G-Block of the prison, so he and Shiro head towards there. Deeming him dangerous, Captain Makina puts the facility on lockdown and sends a fierce security robot after Ganta. As it approaches them, Ganta and Yō follow Shiro into a secret passage leading to the G-Block. As Shiro confronts the robot, it is destroyed by the arrival of another inmate with the same powers as Ganta. Believing him to be the red man, Ganta attacks the strange inmate, known as Senji "Crow" Kiyomasa, but falls at a disadvantage against the blades he can form with his blood. After learning the nature of his power, The Branches of Sin, Ganta launches a counterattack, though soon realizes he is not the Wretched Egg, but one of several 'Deadmen' with that power. Crow tries to attack Ganta again, but finds himself weak against Shiro before a special unit appears, tranquilising Ganta and Crow and taking Shiro and Yō to an empty corridor. As Ganta is examined, he comes face to face with Tamaki, who reveals he rigged Ganta's jury verdict to get him sent to Deadman Wonderland before revealing Ganta will face off against Crow in a battle the next day, tempting him with the prospect of coming face to face with Wretched Egg. As Ganta is tortured with footage of what a Corpse Carnival entails, Makina decides to confront the director concerning the mysteries of G-Block.

3:55 - 4:45    Steins;Gate 1-2
[Source: Wikipedia] Self-proclaimed mad scientist, Rintarō Okabe, goes to a seminar on time travel with his friend, Mayuri Shiina. While there, he meets a girl named Kurisu Makise who explicitly states that he had met her 15 minutes ago, despite having never met her before. Later on, Rintarō hears a scream and discovers Kurisu has been stabbed. As he sends a text to another one of his research buddies, Hashida Itaru, Rintarō has a strange experience, finding the street he is on has suddenly become deserted and a strange satellite has crashed into the building he was just in. Later on, while fiddling about with their strange remote-controlled microwave, which turns bananas into a gel-like substance, Hashida tells Rintarō that the seminar he supposedly attended was cancelled, much to his surprise. Rintarō later discovers that the text he sent to Hashida had been sent a week ago, just before encountering Kurisu, who is alive and well.

4:45 - 5:45    Club Meeting and Announcements
Anime Expo Convention Coverage
-  Animation News from around the world
-  Cosplayers
/Skits/Masquerade
-  New Anime Releases

-  And other interesting stuff...

  
5:45 - 6:35    Gosick 6-7
[Source: Wikipedia] Gosick takes place in 1924 in a small, French-speaking fictional European country of Sauville. The story centers on Kazuya Kujo, the third son of a Japanese Imperial soldier, who is a transfer student to St. Marguerite Academy, where urban legends and horror stories are all the rage. There he meets Victorique, a mysterious yet beautiful and brilliant girl who never comes to class and spends her days reading the entire content of the library or solving mysteries that even detectives can't solve. The series mostly focuses on Kazuya and Victorique getting involved in different mystery cases and their struggle to solve them, at the same time forming important bonds with different people. Just after reading an article on a newspaper brought by Kujo, Victorique flees from the academy and sets with him for the small town of Horovitz. After arriving there, she explains to him that her mother, Cordelia Gallo, was falsely accused of murder, and she refuses to return home before proving her innocence. Victorique and Kujo explore the "Village of the Gray Wolves" where her mother lived in search for clues to prove her innocence, but Victorique gets disappointed when she uncovers the truth and figures that she lacks the means to clear her name. To complicate matters, two of the tourists who were visiting the village with them are killed among strange circumstances.

6:35 - 7:25    Shinryaku! Ika Musume 6-7
[Source: Wikipedia] A hero show is performed on the beach for the kids, though the performers run into a bit of trouble when Ika somehow manages to get everyone to cheer for the villain. When Ika then takes the costume for herself, Chizuru acts as a guest character to set her straight. Later, Eiko is shocked to find Ika is able to solve complex math problems. She reluctantly asks her to teach her how to study, only to find the technique is illegible to humans. After Gorō rescues her from drowning, Nagisa becomes concerned that he may have been brainwashed into thinking Ika is not a threat, leading to some strange misunderstandings. Concerned about any evil plans Ika may have, Nagisa decides to sleep over at the Aizawas to keep watch on her. Nagisa pretends to not be scared of Ika, which upsets her. Eiko tries to convince Ika to just be friends with Nagisa, but Nagisa's fear rises up again. As Ika decides to play as being Queen, Cindy manages to trick her into agreeing to come to her secret laboratory, where she meets some her strange co-workers; Harris, Clark and Martin. Later, the girls run into the Southern Winds owner's daughter, and offer her a trial run working at the Lemon. As she attracts more sales, Eiko lets the owner have Ika for the Southern Winds, where she proves to be a worthwhile entertainer.

FEATURE PRESENTATION:
7:25 - 9:00   Karigurashi no Arrietty [Movie]
[Source: Wikipedia] The story takes place in 2010 in Koganei, western Tokyo and like the novel revolves around a group of "tiny people" who are 10 cm tall and live under the floorboards of a typical human household. A boy named Shō arrives at the house his mother lived in as a child, to live with his great aunt Sadako. When Shō leaves the car, he sees a cat trying to attack something in the bushes, but the cat leaves after being attacked by a crow. Shō goes to see what the cat was trying to attack to see a Borrower named Arrietty. That night Arrietty's father Pod takes Arrietty above the floorboards to show her how he gets sugar. Pod shows Arrietty the kitchen, behind the walls and a dollhouse. Before Arrietty and Pod can leave, Arrietty notices Shō is awake, and drops the sugar cube they got. Shō tells them to not be afraid of him. The next day, Shō leaves the dropped sugar cube beside an underground air vent where he first saw Arrietty, but Arrietty's mother Homily warns them not to take it because their existence must be kept secret from humans. Still, Arrietty sneaks out to visit Shō in his bedroom, and the two become friends. On her return, Arrietty is intercepted by her father. Pod and Homily realize they have been discovered, and decide the family must move out of house. Shō learns from Sadako his ancestors have seen Borrowers in this house, and they had the dollhouse made especially for the Borrowers, with working electric lights and ovens. However, the Borrowers had not been seen since, and the dollhouse stayed in Shō's room. Shō uncovers the floorboards above the Borrower household, uproots their kitchen and replaces it with the kitchen from the dollhouse. Pod returns injured from a borrowing mission, helped by Spiller, a Borrower boy he met on the way. Spiller suggests some places the Borrowers can move to, and, after he recovers, Pod goes to check them out. Arrietty goes to say goodbye to Shō. Shō says the Borrowers are becoming extinct, which hurts Arrietty. He apologises and says he has had a heart condition since birth, and will have an operation in a few days. The operation does not have a good chance of success. Meanwhile Haru, Sadako's maid, notices the floorboards have been disturbed. While Sadako is out, Haru locks Shō in his room, unearths the Borrowers' house and puts Homily in a jar in the kitchen. Haru calls a pest removal company to smoke out the Borrowers and bring them to her alive. When Arrietty returns to find Homily missing and their house disturbed, she goes to Shō for help. Arrietty helps Shō break out of his locked room, Shō then carries Arrietty to the kitchen and distracts Haru while Arrietty rescues Homily. Sadako returns soon after the pest removal company comes, and tells them to leave. Haru tries to prove to Sadako the Borrowers really exist, but Homily has escaped, and there is nothing below the floorboards: The Borrowers have already set off on their move, and Shō has destroyed the remains. The Borrowers stop for dinner during their move, and Shō's cat spots Arrietty. The cat brings Shō to Arrietty. He gives her a sugar cube as a parting gift, and tells her the Borrowers' fight for survival has given him hope to live through the operation, which will happen in two days' time. In return, Arrietty gives Shō her hairclip. The Borrowers then go into a teapot, which Spiller steers down a river.