Next Club Meeting: April 20, 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.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Touhou - Fan Anime Creations

"Memories of Phantasm"

[Source: Wikipedia] The Touhou Project, also known as Toho Project or Project Shrine Maiden, is a Japanese dōjin game series focused on bullet hell shooters made by the one-man developer Team Shanghai Alice, whose sole member, known as ZUN, is responsible for all the graphics, music, and programming for the most part. The series was inducted into the Guinness World Records in October 2010 for being the "most prolific fan-made shooter series". The Touhou Project began in 1995 when Highly Responsive to Prayers was first developed by the group Amusement Makers for the Japanese NEC PC-9801 series of computers; the game was later released in November 1996. The next four Touhou games released between August 1997 and December 1998 also were released on the NEC PC-9801. The Touhou Project was inactive for the next three and half years until the first Microsoft Windows Touhou game, The Embodiment of Scarlet Devil, was released in August 2002 solely by ZUN after he split from Amusement Makers and started Team Shanghai Alice. The Touhou Project became a media franchise spanning a steadily increasing number of official games, in addition to commercial fan books, light novels, and manga. 

The plots of the Touhou Project revolve around the strange phenomena that occur in the fictional realm of Gensokyo (幻想郷 Gensōky, literally Illusion Village or Fantasy Village), which ZUN designed with a human village in the grounds of some remote mountain recesses in Japan. Originally, it was simply called "a remote separated land of a human village in an eastern country." Long before the Touhou Project's story begins, there lived many non-humans like yōkai as well as some humans in the area. After a few humans lost their way into Gensokyo, humans became afraid of approaching this area, although others settled here for the sake of yōkai extermination. However, as time went on, humans developed civilization and multiplied in number, and thus the yōkai became distressed about how this would affect the balance between humans and yōkai. Thus, 500 years before The Embodiment of Scarlet Devil (EoSD), the yōkai sage Yukari Yakumo developed the "boundary of phantasm and substance," which was favored by the yōkai and protected the balance. This was called the "Yōkai Expansion Project" and made Gensokyo a phantasmal world that automatically called out to the weakened yōkai of the outside world. Other things that disappear from the outside world, like extinct animals, lost tools, and architecture, also became abundant in Gensokyo. Since Gensokyo was a plot of land in Japan that was separated by a barrier, it is Japan that is immediately outside of this barrier.

As a result of the seal, Gensokyo became inaccessible from the outside world, and similarly, those in Gensokyo were unable to leave. Gensokyo's existence could not be confirmed from the outside world, nor could the outside world be confirmed within Gensokyo As a result, the isolated community developed its own civilization, different from that of the outside world. Although separated by a barrier, it is a bordering world to its outside, as opposed to being in a parallel universe. There are no seas in Gensokyo, since it is an inland mountain. In Gensokyo, there are few humans, and various kinds of yōkai. Some species include magicians, beasts, therianthropies, vampires, bōrei, tengu, kappa, and yōkai (a kind of miscellaneous group). There are others species that could be yōkai depending on definition, like fairies, spirits, yūrei, onryō, poltergeists, hermits, oni, and gods.

In present Gensokyo, which is presented in all Touhou Project games since EoSD, as opposed to the outside world where unscientific phenomena were dismissed as "superstition" by the time of the Meiji era, magical and spiritual qualities prevail. The only known gateway from the outside world into Gensokyo is the Hakurei Shrine on the border of Gensokyo. The spell card rules were also established to keep up the relationship between humans and yōkai in a mock style, which was necessary for the preservation of the balance of Gensokyo. The "Great Hakurei Barrier," managed by Hakurei Miko, was constructed several decades before EoSD, which is described as a "barrier of common sense," and is thus a strong logical barrier that not even yōkai can pass through. The yōkai were at first against its construction, but then gradually understood its usefulness.

Trailer for a planned sequel to the 1st movie:


Music video for a possible 3rd movie:

Monday, May 28, 2012

rain town

Graduation Film by Hiroyasu Ishida
In this town, since who knows when, rain has never stopped.
Residents moved out to suburbs and high ground around
"rain town."
People's memories are now deeply submerged.
But into this forgotten rainy town
sometimes, someone wanders.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

A "Temporary Stop" to Mahou Sensei Negima!

[Source: My Anime List] The final chapter of Ken Akamatsu's young wizard series Mahou Sensei Negima! was collected in a 38th volume of the manga, released in Japan this week. In it, the author included a note discussing the series' future.

Everyone, thank you for your long-lasting patronage. "Mahou Sensei Negima!" which has continued for 9 years, will come to a temporary stop at volume 38. By "temporary", I mean the series will be revived sooner or later. To put it like Chao, the conclusion shown in this volume is merely one of several parallel worlds. "Negima!" still has far more undiscovered mysteries that would easily surpass 100 volumes in length (lol). However, given that the multimedia franchise has met a thorough completion and that I was able to see the "B Version Ending" in the movie, I decided to depict a conclusion for the original story as well. If, in the future, you happen to see a new episode of "Negima!", I would be ever grateful if you could take it into your hands. One of your remaining questions may just melt away.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Friday, May 25, 2012

Yamato 2199's 2nd Promo Video Revealed

Premieres in Japan June 30
The film distributor Shochiku released this promotional video on Thursday for the second installment of the Space Battleship Yamato 2199 television anime series and film project. The second film, which will cover episodes 3-6, will open in Japan on June 30. The Blu-ray Disc and DVD volume of the second film will then ship on July 27. 

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Red Band Trailer [NSFW]
The official red band trailer for 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' starring Benjamin Walker (Abraham Lincoln), Rufus Sewell (Adam) and Dominic Cooper (Henry Sturgess).

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Another - The Live-Action Movie

"Another" Goes to the Big Screen
Yukito Ayatsuji's 2009 highschool horror novel "Another" was adapted into a 2010 manga and a 2012 anime. This August, a live action movie version will be hitting Japanese theaters. Takeshi Furusawa, who directed ADV released Ghost Train, directs the remake.

Monday, May 21, 2012

PES - Peace Eco Smile

A collaborative effort between the Japanese automaker and Japanese anime company Studio 4°C, PES: Peace Eco Smile is a new web promotional anime series that centers around PES, a traveller from space, and NaSuBi, a mysterious life-form who is enamored by the charm of Earth. The car of choice for these strangers in a new world? The Prius, particularly the Prius Liftback and Prius C hatchback. These two hybrids seem to be as much a part of this series as the two main characters are. A Lexus LFA (likely the ride of the antagonist) and the Toyota Camry hybrid also have a role to play.

Each anime short in the campaign will be three to four minutes long and will be posted on Toyota’s specially-dedicated website.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Phil Tippett's "MAD GOD"

A Kickstarter Project
MAD GOD is Animation Legend Phil Tippett's apocalyptic stop-motion descent into the bowels of the unconscious.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Dead Shadows

NSFW trailer for French monster film
Beware Naughty Tentacles!
Dead Shadows tells the terrifying story about a young man, Chris, whose parents were brutally killed 11 years ago, on the same day that tHaley's Comet could be seen from earth. Tonight, a new comet is going to appear and everyone in his building are getting ready for a party to celebrate the event. There's even an apocalypse theory going around. As the night falls, Chris starts to discover that people are acting strange - and it seems to somehow be connected to the comet. People are becoming disoriented and violent and it doesn't take long before they start mutating into something from beyond this world. In a fight for survival, Chris has to try to escape from his building with the help from some other tenants - but will they make it out alive?

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Technotise: Edit i ja [FULL MOVIE]

Animatrix Theater
Presents

"Technotise: Edit i ja" 
Belgrade 2074. 

Edit is a student. 

After a few failed exams she decides to implant a memory chip
to help improve her grades... 
but something strange starts happening to her...

The memory chip has a mind of its own.

Click  here  to watch the entire film 

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Zombie Murder Explosion Die!

ZMED guarantees each of the things in its title in every episode! 
Zombies, Murder, Explosions, and Death!
Lots and lots of zombie death! What's not to like, right?
The series follows our tech-addicted teens as they epic fail their way through a zombie apocalypse. We have no idea
how these guys are surviving cause zombies are mean motherf*ckers! 
And our guys have no survival skills...well,

Except for Jack

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Life-size Valkyrie Fighter on Display

30th Anniversary Macross 
Super Dimension Exhibition
This new giant robot, also known to Macross fans as the VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie fighter, is a faithful replica of the animated space-jet. If it were an actual working version, it could transform from its resting jet airplane form to its bipedal battle robot form (and even a third configuration that's a mix of the two). The robot model was built as part of the 30th Anniversary Macross Super Dimension Exhibition in Tokyo which runs until the middle of May. 

Friday, May 11, 2012

Mysterious Girlfriend X

Yeah, it's that kind of weird... ewww!
A strange new transfer student named Mikoto Urabe is instantly labelled as a weirdo due to her odd sleeping patterns and a strange outburst of laughter during class. When Akira Tsubaki wakes up Mikoto at the end of a school day, he finds her face enchanting and ends up sampling some of her drool. After having a dream about Mikoto that he can't seem to get out of his head, Akira suddenly comes down with his fever. Mikoto goes to Akira's house and gives him more of her drool which cures his fever, explaining his symptoms were the result of withdrawal from not getting any more drool. As such, Mikoto begins meeting up with Akira every day to give him some more of her drool. As Akira starts to fall in love with Mikoto, he decides to confess to her after a few days. When asked by Mikoto to profess his love in a way only he can, Akira demonstrates it by ripping up a photo he had in his wallet of his middle school crush.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Anime Viewing Schedule for Saturday, May 12, 2012

Building K, Room 131, Noon to 8:00 pm
Fight for your Food!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Noon - 12:50   Ben-To 7-8
12:50 - 1:15    Dusk Maiden of Amnesia 1

1:15 - 1:40      Rinne no Lagrange 2
1:40 - 2:30     
Mirai Nikki (Future Diary) 13-14
2:30 - 3:20      Sakamichi no Apollon 1-2
3:20 - 3:45      Fate/Zero 6
3:45 - 4:45      Club Meeting / Announcements
4:45 - 5:35      Lupin III: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna 1-2

5:35 - 6:00      Sankarea 1
6:00 - 6:20      Guilty Crown 3
6:20 - 8:00      The Princess and the Pilot [Movie] 

Noon - 12:50   Ben-To 7-8
Ben-To
[Source: Wikipedia] While innocently reaching for some half-priced bento, Yō Satō finds himself beaten up on the floor of a supermarket. He soon learns that getting half-priced bento is an all-out brawl between customers. Yō is invited to the Half-Priced Food Lovers Club by one of the top fighters, Sen Yarizui, in order to train to compete in these battles.
Episode 7 "Omelettits Bento 752kcal and Tent of Seafood Bento 1100kcal": Matsuba gives Yō, Sen, Ayame and Hana free tickets to an indoor swimming pool, where they also run into Ren. There, they discover even a swimming pool has half-priced bento, featuring a unique bento brawl across the pool. As the waves provide a fierce battlefield, Yō manages to achieve his prey, albeit not without an embarrassing comeuppance.
Episode 8 "Jumbo Garlic Chive Hamburger Steak Bento 765kcal": Yō becomes hospitalized after jumping out of a window while trying to protect his Sega Saturn that Sen threw out the window, ending up completely wrapped in bandages. Meanwhile, a pair of twin sisters from Ayame's school both named Kyō Sawagi, the older of which appears to have a thing for Sen, infiltrate the hospital hoping to meet Sen. They mistake Yō for Sen and perform some curious inspections on him, leading to chaos when they actually learn the truth. 

12:50 - 1:40  Dusk Maiden of Amnesia 1
Dusk Maiden of Amnesia
[Source: Wikipedia] The story revolves around a first-year middle school student, Teiichi Niiya who had just enrolled at Seikyou Private Academy. When he gets lost in one of the school's old building, he meets a girl named Yuuko Kanoe who reveals herself as a ghost with no memories. Teiichi then decides to investigate her death by looking through the school's seven mysteries revolving around her. Throughout the story, Teiichi and Yuuko discover the truth about these ghost stories and help those who are troubled.
Episode 1 "Ghost Maiden": In the school's Paranormal Investigations Club, Momoe Okonogi does her work, blissfully unaware of the presence of the club's ghost president, Yuuko Kanoe, who can only be seen by the two other club members Teiichi Niiya and Kirie Kanoe. After investigating an allegedly 'haunted' food elevator, which is revealed to be Yuuko's doing, Momoe brings everyone to the top of a hill where a memorial to Yuuko is found. After Momoe and Kirie leave, Teiichi finds a bell underneath the memorial grave.
Episode 2 "Encounter with the Maiden": In a flashback into how Teiichi, Yuuko and Momoe met, Teiichi finds himself lost in one of the school's old buildings where he stumbles upon Yuuko who introduces herself as the ghost of the school he has heard of. While he tries to understand how she came to be and Yuuko wants starts the Paranormal Investigations Club, Momoe asks him to help her with a paranormal problem. Momoe explains she played a game called "hide the demon" which only ends if you tell the doll you use but the doll mysteriously disappeared and fears she will be killed. But in truth, the doll was actually taken by Yuuko but she warns Teiichi that Momoe's paranoia will kill her if they do not solve it. In order end her fear, Yuuko and Teiichi play pretend where the latter performs an exorcism on the possessed doll in front of Momoe.

12:50 - 1:40  Rinne no Lagrange 2
Rinne no Lagrange
[Source: Wikipedia] Madoka Kyouno, a schoolgirl from Kamogawa, is the sole member of the Jersey Club and always ready to help others out. One day, she is approached by an alien named Lan who asks her to pilot a robotic aircraft to defend mankind against an evil force.
Episode 2 "Kamogawa Spirit": As Madoka returns in the Ovid, known as Vox Aura, she is shocked to learn that she is to do a second mission. As Yoko decides to infiltrate the base, Madoka briefly runs into another Ovid pilot named Muginami before regrouping with Lan to perform the next mission to fight against another enemy Ovid piloted by a man named Izo. As Madoka finds herself struggling, with her doubt causing the Vox to shut down, she receives a call from Yoko who encourages her to finish what she started. As Madoka launches a counterattack on the enemy, another enemy Ovid appears.

1:40 - 2:30    Mirai Nikki (Future Diary) 13-14
Mirai Nikki
[Source: Wikipedia] Yukiteru "Yuki" Amano is a loner who never really interacts with people and prefers writing a diary on his cell phone with his only companion being an imaginary friend named Deus Ex Machina, the God of Time and Space. However, Yuki soon learns that Deus is real when he makes Yuki participate in a battle royale with eleven other people. Within this "Diary Game", the contestants are given special diaries that can predict the future, with each diary having unique features that gives them both advantages and disadvantages. Within the next 90 days, the contestants must try to kill each other and survive until there is only one person standing, the winner becoming the new God of Time and Space. In order to survive, Yuki tries to find allies, with one of them being another diary user named Yuno Gasai, a girl who is madly in love with him. As the game continues, Yuki soon learns that not everyone can be trusted, not even Yuno, whose obsession to keep both of them alive no matter the cost terrifies him. Yet despite her faults, Yuki continues to trust Yuno since he manages to survive the game thanks to her. Originally, Yuki had no desire to win the game and stoop as low as the other contestants who either cheat, lie, manipulate or kill in order to win. However, that all changes when late in the game, Yuki's parents are killed. Yuki suffers a breakdown over his parents death until Yuno seduces and convinces him that if he becomes the new God of Time and Space, he can bring his parents back to life. Now having a reason to win, Yuki becomes a ruthless, backstabbing, and manipulative terrorist who causes the deaths of thousands of civilians and destruction throughout the city in order to kill the other contestants. Yuki's actions shock his friends, in particular Aru Akise, who had suspicions about Yuno and her motives. By the time Yuno and Yuki becomes the last contestants, Aru and the rest of Yuki's friends chastis him on how he has become just as bad as the other contestants. Aru tries to warn Yuki that Yuno is manipulating him and that she has an ulterior motive. Refusing to accept the truth and wishing to bring his parents back, Yuki kills them until Aru manages to stop him and gives Yuki a clue over Yuno's true identity before he is killed by Yuno herself. Eventually, Yuki learns that the Yuno he known is actually an "impostor" as this "Yuno" is actually from a parallel universe who won the Diary Game. In that universe, Yuno and Yuki were the last contestants and Yuki committed suicide so that Yuno will be the new God and resurrect him. But Yuno became distraught and more insane when she learns that while she can resurrect the dead, she cannot bring back their souls. With the help of Muru Muru, Deus' assistant and now Yuno's after she won the Diary game, both of them travel back in time to Yuki's universe and manipulated it where she killed the Yuno of Yuki's universe and took her place so she could play the game again and find a way to bring back "her" Yuki. As Yuno is about to kill him, Yuki is saved by Minene Uryu, one of his allies and another Diary user who he believed died in the game but was saved by Deus, who had suspicions that the Muru Muru in his universe is not the one he knows but the one from the parallel universe working with Yuno, and gave Minene some of his powers before his death. Their plans foiled, Yuno and Muru Muru travel to another universe to start over again but are followed by Yuki and Minene who are trying to stop them. Finally, Yuno and Muru Muru are stopped when the former learns in this new universe, all the terrible things that happen to everyone in the previous universes never happen including one where her parents were never abusive and lead to her insanity. With Yuno's Muru Muru stopped by Yuki's universe's Muru Muru and the help of the new universe's Diary users, Yuki convinces Yuno to come to her senses and surrender as he loves her. Realizing her mistakes, Yuno instead kills herself, believing this is the best for him and making Yuki the new God of his universe. In the end, despite becoming the new God of Time and Space, Yuki refuses to rule his universe as he has lost everything that he ever loved and cared; his friends, parents and Yuno. But in an unexpected Deus ex machina, the Yuno of the new universe arrives and invites Yuki to her universe as Yuki's Muru Muru had given Yuno and the others of the new universe their other universes memories which convinced that universe's Deus not to hold the Diary game and instead make Yuki and Yuno his new heirs. The series ends with Yuki reuniting with Yuno, his friends, parents and the Diary users in a new, happier universe.
Episode 13 "Restricted Call": When Deus realises that his assistant, Murmur, manipulated events to hasten Keigo's elimination, she claims she wants the game concluded before he has to "retire" and challenges him to a wager on the winner of the survival game, with her picking Yuno and Deus betting on Yuki. Yuki and Yuno go on a stargazing trip, but Yuno alters their destination along the way. Worried about Yuki's safety, Aru contacts Nishijima and they manage to narrow Yuki and Yuno's location down to a run-down holiday resort, enlisting Hinata, Mao and Kousaka to search for them. As they split up and search the abandoned hotels, Aru and Kousaka face various traps set by Yuno, while Hinata is tricked by a text message Yuno sent from Yuki's phone. When the others attempt to find Hinata, they get locked in a room which starts to fill up with gas. At the end of the episode, Yuki is shown bound to a chair, with an ecstatic Yuno sitting between two skulls. 
Episode 14 "Deleted Memory": Aru talks to Yuno through her surveillance feed, revealing he dug up three corpses from her garden, two of which had recently had their skulls removed. When he threatens to give this information to the police unless she releases them, the stress causes Yuno to alter her memory again, rendering negotiations moot. As Kousaka uses his cell phone to post his will in his blog, it is apparently turned into a Future Diary by the Eighth diary holder, who adresses him as an "apprentice". On Aru's advice, Kousaka acts out his diary's predictions, reaching an amnesiac Yuno, a catatonic Yuki and a bound Hinata in the control room. His appearance causes Yuki to recover, recalling how Yuno abducted him to keep him safe until July 28th. Yuno places the key to Yuki's shackles on the floor and tosses Kousaka the control panel key, allowing him to free Aru and Mao. Yuno then takes advantage of Kousaka's distraction and shoots at him with a crossbow. However, Yuki, having had his key kicked over to him by Hinata, frees himself and stops Yuno, leaving her behind when his diary predicts the imminent arrival of three diary holders, all apprentices of the Eighth. 

2:30 - 3:20    Sakamichi no Apollon [Kids on the Slope] 1-2
Sakamichi no Apollon [Kids on the Slope]
[Source: Wikipedia] The beginning of summer, 1966. Because of his father's job situation, freshman high school student Kaoru Nishimi moves by himself from Yokosuka to Kyushu to live with relatives. Until then, Kaoru was an honor roll student who tended to keep to himself, but meeting notorious bad boy Sentaro Kawabuchi starts to change him. Through his devil-may-care classmate, Kaoru learns the attractions of jazz and finds the first person he can call a “friend.” He also discovers how much fun it is to play music with a pal. Other characters include Sentaro's kind childhood chum, Ritsuko, who is the daughter of a record shop owner; the mysterious upperclassman, Yurika; and Brother Jun, the much-admired leader among their peers.

3:20 - 3:45   Fate/Zero 6
Fate/Zero
[Source: Wikipedia] Fate/zero takes place 10 years prior to the events of Fate/stay night, detailing the events of the 4th Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City. The War of the Holy Grail is a contest in which seven magi summon seven Heroic Spirits to compete to obtain the power of the "Holy Grail," which grants a miracle. After three inconclusive wars for the elusive Holy Grail, the Fourth War commences. Founded by the Einzbern, Matō, and Tōsaka families centuries ago, the Einzbern family is determined to achieve success after three successive failures, no matter the cost. As a result, they have elected to bring the hated magus killer, Kiritsugu Emiya, into their ranks, despite his methods and reputation as a skilled mercenary and a hitman who employs whatever he can use to accomplish his goals. Though Kiritsugu had once wanted to become a hero who could save everyone, he has long since abandoned this ideal upon realizing that saving one person comes at the cost of another's life. For the sake of humanity, he will ruthlessly destroy anything and anyone who threatens the peace of others. However, Kiritsugu finds himself deeply torn between the love he has found for his new family - his wife Irisviel and their daughter Illya - and what he must do to obtain the Holy Grail. Meanwhile, Kiritsugu's greatest opponent appears in the form of Kirei Kotomine, a priest who cannot find any sense of fulfillment in his life and sets his sights on Kiritsugu as the possible answer to the emptiness he feels.
Episode 6 "Night of Schemes": Iri and Saber are driving to Einzbern Castle when they encounter Caster. Caster believes Saber is Jeanne d'Arc, but Saber tells him he is mistaken and drives him away. Returning to his lair, Caster is convinced "Jeanne" has lost her memories. At his hotel, Kayneth scolds Lancer for failing to kill Saber. Lancer is defended by Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, Kayneth's fiancee, who is maintaining Lancer's existence by supplying him with prana and has fallen for him due to his magic love spot. When the hotel's occupants are ordered to evacuate, Kayneth realizes Saber's Master has come for them. After making sure all civilians have evacuated, Kiritsugu and Maiya blow up the hotel using explosives. Maiya is found by Kirei, but escapes thanks to Kiritsugu's smoke bomb. When the Assassins inform Kirei, Risei and Tokiomi that Caster and Uryū have been kidnapping and sacrificing children, Risei is disgusted by their pointless murders and their jeopardising the war's secrecy. In a meeting between Archer and Kirei, the former convinces the latter to spy on the other Masters and find out what drives them in order to discover his own desires. 

3:45 - 4:45    Club Meeting and Announcements

ACen Highlights!
-  Anime Central 2012 Coverage
-  Animation News from around the world
-  Cosplayers/Skits/Masquerade
-  Anime Music Videos
-  And other weird, interesting stuff...

4:45 - 5:35    Lupin III: Mine Fujikoto Iu Onna
Lupin III: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna
[Source: Wikipedia] Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine (LUPIN the Third -峰不二子という女- Rupan Sansei Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna?) is a 2012 anime series based on Monkey Punch's Lupin III franchise. Produced by TMS Entertainment and Po10tial, it began airing on NTV on April 4, 2012. The series focuses on the franchise's heroine, Fujiko Mine, as she undergoes various missions and encounters other characters in the Lupin universe. The opening theme is "New Wuthering Heights" (新・嵐が丘 Shin Arashi ga Oka?) by Naruyoshi Kikuchi and Pepe Tormento Azcarar feat. Ichiko Hashimoto, whilst the ending theme is "Duty Friend" by NIKIIE. Sayo Yamamoto is the director of the series, making it the first Lupin title to be directed by a female. Unlike the previous anime adaptations of Lupin III, Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna is much closer to Monkey Punch's original creation in art style, tone, and in the portrayal of Arsène Lupin III. It is darker, more serious and sexually oriented, and is the first series in which Lupin is not the main protagonist.
Episodes 1-2: Tells the story of how Fujiko Mine first met Arsène Lupin III. Fujiko is on a mission to infiltrate a drug operation, which is not helped by the arrival of master thief Lupin. After losing a bet and becoming the property of a female casino owner, Fujiko is sent on a mission to steal Daisuke Jigen's .357 Magnum.

5:35 - 6:00    Sankarea 1
Sankarea
[Source: Wikipedia] The protagonist, Chihiro Furuya, is a male highschool student with a keen interest in zombies, collecting zombie-related videogames, film and manga, and even to the point of desiring to "kiss a zombie girl". Following the death of his pet cat, Babu, he attempts to revive it using an old manuscript, which describes the process of creating a potion for resurrection. At this time he encounters a girl named Rea Sanka, who has run away from home. In an attempt to commit suicide, she drinks a sample of the "resurrection" potion which is created from a poisonous herb known as Hydrangea macrophylla, however this fails to kill her. Following an argument with her father, she falls from a cliff by accident and dies; however as a result of the potion, she returns as a zombie. Though she becomes undead, she chooses not to consume human flesh, and rather survives on eating the hydrangea herbs.
Episodes 1: Chihiro Furuya is a zombie-loving weirdo who becomes depressed when his pet cat, Babu, dies after being hit by a car. Wanting to see him alive again, Chihiro looks into an old manuscript describing resurrection and starts doing experiments at an abandoned building. Whilst there, he encounters a girl named Rea Sanka, who is depressed about how controlled her life is. When Rea learns that Chihiro had been eavesdropping on her secret rants, she decides to help him in his experiments, warming up to the idea that, if she were to become a zombie, Chihiro would take responsibility and look after her. 

6:00 - 6:20    Guilty Crown 3
Guilty Crown
[Source: Wikipedia] On Christmas Eve, 2029, the unidentified "Apocalypse Virus" spreads and plunges Japan into a state of emergency in a chaos known as the "Lost Christmas" incident. An international organization known as the GHQ intervenes with martial law and restores order to Japan at the cost of its independence. Ten years later in 2039, Shu Ouma, a 17-year-old high school student who keeps to himself in school, meets Inori Yuzuriha, the lead singer for Egoist, while visiting one of his favorite places on his way home from school. Shu is a big fan of Inori, a singer who has taken the Internet world by storm. However, he also discovers the other side of her, which is that she is a member of "Undertakers", a resistance group that aims to liberate Japan from the GHQ. Shu starts taking part in the actions of "Undertaker-(funeral parlor)" and the "king's mark" appears on his right hand after the Void Genome in his pocket was shot by a GHQ Endlave. This "mark" bestows on him the power to reach inside another person's body and extract and materialize a weapon from it. The anime tells the story of Shu's reluctant involvement with the Undertakers and the hardship involving the battles they fight and the lost truth of Shu's past.
Episodes 3 "Phanerosis: Void-sampling": Shu is still shocked that not only has Inori transferred to his school but is living at his home as well. Gai reveals to Shu that he sent Inori to protect him because a student at his school who is secretly a drug dealer nicknamed Sugar saw him during the Undertakers battle with the GHQ at Roppongi and confirms Shu's suspicions that Gai can see other people's Voids. Because Gai only recognize Sugar's Void as pair of large shears, Shu has to confront his fellow classmates one by one and take out their Voids to confirm their identities. After several failures and escaping the wrath of class representative Kanon Kusama, Shu soon figures out Sugar is actually his friend Yahiro Samugawa, after figuring out Yahiro knows a lot of things he shouldn't know and his taste of horror films. His identity exposed, Yahiro angrily shows his true self before Shu subdues him by pulling out his Void. Inori tries to kill Yahiro but Shu stops her as Yahiro is still his friend where both he and Yahiro resolve their difference and not reveal each other secrets. But the next day, Yahiro betrays Shu by selling him out to the GHQ led by Major Makoto Waltz Segai.

FEATURE PRESENTATION:
6:20 - 8:00    The Princess and the Pilot [Movie]
The Princess and the Pilot
[Source: Wikipedia] To Aru Hikūshi e no Tsuioku is a 2011 Japanese anime film, and it is based on the fantasy light novel of the same name by Koroku Inumura. It was released in Japanese cinemas on 1 October 2011. To Aru Hikūshi e no Tsuioku is a joint production by Japanese animation studios Madhouse and TMS Entertainment, and it was directed by the director Jun Shishido. The cast of this film was officially revealed on 19 May 2011.

CAST:
Private Charles Karino
Voiced by: Ryunosuke Kamiki
A Levammian born mercenary pilot who takes on an secret escort mission assignment, to protect a girl who is the future Princess consort of the state. He is a subject to severe racist discrimination due to his mixed heritage(he shares a half blood heratige consisting Tenzou Empire,the enemy state of Levam Lingdom the war), due to his life long bad memory from racism, he was eager to prouve himself and vows flying in the sky as a aviator as his live-long passion, because that "there is no caste, race, nor social status and other inequality among everyone" according to his own account. Although never officially recognized due to his race and social status as an Flying ace, he is extremely talented on flying and aerial combat that he has known to out-gunned all the ace pilots within the Kingdom in various drills and practices.
Fana del Moral
Voiced by: Seika Taketomi
The "Yet to be" Princess consort, a extremely beautiful women with beautiful silver-ish locks. Although born lonely in the sickness form noble bureaucracy, she is a elegant, polite, and compassionate lady by character. After a marriage proposal form the Prince of the state in the middle of the war. she is subjected to assassination attempt conducted by the enemy. Therfore, to get her back to the mainland ,the military high command has organized a secret escort mission,operated by Private Chales Karino,to get her pass the enemy line and fly her back to the mainland of the state. Unlike many other fellow nobility and fellow countrymen she detest racism towards half blood and show acceptance and respect to Charles. Although not noticed at the beginning, she had another encounter with Charles in her childhood.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Yamato 2199

10 Minute Preview
A 50-minute movie edit of the first two episodes of Space Battleship Yamato 2199 
hit Japanese theaters on April 7th, ahead of the May home video release, 
Bandai Visual has posted this 10-minute preview of the Xebec produced sci-fi revival. 


Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Maurice Sendak Dies at Age 83

"Creator of The Wild Things has passed away..."
Maurice Sendak
(1928 - 2012)
Maurice Bernard Sendak (June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012) was an American writer and illustrator of children's literature. He is best known for his book Where the Wild Things Are, first published in 1963.
Sendak was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Polish Jewish immigrant parents Sarah (née Schindler) and Philip Sendak, a dressmaker. Sendak described his childhood as a "terrible situation" because of his extended family's dying in The Holocaust, which exposed him at an early age to death and the concept of mortality. His love of books began at an early age when he developed health problems and was confined to his bed. He decided to become an illustrator after viewing Walt Disney's film Fantasia at the age of twelve. One of his first professional commissions was to create window displays for the toy store F.A.O. Schwarz. His illustrations were first published in 1947 in a textbook titled Atomics for the Millions by Dr. Maxwell Leigh Eidinoff. He spent much of the 1950s illustrating children's books written by others before beginning to write his own stories.

Sendak gained international acclaim after writing and illustrating Where the Wild Things Are. The book's depictions of fanged monsters concerned some parents when it was first published, as his characters were somewhat grotesque in appearance. Before Where the Wild Things Are, Sendak was best known for illustrating Else Holmelund Minarik's Little Bear series of books.

When Sendak saw a manuscript of Zlateh the Goat, the first children’s story by Isaac Bashevis Singer, on the desk of an editor at Harper & Row, he offered to illustrate the book. It was first published in 1966 and received a Newbery Award. Sendak was delighted and enthusiastic about the collaboration. He once wryly remarked that his parents were "finally" impressed by their youngest child when he collaborated with Singer.

His book In the Night Kitchen, originally issued in 1970, has often been subjected to censorship for its drawings of a young boy prancing naked through the story. The book has been challenged in several American states including Illinois, New Jersey, Minnesota, and Texas. In the Night Kitchen regularly appears on the American Library Association's list of "frequently challenged and banned books." It was listed number 21 on the "100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–1999."

His 1981 book Outside, Over There is the story of a girl, Ida, and her sibling jealousy and responsibility. Her father is away and so Ida is left to watch her baby sister, much to her dismay. Her sister is kidnapped by goblins and Ida must go off on a magical adventure to rescue her. At first, she's not really eager to get her sister and nearly passes her sister right by when she becomes absorbed in the magic of the quest. In the end, she rescues her baby sister, destroys the goblins, and returns home committed to caring for her sister until her father returns home.

Sendak was an early member of the National Board of Advisors of the Children's Television Workshop during the development stages of the Sesame Street television series. He also adapted his book Bumble Ardy into an animated sequence for the series, with Jim Henson as the voice of Bumble Ardy. He wrote and designed three other animated stories for the series: "Seven Monsters" (which never aired), "Up & Down", and "Broom Adventures".

Sendak produced an animated television production based on his work titled Really Rosie, featuring the voice of Carole King, which was broadcast in 1975 and is available on video (usually as part of video compilations of his work). An album of the songs was also produced. He contributed the opening segment to Simple Gifts, a Christmas collection of six animated shorts shown on PBS TV in 1977 and later issued on VHS in 1993. He adapted his book Where the Wild Things Are for the stage in 1979. Additionally, he designed sets for many operas and ballets, including the award-winning (1983) Pacific Northwest Ballet production of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, Houston Grand Opera's productions of Mozart's The Magic Flute (1981) and Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel (1997), Los Angeles County Music Center's 1990 production of Mozart's Idomeneo, and the New York City Opera's 1981 production of Janáček's The Cunning Little Vixen.

In the 1990s, Sendak approached playwright Tony Kushner to write a new English version of the Czech composer Hans Krása's children's opera Brundibár. Kushner wrote the text for Sendak's illustrated book of the same name, published in 2003. The book was named one of the New York Times Book Review's 10 Best Illustrated Books of 2003.

In 2003, Chicago Opera Theatre produced Sendak and Kushner's adaptation of Brundibár. In 2005, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, in collaboration with Yale Repertory Theatre and Broadway's New Victory Theater, produced a substantially reworked version of the Sendak-Kushner adaptation.

Sendak died on the morning of May 8, 2012, in Danbury, Connecticut, from complications of a stroke.

His book, "Bumble-Ardy," was published eight months prior to his death.
 
Sendak actually has one final project, My Brother's Book, set to be published posthumously early next year.

Monday, May 7, 2012

TRON: Uprising - Official Trailer

Debuts June 7, on Disney XD
Tron: Uprising is set between the two Disney movies and boasts an eclectic mix of notable actors for its voice cast (Elijah Wood, Mandy Moore, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Lance Henriksen, Paul Reubens and, from the films, Bruce Boxleitner is on board). The show will officially debut Thursday, June 7, on Disney XD, but you won't have to wait that long to see an episode of the show. Disney also plans a special half-hour Tron "prelude" next month, titled Tron: Uprising, Beck's Beginning, that will air on the flagship Disney Channel on May 18 (description below).


"TRON: Uprising, Beck's Beginning," introduces Beck, a young mechanic living in Argon City, a growing metropolis in a far off corner of the grid that has just been occupied by General Tesler, a henchman of the notorious Clu. After his best friend Bodhi is ruthlessly derezzed by Clu's army, Beck seeks justice for his lost friend and launches a crusade against the regime. His rebellion captures the attention of Tron, the greatest warrior The Grid has ever known, who sees the potential in Beck and trains him to be his successor. Labeled with the moniker of The Renegade, Beck sparks a revolution to fight for the freedom of The Grid."
 

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Next Club Meeting is May 12, 2012

 May 12, Building K, Room 131, from Noon - 8pm
ANIMATRIX NETWORK
When: Saturday, May 12, 2012, from Noon to 8:00 pm
Where: College of DuPage, Building K, Room 131
  "Jump for joy! The meeting is this weekend!"
(Located near the Intersection of S. Lambert Road and Fawell Blvd)
Click for Regional Map and Local Map for Directions.

A Viewing Schedule will be posted soon.

Little Busters

The main part of the story takes place at a high school in Japan. There is a "secret of this world" that Kyousuke speaks of; Kengo and Masato are also aware of this. The characters live in either the male or female dormitories on the school grounds which are adjacent to each other. Facing the dorms is the main school building where classes take place which also houses the cafeteria on the ground floor. The school is four floors tall and offers a roof that anyone can go up onto if they wish. Beyond the main school building is the large schoolyard, with the pool area adjacent to the yard. On the other side of the field, is the baseball field, with the gymnasium and tennis court beyond it which is closer to the main school building.
Childhood and adolescence are two important themes in Little Busters! The opening video of the visual novel starts with two lines written in English: "What 'Adolescence' do you have?" and "Do you remember 'Childhood'?". Riki Naoe, the male protagonist, has four childhood friends whom he grew up together with through adolescence and still hangs out with when the story begins. Thus, friendship is another theme presented in the form of Riki's relationships with his friends in high school, and is thought to be irreplaceable. The opening video of the original visual novel contains a third line written in English, "The irreplaceable one existed there," though another line was added into the opening video of Little Busters! Ecstasy: "This will remind you that you have to recollect 'Adolescence'."