lunes, 18 de junio de 2007

Summer 2007 anime series preview


New season, new plethora of anime series. And as it always happens... Most of them are cute/moe animecrap. Yet, there's ALWAYS some cool things to see. My selection is above (Add Kite liberator too).

-TV Premieres/New Seasons-
June:
* Tetsuko no Tabi - [06/24]
July:
* Nanatsuiro★Drops - [07/02]
* BUZZER BEATER - [07/03]
* CODE-E - [07/03]
* Kenko Zenrakei Suieibu Umisho - [07/03]
* School Days - [07/03]
* Doujin Work - [07/03]
* ZOMBIE-LOAN - [07/03]
* Mushi-Uta - [07/05]
* Sky Girls TV - [07/05]
* Potemayo - [07/06]
* Happy Happy Clover - [07/06]
* Higurashi no Naku Koroni Kai - [07/06]
* Fight Tension☆School - [07/07]
* Moetan - [07/08]
* Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei - [07/08]
* Mononoke - [07/12]
* Zero no Tsukaima ~Futatsuki no Kishi~ - [07/13]
* Shigurui - [07/19]
* Baccano! - [07/26]
* Tokyo Majin Gakuen Kenpucho (Season 2 - The Martial Fist Chapters) - [07/27]
* Armored Trooper Votoms: Pailsen Files - [07/2007]
August:
* POCOYO (Season 3) - [08/01]
* Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan 2- [08/11]
* Miyori no Mori- [08/24]
Other:
* Code Geass - Lelouch of the Rebellion (STAGE 24 & 25) - [Summer ‘07]
-Theatrical/Feature Films-
June:
* Kiddy Grade -Maelstrom- - [06/23]
July:
* Genius Party - [07/07]
* Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl: Dialga vs. Palkia vs. Darkrai - [07/14]
* Piano no Mori - [07/21]
* Kappa no Coo to Natsuyasumi - [07/28]
August:
* Naruto: Shippuuden (Movie) - [08/2007]
Other:
* Vexille - [Summer ‘07]

see it with links here:
http://graffit.blogspot.com/2007/06/estrenos-anime-verano-2007.html


*EDIT*

I take it back!!! Devil may cry was a Crapfest of animated feces.

Kite Liberator - Preview


Based on the homonimal controversial 1998 animation film (which is by itself a darker version of la femme nikita) is getting a brand new animated series. Kite liberator is a direct sequel and will probably will be as controversial as the original animation.

To be released sometime this year.

Polo Polo Animated

A Mexican favourite comedian hits the animation scene thanks to re-nowed artist "Bachan".

Master Kush - Preview

"Retired samurai and world-renowned martial arts superstar, Master Kush, is the planet's only hope for survival when the "ICU," IllumiNazi Central Union, planted a diabolical seed to turn over the earth's water supply to an amphibious Alien species at the turn of the new millennium, New Years Eve 1999."

Looks funky and silly yet I want to see it completed.

Tomb Raider RE\Visioned: Keys to the kingdom

Our favourite Tomb raider since Indiana Jones jumps into the animated screen this month in her own cartoon series designed and directed by Peter chung (Animatrix, Aeon flux, Dark fury, Alexander).

Speed Racer - Preview


Speed racer is being adapted into a movie, directed by the Brothers Wachowsky. Due to be released on May 9 2008. They say it's going to be more "kid-friendly" compared to their earlier releases. And yes, there is a monkey included.

viernes, 15 de junio de 2007

Doctor Strange - Preview



Continuing the now-tradition of creating animated direct-to-dvd movies, Marvel comics brings us the Dr. Strange movie.

It's got magic? Hell yeah.

It's got superheroes? You bet.

Pure animated Bliss. Sample the goodness:

Coming next August.

New CG Gatchaman movie for 2008


Oh, classic cartoons. So cheessy, so cool.

If any of you remember Gatchaman (also named "Battle of the planets" and G-force) you'll be glad that it's getting a big re-haul and a new movie (Which I hope it's better than the last animated re-make) by IMAGI (Gave us TMNT and Highlander vengeance).

Concept art has been released:





Taken from:

Studio 4°C - Studio Overview


Japanese animation is a great industry. Humongous to say the very least. But all great established industries have two problems: The first one is that the bar is always being raised in quality terms. The second, is that it produces many derivative products that have nothing to add to the genre, artform or at very least provide decent entertainment.

And that's precisely why Studio 4ºC is such a landmark of Japanese animation. Going beyond all Aesthetic barriers and animation conventions, inventive and creative yet successful in a saturated industry.

It was founded by legendary animators Koji Morimoto, Eiko Tanaka and Yoshiharu Sato in 1986. They have become known for pairing the free spirit of independent festival animation with the mainstream anime aesthetics. They advocate the superflat style and manifesto, mostly supported by Koji Morimoto.

Studio 4º C has produced the following: (list taken from wikipedia)

Feature Films

* Memories (1995)
* Spriggan (1998)
* Princess Arete (2001)
* Mind Game (2004)
* Tekkonkinkreet (2006 - December 23)
* Genius Party (2007 - July 7)
* Sachiko (2007 - Announced)

TV Series

* Urarochi Diamond (2000)
* Piroppo (2001)
* Tweeny Witches (2004)
* Kimagure Robot (2004)

Original Video Animation

* Noiseman Sound Insect (1997)
* Eternal Family (1997)
* The Animatrix (2003)
* Hijikata Toshizo: Shiru no Kiseki (2004)

Music videos

* Ken Ishii - "Extra" (1996)
* The Bluetones - "Four Day Weekend" (1998)
* Glay - "Survival" (1999)
* Ayumi Hamasaki - "Connected" (2002)
* Ligalize - "Pervyi Otryad" ("First Squad") (2005)
* Utada Hikaru - "Passion" (2006)

Destino - Salvador Dali

It was begun back on 1940, and was released this past 2003. A collaboration between Disney and Dali; Destino.

Enjoy:

A Gentlemen's duel

A cause worth fighting for!

The old man and the sea - Classic Short

The Old man and the sea was created back on 1999 by Aleksandr Petrov. It's of course, based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway. An award winning film made with a Painstakingly complex technique called paint-on-glass-animation. Basically, they painted an oil painting on a glass situated below the camera and moved the paint (considering that Oil paint takes a long time to dry) to create the animation.

Part1:

Part2:

jueves, 14 de junio de 2007

Oban Star Racers - Series Review



Oban star racers was first born as a short animation that would Skyrocket "Sav-The-world" production studio to embark on a small journey of financing and promotion to bring molly to the small screen in her own 26 episodes animation series.

Oban Star Racers is a france/Japan co-production created by Savin Yeatman-Eiffel and animated by Sav the World! productions(France) and Hal film Maker(Japan) with the 3d Cg handled by Pumpkin 3d.

Yeatman-Eiffel took his sweet time to create the series. That's because he wanted to strike a deal that would still allow him to have control as the creator, all to shape Oban into the series of his dreams. And in a very nice industry case of dreams do come true, the series started airing after nine years of work.

Plot:

In the near future, an intergallactic war between the first sentient species discovered by man; The krogg and the earth forces erupts. Years after the terrible war, it seemed like the earth defense forces managed to attain victory against all odds, repelling the Krogg from earth Orbit.

Enter Eva. A feisty orphan planning a daring escape to find his father: Don wei, owner of Wei racing corp. After finally escaping and infiltrating his father's company: She finds that his father does not remembers her at all and takes up on the alias of Molly and enrolls as a mechanic. Soon, things go Helter-Skelter as goverment forces require the aid of the Wei racing team to compete in an intergalactic race organized by a misterious god-like beign known as the "Avatar".

Of course, things never are what they look quite like and never end as expected, and Molly/Eva embarks on a journey to discover the secrets behind the invasion, her mother's tragic accident, the identity of the avatar and many other revelations that encompass the entire universe.

It's a very heartwarming series with a very cool ending. True, it's a racing-themed series; but the characters are so well thought and the story is so tightly woven that it manages to be one of the most fun series I've ever seen. Besides, the designs are very cute and original.

Oban Star racers gets 5 out of 5 stars of Racing Wayward Orphans.


Youtube Opening:

Corto Maltese

I would review it but I saw it a long time ago on HBO. And never saw it again. It's very hard to get the dvd too, and no one seems to be torrenting the thing.

I've always liked the comic books created by Hugo Pratt.

Les Triplettes de Belleville - Review



From the 1930's style cartoon parody of the opening sequence to the closing credits, this movie is an impressive tour-de-force to the eyes and a pleasure to see. I never get tired of watching it again and again.

Written and directed by Sylvain Chomet, it is an award winning 2003 animated film (also released in the UK as Belleville Rendez-vous). The majority of the film is told trough songs and pantomime. It was produced in France, Canada and Belgium.

The story is about a boy, his fascination with bikes and his ever-loving and supporting grandmother. When he is kidnapped by two strange men in black during the tour de france and swept away to the high-rise city of belleville; Grandma embarks on a quest to find his beloved champion, aided by the singing trio of the triplets from Belleville. It is a beautiful movie that manages to be fun, beautiful and unique. It's just one of those movies everyone should see.

Les Triplettes de Belleville gets 5 out of 5 stars of cyclist kidnapping Mafiosos.

Musical video by M

Asterix and the Vikings - Review



Asterix and the vikings is a high quality feature film produced in France and Denmar, Directed by Stefan Fjeldmark and Jesper Møller. And it's an adaptation of Asterix and the Normans (written by the legendary pair of Goscinny and Uderzo) with some major changes to the storyline.

I have a saying that goes like this: "French animation is always good news" and good news this movie is indeed. Masterfully realized, fun, true to the Asterix comic's spirit and nicely paced. The animation is awesome, the script is funny, the action is well done and the movie is a truly worthy successor of the classic Asterix animation films. Heck, I liked this movie even more than the classic Asterix toons.

Oh, and please Stay for the credits. There's a lot of in-movie jokes and interesting illustrations on them.

Asterix and the Vikings gets 5 stars of roman bashing and viking ship sunking.

Obligatory Youtube Trailer:

Lucky Luke - Preview



This December the 5th, an old franco-belgian comic legend hits the big screen again. The cowboy that shoots faster than his shadow is reborn into animation form once more. I recall having seen the animated series as a kid sometime.

Anyway, French animation is ALWAYS good news.

Azur et Asmar - Preview

Michel Ocelot is better remembered by his work on the animation clasic Kirikou and the Sorceress. And Azur et Asmar is his latest animated masterpiece.

A movie description from Wikipedia:

Once upon a time there were two children nursed by same woman. Azur, a blonde, blue-eyed son of a noblewoman and Asmar, the dark skinned and dark-eyed child of the nurse. The nurse tells them the story of the Djinn-fairy waiting to be released from her chamber by a good and heroic prince. Brought up together they are as close as brothers until the day Azur's father cruelly separates them, banishing the nurse and Asmar from his home and sending Azur away to boarding school. Years later, Azur is haunted by memories of the legendary Djinn-fairy, and takes it upon himself to journey all the way to Asmar's homeland to seek it out. Now reunited, he finds that she has since become a successful merchant, while Asmar is now a member of the royal guard. However, Asmar also longs to find the Djinn-fairy, and only one of the two youths can be successful in their quest.


The movie is actually now available on DVD and has been shown with english subtitles in some animation festivals.

Tales from Earthsea - Gedo Senki

Released in Japan on July 26 2006, this movie is the directing debut of Goro Miyazaki, the son of the infamous animator Hayao Miyazaki. It's based on the Earthsea cycle of novels by Ursula K. LeGuin.

You have to thank the Sci Fi channel and it's Crappy adaptation retaining the rights for everything Earthsea for this movie not appearing on american (american continent) teathers anytime soon. The UK will get a nifty DVD release this coming august 3.

Meanwhile, we can always Youtube.

La Reine Soleil - Preview

La reine Soleil was released this past april in France and It's based on the book "La reine Soleil" by Christian Jacq (1988)

Interesting enough, it's digitally made using the Anime studio suite. I can't wait to see it.

Much Obliged Youtube post:

Persepolis - Preview



Persepolis is the upcoming animated film based on the graphic novel of the same name. It was actually writen and directed by the author (Marjane Satrapi) and a man named Vincent Paronnaud. It's the story of a young girl in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.

It will be released on June 27. Check out the trailer! both my girlfriend and I are excited about this piece of work.

And you get a trailer:

Highlander Vengeance - Review



  • Boobage: Check
  • Ultra Violence: Check
  • Swordfights: Check
  • Hunky guys: Check
Yes. This movie definitely has the "touch" of director Yoshiaki Kawajiri. Who also did ninja scroll and the ever-amazing Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. Written by David Abramowitz and produced by the near legendary studio Madhouse.

I actually approached this movie with little expectations but loads of curiosity. But what I saw was one of the coolest anime films of the year. I really expected the story to suck, but the story actually does it's part and ends up leaving a very nice feeling of "Wholeness" in you. And it goes something like this:

Colin Mcloud has been searching for Marcus Octavius along the ghost-druid Amergan, in a never ending quest for the revenge of the murder of his lover centuries ago on the celtic plains.

Colin's fight is one that has been waged in the background of every great war of humankind. From the destruction of Rome to the bitter future of a post-apocalyptic New York city... The wars of man have been entwined with the struggle of revenge waged between Colin and Marcus. Marcus wants to create Rome again and again, and Colin is bound to destroy his ambitions, not ever quite achieving his revenge.

The battle reaches it's climax in a distaster-struck New york city-state where Marcus threatens to rule out the remaining rebel fighters that oppose his iron grip by releasing a killer virus. With Colin as a trump card, will the Rebels be able to stand and win the fight or will Colin run blindly towards revenge, abandoning those that trust him blindly?

Technically, Highlander is all you would expect from Madhouse studio. Incredible backgrounds, well achieved CG, Awesome character designs and fluid animation. It's a feast to the eyes and the story is good enough to keep you glued to the screen. I really expected this movie to be cheesy and B-grade, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that it actually is a very fun action movie I'm not bothered to watch again.

The movie itself is distributed by Manga entertainment and was originally produced in english. The dub is really nice too.

Highlander Vengeance gets 4 our of 5 stars of immortality and beheading.

Trailer: