For those of you who like yaoi, and feel, as do many that there isn’t much yaoi anime out there, then I have some good news for you. The 2003 manga, Hybrid Child by Shungiku Nakamura and available in English from Digital Manga Press, is getting an anime adaption, and Nakamura’s other manga, Sekai-Ichi Hatsukoi (“World’s Number One First Love”), is getting a second season. The first season aired last April.

Remember No.6? (http://mangacatonline.blogspot.com/2011/07/no6-episode-1-review.htm)Well, Sentai Filmworks has acquired the distribution rights. A digital copy will be available in the near future, and the home video version is slated for sometime next year.

Bandai has acquired GOSICK, many of the episodes have been reviewed here, Nichijou, the highly successful slice of life, which has been compared favorably to Yotsuba!& and Azumanga Daioh, and the rights to the Code Geass: Renya of the Darkness manga.

Disney has hired Reno 911 co-creator Robert Garant to write a screenplay, called Tux, based on the 1997-2000 romantic comedy manga Tuxedo Gin.

The next Hayao Miyazaki film, master animator from Studio Ghibli, the company that helped define, redefine, and shape what we consider anime today, and brought us classics such as My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Nausicca: Valley of the Wind, and so many more, will be an autobiography. It was not clarified whether or not the film would center on Miyazaki’s own life, or is based on someone else’s. On another Ghibli note, Miyazaki’s son’s newest film opened below the newest Doraemon, Pokemon, and the final installment of Harry Potter.

Lets start the ball rolling with Aniplex USA:

  Aniplex USA announced Friday, at it's Otakon Panel, that it is slated to release the Oreimo series DVD Box Set in October. Amongst the extras included will be a 16 postcard set, and a 24 page booklet. As far as episodes go, there will be the 12-TV epsiodes, as well as four English subtitle only.

   Aniplex also has obtained the rights to translate the hugely popular magical girl series, Puella Magi Madoka Magica.  Aniplex also announced this Friday.

  Aniplex also announced that Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Crackle will begin to streaming an English-subtitled version of Star Driver Kagayaki no Takuto, on August 17. The 1st two episodes will air then, and will be followed by weekly episodes aired every Wednesday. http://www.star-driver.net/ (Japanese)


(Image is copyrighted to BONES/Star Driver Production Committee.)

Moving away from Aniplex, the Another horror novel's anime adaption launched an official website preview. It confirmed that the show will begin airing sometime next year, and that Noizi Ito, known for his work on Haruhi Suzumiya, is responsible for the original character designs.

The novel, 1st released in 2009, centers on a school class that has fallen subject to some strange curse, which results in a string of unavoidable deaths.

The official website for Negima, and Hayate the Combat Butler, negihaya.com, began to stream trailers for the two at midnight this morning. The two films are set to be released together on August 27th.

At Kawaii Con, Sentai Rep. David Williams released this statement:

a new title that we haven’t talked about yet will be coming out in August: Kobato. It’s a CLAMP project, and we will be releasing that in August, so watch for that one. … It’s a fun, nice little CLAMP title.

The 24 episode series, produced by Madhouse, ran from 2009-2010.Based on the CLAMP manga, published by Yen Press, Kobato is about a sweet, cute girl who has a mysterious bottle that she is able to fill with hearts of people she heals. Once she fills this bottle, she will be able to go to a special place. But- she not allowed to fall in love.She is accompanied by a loryogi, a spirit in the form of a plushie dog. Kobato was 1st animated in CLAMP's second music video, CLAMP in Wonderland 2.

Yen Press, who handles all of CLAMP's USA releases, will publish Kobato Vol. 4 in July.

Clamp in Wonderland 2 can be watched here.

Kobato Trailer:

Biblography:
http://blogs.starbulletin.com/otakuohana/?p=2773
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-05-01/sentai-filmworks-adds-kobato-anime
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmhMapzJ0W4Pictures From:
flash-screen.com
fukanounashigoto.free.fr

For those of you who have read or watched The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and the subsequent novels, manga, and anime, you know about her domineering personality, and her love of the super-natural.  Now, some of those hard core fans have created their own religion: Haruhiism, and the followers of this new religion are called Haruhiists. 

The followers of Haruhiism have broken themselves down into seven subgroups: Zen Haruhiists, Orthodox Haruhiists, Kyon Haruhiists, Coptic Haruhiists, Messianic Haruhiists, Eve Haruhiists, and finally Beveraginist Haruhiists.  


The descriptions of each sect of Haruhiism could be construed as offensive by MANY religions, however, if you wish to read about each sect, you may do so here:http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Haruhiism, however,  we'll cover some of the basics.

Haruhistic Commandments:

Some examples of the Haruhistic Commandments include:

• Thou Shalt not be Bored
• Thou Shalt be a Lolicon
• Thou Shalt not tell the goddess she is a god
• Thou Shalt Observe the Sabbath aka The day a new anime episode is released.

 Prayer

5 times every day, Haruhiists preform the highly popular Hare Hare Yukai, which is the ending theme to the anime. However, members are not allowed to pronounce the name of the dance.

Holidays and The Spreading of the Word

Haruhiists celebrate Almsgiving, a day when they give Haruhi-related items to the world. Such as bootlegging Haruhi episodes so those who cannot afford the DVD's to watch them.

The members of Haruhiism have a declaration of faith, "There is no god but Haruhi and Nagaru Tanigawa is Her prophet." For those of you who don't know, Tanigawa was the man who created The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

In the Middle East, a group of children carried signs bearing the slogan stop killing children and Haruhi's image, in an attempt for peace, and to spread the word of Haruhi. 

Haruhiism is rivaled by Kyonism, Kyon is another character in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
*As far as the books/manga/anime go, I highly recommend it, but please pay attention to the age warning.
All pics/info from:
http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Haruhiism

Paint it White starts out as like any other Hetalia episode, with a character, in this case Iceland, sitting out in the middle of his country talking about his problems.  Then, Iceland disappears, and you see a nameless girl running through darkened streets. She is screaming for help, and seeings a police man, she runs toward him. But when she reaches him, he turns toward her, and has a blank white face, and a glowing antenna, not unlike one of those bio-luminescent fish. 

When she turns to run, she see's that there are thousands of them behind her and that she is trapped. She is engulfed in the crowd and suddenly, all you see is an alley with the police car, and flowers and spirals, like those in Marukaite Chikyuu, flowing from another side street. It goes from horror film beginnings to this in seconds:

It's rather unnerving really, the sudden change. She becomes one of the white bodies and the scene cuts to the conference room where all the main characters/countries are sitting. 

As usual, America is talking, England is drinking tea and Italy, is well, Italy. But the odd thing is America is making sense! He's speaking about the crisis, and he is logically going over the various ways to retaliate, and is providing information on the blobs, who his alien friend, Tony,  says are called "noppera' and hail from the planet Pict. Japan then explains that there is a "nopperabou" that are monsters of legend in Japan. Because of his knowledge, his loyalty is called into question, leading to Japan's semi panic attack.

Fortunately for Japan, America demands order-again out of character- and goes one with his plan,  He's the hero! Most of the nations refuse to be part of his plan, Japan says he'll lend money but not his army, Russia agrees to fight, until he learns he'll be America's backup. And Italy says his only allegiance is to the white flag.He then proceeds to try to sell white flags in the conference center. They go on figting about the trivial until Germany can't take it any more. He starts yelling at them, but unlike in the 1st episode of Hetalia, they don't listen, and go on babbling.

Then Germany decides that talking to them would be a waste of time. He announces that he will fight on his own, and they should do they same.

 

After they all leave, the scene changes to the familiar opening, and then continues on to  Prussia, of all people, hosting a talent show.This part is completely random, and both of his singers, Ukraine and Belarus, don't show up. 

There's another scene change, this time to a city scape. Looking up at the sky you see glowing balls of that same green light. These pods burst and that same flowery substance engulfs the city, every thing turns white. But when America-san tries to fight back, his missiles are painted white as well.  On to Russia's home where they paint everything, except Russia, white. It appears that Russia is invincible, nothing seems to work on him, Busby's Chair to Noppera. The same thing happens to France, China, Japan,Britain and Italy, and even Germany cannot withstand their attack, his army falls prey as well.Even Romano, when he is trying to find his brother is painted white, and becomes a noppera. The other countries, Finland, Greece and his cats, are changed as well. However, Switzerland and Liechtenstein's old habit of being neutral seems to be protecting them rather well.... 

In a urgently called  meeting, all the countries agree to work together. Then, America's friend Tony calls to say he has created a website about Pict, and has uploaded all the pertinent information. They then proceed to watch a  short film about Pict and it's people. They discover the reason Earth has been targeted is because they are known for fighting amongst themselves, and are considered an underdeveloped planet by the rest of the Universe. Then, as they are talking to Tony, he is painted white. That same light also begins to appear outside their hiding place as well.  They run outside in time to witness all the little balls of light forming into a huge mass. This mass in turn becomes- a UFO, and behind this UFO is an army, created out of all of the  people and Tony, that were painted white. But instead of attacking, they begin to enter the ship.

They decide to sneak into the ship and learn the noppera's weaknesses, but they cannot figure out how to to sneak in without being seen. For once, Italy's white flags come in handy. He has created noppera costumes out of them. Once on board, they split up into 3 teams: England and France, America, China and Russia, and then Italy, Japan and Germany.  France and England find an information center, but then are captured and fall down a tunnel.  America, China and Russia find what appears to be the power source of the ship, but can't figure out how to turn it off. They accidentally sent off an alarm system. While they are being chased, they run into England and France. Literally. The tunnel they fell into comes out in that hall way. They are trapped in a dead end, about to become noppera, when from the floor above, comes the sound of a violent struggle. It appears Italy brought his cat with him, and Germany became annoyed by it. Anyway, they fell through the floor and are all trapped. 

While stuck in this desperate situation, Japan tries the only option left-diplomacy. The only one who agrees immediately is America, and he begins to laugh. This completely confuses the people of Pict, which is understandable. America's laugh, while not as bad as Light's dying laugh(Death Note), is very creepy. China catches on quickly too, and he takes them all to a Chinatown to eat. He also puts on a show for them. Upon being asked if they liked it, they answer in unison: It was....odd. Next up is France, who provides the best wine and food he has to offer. He receives the same reaction as China-san.  Next on the bill is Russia, who makes Latvia, Lithuania and Poland preform a ballet.

Understandably, they think that It's....Odd.Then comes Germany. Who is either REALLY scared, or trying to be nice again, we're not sure which. He serves premium beer. Now, it's America's turn. He brings them, of all things, Las Vegas, complete with slot machines, and girls in bunny outfits. Next is Japan, who holds a traditional festival for  them.Then, England provides them with souvenirs, but inside are England's famous scones, which are not odd, but according to the noppera, nasty.  Just as all hell is about to break loose, Italy saves the day buy asking them to come play with him. While they are distracted, our heroes make a run for it.  they kick out a door in the side of the UFO and jump. As they fall, the noppera send a hail of glowing green blobs after them. 

During the fall, Germany is separated from the rest of them, and starts walking aimlessly through the jungle. As he walks through the jungle, he delivers a very depressing  monologue, he has given up, and just as he succumbs, he see's a light a short way away in the forest. When he reaches the light, he finds Italy. One by one, the others stumble out of the darkness to stand beside him. Somehow, Italy has managed to make pasta.  But just as you think it can't get any better,  their all alive, there is good Italian cooking ready, guess who show up? Sealand! As they eat they discuss the days events, only to be interrupted by the arrival of the noppera. 

Sealand runs ahead, trying to save the others. Poor little Sealand is painted white, as he tries to help. In a tense moment, the UFO lands in the water and thousands of wires come shooting out of it,a s well as all the monuments from Germany, France, America, and the rest. Frightened, Italy runs off into the darkness.  Out of the doors of the ship run tens of thousands of noppera, bet on attack.  During the fight, China's hands are painted white, and as America tries to go help, his legs are engulfed.One by one the others fall, until only Germany is left standing. Even Germany eventually falls.  Out of the dark come Italy, just in time tho see the  others become noppera.Germany's last words as he collapses order Italy to smile.

Remember Grandpa Rome's songs that helped out the Axis during "Crying Out SOS from the Center of the World"? Well, just as Italy is about to be painted, the song for Heaven plays. Then we see Grandpa Rome, up on a stage, dressed like a member of the band, Kiss. He continues to sing, and then moves on to the song for Hell.  He finishes and vanishes.

At Italy's feet is a felt tip pen. With it, he draws faces for the noppera. One the faces of his friends, he draws them as he remembers them- Germany as angry, France as overly cheerful and so on. With the drawing of the faces, the noppera begin to return to normal, Germany is the 1st to dissolve. Slowly everyone and everything changes back to normal. The bubble that caused all the trouble to begin with floats toward Italy, and reveals itself to be a young girl, who promises everything will return to normal.However, she takes the felt tip pen back with her.

However, after the credits role, you see Iceland with a part of the green flower glob and tourists all around it. It appears that the whole thing was Iceland's way of getting tourism, which he said was lacking in the very beginning.

Fin

Ending theme:

Gosick is most certainly not for the faint of heart, with it's grotesque dead bodies and it's ghost story violence, it is enough to make many people wary to watch it. Gosick however, is a great anime with a good plot- Victorique is a doll-like genius who often helps the police solve crimes. She truly looks like a female Sherlock Holmes, with her long blond hair and porcelain pipe. Kujo on the other hand is just the opposite- tall and dark, he is a Japanese boy sent over to the made-up European country of Sauville, and then to the St. Marguerite Academy, known for it's hauntings, and ghost tales. 

On his 1st day, he is immediately shied away from by his fellow students, who call him the Springtime Reaper. While in the library, he notices a golden garden at the very top of the tower. Climbing up, he meets Victorique and the inspector of the police, Grevil de Blois, an obnoxious man who has the most ridiculous pomade. He charges Victorique with solving the murder of a fortune teller, Roxanne, shot through the left eye, with the entire household outside the door, and no weapon found in the room when the door is opened. She quickly solves the case, saying that the when Arabic-speaking maid called out, she did not in fact try to see if her mistress would open the door, but instead told her that her life was in danger and to move away from the window near the door. She then went into the next room and got out a pistol-kept for defensive reasons-and shot the door lock and her mistress at the same time.

When the inspector takes credit for Victorique's work, Kujo is angry and goes to tell off the inspector, but instead, winds up making plans to take a cruise with the inspector and Victorique.  But when the maid escapes, and the inspector has to rush off, Victorique finds a invitation addressed to the dead Roxanne. They use the invitation, and wind up on an exact replica of  Queen Berry, a boat that sunk 10 years ago after 11 children, referred to as the hares,  murdered each other inside.  One by one, the dinner guests die, until there are just four left-Victorique, Kujo and two others. Trying to free themselves from the sinking ship, Ned-san one of the remaining four is killed. The three run for the nearest room and start to look for weapons. They are too late however, because the "hunting dog" has entered the room holding a large scythe. He grabs up Victorique, but Kujo saves her by hitting the man in the face with brass knuckles. They continue to fight, and instead of leaving, Victorique searches for her most treasured possession, a locket that fell of during the struggle.  They then run up on deck, leaving the man unconscious in the room.


They then ask her how she knew Ned (the man in the room) wasn't dead. She tells them about a tennis ball used to temporarily stop his pulse, but is interrupted by Ned emerging from the lower flowers and attacking.  Julie, the third lady, stabs Ned in the back with his own scythe, as he is about to kill Kujo.

Julie, however, turns out to be the culprit behind the whole thing. Upon being pressed, she reveals what truly happened 10 years ago.(Different colors represent different voices, Julie is denoted by Green, the others are nameless):

                 " We were all orphans. Ten years ago, I was put on a big black iron-barred carriage. I lost consciousness and woke up on that cursed ship.Our nationalities were different, so even our conversations were faltering. But because our circumstances were the same, we were able to communicate.And yet.... (FLASHBACK- hey, who killed him? What do you mean who? We are the only ones on this ship.One of us is the killer! END FLASHBACK) His death was the catalyst that made us suspect each other, and then murder each other.But even so,(FLASH BACK- Hey, your bleeding, wait here, while I...(girl hands Julie heart pendant) You're giving that to me? But you said it was precious to you! END FLASHBACK) Even amongst the bloodshed,I found a modicum of friendship. (FLASHBACK-I'm not leaving you here! ( Julie lifts girl onto shoulders) We're going together!We're Escaping together!-END) My mind was on the verge of snapping, but I held it at bay, and we finally arrived. (FLASHBACK-(other group=There it is! The Radio Room! Julie-Help will be here soon! (they are greeted by a line of men, one is standing and says- Welcome Courageous Hares! The men begin applauding. One asks-Where is my ally? Another-Tell us your nationalities, which rabbits survived? The hunting dog speaks- France, Italy, America,and Saubure. Julie- You! One man begins to explain- Oh-He's England, the hunting dog.He preformed his role splendidly. That is, he threw you hares into a state of chaos, and drove you into a corner. Roxanne wheels forward and announces that a young man will die soon.THE RUNNING OF THE HARES WILL END HERE!Sink the box immediately and fulfill the revelation! Then Fatten up the hares!-End) -Julie,GOSICK

Then, Victorique begins discussing the reasons behind the events that Julie had just described. Apparently, Roxanne would release hares among her hunting dogs, and predict the future from the hares that survived. She used this particular incident to predict what would happen during the Great War. The maid, the one that shot Roxanne, was one of the survivors of the Queen Berry, and killed Roxanne for her part in the tragic events.

Again enraged, Kujo runs all the way up the stairs back at school, to show Victorique that Inspector Blois has used her logic AGAIN! She is not phased, merely saying her brother is an egomaniac. It turns out that Victorique and Grevil are half-siblings, her mother was his fathers mistress and, according to her, a dangerous woman.

GOSICK started as a light novel series, then became a manga and an anime. The anime currently has four episodes out, and the 5th is slated to come out February 4th.

Sources;
http://www.watchanimeon.com/anime/gosick/  (picture of Victorique only)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gosick  (Light Novel Cover)
Video from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsxyWP0en04&feature=related
Watch GOSICK at Watchanimeon.com/anime/gosick

The Touhou Project is a 12.8 collection of video games for Windows XP. Everything in the Touhou Project's numerous games came from one source : Team Shanghai Alice. This team is made stranger by  the fact that it consists of one member-ZUN. Above is a screeenshot from ZUN's own website. the series began with Highly Responsive to Prayers, and was released to the Japanese market. Four more versions were released between August 1997 and December 1998. Then Project Touhou went inactive, resuming 3 years later when ZUN split from Amusement Makers. The number of official games, fan books, anime and manga have been steadily increasing since then.

And there is an anime to accompany the video games, however, it is fan-made and unofficial, and the art is not nearly as good, not by a long shot. It was slated for release at Comiket 75.

When the 1st episode commences, you here a voice telling you all about the land they live in Gensoyko. After she is finished, a clumsy girl named Sukia appears, and begins rummaging around in a bunch of boxes. And, promptly falls over. Then enters Reimu, who complains quietly about not being able to prepare for the feast, as only the clumsy Sukia dained to show up.

Once they leave the small room, Reimu sends Sukia off shopping, and begins to set some things up, only to realize her donation box is gone. She then begins to wander around in what appears to be a drunken stupor.

While she contemplates the disappearance of the donation box, she is startled to hear a suggestion from Aya-chan. Aya offers help in finding the box, but is refused, on the count that she will "only take photos again." Aya claims she has the best intelligence gathering abilities, based on the  fact that she is a journalist.  Without waiting for an answer, Aya runs off in search of her assistant, using a spell card to transport her away at the speed of light. Her assistant turns out to be an in-pain Marisa. Who immediately protests, saying she didn't steal it.  Marisa is caught up in the search, protesting all the way. Aya  blackmails Marisa into helping, claiming some scandalous photos may have to go public.

Meanwhile, Sukia returns to a deserted house, her shopping completed. But the others have ventured to Scarlet Devil Mansion to look for the donation box.While Marisa expresses her doubts to Reimu, Aya is busy snapping away photos of a sleeping guard.  Perhaps one day, she will use these as black mail too? There is of course more, but you must watch the episode for that.

Sources and Links:
http://www.watchanimeon.com/images/1557.jpg  (the image for the anime cover)
http://kourindou.exblog.jp/12990219/ Zun's webpage, Japanese
http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/201007/23/42/e0088742_1434782.jpg (ScreenShot)
http://www.watchanimeon.com/touhou-anime-project-episode-1/72297  (Episode 1)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touhou_Project

  Tragedy after tragedy befall the girls of Kanon. One of their number, Makoto dies in Yuuichi's arms, then Mai-chan injures both herself and her only real friend, Sayuri rather badly. Shiori is still ill and something seems to be bothering Nayuki. The only one not in pain at the moment seems to be Ayu-chan.

  But that too is temporary. Akiko-san falls ill and Ayu is reminded of her mother as she died. However, Akiko's protests that she merely has a cold do not fully convince Yuuichi, Ayu or Nayuki. But after a little trouble involving rice porridge and medicine, Ayu succeeds in helping Akiko to recover.

  One of the happier happenings this episode was Shiori's date with Yuuichi. They go to an arcade, and then to the place that Shiori 1st met Ayu and Yuuichi. From there, they go on to having a snowball fight, and build a snowman, and finally, Shiori draws Yuuichi's picture... Even this happy day ends bitterly, for she asks Yuuichi to take her to their school, and there, she tells him about her collapse, and her inability to return to school afterword. One's suspicions about Shiori's health are confirmed, and she tells him that she has been very sick since her birth.

  After that, Shiori's sister's identity is confessed- Kaori.Kaori gives Yuuichi some hard news, Shiori's birthday is in a week and that week will probably be her last. Her doctors say that Shiori will not live to see her birthday this year. Kaori breaks down crying, and tells him that she ignored her sister, pretended she didn't exist because it was to painful to watch her grow weak and die. Wishes she had never had a sister, and demands of Yuuichi why her sister was born, only to die so soon.

  Was it the intention of the author to drive watchers to the verge of tears every episode? If so than they succeeded. Kanon is a masterpiece that will bring watchers to their knees. There is nothing out there in the world of anime that could possibly equal it.

Kimihiro Watanuki has had a special gift for a long time. He struggles to get some alone time every day and gets frantic whenever he sees "them". He has the power to see spirits. They all seem to have a special connection with him.

While walking down the street, he starts talking very loudly to himself. The spirits are flowing him and never leave his side. While attempting t to get away from the blob of spirit, he stumbles across a "shop" where you can buy wishes. He enters, unaware of what is waiting for him, behind the paneled doors.

A mysterious woman named Yuuko runs the store. Her two adorable henchgirls Maru and Moro are hyper and cute all the time! Anybody could easily fall in love with their enthusiasm. They call Yuuko master, and cater to her needs. They often repeat whatever important or silly thing Yuuko says, and repeat random words of their own. Yuuko has an interesting face, that does not at all lack in mystery and elegance. She has a cute little bunny-thing as her drinking partner, even though he sounds like a 7 year old. Kimihiro is mostly disturbed through his entire experience, and shows it even more when he meets the little bunny Mokona. Mokona (the drinking partner) has a bouncy attitude wherever she is, and brings smiles from most young girls that pass by. Kimihiro is assigned to go shopping as payment for his wish, which is odd, because Yuuko already stole his watch.

While walking he comes upon a girl much like himself. He somehow wants to tell her that everything will be okay, because of his experience. She ends up turning towards him asking how he could possibly understand what she goes through. He never answers. Upon returning he drops off the groceries at the wish shop, and leaves.

* while we know that XxxHolic is not new, we are just getting around to watching it.


Image source: All pictures are drawn and copyrighted to CLAMP, and the top picture came from:
http://www.fanpop.com/spots/xxxholic/images/2667407/title/kimihiro-watanuki-wallpaper
The others belong to me.

Crunchyroll has now acquired H2O: Footprints in the Sand, and Good Luck Ninomiya-kun.

Source:
http://www.animenation.net/blog/

ps: i wouldn't recommend crunchyroll......

After watching over half of the episodes, they are only like five minutes long,  and reading the manga as it is released from TokyoPop, I think its a good depiction of our world history, and for that matter the drawings are a lot better than some of the things out there that aren't being complained about. Its good, also as a teaching tool, because it doesn't skim over things like other history books do.In Hetalia, all countries are shamed and praised equally, and people need to get over it. It's growing fan base, and the soon to be released publication of a second volume from TokyoPop, should help lessen the tensions in the Otaku community. 

Book 2 has now hit stores.

The World Only God Knows is an anime about Keima Katsuragi, a gaming world god. He has defeated ten thousand heroines from dating-sim games, when he receives a challenge- however there is one hitch, this challenge is from Hell, and the Demons who reside there.
Elsea de Lute Irma, who goes by Elise or El, comes to him, and informs him he has signed a contract to help her find "loose souls". Loose Souls are evil spirits who have escaped from Hell, bent on causing mischief.
Keima has to use his knowledge of virtual girls to help him capture the loose souls. The easiest way to capture them is to replace them in the heart of the girl they have inhabited by making them fall in love with him.
This is a decent series with good art, and a entertaining plot line.

I'm not sure I'll be able to finish this one. It's hard to watch as Makoto dies-infront of her friends-unknowing, slowly remembering things. And it's sad that they can't do anything to help her. it's like in the opening song she just "smiles to the very end". Plus, I'm only on episode 10. there are 24 episodes. How much worse can it get??

After two or so years, I have finally finished Asura Cryin seasons 1+2. The ending was fabulous, and had some interesting twists. Whether Tomoharu ends up with Kanade or Misao is left up to the viewers imagination.

Yuuichi Aizawa is a normal high school boy, coming back to live with his aunt and cousin after ten years of being away.

Is it just me or is there  something wrong with him and the town he lives in?He can't remember much of anything, his aunt makes a secret, and weird, jam only she knows how to make, he constantly gets hugged and attacked by various girls claiming to know him, hate him, bear grudges, or just want him to pay for their food. And at least one of them is packing a sword, claiming to be a demon hunter.

A remake of the original, published in 2002, this version was published in 2006, either way Kanon is a interesting, beautifully drawn, and adorable story.

Character Summaries:
Mai: Mai is a quiet third year who carries a sword and claims to be a demon hunter, only, she's the only one who can see the demon, and it only is at the school at night.  Her only friends to start with are Sayuri, who doesn't seem to know about the sword, and Yuuichi.


Shiori was born ill, and appears 1st under a tree covered in snow. She comes to stand outside the school where she, and Yuuichi, Mai, and Nayuki go to school, and talks to Yuuichi there, refusing to give her last name.She has a weird dream to build a ten meter tall snowman....



Ayu, appearing here on the original game cover, is a happy girl who knew Yuuichi when he 1st came to this town. She has a fondness for taiyaki, and is very forgetful.She always wears the same jacket.
Always saying Uguu...Can't stand scary movies.

Very klutzy.

Nayuki is Yuuichi's cousin, and is the captain of the track team. She collects alarm clocks, and still has problems waking up. She's very sweet, and relives what people tell her.
She's allergic to cats, but has a fondness for them....






Matoko has a passion for eating and has a dislike of  Yuuichi. The 1st time she appears, she hits and kicks him, then passes out and is taken back to his aunts home. When she wakes, she has no idea who she is. There she remains, constantly trying to hurt him, be it fire crackers or ice down his back. Instead of breaking out like Nayuki, when the Siamese cat comes, Matoko is afraid at 1st, and only picks it up after she is promised a pork bun. Then cat steals her pork bun. Matoko drop the cat over the side of a bridge, and it rides away on the top of a car, however Yuuichi starts berating her and she runs away crying only to disappear for hours. When she is found, on top of Monomi Hill, she is with the cat eating a pork bun. "We're the same, both nuisances with nowhere to go."It turns out her loss of memory was caused because she was a kitsune who fell in love with Yuuichi many years ago, and when he returned, traded her life and memory to be with
him again. She slowly dies, completly unaware of what is happening.
Phrase= Auu....

 Episode information:

 - in the 2006 version, there are 24 episodes, all available on WAO
 - each is about 22 minutes long, counting title song, and ending song.
Opening Song:





And the prize question for Kanon.... WHAT IS IN THAT JAM?!?!?!

Hetalia is a very odd and amusing take on the Allies and Axis powers of WWI. This manga started, as a web comic and then TOKYOPOP bought the publishing rights. However, funny as it may be, some people will likely find it offensive. It makes some jokes that can be taken the wrong way, and portrays Italy as slow but adorable, France as cowardly and so on. Example A:AnimeGlobe Article.

Personally, I found it funny, and cute, but you can't think of countries as real place, the characters have to just be a person, not a real place.

Episodes are short, and the manga has just been released.  It has a huge fan base, and not everyone thinks of it as offensive. in the back of the 1st book is a note from a woman in Russia who said it made her wonder about her countries past. ( I wouldn't use it as a source for a report.)

Hetalia is inaccurate, and just another anime that makes fun of things. It's cute, and a good read. Pick it up and decide for yourself. it's hit and miss like any other.

Hetalia Day will be the 24th of October. The are going to be celebrations all over the world, if possible, the good people starting this, want you to, if you cosplay, to take a picture of you with your countries flag. The have imposed a dress code this year, it can be found on their website.( Click the picture for a link.)Please, know that this is not acknowledged by the mangaka, or publishers, however.
To contact the main branch, email: hetalia.day@gmail.com

There still has been no release date set for the USA. If anyone finds out please tell me.

TokyoPOP is giving away HETALIA flags for every 1000 person to post on their facbook wall about it.These are going to be limited edition flags, have fun trying.