 Mike
McFarland
Director, Writer, Voice Actor
Hey, everybody!
I was asked to pick 4 of my faves for 2004.
Due to possible bias, I’m only gonna name one title
that’s “close to home”, as it were.
The rest will be from other studios.
My judgments were based on the animation and story itself, as
well as the quality of the dub (which is how I watch series that
I’m not personally working on)…
Here we go, in no particular order:
Kiddy Grade
What a cool series!
What starts off as flashy fights and fanservice turns into a
darker and deeper show. Colleen
and Monica are great, as is the rest of the cast.
Beautiful animation. Very
vibrant colors. Great
character designs…
RahXephon, The Movie
I liked the series a lot as well, but
I thought the movie had an interesting viewpoint of telling the same
story. Very interesting
character designs. I
haven’t seen anything similar in quite a while.
Nice color palette (backgrounds, clothing colors, etc).
It really set the mood.
Chris and Monica kick butt!
Wolf’s Rain
Very good stuff.
Once again, the color palette used in the anime really did a
great service in setting the mood for the story.
The entire cast consistently delivers great work (go
Johnny!).
Full Metal Panic
I think this series wrapped up this
year, so I’m gonna count it.
What a beautifully animated show!
Really great character designs, really great story.
Luci and Chris were wonderful, and played off of each other
very well…
Stuff to look forward
to:
More Chrono Crusade (I haven’t seen
enough to make a judgment (only 4 eps), but it looks great so far!),
and the release of Fullmetal Alchemist on DVD (I know I only said
one, but I can’t help it! This
show rules!) |
 Kyle
Hebert
Voice Actor
http://www.kylehebert.com/index.htm
Usually when people ask what my favorite something is, I
regurgitate a real cop out answer.........."I don't have any
one favorite". Sad, but true. So when an
opportunity comes along to present MORE than one favorite, well I
can then easily step up to the plate.
Ask me to justify my choices.....its pretty much "just cuz".
But seriously, these shows are just chock full of the things that
burn permanent levels of bliss into my brain. Striking
visuals, amazing stories, relatable characters, and a great way to
forget the drama of the real world....at least for a little while.
1. FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST
I first saw the hype in Newtype earlier this year, obtained some
fansubs (which I almost never do), and instantly fell in love.
I will admit that if a first episode doesn't grab me, I'm not
inclined to continue normally. I know that seems a bit harsh
since apparently many shows have weak beginnings, but the first
episode of FMA hooked me from the opening scene. Magic gone
wrong, military corruption, angst, and two seasons worth of
"Holy S****" moments. It just doesn't get any
better than this.
2. COWBOY BEBOP
This was a show I introduced allot of my close friends to, who
aren't anime fans. They LOVED it! You KNOW you have
something good when the storytelling transcends a medium that
nonfans have a preconceived notion of. On top of the
obvious elements that elevate it to greatness, here's a show where
each episode is fairly self-contained. That makes it easier
to convince the skeptical ones........"here, invest 22
minutes of your time". Sci fi/western/jazz/drippingly
cool.......Mwahahaha!
3. BATTLE OF THE PLANETS
Sure, the U.S. version of Gatchaman was butchered beyond
recognition, but to an oblivious sci-fi and animation lovin' kid,
none of that mattered. It was only many years later I'd
realized that Casey Kasem (American Top 40, Shaggy) had led the
team of bird-costume wearing super heroes. Gotta love the
big hair and bellbottoms. Zoltar was obviously a Batman fan,
and to this day I'm still wondering what makes a "space
burger" a space burger. Would someone please put 7 Zark
7 out of his misery?
4. VAMPIRE HUNTER D
I'm torn between the original and the jaw-dropping beauty of
"Bloodlust". The original waxes nostalgic of
course because I became a fan of it around the time reading
Neil Gaiman's "Sandman" comics. The resemblance of
D to Morpheus (Sandman, not Laurence Fishburne) was striking.
D just packs a visual wallop, and I'm a sucker for vampires (yeah,
that's a lame pun if there ever was one).
And this was waaaaaaay before Buffy and Blade made their pop
culture impacts. Lets face it, the phrase "talk to the
hand" had to originate somewhere.
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Haibane-Renmei: volume one
It'd be faster to list the reasons not to watch Haibane-Renmei than try to exhaustively list everything in favor of this amazing show. It's one of the most introspective and honest shows I've ever seen.
The first volume is a particularly good one for a holiday gift because it shows the extraordinary side of ordinary life, and if you feel like splurging the second half of the show segues into a powerful story about friendship that's extremely appropriate for the season. It's sad, moving, powerful, yet ultimately uplifting.
Azumanga Daioh, the manga: volume one
A lot of people are probably familiar with the anime version of Azumanga
Daioh, but the manga is the stronger work between the two. It's a lighthearted and funny look into the lives of a few quirky girls going through high school. The humor alone is enough to make the manga worth reading, but what's most extraordinary about this series is how well it works inside of the four-panel format. It's an outstanding example of episodic slice-of-life fiction, and not to be missed by anybody who takes joy in the everyday.
Angelic Layer: volume one
Sometimes you need a gift for a child, or perhaps a grown-up who's a child at heart. While the earlier two gift ideas are great for most people, they're not perfect for the kids. Haibane-Renmei is a little too poignant for a child's holiday season, and tales of high school don't mean much if you're still in grade school. Enter Angelic Layer, the show with everything kids want. It has a strong female protagonist, excellent animation, some very detailed fight scenes, nonstop laughs courtesy of a fantastic dub, and even a powerful story about mothers and daughters. Don't worry about excessive violence or language in this one; it's no worse than typical Saturday morning fare. The show is suitable for boys, girls, and even adults.
Ninja Gaiden: video game
By now we've seen gifts appropriate for friends and family who know and love the holiday spirit. But everybody knows at least one person who doesn't do the mushy stuff. That one person whose only holiday greeting is an enthusiastic, "Bah humbug to you!" The bitter one. Well, for him I recommend Ninja
Gaiden, an Xbox video game. There's a token story in the game, but it's really about making a ninja run around and kill things. The game sports some of the most dazzling graphics offered to date, but what makes it perfect for bitter gamers is the difficulty. Ninja Gaiden is a hard game, and for all his stylish moves Ryu Hayabusa dies relatively easily when players make mistakes. However, it's not so hard as to be impossible. Most players can eventually beat the game with sufficient practice. If there's one thing bitter folk like, it's yelling, "Finally beat you, you moronic thing! Take that!" when they finally win. The one major downside to the game is that it does contain excessive violence, and gift-givers should take that into account when deciding if this is the right present.
|
 Matthew
Anderson
Editor in Chief
Anime: Brave
King Gaogaigar
Why? : "This
is the tale of hot blooded heroes, fighting to save the Earth!",
what more could you ask for? The last of the "Brave
King" series by Sunrise, "Gaogaigar" combined all the
right elements of a great anime into one awesome package. It had lightning
paced action, transformable robots, heart wrenching plot twists, and
some of the best animation to grace our TV screens. Add in
some of the best voice actors in Japan, and you have the greatest
anime of all time. It may be expensive to get (the first DVD
set is over $200), but it's worth it! Don't buy Hong Kong
versions!
Manga: Blame!
Why? : Killy is a
lone human, trying to escape the cyber dungeon. Fighting off
monsters, cyborgs, and vengeful humans, this one man arsenal
continues on his never ending quest to reach the top of this dark
world. Tsutomu Nihei's plot may be simple, but the
situations he places Killy in would make even "The Governator"
weep. Nihei's artwork is just as stark and gritty as his narrative
style. There is a reason why they asked Nihei to work on
"X-Men", and Blame! is the reason.
MUSIC:
hide-Ja Zoo
Why? : hide, one of
the driving forces of X-Japan, had just embarked on what promised to
be a stellar solo career when apparently he took his own life.
Ja Zoo, released before his death, shows a man at the top of his
game. From the kick ass "Rocket Dive", to the
awesome "Fish Scratch Fever", you will never find a greater
J-Rock album than this.
Video Game: Gundam 0079-The War For Earth
Why? : In the sea
of Gundam games, this one stands out because it fused some awesome
CG (for it's time) with real actors, in a plot that mirrored the
first half of the original Gundam series. To make it even more
interesting, the actors were all American. Unfortunately, their
voices were dubbed in Japanese, so you have to watch
"G-Savior" for English speaking Gundam. While the
game was nothing more than a "follow the story line" RPG,
it was one of the coolest looking games for the PSone! |
Ann Marie Willette-Anderson
SENIOR EDITOR
Merry Christmas all you anime boys and girls!
It’s time to find the perfect present, be it for that
special otaku in your life or an extra little something for
yourself. Finding the
perfect gift can be a tough order to fill, especially if you want to
be a little different and not give just your typical DVD or video
game. With that in
mind, here are my four picks for the picture perfect anime gift!
NUMBER 4
Pocky! Yes, all
otaku need to keep their strength up, especially during holiday
marathon viewings of the entire Evangelion series.
Pocky is the perfect food.
A little crunchy, a little chocolate and available in a
variety of flavors (even a few non-chocolate ones for those of you
who profess to dislike the smooth , rich flavor of the universe’s
most perfect food). The
best place to find Pocky, along with some other tasty Japanese
treats, is at a local Asian market.
Your local Suncoast will have it, but the markup is enough to
make you cry! Lots of
online sites sell it as well, some even by the case, so start typing
and make for a yummy Christmas.
NUMBER 3
Know someone planning to spend some serious time (and money) at
one of 2005 many anime conventions?
Then you should wrap up a Con Survival Kit for them. Take a box and toss in items like aspirin, bottled
water, band aides, power bars and other non-perishable snacks.
If your anime fan is into cosplay, be sure to include one of
those tiny sewing kits and a pack of safety pins.
Print out a map of the area the con is in and mark it with
all the cheap places to eat. Get
travel sized soap, deodorant, shampoo and toothpaste.
If you’re really generous, toss in a sealed envelope with
an emergency $10.00 to get your tired, but happy, con go-er through
the last half of the last day, when food is most needed and money is
mostly gone!
NUMBER 2
Want to wear something guaranteed to get you noticed? Pre-order one of the new fleece Menchi and Puchu cosplay
hats from ADV Toys. Live
a little bit of Excel everyday and find out who your real friends
are! Since the actual
hats won’t be available until 1/31/05, you’ll get a month of
anticipation and time to stock up on film!
If you can’t wait that long or just the have to have that
emergency food supply, head to Suncoast or your local anime shop for
a Menchi plush, Menchi on a grill or Menchi rug. (also from ADV
Toys).
NUMBER 1
Need something to lug around all your fav manga and games?
You need one of those ultra cool messenger bags with the logo
of your favorite show on it. Zip
over to www.mythwear.com and
order the bag that every anime fan should have.
You can choose from NERV, Hellsing and others.
The bags come in a variety of sizes and have tons of pockets
to hold everything from pens and pencils to the new NDS game system.
Face it, without one of these, you’re an ani-nobody.
Get it…NOW!!!
There it is, my picks for the four must have gifts of the
upcoming holiday season. No sex, no violence, no need for an AC adapter, just a few
things to make your life as an otaku that much more fun.
Enjoy your holidays and remember, responsible fans never
drink and download!! |
 Honey
Thunder
Assistant Editor
Whether you're wondering what to get the otaku in your life, or
the only Otaku you're shopping for this holiday season is
yourself; there is a veritable plethoraof anime to choose from
this year. If you haven't seen it all (or most of it), picking a
title that will elicit thank you's throughout the year can be a
bit of a challenge. As much of a perfect gift that the
phenomenally superb Full Metal Alchemist would make, don't kill
yourself trying to find it, it won't be out until February. So,
check out the titles below and give the gift of the anime!
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
The original Ghost in the Shell film was the cyber-punk cult
classic that inspired "The Matrix". "Stand Alone
Complex" gives fans more gorgeous animation, fast-paced
action, and deft-writing; which combined, produce a gritty,
cyber-noir thinking-person's drama. I have never had so many
"HOLY CRAP" moments watching a series (animated or
not). The plot "twists" run deep and are wholly
unexpected and are both intellectually and viscerally
satisfying. With repeated watchings the series changes in
depth and scope and the world created is a dynamic reflection of
human nature and the future we may be destined to inherit.
RahXephon
Truly the most beautifully haunting series I have ever seen. I was
hooked within the first five minutes of episode one. Each
subsequent episode would stay with me for days after I had seen
it. The story feels less written and more organic; unfolding as a
flower blooms. The animation is beautiful; the acting is
incredible; and the writing is outstanding. RahXephon draws
heavily upon Evangelion; but whereas Evangelion is heady and
esoteric, RahXephon is spiritually transcendent.
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Platinum Edition
Evangelion has long been regarded as the best anime series EVER.
This isn't empty lip service. This series truly deserves this
accolade. I had never seen Evangelion before, and after watching
the first episode I was hooked and I wanted more. MORE!!! The
story unfolds so perfectly, Evangelion didn't just set the bar for
animated series - it completely revolutionized the genre as a
whole. ADV celebrates the 10th anniversary of Eva by
releasing the Platinum Edition, digitally remastered and in
glorious 5.1 surround sound. So when the Evangelion goes beserk,
you can truly almost crap your pants.
Full Metal Alchemist
All of the titles above appeal to my intellectual/spiritual side.
Full Metal Alchemist appeals to my emotional/spiritual side. This
unabashed drama doesn't elicit strong emotional responses by
using trite conventions. This is one of the most genuine and
touching forays into the human experience. Love, grief, loss, and
the searching for purpose and meaning in the tragedies that befall
us mold us into the adults we become. If we try to circumvent the
human experience of loss, a price will be paid. The human
experience, like alchemy, requires an equivalent exchange. Once
Edward and Alphonse set events in motion, they are catapulted on
the path of adulthood. Fortunately for us, we get two seasons and
a movie out of it.
|
 Joe
Cav
Video Game Reviewer
1. Halo 2: The
original Halo was incredible and Halo 2 is unbelievable.
This game has done a lot more than just push out another
sequel. Between its
addictive multiplayer and challenging single player modes, #1 has to
go to Halo 2.
2. Half Life 2:
Honestly, if Half-life 2 had multiplayer options, it would have
defiantly beaten out Halo 2 for the top spot.
The same game play I loved from Half-life with disturbingly
real visuals and a sick havoc physics engine makes Half-life2 more
than welcome to the #2 spot. Just be sure you have powerful
computer!
3. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas:
I’ve never been a huge fan of the GTA series, but once I picked up
GTA SA I couldn’t put it down.
The game is bigger than ever before with more things to do in
and out of the actual game than ever.
Besides, who gets tired of running from the cops and causing
mass chaos as a criminal anyway?
4. Doom 3:
Though some were disappointed that Doom 3 was “just a remake of
Doom” and really didn’t break any new ground, I could care a lot
less! Doom 3’s breathtaking graphics, awesome weapons and game
play we all know and love makes this extremely fun horror/shooter my
#4. Just keep in mind you’ll need s good PC for this one too!
|
 Ryo
Dark
Staff Photographer and reporter
Anime: Wolf’s Rain
If you didn’t catch the dub on Cartoon
Network’s Adult Swim, heck even if you did, go out and grab this
series on DVD. The
storyline follow four wolves (usually in their human forms) as they
journey on a quest to find Paradise with the help of their flower
maiden, Cheza. The
character designs combined with the top notch animation is
stunningly gorgeous. To go with the artwork, the story has elements
that make “Wolf’s Rain” enjoyable for both men and women.
Thoroughly engrossing, you’ll need a box of tissues for the
end of this amazing tale.
Manga: Pet Shop of Horrors
In a somewhat twisted effort to bring hope to
people, Count D, the owner of a mysterious pet shop in Chinatown,
sells very unique animals to his special customers.
The only catch is; you must adhere to the rules of the
contract or else the store will hold no responsibility for what
happens. For some
reason people just can’t seem to follow the rules.
Beautiful artwork with a touch of gothic style quickly draws
you into this horror-based tale. A perfect blend of witty (and often adult) humor, coupled
with dark storytelling makes this a great read for older teens.
Music: L’Arc~en~Ciel – Smile
After seeing Japanese rock band,
L’Arc~en~Ciel in concert at Otakon 2004, I went out and bought
this album. An eclectic mix of upbeat tunes such as “Are you
Feeling Fine”, hard rock songs like “Revelation”, and softer
ballads like “Hitomi ni Jyuunin,” there’s music on this CD for
everyone. Also included
is “Spirit Dreams Inside” from the Final Fantasy movie and Full
Metal Alchemist opening “Ready Steady Go”. All
the tracks on this CD are sure to put a “Smile” on your face.
Videogame: Tales of Symphonia
With over 70 hours of my life spent playing it,
I’ve decided Tales of Symphonia is my favorite game of the year. Released only for Nintendo Gamecube, this enthralling tale
will drag you in for over 80 hours of gameplay.
With cel-shaded “chibi” characters, gorgeous anime-style
cutscenes, twists you’ll never see coming, and incredible
character and plot depth makes this an RPG well worth the forty
dollars you will spend.
|
Way
Jeng
