HardDoor:: Back Again!

After weeks of back-to-back exams, papers, and presentations, I can finally get back to this blog! I tried to post a few times, but the tight working period restrained any real sort of free time for doing so. In my absence, some really interesting tidbits arose in the worlds of anime and boxing, such as ADV's surprise acquisitions of Le Chevalier d'Eon (GREAT show, BTW) & Sergeant Frog (better known as Keroro Gunso), and Morales' second KO loss to Pacquiao, which could set up the dream fight between the latter and sensation Edwin Valero.

I still aim to keep HardDoor up-to-date with the latest of news on both fronts as possible, and of course, I'll try to keep up a decent stream of special articles and thoughts along the way (speaking of which, keep an eye out for a special two-to-three parter). In any event, though, it certainly is good to be back!

--HD

:random: The Apex of the Nuclear Bomb... [Alt. Title: Or "Listen to my Big Boom! Tsar Bomba~!!"]

NOTE: What better way to come back to an anime/boxing blog than with a post on...a huge nuclear weapon! Despite the alt. title, a thing like this can often be less humorous...

To this day, people are still afflicted by the memories of the ominous white mushroom cloud scratching towards the sky over 60 years ago...

:anime: This Ain't April Fools! New Evangelion on the Way!

[Unconfirmed (though now confirmed, see below) report from Anime News Service, though it is not out of the realm of possibility, considering next week's supposedly big Eva scoop in the Newtype Japan magazine. Either way, new Eva is on the way.]

What is sure to shock many (or not some at all), Hideki Anno & GAINAX announced a new four-part film series of the classic Neon Genesis Evangelion. An interview of sorts with one of the producers (the unconfirmed part) yields some information on them, in which they will be "quite different" from the content of the original, will nonetheless take place in the same timeline. It will feature newer animation (though lacking the rapid word splice-ins from the series) and can be accessible to both fans and those unfamiliar with Eva (it will be a "remake" yet also a "new work"). Evangelion Shin Gekijou Ban, as it will be called, it will apparently also serve as "an antithesis to current animation industry segments,” which I take means that it will use either different animation techniques or it will be told in a way unlike most anime productions. In short, this sounds a lot like the Girlfriend of Steel-ish Evangelion stories that GAINAX has been pumping out for a while, which basically are alternative storylines that had more of a school/teen comedy flavor. That might not be the news that some fans were expecting (like a sequel concerning End of Evangelion would have been so exciting :P ), but fans of those stories might be welcoming this with open arms, pending that this actually true.

UPDATE: It appears that Newtype Japan did make good on its promise with this information, as ANS confirmed its truth with scans from the magazine feature.

UPDATE 2: [9/7/06] Looks as if Anime News Network has posted some extra info on the project, complete with format layout, as well as saying that it is not a remake (Either way it is, old will be new again). On an interesting note, Kazuya Tsurumaki, of FLCL fame and director of the sequel to Anno's Gunbuster, will helm this Anno-originated work. It seems that he holds much trust in the eyes of the legendary director to allow him to create sequels to two of his most famous and revered works. And considering the good job he did with Diebuster, I can see why (not to mention, he also directed the Rebirth part of the Death & Rebirth Eva movie).

:boxing: Deja Vu All Over Again & Again...

It is the biggest fight in either man's career in a long while. The young upstart boxer with a lot of promise, but not a whole lot of polish, versus the aging, yet wily, veteran who wants to show the critics that he can still take this young'n to school. They engage in a tight, physical brawl, unyielding to either's barrage of attacks. The veteran fighter, confident that he would have a field day with the "little boy," finds that the tactics that he has mastered for over a decade are being challenged by the skills of that very same kid. The young upstart, usually reliant on his innate power and physical prowess, begins to get a taste (and perhaps too much of a fill) of what it really means to be a "boxer." The early rounds appear to clearly go in his favor, but as the bout presses on, the elder fighter seems to be landing more shots and looks to be the more energetic of the two. Undaunted by the presence in front of him, the younger fighter still tries to go for broke, counterpunching with each volley flung at him by the master boxer, even coming up with a few new attacks and tactics in his arsenal . The years of ring-hardened, round-by-round savvy, however, has helped turn the tide of the fight towards the man that has been through the toughest of battles and the longest wars. After the chime of the final bell, both fighters raise both gloves above their respective heads, knowing for sure that they won the fight. The ring announcer reads off the three judges' scorecards to the nervously awaiting crowd and the studious corners. To the many shocks and awes, the young upstart fighter is handed the victory, leaving the wily old veteran in a state of disbelief, knowing that despite giving him all he could handle and more, he could not obtain the win in their eyes.

:anime: School Rumble's First Course: Web Site Creation!

After last week's announcement from FUNimation of an early 2007 target for the series' debut stateside, the company apparently has made their School Rumble site live to the public. Currently, there is only a cast picture promoting the upcoming release, but the web site is sure to expand over the course of the next few months. It is good to see them using the original logo, which didn't really require any sort of change since the majority it is in English already.

:anime: Noein: Towards the U.S. Coast...

Manga Entertainment released a press release last week detailing out the first volume for Noein. The most eye-popping statement in it is not the factoid of "6000 cels shot per episode," but the $19.98 price tag on it. That's a truly, obscenely low price for a show of Noein's caliber; a five-episode release like this one (which still has all the bells-and-whistles of most other ones, including 5.1 DD and 2.0 Stereo, English/Japanese + Subtitles {Closed Captioning also included in here!}, and Extras of the likes of textless OPs & EDs and Behind-the-Scenes) would almost certainly go for the usual $29.99. It is very good to see Manga distribute this particular series at such a price level that many can afford and consider to purchase. As one of the best anime of the last year, the already positive comments from those who have already watched it in its entirety and the ones bound to come from people who have yet to view it should help additionally boost this great show to top of the sales chart. Now hopefully Manga will attach a starter box with the next installment (a tactic that, last I checked, another company appeared to be employing recently) or a latter one.

Over the Weather and Through the Woods...

Not too great of a first half of the week, as I had not been feeling all too great. This of course prevented me from posting some of the things I had wanted to, but now I'm allllll better, so now I can get back to this (and maybe some boxing, too, perhaps! :D ).

:anime: Shin Angyo Onshi --> Good, Blade of the Phantom Mask --> Uh... No

At 2006 Otakon, ADV Films announced their picking up of the Japanese/Korean anime movie Shin Angyo Onshi, which will be rechristened Blade of the Phantom Mask in the U.S. Though I thought that the movie would never get picked up anytime soon, I'm very happy to have seen it get acquired by ADV, whom I was expecting the most to license it. I can't be too happy, though, with their renaming of it. The title is lame and shifts more of the focus to the warriors that the main character summons (if it were closer to the actual translation, which is more along the lines of being about said character, then it wouldn't be so poor-sounding). They have kept the original names for other shows, and it's not as if this one is terribly difficult to pronounce, so the change here is miffing.

Despite all of this, the movie itself makes for a very good watch. The nice visuals and score (including the themes sung by BoA) blend well with the story. It may play more like the beginning of a series (I can only hope...) and it may be little rough-around-the-edges, but it nonetheless is very entertaining and enticing.

...I just hope that enough of a stink is made about the title to warrant a switch back to the original.


P.S.: I'll still buy the DVD, it's just that...

:anime: FUNi School Rumblings!!

FUNimation, at 2006 Otakon today, announced its mass acquisition of the School Rumble anime franchise, which includes both seasons and the two OVAs. One of my favorite comedies and shows overall, it doesn't surprise me to much that FUNimation got this. The kind of comedic style employed in the show is something that the company is suited for handling, which was something that was on my mind while I was thinking about who would license/dub it. However, I hope that the changes in the script are minimal, especially since there isn't much in the lines worth altering. Either way, I'm glad that School Rumble (and as a whole, no less) was finally picked up. Considering the size of the fanbase and the accolades it has received, I am surprised that it wasn't snatched up sooner.

With FUNimation's licensing of shows like The Galaxy Railways, Solty Rei, and now this one, it's almost as if they are checking off on my "Imaginary Licensing Wishlist." :D

:anime: The Genre, The Nation, & The Problem (Third, and Final, Part:: Bonus! A Few Additional Petals in the Pond...)

If one thing has puzzled me over the years, it's why Anime has not become all that popular in the U.S. While diehard fans can be a deterrent in anything, it has not had that much of an effect on other genres, like sci-fi and fantasy. Alright, so it's a cultural thing, then? Not exactly, as martial arts films, diverse in their own cultural aspects, attract the masses, even when accompanied with subtitles (see Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). Some might even go as far as to say that Anime is "deeper" than American animation, and therefore, no one can really grasp it. That may be true for a select number of titles, but it is not so as a whole, since it's really dependant on the title itself. The main issue stems more from the American vantage point on animation--that is essentially for children. However, this stance has changed over the last few years, as adult fare like Family Guy and South Park rank among the more highly-rated programs on television. In addition, Anime itself has seen an increase in popularity, as Video-on-Demand services from anime content providers continue to receive big hits and the number of online content portals has risen dramatically in a less than a year's time. In this opportune period, anime companies and distributors must begin to expand their boundaries to reach this growing audience, who represent a large amount of the mainstream. Titles like Black Lagoon and Paradise Kiss, shows with high production values and of high quality in the story department that have appeal close to what Americans are attracted to, are the centerpieces for successfulness in tapping into the demographic. This sort of campaign will require a departure from the norm, as increased, diversified advertisement and a shopping of shows to non-traditional networks, such as SpikeTV and Style (respective to the noted anime), will be of necessity to making this work.