:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: Korekuraide Utau (Sing in my own way)

Creator: Kousuke Sugimoto
Artist Sites: Main Site, YouTube Channel
Additional Links: ANN Article
Video [Free]: YouTube

As luck would have it, just one month after posting about the newest work from one half of last January's independent short recommendations, Hiroyasu Ishida (aka "Tete"), the other half from the feature, Kousuke Sugimoto, happened to post his own new project onto YouTube earlier this month. "Korekuraide Utau (Sing in my own way)" is a music video for a song by friend Handsome Kenya, which falls very much into the same rambunctious vein as Sugimoto's previous "the TV show", with its seemingly random comedic vignettes, kinetic imagination, and interconnectivity, plus some kicking music (and nice lyrics, too). While you view the video (which is thankfully subtitled), try to keep in mind that Sugimoto is self-trained and in his late-twenties…

…Yeah.

:boxing: Boxing Bits ::05.31.11:: Pacquiao, Ward, & Hopkins Get It Done Right…

Three weeks, three major fights (and a few others)--some showed up to do their thing, and some others forgot to.

:Sat.05.07.11:

Manny Pacquiao UD Shane Mosley [Showtime PPV]

While the bout was not as awful as many have said, it wasn't amazing by any means and I can understand the universal panning of it. Simply put: Pacquiao showed up to fight, and Mosley showed up to survive. The Filipino dominated in typical fashion, but was unable to put on the sort of hurting he has laid on previous opponents like Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito. This was chiefly because Mosley, after getting knocked down in Round 3, convinced himself that he wasn't going to win and did not want to get pulled into a tit-for-tat firefight, thus jeopardizing his streak of not getting knocked-out.

:boxing: ...It'll Do (At Least, For Me…), Part 3:: Pacquiao vs. Mosley

When this fight was first announced awhile back, I was looking forward to Manny Pacquiao fighting "Sugar" Shane Mosley, even though so many downed the fight, and doing a nice write-up on it, too.

However, duty (aka "work") beckons, and I have not had a whole lot of time to post anything (hence the lack of updates as of late). But I do not want to let this fight pass by without saying anything on it (which everyone and their mother are now hotly anticipating). On the other hand, there's not a whole lot of time left, so let's keep things short and sweet…

:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: rain town

Creator: Hiroyasu Ishida (aka "Tete")
Artist Sites: Main Site, pixiv Profile, YouTube Channel
Additional Links: "rain town" PV, Main Site post (**spoilers**), "rain town" Gallery (**spoilers**)
Video [Free]: YouTube

 "In this town, since who knows when, rain has never stopped. Residents moved out to suburbs and higher ground around "rain town". Peoples memories are now deeply submerged. But into this forgotten rainy town sometimes, someone wanders."

Last January, I recommended two independent shorts singularly animated (for the most part) by two individuals. One of them was Hiroyasu Ishida (also known as "Tete"), a student at Kyoto Seika Universitiy's Faculty of Manga (which also teaches animation), and besides highlighting his award-winning "Fumiko's Confession", I also made mention of his one-minute "rain town" PV, which left a big impression on me, despite its brevity and relative simplicity.

:anime: HardDoor's Seasonal Anime Preview 2011 Special:: noitaminA (Spring, Summer)

Fuji TV's noitaminA block has produced a fine number of great titles over the years. Their slate for the spring and summer cours, however, looks particularly strong, enough so to warrant this special installment of HD's seasonal anime preview. While full-fledged ones of old are currently on hiatus due to time constraints, I thought it would still be worthwhile to churn out an edition for something like noitaminA. I have had my eye on these series since they have been announced, and hope they turn out as good as they appear to be. And knowing noitaminA's track record, their chances seem high…

:anime: First/Final/Only Impression:: **That Which Shall Not Be Named**

There is no show picture to show because the show doesn't deserve it, so you'll have to settle for this stylish picture of a question mark, instead.

Review: [Title Withheld (and with good reason…)]

Official Sites: Please…
Additional Links: None.
Video [Free/Pay]: You are better off not knowing…

When it comes to reviews here at HardDoor, my aim is not to tell you what you must or must not watch, but to discuss and provide critical analysis on it, leaving the decision ultimately up to you, the reader. I actually encourage you to watch the title anyway, so you can form your own opinion on it, as I personally do not like someone dictating to me something along the lines of the former. You will never find me saying "Avoid this like the plague!" or "Don't watch this title at all costs!", because it's not my thing. I think we are all our own people and I don't need to tell you what to do. A situation would really have to be something for me to do something like that.

Well, I'm making an exception for this one…

:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad

BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad (or just "Mongolian Chop Squad")

Official Sites: Japanese, English
Additional Links: ANN Entry
Video [Free]: FUNimation Videos, Hulu, Anime News Network (Sub / Dub)

As can often be the case in the world and life, some things don't get the attention they deserve, in spite how good they are. Such is the case with this month's free/low-cost anime pick…

BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad has never been a top seller in the U.S. Most of those who have seen it can testify to how good it is, but I imagine that number isn't a mighty one. FUNimation did a fantastic job with its dubbing and singing and has supported the title for a long time, but with it being re-released under its subtitle only (either to try to breathe life into its sales, or to avoid any legal trouble with the real-life, unrelated band), questions of its future on the market comes to mind. Hopefully, the worst never comes to past, considering the effort they put into the release and just how good the show is, but either way, BECK is worth of garnering more attention, hence its spotlight here.

:anime: Alright, Alright…FINE!!

For years, I have considered Revolutionary Girl Utena to be the "greatest show I would never own". Don't get me wrong, I have tons of respect for the series and count it as one of the best things I have ever seen across any media. The great writing, its copious layers, the enjoyable and memorable characters, its unique, almost-Seussian design and animation styles, the ubiquitous scores by Shinkichi Mitsumune (BGM) and J. A. Seazer (duels), its boldness: I have adored so much of it and what it has accomplished, and under most circumstances, I would have dropped down cash on it in a heartbeat and snatched up all of its sets (and probably the movie, too).

:boxing: Boxing Bits ::03.17.11:: Martinez Dismantles Dzinzurik…

Alt. Title(s): "Battle of the Serge", "Sergio/Sergiy", "Power Serge"…

:Sat.03.12.11:

Sergio Martinez TKO8 Sergiy Dzinzurik [HBO]

Sergio Martinez may have had a career highlight in his one-punch demolishing of Paul Williams this past November, but he may have possibly eclipsed that with his performance Saturday night against top contender Sergiy Dzinzurik. "Maravilla" dedicated himself to a hard, snapping jab early on before tattooing the rugged and ridged Dzinzurik with his usual odd-angled shots, with his hooks being the most dangerous ones of all, as they accounted for a bulk the five knockdowns delivered. Though he was able to score two and looked in control against an unwavering opponent prior to the 7th, he hadn't moved around the ring as much as usual for much of the fight and as such, especially with his unique posture and fighting style, was absorbing more punches than necessary.

:anime: It's That Time of The Year, Again:: Crunchyroll Hosts Global Shinkai Day!

Just a quick reminder, Crunchyroll is once again hosting its three-day celebration of the works of anime auteur Makoto Shinkai. "Global Shinkai Day" will be hosting the director's self-made first feature, Voices of a Distant Star, The place promised in our early days--his first feature-length film--, and his most recent film, 5 centimeters per second, which was just re-released on DVD by CR (with Bandai Ent.'s assistance). The festival was recommended last March as its "Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick", and while I'm not repeating picks again (something I try to avoid), I could not pass up another mention of it. Shinkai is a wonderful artist and a free event like this gives one a great opportunity to see his works for the first time (or revisit them all over again). The timing is also a bit ironic, since I made allusions to his visual style in my anime pick and review of the recent Wish Upon the Pleiades (Hokago no Pleiades).