Recently in fans and what they do Category

A swarm of anime and manga fans are expected to show up this week at the Los Angeles Convention Center which is the site of Anime Expo 2008.

The expo runs from July 3 to 6. It's the annual event where geeks like myself can indulge their hankering for anything anime-related. And yes, I have left with a lighter wallet the past two years I've attended.

Cosplayers or the fans who like to dress up as a character from a show, manga and even a video game are a common sight in the convention. But if you're going to take pictures of them, it's only polite to ask first. Most are willing to pose for a shot so it's usually no big deal.

If you really, really want a bumper sticker that proclaims your undying love to "Sailor Moon" or have always dreamed of looking like a shinigami from "Bleach", chances are you will find said items at this event. Just don't go into a buying frenzy.

I'm taking a pass this year since I'm saving money for an overseas trip. Yeah, I know. It wasn't an easy decision to make.

Here are some shots from last year's convention. These are folks channeling the "D. Gray-man" cast and a teen dressed like some Goth Lolita. I don't know which character she's supposed to be though.

For more information on the event, go to www.anime-expo.org.

This from VIZ Media. The company is producing a special issue of its Shonen Jump magazine and will be giving it away gratis during Free Comic Book Day which falls on May 3.

The special edition will be distributed for free at participating stores nationwide.

I've never heard of the event but then again I haven't been haunting comic bookstores since I was in high school. I get my manga from the local bookstore and the anime shop.

According to the VIZ press release, the annual event was "developed by Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. and is designed for comic book retailers across North America and around the world to offer a range of select titles for free to further spread awareness of new and upcoming series and highlight the diversity of the comics and manga (graphic novel) genres."

In my simple mind that just translates to FREE comics for one day. Drool. I wonder if a customer will be limited to one comic book only.

The special edition 32-page Shonen Jump will feature snippets from various series like
"Naruto", "Bleach" , "One Piece" and "Slam Dunk." There's going to be a "Bleach" poster included as well.

www.freecomicbookday.com.

I was checking out YouTube and saw this courtesy of Top 5 Anime. I have no idea if the contest was just a fan-driven thing. The tunes are nice though.

In order of presentation they are:

1. "Hare Hare Yukai" by Ayano Hirano which was used as the closing song to "Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya"

2. "Rewrite" by Asian Kung Fu Generation which was one of the opening songs used in "Full Metal Alchemist"

3. "The World" by Nightmare which is the first opening song in "Death Note"

4. "Undo" by Joker also used as an opening song in "Full Metal Alchemist"

6. "Grip" by Every Little Thing which heralded the arc involving the seven Shichinintai in "Inuyasha"

7. "Asterisk" by Orange Range which is the first opening theme song in "Bleach"

Personally, I would pick "Asterisk", "The World", "Go" and "Rewrite." I'm crazy that way.

A co-worker asked yesterday why I don't update this blog every day. Hmmm. I'd love to just do this instead of covering crime but I think my boss wouldn't be too thrilled with that.

Besides, someone has to chronicle the evil things that people do. Might as well be me. I've been covering crime so long, I'm pretty much not shocked by anything anymore. But I wouldn't subject anyone else to this. The world I cover isn't black and white but shades of gray. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

Now back to yakking about anime which actually keeps me sane.

I finally managed to catch up on all those episodes of "Naruto Shipuuden" I've missed. SPOILER ALERT. Naruto and the gang have recovered Gaara's body. Chiyo-baba, the Sand Village elder, is thinking of reviving him using her life force.

Yep, it took a long time for her and Sakura to get rid of her evil grandson, Sassori, who was a member of Akatsuki and a former partner of Orochimaru. And did we really need those clone fights with Gai-sensei's team? I like Neji a lot but their fights just dragged on too long.

Next episode is the manga chapter where Chiyo-baba uses Naruto's seemingly endless supply of chakra to revive the dead Gaara.

"Kekkaishi" or "Barrier Master" has grown on me. It went from a ho-hum monster of the week show to a more interesting show with sibling rivalry, angsty half monsters and an evil organization doing everything to take over Karasumori which is that patch of powerful land Yoshimori and Tokine protect as the current kekkaishi of their families.

The evil organization has launched an all-out assault against our heroes to wrest Karasumori away from them. Their leader, a fox spirit called Princess, isn't going to last much longer and their headquarters will fall once she's gone. Or so that's what one of her minions said.

Why Yoshimori's grandpa, who is way more powerful than him, is just sleeping at home is beyond me. At least his cunning and powerful older brother, Masamori, has an excuse. The evil spy in his group has seen fit to dispatch Masamori and his team away from the fray about to break out over Karasumori.

In "D.Gray-man", the Millennium Earl is peeved that another exorcist has come into being when her crystal ball turned out to be actually Innocence. It is a substance the Earl's foes, the Black Order, uses to fight against him.

In addition to the storyline, I also like this show's character designs. Fans were out in force at the last Anime Expo looking really spiffy in their exorcist uniforms which were probably bought from some store. They didn't look handmade.

Anyway, there's only four more episodes left of the first season. There's going to be a second season of "D.Gray-man." Ditto with "Kekkaishi." I can't wait.

I saw this cover of a PS2 "Naruto Shippuuden" game. I haven't played it so I have no idea if it's good. I was just looking for images of an older Naruto to use.

Ja ne.

OK I admit I've been a tad bit tardy in updating this blog. Life and work have been getting in the way of my anime watching and yapping about anime-related subjects lately. Sorry. My online boss is probably going to bean me soon with my old copy of "Oh My Goddess" which I sneakily gave away to a friend and somehow he palmed it off on her. Muwahahaha. I detest that lame show for reasons too numerous to list.

I enjoy reading Zac Bertschy's column, "Answerman" for Anime News Network because he is funny and sometimes has an acerbic take on the anime business and its fandom. Just today I learned a new term from him. Seems those people who hang around the manga section of bookstores reading for hours and blocking other people's access are called "manga cows." They graze there all day. Get it?

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/answerman/2007-08-17

Was wandering around Fry's Electronics in Industry last weekend in search of bargain compact discs when I saw that the first volume of "Shonen Onmyouji" and "Mushi-shi" are out. I liked these shows when I saw the fansubs so I am definitely saving moolah to buy the licensed copies. I reviewed "Shonen" on Dec. 21, 2006 while I talked about how much I liked "Mushi-shi" on Jan. 29, 2007.

I included images of the offiicial DVD covers for both. These shows are worth a look. "Shonen" is entertaining enough for a boy's action anime with a dash of romantic interest for the girls. "Mushi-shi" is a keeper. It's in a class by itself - an unusual anime that doesn't fit the traditional anime genres and comes with its own mythos.

Attention fellow geeks. The annual Anime Expo is upon us again.

Like the rest of the anime fandom this side of the western hemisphere, I and my hapless brother will spend our Saturday at the Anime Expo in Long Beach. Actually, I will be dragging his sorry carcass with me to the event. He'll be the one kicking and screaming.

The expo's opening was Friday but I had to work and missed the band contest.

This is my second convention and I only go for one day anyway. But this time I will do more than search for deals on anime, manga and bibelots from Japan. I'll see what activities they're doing this year. But I won't be showing up in costume. No way, Jose.

Co-splaying is not my thing. I don't feel comfortable dressing up as a character in an anime show or video game. It's just too out there for me. Sorry.

Yes, my friends laugh at me for going to an anime event. The weasels. They better not borrow any DVDs or comics I snag at the convention. Sorry dudes. You snooze, you lose.

I'll post pictures when I can.

My inner fangirl would like to show some more of the reasons why she likes "La Corda D'Oro". Five reasons actually and they all wear pants. Sigh. Please excuse me while I throttle her into silence.

Here's an animated music video created by Tsukimorifanatic and posted on YouTube. The song used is "Trouble with Boys" by Loreta.

Attention fangirls. Let the squealing commence. I will now die of embarassment.