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Fanservice: Exactly what the hell is it?
by kindaaloser, 03/18/2010
Fanservice: Exactly what the hell is it? photo

[Editors Note: Let's take a breather from debating about moe, shall we? This is a promoted Community Blog, written by one of our readers. If you would like to see your own Cblog on the front page, warm up your keyboard and write something awesome! ~Jon Snyder] 

This may be a poor analogy, but this is what I figure a hefty majority of people who watch anime think of when it comes to fanservice.

"Fanservice is kind of like candy - it's fun and sweet in moderation, but too much and you simply get sick. A little bit can add some humor, awkwardness, or the lovely "eye-candy" appeal for the sake of entertainment. And also, I believe one of the reasons that writers, directors, and artists incorporate it is because, on paper, this is the chance to create a purely unrealistic person, especially in the culture of Japan."

I remember listening to the fanservice episode of the The Anime Counterpoint podcast with hbi2k and kaiserneko last year. Very few girls in the real world actually look like that, but in a fictitious world, it's completely possible for every girl to be perfect. It's a visual take on something that otherwise could only exist in imagination. And, I believe, that is why it becomes so entertaining - we get to physically see something interact in front of us that we will rarely come across in real life.

But of course, it can easily be overdone. However, this isn't about the current status of fanservice in anime today. This is about the current status of the anime fans who perceive fanservice today.


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  8 comments Latest by Irothtin
"@The-Excel You're not the one who judges that. I watch what I want."...read more

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Yotsuba & PANCAKES!
by Ben Huber, 03/17/2010
Yotsuba & PANCAKES! photo


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  16 comments Latest by kaishounachi
"Hahaha! Brilliant!"...read more

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Right Stuf licenses Dirty Pair
by Jon Snyder, 03/17/2010
Right Stuf licenses Dirty Pair photo

HELL YES!

Nozomi Entertainment, the anime licensing and production branch of Right Stuf, has just made a huge announcement. They have licensed the greatest anime series of all time: Dirty Pair. That's the ORIGINAL Dirty Pair that aired on Japanese TV back in 1985, not the half-assed OVAs or the unmentionable 90's knockoff Dirty Pair Flash. Yup, we're getting the misadventures of Kei and Yuri in all their original beating-disco glory. Right Stuf, I freaking love you.

Dirty Pair will be released this in two "DVD collections" which are each currently priced at $37.49 on Right Stuf's website. They will include all 24 episodes of the series as well as two TV specials. No concrete release date other than "coming soon" has been given, but ANN is saying late Fall 2010. In the meantime, if you need a Dirty Pair primer, I suggest listening to the Bakacast episode where we reviewed the series, and checking out the clean OP embedded below the break.

Oh, and dibs on Kei.


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  14 comments Latest by Stilts
"Hey, Rightstuf! Since you're clearly peering into my deepest desires with your phenomenal psychic powers, how about you license JoJo's Bizarre Adventure? Those OVA's deserve a re-release."...read more



 Get some MangaGamer eroge goodness for less this spring
by Josh Tolentino, 03/17/2010
Get some MangaGamer eroge goodness for less this spring photo

You should be supporting the growing visual novel/eroge scene. Unfortunately, a lot of folks are cagey about buying adult games, and others are cagey about pricing, which, while still much lower than the average prices in Japan, are somewhat high for titles that some struggle to even categorize as "games."

Still, there are stories to be told, and you might enjoy playing them sometime. MangaGamer knows this, and is giving you (yes you!) the chance to get some hotness for less over the first week of April during their big spring sale!

From April 1st through April 7th, prices for MangaGamer's most popular titles, including Da Capo, Shuffle!, and KiraKira will be dropped significantly. Better still for those who shy away from adult content, the same price drop applies to KiraKira's all-ages version.

And if you've some euros to spend on March 20th, MangaGamer will also be releasing an Edelweiss bundle that contains both Edelweiss and its spinoff Edelweiss Eiden Fantasia.

Are you ready for some easter eroge action? Hit up the site to check out their selection, or their staff blog for hints at potential new releases.


  3 comments Latest by Kyogissun
"@Janaff: A company once asked Key what they want for Kanon, they got back 1 million... And then 2 million for Air. It's not happening anytime soon. The closest thing you're going to get right ..."...read more



 JapanaTen: 10 Reasons why J-drama is better than plain TV
by Dale North, 03/17/2010
JapanaTen: 10 Reasons why J-drama is better than plain TV photo

J-drama is its own thing. Some may think that it's just the Japanese version of primetime television, and...well, they're right. But it's totally different on so many other levels. I really think that the J-drama way is the better way. In comparison, "regular" television seems bland, long-winded, and silly.

I'm sure that I'm the only one that thinks this way, so I'm here to force my opinions on you in this JapanaTen list of The Top Ten Reasons Why J-drama is Better Than Regular Television.


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  24 comments Latest by kaishounachi
"I highly recommend Kekkon Dekinai Otoko (The Man Who Can Never Get Married) if you're just starting out with J-Dramas. It stars a great actor, Abe Hiroshi. Other recommendations: Hataraki Man, Or..."...read more

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Hunt yet more monsters on PSP in Monster Hunter Freedom 3
by Josh Tolentino, 03/17/2010
Hunt yet more monsters on PSP in Monster Hunter Freedom 3 photo

Japan loves Monster Hunter. Every major multiplayer game coming out is finding a way to rip it off, and entire festivals are held to commemorate the wholesale slaughter of giant, ferocious animals and the conversion of their hides to crazy weapons and armor.

With Monster Hunter Tri for the Wii representing the first home console entry in a few years, one might think that the series would be coming backto stay, but that won't be the case with the latest game. Monster Hunter Freedom 3 (aka Monster Hunter Portable 3), is once again coming to the PSP to delight Japanese commuters everywhere.

That's understandable considering that it those PSP installments led to the franchise's massive popularity (and made the PSP much more viable there than anywhere else in the world). Recognizing this, Capcom's taking over the whole of Greenland Amusement Park in Kumamoto and turning it into a Monster Hunter-themed wonderland.

This is surely great news to PSP fans, and I'm certainly excited for it, though if the game's going to be limited once again to ad-hoc only mode (which can only be bypassed using PC-based 3rd-party solutions or the PS3's Ad Hoc Party app), I may have to stick to Monster Hunter Tri, which features regular online play.

Check below for a trailer, which features the glorious return of gunlances!


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  5 comments Latest by ZeroArmada
"I really want Monster Hunter to return to its true console roots. Put it on PS3! That way, I can actually play with others because I own the console and there are people with PS3s. Trying to find..."...read more



 Gundam Unicorn sets new Blu-ray records in Japan
by Brad Rice, 03/17/2010
Gundam Unicorn sets new Blu-ray records in Japan photo

Time and time again, the high bar for Blu-ray titles keeps getting broken. The previous bar, set by Summer Wars at 54,000 discs in the first week, was broken by Gundam Unicorn, who sold 56,000 Blu-ray discs in its first week, along with another 30,000 regular DVDs of the show.

Gundam fans sure love their Blu-ray, that's obvious. And I suppose they're willing to pay any amount to get just a sliver of Full Frontal action.

While there's no word on just how well the sales of Gundam Unicorn did here over in the U.S., I'm sure the folks over at Bandai aren't doing too shabby with the release here. I've been meaning to pick it up myself, but just haven't had the money to go and snatch up the Blu-ray over on Amazon. Hardcore Gundam fans, what do you think of Unicorn so far?


  9 comments Latest by PBz0r
"Expect it to be smashed in May by EVA 2.22, with its 88.000 preorders and counting. As for Unicorn, I should probably go and try it right now. I've never liked Gundam at all, but with it being t..."...read more



 Some breathing room: Tokyo anti-loli law vote postponed
by Josh Tolentino, 03/17/2010
Some breathing room: Tokyo anti-loli law vote postponed photo

Whew. It seems that cooler heads have prevailed regarding Japan's disturbingly general anti-loli legislative proposals, as the scheduled vote has been delayed to facilitate further deliberation on the issue. Maybe now that they have a little more time to think about it, supporters of the bill might notice that what amounts to a blanket ban on characters that random people think look "underage" doesn't exactly foster creative endeavor.

And it was worse than we originally thought. The law was to be applied to pretty much every form of 2-D media, including games, anime and manga, not just adult material. No wonder so many mangaka and publishers came out to voice their opposition to the measure.

Doubtless these cultural heavyweights had some influence on the decision to delay the vote to June. Even some Japanese politicians didn't quite appreciate their peers working the "moral panic" angle.

That doesn't mean we should get complacent, though. The fight to maintain artistic freedom is a neverending one.


  20 comments Latest by Hen na Otoko
"I hate loli crap, but to ban drawings makes no sense. It's ink on paper. No children are harmed in the production of it (unlike CP) so what is the issue? Just keep it socially reprehensible, no..."...read more



 The Moe Menace: A Matter of Degrees
by Bacon5200, 03/17/2010
The Moe Menace: A Matter of Degrees photo

[Editors Note: This is a promoted Community Blog, written by one of our readers. If you would like to see your own Cblog on the front page, warm up your keyboard and write something awesome! ~Jon Snyder] 

All right folks, all this fussin' and a-feudin' about the definition of moe is really ranklin' my rankle-regions. I mean when you get to the point where someone is arguing that Blade Runner and Cowboy Bebop are steeped in the same sort of moe we face in K-On! or Sora no Woto... Christ almighty. There exists not a palm large enough to contain that face,

The issue that's conflagrating the conflict isn't so much that moe exists, it's the concentration in which it occurs. Those pointing out that it has always existed are missing the forest for the trees. There is a huge divide between moe existing in a show, and moe drenching a show from head to toe. The latter is very much a recent phenomenon, worthy of criticism.


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  27 comments Latest by pastamobsta
"I have to largely agree with this, i mean, all things in moderation, right? enjoyment/love is relative, and that what makes a show"...read more

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Tuesday Otaku Debate: What anime deserves a remake?
by Jon Snyder, 03/17/2010
Tuesday Otaku Debate: What anime deserves a remake? photo

Okay, first things first. As you're probably aware, Japanator held a massive Gundam Battle Royale last week to determine, once and for all, the greatest Gundam series of all time. It was a close contest, but after carefully tallying the votes, I can say without question that the GREATEST GUNDAM SERIES IS...

*drumroll*

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team

The second-greatest Gundam series of all time is Zeta Gundam, followed by G Gundam, Gundam 00, Gundam 0079, Turn A Gundam, MS IGLOO, 0083 Stardust Memory, 0080 War in the Pocket, Gundam SEED, Gundam Wing, Char's Counterattack and G-Saviour, in that order. There is no disputing the infallible results of this Otaku Debate. All Gundam fans who do not acknowledge the utter superiority of 08th MS Team are expected to change their opinions immediately or face death by colony drop. Japanator has spoken!

These results are available in pie chart form below the break. We now return you to your regularly scheduled Otaku Debate.

With the recent Sailor Moon revival making headlines, many otaku are speculating that a remake is in the works. Karen, our local expert on all things pink and sparkly, has already weighed in on what she would like to see in a new Sailor Moon series. Now I would like to hear from you, dear readers... what classic anime (i.e. aired before 2000) do you think deserves a remake, re-imagining or sequel? Who should direct this new adaptation? What should they change, and what should stay the same? What voice actors or actresses would be ideal to put a new spin on your favorite characters? And, most importantly of all, which Japanese singer or band should perform the opening theme?

Personally, I think a new Dirty Pair with a theme by JAM Project would be kickass... but that's just my opinion. Post yours in the comments below!


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  60 comments Latest by Abraham Lincoln
"@ CaptainBright, all I can say is "Strength feeds off strength and grows stronger!" Also @ those who want a animation of the Jinchu arc of Kenshin, watch Trust and Betrayal, those Ova's summed u..."...read more






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