Ikki Tousen

2009 TV Series (episodes 1-13). Director: Takashi Watanabe. 325 minutes. DVD, bilingual, $49.98. Distributor: Funimation

Hakufu isn’t just any street fighter. She’s one badass cutie in a short skirt that would make Paris Hilton blush. Her goal: to become king of the hill as she unites seven rival schools. Her inspiration: a jewel infused with the spirit of an ancient warrior. Oh yes, Hakufu has a destiny. And she’s ready to fight for it, even if her skirt and top gets torn away in the process!

Evangelion: 1.01

So, the past is indeed resurrected. 1.01 is essentially a transformation of the first six episodes of the original anime. In the now familiar post-apocalyptic Tokyo-3 the Earth is still under attack by the otherworldly Angels. Shinji Ikari is summoned by his father to pilot the Eva Unit 01, a towering biomech unit capable of defeating these enigmatic creatures. The Fourth Angel has descended, and the distantly cold Rei Ayanami is too injured to assume her pilot duties. Shinji may be only fourteen, but the world is now thrust into his hands.

I'm in Tokyo and getting ready to head over to the Tokyo International Anime Fair!

Radical Axis

Recently at WonderCon in San Francisco, an overloaded schedule and a few personal misadventures hindered me from meeting the comic team of Scott Fry, Matt Maiellaro, Dave Willis, Craig Hartin, and Todd Redner. Fortunately I managed to catch up with them later (minus Matt Maiellaro) via phone.

Naruto 8

With Gaara on the brink of death, only Naruto and Granny Chiyo can combine chakra in the hopes of performing the Reanimation Ninjutsu. Worse still, team Kakashi is missing, well, Kakashi! While he recovers from his use of the Mangekyo Sharingan, Naruto tries to recruit a new member from the village. Nevertheless, the chosen replacement is not necessarily a beloved friend!

March Story

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, will release the supernatural manga (graphic novel) series MARCH STORY on October 19^th. The latest addition to the VIZ Signature imprint, by Hyung Min Kim with artwork by Kyung Il Yang, is rated ‘M’ for Mature readers.

Dragon Sword

It’s no secret that VIZ’s catalogue is diverse, and truly has something for everyone. Well, continuing along those lines, the release of The Ouroboros Wave and Dragon Sword and Wind Child has just been announced.

Dragonaut

The Earth’s solar system has encountered an unwelcome guest: a deadly asteroid called Thanatos. But the threat isn’t so much its trajectory toward Earth, but its inextricable link to the emergence of dragons on Earth. Some are out to ravage the planet, others are used by specially trained humans for defense. Called “dragonauts,” these female pilots are as sleek and sexy as their tight outfits! Now, in the midst of this prehistoric, interstellar conflict, Jin Kamishina meets Toa, an intergalactic hottie with super powers and an intense attraction for him. Time is running out on Earth, and the mysterious connection between asteroid and dragons must be solved. What is a boy to do?

Tekken 6 PSP

Okay, essentially you’re looking at a carbon copy, yet on a portable platform. So, what more can I say? It’s the same, entirely unlocked forty playable characters (some old, some new). You’ve got Arcade Battle, Story Battle, Ghost Battle, Challenge Battle, Network, and Practice. From the minute I picked up my PSP, intuition and training took over. Power kicks, combos, and special throws: every technique was effortlessly executed via the familiar layout of the portable console.  

Dorohedoro 01

The Hole. No, it’s not a muddy orifice in the Earth. In Hayashida’s alternate world the Hole is the industrial epitome of urban squalor, where users and non-users of magic loiter. The problem is, magic users tend to playfully experiment on the untrained, transforming their flesh into various mutated concoctions. Caiman is one such victim. His head has been mutated into that of a large reptile, and the process has left him with amnesia. Together with Nikaido, his female companion, they’re on the hunt for Caiman’s identity and the magic user that transformed him.