Ichi

Ichi is the latest reimagining of the familiar Zatoichi story. Yet, from one glimpse of the box art your assumptions will immediately stumble. The blind swordsman is now a beautiful young woman that trudges the countryside as a poor musician. On this path she searches for her place in the world and the blind sensei that long ago taught her swordplay. However, this journey is obstructed by a town bled by extortionists, their ominous leader, and a failing samurai in need of inspiration. With each step and accurate slash, Ichi will both find what she seeks and what she truly cannot see.

Dante's Inferno

Ah, Dante’s Divine Comedy. As a trained Classicist, albeit a Hellenist, I do know Latin Epic poetry.  And Dante’s allegorically Christian reworking of Latin Epic in the Tuscan dialect is as familiar as the grooves of my tsuka. For better or worse, however, Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic isn’t quite the faithful adaptation. Instead of recounting Dante’s spiritual crisis in the 14^th century, in which Vergil ultimately aids him through an illuminated necromancy, this epic is all blood and mayhem.

Goyou

Chatter about studio Manglobe’s anime adaptation of Natsume Ono’s manga Sarai-ya Goyou (House of Five Leaves) has only lightly sugared the internet since 2010 commenced. But during the Tokyo Anime Fair this project decided to whet our appetites even further. 

Here is the latest streaming schedule from FUNimation as of 5/7/10, including YouTube and Hulu!

FUNimation

FUNimation and NAMCO BANDAI announce the latest Dragon Ball release for the PSP.

Kaze No Stigma

2009 TV Series (episodes 1-12). Director: Junichi Sakata. 288 minutes. DVD, bilingual, $59.98. Distributor: Funimation.

The prodigal son returns.

Kazuma was once the heir to the fire-wielding Kannagi clan. But his inability to manipulate his family’s magic was too much for an impatient father. Consequently, he was sent packing with nothing but the shirt on his back and the beginnings of a very large chip on his shoulder.

Bamboo Blade

Toraji is a slightly dusty Kendo instructor in need of a tournament win. His part-time teaching gig barely satisfies his landlord, let alone his belly. Enter Tamaki. This pint-sized girl is an unwitting master of the bamboo sword. With her skill Toraji is guaranteed both instant success and a decent meal! But there’s just one problem. Tamaki would rather watch anime than join his all-girl squad. Can he convince her, and simultaneously redeem himself?

As perhaps the worst decade in global economic history comes to a close, 2010 won't be so bad for Naruto and Bleach fans.

J-Pop Center

Viz Cinema, the nation's first theater devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. If you're in town, here is the list of events for February.

Dragon Box 2

Fresh from a crushing defeat at the hands of the Saiyans, and with Goku still on the injured-reserve list, the rest of our beloved Dragon Ball fighters must rise to the occasion. To acquire the Namekian dragon balls, they must venture to Planet Namek. But the journey itself isn’t necessarily the danger. A powerful new enemy, Freeza, also desires these same dragon balls. A new challenge is about to go down.