Transformers: ROTF DVD/Blue Ray

This is not really ‘new’ news. It’s been out for quite some time (more like 9 days ago) as I read from this Transformers 2 Facebook fan page. Been busy with work at my new workplace for the past week.

A couple good prices offer from Amazon and Ebay.

It comes with two disc special edition. It has about 9 discs in total vs the single edition which has 14 discs in total. Both of them come at a price of USD $39.99, but Amazon now offers a slash price of 45% discount (USD $21.99), which is a good buy to have. Comes with either in blue ray or dvd.

Not too sure how long will they arrive in New Zealand stores. But I’m keen to get these so I think I’m going to get them online within the next few days.

Are you looking forward to getting your copy of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen?

Source: Facebook.com, Amazon.com, Ebay.com

Astro Boy: All whiz but no bang?

Been reading a few reviews on Astro Boy online. They sure don’t sound very optimistic as it oughta be. I really hope it would deliver well and make great impact on the audiences, both young, old and the fans of the 50 year Japanese iconic anime series.

Some say it’s a complete waste of movie goers’ time and that USD 10 bucks is better spent on other films that are more tangible to watch. Even B-rated films believed to be comparatively than this as sources say. Some rated it’s barely watchable, especiallly for family and kids.

And some argue it’s actually good to watch as it delivers strong messages on family bond and unity that many common families do not normally see, especially in the areas where son misses fatherly-love connection where he’s denied from receiving full expression of love and care that any parent would give to a child. Something like that.

Whatever the views are, I’d still be keen to give this a go when it comes out here in NZ. Are you still keen to watch despite the mixed rave of reviews?

Source: SiouxCityJournal, NorthernStar, The Jamestown Sun,

Go Nagai with his Mazinger Z

Was reading interesting article from an Egyptian online paper on Go Nagai, talking about his anime works made such impact on several (and uncommon) communities in the anime world, including the likes of Middle East and African countries and explains how he got famous.

Here’s the following excerpt of the article.

For my generation, the generation of Mickey Mouse and Tin Tin, MazingerZ and the Japanese cartoon genre of manga, the printed comic cartoons, were something beyond our conception. I had neither understood the cartoons nor sympathised with the characters. For the current generation, however, their creator is a big hero.

Thirty minutes before the talk Go Nagay was to deliver at the Cairo Opera House was due to begin, dozens of young people, most of them are students at the Faculty of Fine Arts, were trying to enter the gate but were held back by security. It was amazing to see how popular this artist is in a culture so far from his own in every way. I made my way into the hall after myself getting into a short clash with the security men, who let me through when they saw my press card.

The lecture was part of the programme in a four-day visit organised by the Higher Institute for Cinema (HIC) in cooperation with the Japanese Foundation in Cairo to host the internationally renowned cartoonist in Cairo.

The visit included a lecture at the Artistic Creativity Centre at the Opera House and an interactive workshop with HIC students on how he designed and created his cartoons. Both the lecture and the workshop included the screening of one of Nagay’s latest episodes of MazingerZ.

“Egypt has been one of the places that I have dreamt of visiting since I was a child. And I am happy to be here tonight, and even happier to discover that my cartoons are famous here too,” Nagay says.

…………………………………………………………………..

The length of the lecture was too short to satisfy the audience. They wanted more interaction with their very own hero. At the press conference held at the Japan Foundation in Downtown Cairo, a more relaxed Nagay received questions from journalists, most of them of the younger generation who appeared to be up to date with the episodes of MazingerZ and Grendizer and were familiar with the most key characters.

Asked about the kind of influences that had shaped his imagination since his youth, Nagay said World War II was the most important and had led him to make a deliberate attempt to show children how awful and destructive wars are through his popular cartoons.

“The mangas are easier to read than long novels, at least for teenagers, and this is one reason why my mangas have become very popular in Japan since World War II.”

Source: Al-Ahram

Click on the above link to read more on the article.

Astro Boy

It sure has been pretty busy week for me. Not much posting going on as I recently got a new job last week since my last job at my last company was made redundant some weeks ago. So plenty of time has been put focus in getting used to my new work environment, learning to get to know your new work colleagues, getting used to having a public transport to get to work (takes about 90 minutes by car, that doesn’t even include the time to find a car park!!!)

Which now brings me back to my attention on what’s been going in the anime world since my absence.

Yes! As you probably know by now, Astro Boy has finally made into the cinemas worldwide just almost three days ago. And in the USA, it sure did get a positive reception after reading this page from SkyNews.

I just read its movie review, done by an American writer, who’s clearly a movie-junkie if you traceback his review source, and (SPOILERS ALERT) I find his final conclusion on Astro Boy being less disingenuous than its orginal TV series run seemed a little harsh to deserve such a low grade. Though I yet to see the film to find his comments are fair justifiable, I would think the movie have a different emphasis on the importance of family bonds and how this film challenges that due to Dr Tenma, father of Astro Boy, rejecting him as his son despite his compassionate efforts in reviving his dead son he used to dearly love(which gives the reason for Astro Boy’s existence in the first place!). At least, that’s what Nicolas Cage mentioned in his comments from this LA Times’ post.

So there are different intangible things people look for when watching this 50-year iconic character on the silverscreens. Whether it’s fun for kids or getting to know the character in depth, I’m sure for all the while, it’s definitely entertaining to watch.

Guess, I have to wait till early January (New Zealand’s release date is 21st Jan) next year to write up my take on this.

Source: SkyNews, SeattlePi, LA Times

I was supposed to blog post this yesterday. However, had experienced major problems with my internet broadband due to an major outage around my neighbourhood, so had to leave it till now.

After reading off this Danny Choo’s newsfeed, it worries me for a long while now that Japan’s having one of the lowest birthrates in the world means they’re going to be ‘wiped’ off from this side of the planet, if the government doesn’t do something about it, at this level of urgency. And one of their proposed solution was to manufacture more robots.

Is this right? Is this way forward for Japan’s future of saving its dying population?

Here’s the Youtube documentary video link below to give you a better idea what’s being said…

Source: DannyChoo.com

Now there’s a new widget function on the right hand column of my blog. It’s an enhanced version of my recent posts. It comes with two tabs; one for the recent posts window; and the other for my twitter updates. Took me a while to produce this…

So now you can follow me on twitter updates and checking my post updates using this widget a lot.

Hope it looks helpful. Keep twittering! :)

This is the saddest article I read the other day.

Macross: Do You Remember Love?

Macross: Do you remember love(DYLR)?’s founding composer, Kazuhiko Katoh, recently died. He died by committing suicide, hanging himself in his hotel department. Few sources of information suggest any strong reasoning why he’s motivated to kill himself. The only clue left behind by him are his two copies of a will on the table before he hung himself.

They mentioned that this man not only composed the unforgettable theme song, Do you Remember Love?(“Ai , Oboeteimasu ka?”) for the Macross film, but also responsible for launching a Japanese band to tour around UK in the 70s! The first of its kind.

This is the most distressing news indeed.

And many people in MyAnimeList forum were trying to figure out what and why caused his sudden ‘departure’ from this world of anime business he’s in. Especially his involvement with Macross as one of his outstanding achievements during his 20-30 year career!

It makes no utter sense why he had to go.

Do you really think, given his age, and after all what he’s done for Macross, that he oughta take his own life just because he found something ‘uncomforting’ about the will he read on the desk? Surely, the last step to take his own life was a bit too drastic to make a foregone conclusion….

What do you think?

Source: ANN.com, MyAnimelist.com

Just reading this article last night. Apparently, Astro Boy was selected as the lucky mascot for Japan as part of their efforts to bid for the FIFA World Cup 2018. It coincides with its impending worldwide release of the film within 7 days, it makes a lot of logical marketing and public relations (PR) sense to make complete use of this opportunity to tell the whole world who and what Astro boy is all about (and the country he proudly serves).

Nothing like a great way to building up its appeal to the masses at such global proportions.

Other countries like England,
Australia, Indonesia, France, Mexico, USA, Russia, South Korea and Qatar are also bidding their hardest for this prestigious host before the bids close for the end of this year, by FIFA.

Are you looking forward to seeing Japan’s increasing chances of winning the bid for the World Cup? Or do you think FIFA should let other countries have a chance because Japan ‘technically’ already done their host in 2002? What do you think

Source: Inside Japan

Well… Isn’t this turn out to be quite of a sudden move.

If rumours proven to be true…

Astro Boy Worldwide Movie Poster

With only barely a little over 7 days to go before its worldwide release, there’s been some talks from Imagi’s making plans to have a sequel for the Astro Boy film, whether or not the film will be a big success or not in the USA. Which begs the question, are they willing to gamble everything on the table to see the things fly.

Here’s an excerpt from MTV.com’s post.

The Imagi Animation Studios-produced “Astro Boy” hasn’t even hit theaters yet, but watchdogs are waiting with bated breath for the movie’s upcoming release—because the success or failure of the movie will have an immediate impact on the franchise’s future.

The Hollywood Reporter runs down a veritable laundry list of reasons why the success of “Astro Boy” is so important both for Imagi and other studios, particularly noting that a strong showing for the manga adaptation could lead to “Astro Boy II” launching into production shortly after the first movie’s release on October 23, 2009….
Source: MTV.com

Read here for more info.

Source: MTV.com

I read this very cool article blog feed from AltJapan.com. Apparently, a pachinko-making (which is a Japanese form of gambling machine that has the functions like a pinball machine except you win the marbles in exchange for cash instead of credits) company, Sankyo, released a couple of amazing TV commercials, using Macross themes as their main elements of advertising, as part of their goals promoting new pachinko machines in Japan’s gambling market.

Macross Commercial - by Sankyo

If you watch the commercials, they used everything from the Macross series to make such impact! The music, the Valkeyries, Macross City, the clouds, Lynn Minmei! EVERYTHING!

With a tiny difference. They use real-life actors and objects.

Well, almost all real-life actors and objects. I love the way they did the bring out (spoilers alert!) transformation sequence of the Macross city like that!

They’re so great to watch.

Source: AltJapan, Sankyo