With the finale of Avatar: The Last Airbender coming up this July, I got to thinking about how I happened to get into the fandom at a fairly opportune time. Part of that is just luck and timing in terms of when I discovered the program. The other part of that is the fact that, since this is an American production, there wasn't a time-lag between when I "discovered" it (perhaps in its English-licensed release) and when it started in Japan.

I notice that when I discover fandoms, especially those based on manga, I'm a little "late to the party" if you will. By the time I get there, the comm's dead, or the fans already know the ending because they've been keeping up with it since it was first scanlated. So, there's very little action.

And, let's be honest, most folks like being, if not the first, then an early discoverer of something. Or at least picking up on something at the height of its popularity (we are social creatures after all and "following the herd" isn't necessarily unheard of). No one likes being the last fan...

But, for those of you "in the know," how do you go about discovering a new title, either anime or manga? Is it sheer luck, or do you look purposefully for them? Is it relying on your friends that just so happen to be on the cusp of everything?

I've only been actively reading manga for a little more than a year now, so I'm curious as to how you discovered Love*Com before its English debut or Death Note and Honey and Clover before Viz got a hold of it...

I finally finished reading through an article Patrick Macias (he of Otaku USA editorial fame) wrote on Stan Lee (he of Spiderman, Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, X-Men, etc. fame) in today's Japan Times. And, before you ask, yes, it is in English.

Lee talks about his current manga and anime projects in Japan and muses upon his past success in comic books. I enjoyed it and I hope you do, too!

The past year has seen Hollywood studios jump at the opportunity to produce live-action versions of our fav anime and manga properties, including the recently announced Ghost in the Shell, which will be exec produced by a certain Steven Spielberg, Akira, which is being exec produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, and the in-production Dragon Ball Z.

But, with the massive box office failure of Speed Racer, which came in third in its opening weekend (up against comic book flick Iron Man and the critically panned Ashton Kutcher/Cameron Diaz vehicle, What Happens in Vegas...), will studio heads rethink their plans regarding these flicks based on popular anime and manga?

( My personal/professional thoughts on the matter... )

Anyway, how do you think this affects M. Night Shyamalan's live-action adaptations of Avatar: The Last Airbender, if at all? Any thoughts on how this might affect the other anime- and manga-based flicks?

While doing some Web-crawling, ran across this:



Evidently, someone was trying to sell a Catbus this past March in Albany, New York.

Amusing, no?

Noticed this the other night while I was waiting for the lab portion of our class to start. And it looks like looking2dastars continued the list of creepy comic book characters (found via When Fangirls Attack!).

If you're looking to kill some time, be possibly disturbed, and/or get a laugh in, check it out! I was certainly creeped out...and laughed at how censors missed things involving bondage, bestiality, and incest...

Happy May Day to all! For those unfamiliar with the Hawaiian custom for this oh-so-special day, click here. And for those of you who are nowhere near the tropics, or have any family to bestow a lovely and fragrant lei upon you, here you go:



Hopefully, spring has sprung in your part of the world!

Got an e-mail from Del Rey today -- they're offering free copies of the New York Times bestseller Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Betrayal through May 13. You can get the audiobook, PDF, Kindle or Sony reader versions. I haven't read this, but I just might since it's free and, well, I have a sweet spot for the original Star Wars trilogy (Don't get me started on the newer trilogy...I could seriously rant for hours).

We'll see if this leads to me actually reading any of the other books in the series, though.

So, I just remembered that Free Comic Book Day is this Saturday, May 3. On this most special of days, comic book stores across the world give away free comics!

It's this simple -- just show up and grab a copy of the free titles that are available! This is how I got hooked on Last Blood and Gyakushu!. And, this year, there's more manga being given away, including a Shonen Jump sampler.

Of course, there's tons more to check out, so find your closest participating retailer and pick up some new reads!

So, a couple of weeks ago, I went to a new media and technology conference for universities. It was interesting...in its own way, I suppose. Anyway, the CTO of Six Apart, the company that used to own LiveJournal, spoke about the future of social media. Afterwards, I went up to ask him a couple of questions, namely to ask him why Six Apart sold LiveJournal. From what I've witnessed, there doesn't seem to be a change in attitude regarding the new management company. In fact, people might be unhappier than not, for all I know. *shrugs*

Anyway, he smiled at me and explained that LJ was full of people who would never be happy with what they (Six Apart), as a company, could do for them. He also mentioned the word "drama."

And, TBH, I've got to agree with him. When I page through different LJ comms or individuals' profiles, there seems to be a lot of bitching about this (to most) free service that allows us to share our love of whatever. Oh, yeah, and people protest a lot for reasons that don't necessarily make sense...or that they fully understand. But, maybe that's just me?

And the ATLA fandom alone has been full of wankery since the NYCC trailer was released, along with the two eppies of "The Boiling Rock." The ship "war" is getting pretty silly billy and has caused some community defections, massive butthurt, and pissed off folks on both sides of the supposed "war." (I use quotes because I think it's fairly lame-o ranchero to call what's going on a war because, you know, we're in an actual war...)

So, to quote Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along?" And, to quote myself, when will the seemingly endless stupid end? :/

For the non-Spanish speakers out there, "Why I love Guillermo del Toro..."

For those not in the know, Guillermo del Toro directed the special effects-laden Pan's Labyrinth. He also directed the upcoming Hellboy II (*points at self* BIG Hellboy fan here!) and he just got signed to direct...

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!

The two-film installment of The Hobbit, which is being exec produced by Peter Jackson!!!

I am so excited for him to direct -- he can tell fantastical stories with a visual beauty that harkens to the magical realism of Mexican/Latin literature. He is a true storyteller...And what better story to tell than the prequel to The Lord of the Rings trilogy?

First, I'm NOT a fan of MTV. If I could take MTV and burn it in a lake of acid, I would. BUT, they've also broken some interesting news today...Not just the Kill Bill thing, either.

( Wherein I talk about Weezer and their latest album... )

*cue Jimmy from South Park voice* Ta-ta-tarantino's doing a new anime for Kill Bill...Have you heard about this? Have you seen this?

/Jimmy

Anyway, looks like Uma Thurman let the cat out of the bag for Tarantino's latest project-- some tasty additions to the deluxe edition of Kill Bill! Evidently, Tarantino's (supposedly) expanding on the story of the Bride and Bill with two anime sequences that will be shown during the intermission between the two Kill Bill flicks.

As a HUGE Tarantino and animation fan, I'm really excited to see what unfolds (besides the whole animated backstory of O-Ren Ishii in the original flick was nothing short of AMAZING). Tarantino's films have always struck me as perfect for that kind of treatment, too, what with the raw violence, dark humor, and urban landscapes. Anyway, I'm just hoping that the rerelease comes out on Blu-Ray because I would LOVE to see the Crazy 88s scene in hi-def...

So, things have gotten REALLY interesting in the Avatar fandom...What with ninjas, when the finale will air (what is this fuckery with releasing the DVDs before airing the eppies BTW?), and tidbits and trailers. Anyway, I guess I read/watched too much of it online last night (to the point that my husband pointed out there would be "more Avatar tomorrow" so I would go to bed) that I had a really odd dream.

All I can remember from the dream is talking to an entertainment reporter about Avatar and reading through their typed-up transcript from an interview with Bryke in some little dinky conference room. In said transcript, Bryke mentioned that they read through fanfic from time to time, but that they had fandomme's stuff all printed out and in binders in their offices and that it served as inspiration for this season's script. I remember trying to scan that portion of the interview transcript with a cool scanning pen, thinking that "Oh, fandomme would be really psyched to hear this, I should totally post it on my LJ!"

Obviously, I eventually woke up and realized it was a dream... D: The weird thing is that this felt SO real. Usually, my dreams are obviously fantastical (like me flying) or totally horrifying (like monsters coming to eat me). Not to mention, I really do work with the media and have friends that are editors and reporters in RL. Of course, none of them are entertainment reporters at the time being, but it is within the realm of possibility...And, honestly, after reading through Ozai's Vengeance" and Stormbenders, and seeing portions of them come true, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if this was happening in real life!

/collision of fangirl fantasies and RL

Okay, latest news out says that Disney will produce anime "Made in Japan"! In the unforgettable words of Stewie Griffin, "What the deuce?"

My initial reaction is "Disney's slowly taking over the world!" And, of course, then I remember, they've kind of already done that, what with multi-million dollar-grossing films and all. I was also concerned about the Disney-fication of animation in Japan, but then I remember that Osamu Tezuka, the "godfather of manga," was highly influenced by Walt Disney and his work (and the work of other manga and anime artists thereafter) reflects that. Just one look at "Steamboat Willie" and you'll see the influence of the "big eyes, little mouth." Mind you, Tezuka was also influenced by Max Fleischer's work, too.

After reading the article, TBO, it seems like a smart decision for Disney business-wise-- by localizing production and stories, Disney will be able to increase market share in a country dominated by animation produced in that country (and, let's face it, anime is an important cultural export for Japan). Not only will they be creating new programming, but they'll also be adapting other Disney stories, like Lilo and Stitch.

But it isn't only a "win" for Disney, it's good for Japan, too. Japan's economy, which has been in a recession for years, needs this. As any fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender knows, lots of animation is farmed out to other Asian countries, most notably Korea. So, the move will provide more Japanese animators with jobs, if nothing else. And what's better than providing another venue for Japanese animation?

But, enough about what I think, what do you think?

Or, two movies that I'm interested in...

So, it's hit the blogosphere that Leonardo DiCaprio is producing a live-action version of Akira. Ain't It Cool? News and The Anime Blog are reporting the leads with DiCaprio as Kaneda and Joseph Gordon Levitt as Tetsuo. As both leads are great actors (I love Levitt from Third Rock from the Sun), my only beef is that the story, as envisioned by hired director Ruairi Robinson (a first-time feature director, no less), will take place in (as reported by the Hollywood Reporter) "New Manhattan," a city rebuilt by Japanese money, as opposed to New Tokyo. I wonder how will that affect the storyline, or is it just more palatable for American consumers to see the movie take place in a familiar U.S. city?

What do you think about a live-action Akira? Sound exciting or are you already dreading it? Is the Year of the Rat all about making "new" (and mostly live-action) versions of our fav anime (see: Speed Racer, Robotech, the CG Astroboy, etc.)?

The Hollywood Reporter also had a report on the new Wolverine (he of X-Men fame) movie. For the ab-tastic version, visit The Beat. So, there's lots of pretty faces and some interesting namedrops to fill out the cast of the film, which takes place 17 years before the X-Men movies. will.i.am of Black Eyed Peas fame stars as Wraith, a mutant who can go translucent, and Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, a wisecracking mercenary. Oh, and let's not forget Liev Schreiber as Sabretooth, a mutant with bestial superpowers. Anyway, I'm most excited to FINALLY see the introduction of Gambit, one of my fav X-Men (played by relative unknown-- according to The Beat-- the ab-tastic Taylor Kitsch of NBC's Friday Night Lights).

Any other X-Men fans out there? I got into the cartoon in the 1990s and the comic books. I'm "meh" when it comes to the movieverse, but it's done a lot better than a lot of other comic book-based franchises (see: The Incredible Hulk). While I worry that they'll butcher the story about Wolverine, I figure it's WOLVERINE for goodness' sake-- how could it be bad? I'll still most likely pay the $10 to see Hugh Jackman take another shot at the role...

Anyone interested in revenge? I hear it's a dish best served cold...If so, check out Dan Hipp's Gyakushu!. Yes, I know I'm a total fangirl when it comes to Dan Hipp, but what can I say, the guy's got a pretty face TALENT.

Anyway, the second volume of Gyakushu! is hitting the shelves at your local manga shop tomorrow and it will not disappoint! I've read through the volume two preview, and let me say this, it's freakin' amazing! Hipp really does a great job illustrating the stark fight scenes with his graphic style and he's got an entertaining narrative voice...And if you're interested in seeing how he goes about creating a volume, check out his blog. There's an awesome desktop that he's also got posted on his blog-- which, you guessed it, is now currently on my work computer. Come on, it's red and black-- our school colors! Okay, that's a stretch, but I don't really care. It looks REALLY cool...

So, yeah, check out Gyakushu!, either via the free online preview at TOKYOPOP, or "in the flesh," alright?

Oh, and don't forget to vote today if you're one of the U.S. states involved in "Super Tuesday"! I was the second person at my polling place today...Can we say "happy to do their civic duty"? XD

Yes, I love Weezer. So, of course, I was excited to hear about Rivers Cuomo's solo album that featured never-heard-before b-sides and such. I am yet to make it out to the record store (or hit up the iTunes store), but I did catch the video for "Blast Off!" It's an odd little video of Cuomo basically kicking it in Japan (his wife's Japanese).

Anyway, here's the video:



It's a little odd, right? Well, when I first saw it, I was like, "He looks even creepier with a mustache..." Of course, the BBC interviewed Cuomo, wherein, he mentions how he thinks it's important to experiment with his facial hair, stating, Different kinds of facial hair really change the way people view you and it really changes the way you feel. Inevitably, this led to a "Now I get it!" kind of moment regarding his (as stated by the BBC) "fabulous mustache." Anyway, thought those of you that enjoy Japanese culture would get a little kick out of the video and the interview...

Remember the video of Filipino prisoners dancing to Thriller that I had posted some time ago? Well, looks like they're practicing a new routine-- the dance from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya! The video's a little grainy and is a little boring to watch all the way through. But, to be honest, I find this an entertaining way to keep morale up in a prison. Here's to hoping they get the routine down pat and will upload the final video soon!

Excuse my lame Beastie Boys' reference, but I have to share this little ol' link.

For those not in the know, shaenon has been doing a cool installment called "Overlooked Manga Festival" on her journal for a while now and, as she's coming to a close on OMF, asked readers for suggestions of other manga that she hasn't shown the love for.

So, of course, this opinionated lady had to get a few words in edgewise. ^__~ You can check out my recommendations for overlooked manga, as well as those suggested by others, here. Maybe you'll find a series that you may have overlooked until now?

I don't think I've mentioned it here, but the hubby got a gigantic (46") LCD HDTV with all his birthday/Christmas money. So, of course, we had to get the hi-def cable to go with it. Oh, and did I mention the PS3 that plays Blu-Ray discs? And don't forget the Blu-Ray version of Paprika that he got for me...

( Why Rena spends too much time on her ass... )

Anyway, those are my newest obsessions. Now I lie in wait for Sony Pictures and Disney to release all of their back catalog on Blu-Ray, especially since Disney has the U.S. license for all of Hiyao Miyazaki's movies.

Now, off to my night class!