Question: And how does it feeI that it is by far the worst movie made in the history of the United States?
Chun Li: I would agree with that, but I have seen Dragonball Evolution, which is probably worse.

Note: There’s a teeny bit of inappropriate language, but nothing too bad!

To see more of their work, check out their YouTube video channel and their website, ProjectNewSpeak.com!

The Anime Blog reader and contributor Liz Ohanesian went to Anime Expo 2009 last week and brought back some great coverage of the con, including a report on otaku trends, the One Piece controversy, an interview with Mana and more! Here are links to each article:

Anime Expo 2009 Photo Gallery:

Anime Madness: Cosplay Characters at Anime Expo ‘09

Top AX Trends:

Anime Expo 2009: Taking in the Otaku Trends

When “Pedobear”, the offensively-named teddy bear character 4chan users often tack onto Lolita posts, made an appearance at AX, the hallway turned into a mob scene of people screaming “Epic win!” as they clamored for a photo opportunity…Continue Reading at LAWeekly.com

One Piece leak and its consequences:

“Where’s My One Piece?”: Anime Fans Ask Where Their Favorite Series Went After Piracy Issue

At FUNimation’s Saturday afternoon panel at Anime Expo, one huge question burned on the minds of the hundreds of anime fans in the room – When is One Piece coming back? Continue Reading at LAWeekly.com

Cure Magazine’s AX after party:

Rockers & Idols: Japanese Magazine Cure’s Anime Expo Afterparty

From performances by major Japanese recording artists like Moi dix Mois and Morning Musume, to Anime Music Video competitions, to karaoke battles and the annual AX Idol contest, music is just as important as animation at Anime Expo…Continue Reading at LAWeekly.com

Interview with Mana of Moi dix Mois (ex-Malice Mizer):

Mana-sama Speaks, Sort Of: An Interview with the Eccentric Visual Kei Star

When visual kei artist Mana’s global legion of fans refer to him as Mana-sama, it isn’t just a cute nickname. The Japanese honorific is a term of respect more than endearment…Continue Reading at LAWeekly.com

Music that inspired Takashi Okazaki’s Afro Samurai:

Soul of the Samurai: Afro Samurai Creator Takashi Okazaki Shares the Tunes Behind His Characters

As if RZA’s soundtrack to the anime version of Afro Samurai, which stars (and was co-produced by) Samuel L. Jackson and was, in an unusual move, released in the US before Japan, weren’t enough of a clue, Okazaki’s a huge hip-hop fan…Continue Reading at LAWeekly.com

Liz Ohanesian is a Los Angeles-based journalist covering music, media and club culture. She is a staff writer for Club World and her work regularly appears in such publications as the L.A. Weekly, Razorcake and Outburn. She has written for such publications as Punk Planet, PopMatters, Santa Monica Mirror and others.

Image Courtesy of Wikipedia

Visual kei fans get ready for a musical explosion as Moi dix Mois rocks Anime Expo 2009 as an official Guest of Honor for the nation’s largest anime and manga convention held July 2-5, 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Moi dix Mois is a sound project headed by Mana, the consummate guitarist and leader of Malice Mizer which is on indeterminate hiatus. In addition to writing music and lyrics, Mana does all of the computer programming and arrangements for his songs. Mana’s strikingly electrifying and unprecedented musical creation is the result of his remarkable talent to combine the diametrical opposites, such as the classical and the avant-garde, the elegant and the delirious, or the creative and the destructive.

Moi dix Mois jump-started its career on March 19 (Mana’s birthday), 2002. The group’s name is a term coined by Mana. ŒMoi’ means Œme’ (that is Mana), and Œdix Mois’ means Œ10 months’ in French. The implied meaning of dix Mois is the birth and the beginning, coming from the 10-month period of human fetal development as an embryo in the mother’s womb. Also, number 10 has been given a special connotation by Mana; a combination of Œ1′ representing the start, and Œ0′ implying the potential eternity or infinity.

Moi dix Mois will electrify concert goers at the nation’s largest anime and manga event over the 4th of July weekend as the 2nd official concert!

Moi dix Mois joins other Anime Expo 2009 Official Guests of Honor Hiroyuki Imaishi, Daisuke Ishiwatari, Yun Kouga, Yosuke Kuroda, Toshimichi Mori, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Morning Musume, Yasuhiro Nightow, Atsushi Nishigori, Satoshi Nishimura, Takashi Okazaki and Kari Wahlgren.

Red & Black Sponsors include: FUNimation, Silver Sponsors include: Anime News Network and Digital Manga Press, Patron Sponsors include: COPIC, Central Park Media and The Right Stuf, Media Sponsors include: ImaginAsian TV, Animation Magazine, Anime Insider Magazine, Anime News Network and UTB Hollywood.

Anime Expo 2009 will be the place to be this fourth of July weekend as legendary and world re-known Japanese voice actor (seiyuu) of Anime and video games, Toshiyuki Morikawa, is announced as one of the official Anime Expo 2009 Guest of Honor for the nation’s largest anime and manga convention held July 2-5, 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Mr. Morikawa has appeared in many anime roles within such popular titles as After War Gundam X, Berserk, Black Lagoon, Bleach, D. Gray-Man, Devil May Cry: The Animated Series, Digimon Adventure 02, Fighting Spirit, Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu, Gundam Wing, Initial D: Fourth Stage, Inuyasha, Kyo Kara Maoh, Last Exile, Nana, Naruto, Pokemon, One Piece, Saiyuki, Story Of Saiungoku, Tenjho Tenge, The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya, Mobile Suite Victory Gundam, Slam Dunk, Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Descendants Of Darkness, Gakuen Heaven, Haru Wo Daiteita and many others highly recognizable titles.

Mr. Morikawa has also been featured in the world of electronic entertainment, as he is also the voice of the infamous Sephiroth of the FINAL FANTASY video game franchise and Heishiro Mitsurugi in the SOULCALIBUR franchise. Mr. Morikawa has also voiced in other video game titles including KINGDOM HEARTS II, NARUTO ULTIMATE NINJA 3, SUPER ROBOT WARS ORIGINAL GENERATIONS, STREET FIGHTER, TEKKEN and many others.

Mr. Morikawa joins Hiroyuki, Iamaishi, Daisuke Ishiwatari, Yosuke Kuroda, Toshimichi Mori, Morning Musume, Yasuhiro Nightow, Atsushi Nishigori, Satoshi Nishimura and Kari Wahlgren as official Anime Expo 2009 Guests of Honor.

Animation Kobe Director Award winner, Hiroyuki Imaishi and 7th Annual Tokyo International Anime Award recipient, Atsushi Nishigori, are now announced as official Anime Expo 2009 Guests of Honor at the nation’s largest anime and manga convention held July 2-5, 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Hiroyuki Imaishi

After graduating from Tama Art University, Mr. Hiroyuki Imaishi, was hired as an animator for the Gainax Company, Limited. His first work was the animation that many critics considered a social phenomenon NEON GENESIS EVANGELION. Since then, Mr. Imaishi has worked on storyboards and as art directors for such hit anime series as HIS AND HER CIRCUMSTANCES and FLCL. Mr. Imaishi made his directorial debut with the OVA DEAD LEAVES. Mr. Imaishi has also worked on RE: CUTEY HONEY and TENGEN TOPPA GURREN LAGGAN franchise. Mr. Imaishi was also the recipient of the 12th Animation Kobe
Director’s Award.

Atsushi Nishigori

Character designer Mr. Atsushi Nishigori has worked on many titles including MAHOROMATIC, THIS UGLY YET BEAUTIFUL WORLD, HE IS MY MASTER, OVER THE TOP! 2 and serves as the character animation director for the TENGEN TOPPA GURREN LAGGAN franchise. Mr. Nishigori was also the recipient of 7th Annual Tokyo International Anime Awards’ Individual Character Design Award category.

Mr. Imaishi and Mr. Nishigori join Daisuke Ishiwatari, Yosuke Kuroda, Toshimichi Mori, Morning Musume, Yasuhiro Nightow, Satoshi Nishimura and Kari Wahlgren as official Anime Expo 2009 Guests of Honor.

Since she’s about to launch a new international tour, this is her first involvement with a record label that includes both European and American markets. When asked about how she feels performing in front of so many different people, she believes that music has no borders, so she’s not worried about how people will reactor to her.

One of the journalists asked if she prefers being a model, actress or singer. Ms. Tsuchiya she said that singing is her favorite, because she feels more alive when singing than with anything else. So she really wants to continue singing!

Some of her music inspirations come from western artists, including Queen, Cindi Lauper, Whitney Houston, Bon Jovi, Nirvana and Hole.

Regarding her unique sense of style, she doesn’t see it as being limiting. Even though it may appear that she is very different than many Japanese people, she sees a lot of diversity – everyone is different, not just her. Plus, things are changing in Japan. The male idea of traditional roles is changing. She feels that once you cross a barrier, things become very open everywhere.

Anna doesn’t have any specific favorite brands that she wears – she actually prefers wearing jeans and a t-shirt. She has worn a lot of expensive apparel throughout her career, but she likes to feel comfortable. She might dress very casually during the day, then really dress up at night to go out. She also appreciates seeing lolita and gothic styles.

For fans who are concerned that Ms. Tsuchiya’s new single may sound more ‘pop style’ than her previous work, she assures everyone that her j-rock roots will stick with her. She doesn’t bring high expectations of herself and enjoys human nature, without any excessive fears.

Her experiences with Japanese and American audiences differ – she said it was amazing to see the American audience suddenly begin dancing on the floor. The feeling is very different than in Japan, where she is popular but doesn’t get the same kind of reaction.

Anime Expo 2007: Anna Tsuchiya Press Panel Part I of II

Anime Expo 2007: Anna Tsuchiya Press Panel Part II of II

Special thanks to Anna Tsuchiya, Mad Pray Records and the press staff at Anime Expo 2007!

Anime Expo

ORESKABAND is an all-female ska band from Osaka, Japan. They have released one full album, in July 2006, titled Ore. They have performed both in Japan and the United States, including the Fuji Rock Festival. Their songs have been featured as the 14th ending theme for the anime Naruto and the 11th ending theme for the anime Bleach. Their name “ore ska band” literally translates to “I’m (a) ska band.” – via Wikipedia

Here’s the set list from the ORESKABAND show!

Anime Expo 2007 J-Rock Concert' class="alignright"/>

1. PANTIME
2. YEAH! Ska Dance
3. THE BOY-S
4. MCooler Society
5. Good Bye Deja vu
6. 20 tips
7. U
8. ALMOND
9. Things I’ve Forgotten
10. Knife & Folk
11. MONKEY MAN
12. PINOCCHIO
13. Chuck
14. ENCORE – Shall we Dance?

Photos by Mayumi Nashida, All Rights Reserved

We weren’t able to make it to the concert, so if you were able to see the show, let us know what you thought!

Also, be sure to check out the ORESKABAND blog:

Being the curious cat that I am and still being fairly ignorant of who’s who in terms of cosplay, I’ve got no problem admitting that I wasn’t familiar with 65% of the cosplays we snapped. I stopped a few cosplayers and asked them a few questions about their costumes.

Here to start off The Anime Blog’s Cosplay Interview Series is Orha Duren from Magna Carta: Crimson Stigmata.

Orha-Duren Cosplay Interview:
[audio:Orha-Duren-Interview.mp3]

GeneonSpot.com is a fansite that will be relaunched later this year. One of the features of the site will be exclusive fan club merchandise. The first item announced was the Hellsing Ultimate Fossil-Brand Pocket Watch. This will be limited to 666 pieces!

Digital Distribution of Anime

Digital distribution was a big topic of the con. Geneon refers to this as ‘unpackaged media’. There are currently three partners that they’ve teamed up with for digital content:

• Akimbo.com
• XBox 360 Live
• Vuze.com

HD Content

Currently, Geneon is broadcasting Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira, which has been remastered in High Definition via XBox 360 Live. Other titles available via HD include GunXSword and Lupin.

Kid’s Properties

Geneon is focusing on a few more kid-friendly anime series than usual this year. One of their ‘kid’ titles is Chop Socky Chooks, which was created by Aardman Animation, who created Wallace and Grommet. Another one is ‘Del Tora Quest‘.

Programming Blocks

Geneon anime series can be seen on television via Anime On Fuse TV and ImaginAsian TV.

New Anime Titles

• Shonen Onmyouji – A retelling of the onmyouji story featuring the grandson
• Saiunkoku – A 39-episode series set in ancient China debuts on August 28, 2007
• Hellsing Ultimate Volume 3 – October, 2007 release
• The Familar of Zero – features a ‘youth pop appeal’. The tailer was interesting in that it introduced ‘the famous Gandalf’ or something like that

New Anime Title Announcements

What would a big anime con be without a few brand-new anime title announcements? At Anime Expo this year, they announced a few different series.

• Shakugan no Shana OVA – Yoshida vs. Shana, otherwise known as the ‘hot springs’ episode. Lots of fan service expected
• Guardian of the Sacred Spirit – otherwise known as ‘Seirei No Moribito’, this comes from Production I.G.
• Lyrical Nanoha and Lyrical Nanoha A’s – both seasons on DVD

For the ‘wrap-up’, Geneon gave an overview of the various types of DVD packing options they currently offer. Surveys were passed around asking which types of packages people prefer. The ‘Baily Box’ was one of the standout ones for me – it features a clear side box so you can show off the cover of your favorite DVD volume! There was also a giveaway for ‘Princess Raccoon‘, which is a live action film.

Overall it was an informative panel and it’s always fun to see everyone’s reactions to the new titles!