Hello Everyone, and welcome to my post (finally) of my visit to Hyper Japan 2012.
This Japanese festival has been held in February for the last 3 years (the last time I attended it was it's first year, 2010, when the venue was in Brick Lane, London) and celebrates all aspects of Japanese culture, unlike the MCM Expo which is more concentrated on Anime and Manga. The new venue for this event is now Earl's Court, London, and is literally across the road from Earl's Court tube station.
Just to let you know in advance, i forgot to take that many pictures of wandering around, but the venue was a lot larger than the Brick Lane venue, and had many different stalls all over the place.
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Monday, 27 February 2012
I FINALLY received my JLPT results...
こんばんわ！
Well, I have FINALLY received my JLPT results, the exam that I took in December, on Friday so at least I know how well my studies have been going. And after much anticipation I can reveal to you....
Well, I have FINALLY received my JLPT results, the exam that I took in December, on Friday so at least I know how well my studies have been going. And after much anticipation I can reveal to you....
Mario and Luigi Cap 3DS Cases
The Japanese site of Club Nintendo have revealed they will be offering its members 2 new 3DS cases in the shape of the caps worn by their mascots Mario and Luigi. To get these cases 250 points will have to be redeemed. For those of you that do not participate in the Club Nintendo program, you get points by buying Nintendo games and merchandise and scratching off a scratchcard in the case for the item.
Although the cases are being marketed as a 3DS case, they will however
fit the Nintendo DS, the Nintendo DSi, and the Nintendo DS lite in to
them. As you can see from the pictures above, the cases are all soft and plushie-like, but more than capable of protecting your Nintendo product from everyday mishaps.
New Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations Gameplay Video - Naruto vs Danzo
Namco Bandai Games Europe have posted another gameplay video of their upcoming game Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations. The new video shows a battle between Naruto (with some help from Sasuke) and Danzo.
The game itself is due out on 30th March in Europe, with anyone pre-ordering the game receiving a copy of 'the first official rap single of Killer Bee' (one of my older posts included a preview of his rap).
The game itself is due out on 30th March in Europe, with anyone pre-ordering the game receiving a copy of 'the first official rap single of Killer Bee' (one of my older posts included a preview of his rap).
Sunday, 26 February 2012
UK Anime & Manga Releases - 27/02/2012 to 04/03/2012
It's that time of the week again where we have a look at the new releases coming out this week. There is only one anime release this week, but its a big one, and there is a LOT of manga to keep you all going.
Without further ado, here are this weeks releases:
ANIME
Monday 27th February
Naruto Shippuden - Box Set 8
MANGA
Chi's Sweet Home - Vol.8
Higurashi - When They Cry: Atonement Arc - Vol.3
Monster Hunter Orage - Vol.4
Nabari no Ou - Vol.9
Omamori Himari - Vol.6
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Vol.4 and Vol.5
Soul Eater - Vol.8
Sumomomo, Momomo - Vol.11
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - Vol.11
Without further ado, here are this weeks releases:
ANIME
Monday 27th February
Naruto Shippuden - Box Set 8
MANGA
Chi's Sweet Home - Vol.8
Higurashi - When They Cry: Atonement Arc - Vol.3
Monster Hunter Orage - Vol.4
Nabari no Ou - Vol.9
Omamori Himari - Vol.6
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Vol.4 and Vol.5
Soul Eater - Vol.8
Sumomomo, Momomo - Vol.11
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - Vol.11
Thursday, 23 February 2012
New Fire Emblem: Kakusei 3DS Japanese Trailer
Nintendo have begun streaming a new trailer for their upcoming Tactical RPG game Fire Emblem: Kakusei (or Fire Emblem: Awakening).
The latest title in the Fire Emblem series will now include two-player co-op, whilst still retaining all the gameplay features from the previous titles so fans of the series will fit right in. Another note of mention is that this will be the first time that Nintendo will be offering paid DLC for any game on the 3DS, so how well the DLC sells will no doubt determine the future of DLC on the console.
The game is due to be released in Japan on 19th April, with a release in Europe at 'sometime in 2012'.
The latest title in the Fire Emblem series will now include two-player co-op, whilst still retaining all the gameplay features from the previous titles so fans of the series will fit right in. Another note of mention is that this will be the first time that Nintendo will be offering paid DLC for any game on the 3DS, so how well the DLC sells will no doubt determine the future of DLC on the console.
The game is due to be released in Japan on 19th April, with a release in Europe at 'sometime in 2012'.
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Mardock Scramble Release Will Contain 2 Versions of the Film
The upcoming release of futuristic movie Mardock Scramble: The First Impression, available on 16th April, will contain 2 versions of the movie in the same case. It will contain both a 15-rated version, the standard version, and a Directors Cut of the movie, which is rated 18. This applies to both the Blu-Ray and DVD releases of the film, both due on the same day.
This information has come from the BBFC website, which also shows that the theatrical version is 62 minutes long, and the directors cut is 66 minutes long.
This information has come from the BBFC website, which also shows that the theatrical version is 62 minutes long, and the directors cut is 66 minutes long.
Asura's Wrath - U.S Trailer Released
The Capcom Unity website has posted a new trailer for the US release of Asura's Wrath to tie in with the release of the game yesterday.
The game is developed and published by CyberConnect2 and Capcom. The story follows Asura, who is a god that has had his powers removed, in his journey to save his kidnapped daughter. It has some typically over-the-top fight sequences, and as shown in the video has a cell-shaded anime styling to the visuals.
The game is due to be released in Japan on Thursday 23rd March, and Europe on Friday 24th March for the PS3 and Xbox 360. There is already a demo available on the online stores of the respective consoles.
The game is developed and published by CyberConnect2 and Capcom. The story follows Asura, who is a god that has had his powers removed, in his journey to save his kidnapped daughter. It has some typically over-the-top fight sequences, and as shown in the video has a cell-shaded anime styling to the visuals.
The game is due to be released in Japan on Thursday 23rd March, and Europe on Friday 24th March for the PS3 and Xbox 360. There is already a demo available on the online stores of the respective consoles.
Monday, 20 February 2012
New Anime Convention - CamCon 2012
A new anime convention is due to start this year, called CamCon. The event will take place on 12th May and will include J-Culture, Karaoke, and gaming tournaments amongst the anime.
The event takes place in Cambridge, at the Junction Centre.
For more information, check out the homepage for the event, or their official facebook page.
image copyright of Sonia Leong
Saturday, 18 February 2012
UK Anime & Manga Releases - 20/02/2012 to 26/02/2012
Hello, and welcome to my ONE HUNDRETH post. Thank you for coming along and reading my blog, leaving comments, joining me on twitter and Google+, and sharing the word about That Brit Otaku.
Well, it's that time of the week again where we look at the upcoming releases for this week. There are a few anime and manga releases this week, with two box-sets being released to keep you busy.
Here are this weeks releases:
Well, it's that time of the week again where we look at the upcoming releases for this week. There are a few anime and manga releases this week, with two box-sets being released to keep you busy.
Here are this weeks releases:
Friday, 17 February 2012
Tekken Unlimited Tag Tournament 2 Trailer
At this week's AOU 2012 Expo taking place in Chiba, Japan, the company behind the Tekken computer game Namco Bandai had shown off a new trailer for the arcade version of Tekken Tag Tournament 2, which is being called Tekken Unlimited Tag Tournament 2. The trailer shows some new footage of the games physics, and includes the different ways you can play the game:
Thursday, 16 February 2012
Kingdom Hearts 3D Trailer
Square Enix have posted a trailer online of their upcoming Nintendo 3DS title, Kingdom Hearts 3D. The game is due to be released in Japan on 29th March, but there does not appear to have been a date announced for the European release.
Two Anime Classics to be shown Back-to-Back in April
Two of the most famous classic anime movies, Akira and Ghost in the Shell, are due to have a special screening at the Prince Charles Theatre in Leicester Square. The films will be shown back-to-back with Ghost in the Shell starting at 7pm and Akira starting at 8:45pm on 2nd April.
You can purchase tickets for both of the films, or just for one of them, from here
You can purchase tickets for both of the films, or just for one of them, from here
Pokemon Black and White - Mewtwo Mystery Gift
For those of you that have either Pokemon Black or Pokemon White (and are nostalgic about the first pokemon games, Red, Blue, Yellow) can now obtain a Mewtwo for your game. The event is running until either the 26th February or the 6th March (there have been 2 press releases about this event, both using a different date, so we are not too sure when it will end at the moment)
Ni no Kuni's Release Delayed
Namco Bandai have announced that Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch has been delayed. In America the release date has been changed to late this year, whereas the European release has been delayed until the first quarter of 2013. For those of you who cannot wait, the game has already been released in Japan on both the PS3 and Nintendo DS.
A reason for this delay has yet to be announced, as of writing, but hopefully it will be coming soon. I personally was looking forward to this game, and hope this delay will make the game even better.
The game is being developed by Level-5, with animation and design being created by Studio Ghibli, for the Playstation 3. The story follows a boy called Oliver who, in his quest to find his mother, crosses over into another world.
A reason for this delay has yet to be announced, as of writing, but hopefully it will be coming soon. I personally was looking forward to this game, and hope this delay will make the game even better.
The game is being developed by Level-5, with animation and design being created by Studio Ghibli, for the Playstation 3. The story follows a boy called Oliver who, in his quest to find his mother, crosses over into another world.
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Metal Gear Online Service to End on 4th Anniversary
However, they have announced that all of the expansion packs and shop equipment you can buy yourself will become free from 24th April. Although this is a Japanese press release it does mention it will be free to all players, so we can only assume this will mean players around the world can get the packs for free.
The service is due to turn off its servers at 11:59pm on 12th June, Japan Time, so if you want to play the game some more make sure it is before then. I think i will fire it up for the nostalgia, as i used to play it quite a bit when MGS4 was released, and the free packs will be another reason for me to do so.
Monday, 13 February 2012
Japanese Studies - 13/02/2012
こんばんわ みなーさん！
As you can no doubt tell, I have FINALLY got around to installing Japanese on my new laptop. It was actually a little easier on Windows 7 than previous operating systems, and a whole less painful than installing it on the Blackberry i used to own (you had to wipe the standard OS and install a custom 'East Asia' version instead, which was really buggy and kept wiping the OS from itself....). That problem is now solved though, as the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro i now own was unbelievably easy, and i can see why people buy Android phones because of it.
As you can no doubt tell, I have FINALLY got around to installing Japanese on my new laptop. It was actually a little easier on Windows 7 than previous operating systems, and a whole less painful than installing it on the Blackberry i used to own (you had to wipe the standard OS and install a custom 'East Asia' version instead, which was really buggy and kept wiping the OS from itself....). That problem is now solved though, as the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro i now own was unbelievably easy, and i can see why people buy Android phones because of it.
Super Mario Bros Converse Trainers
The Japanese arm of the American footwear giant Converse have recently announced they will be selling Super Mario themed converse trainers, which will be called 'Converse One Star Super Mario Bros. OX'. The trainers are due to go on sale some time in March and will come in either Black or White.
As you can see, the trainers design is based on the original 1985 game Super Mario Bros. which was released on the NES console. It features both the Star in the centre, and 8 bit Mario on the heel.
I personally hope these trainers are released outside of Japan also, as I would like a pair (I may even import them), and I know quite a few people who would definitely be interested in buying them.
As you can see, the trainers design is based on the original 1985 game Super Mario Bros. which was released on the NES console. It features both the Star in the centre, and 8 bit Mario on the heel.
I personally hope these trainers are released outside of Japan also, as I would like a pair (I may even import them), and I know quite a few people who would definitely be interested in buying them.
Sunday, 12 February 2012
UK Anime & Manga Releases - 13/02/2012 to 19/02/2012
It's that time of the week again to have a look at the new releases due out this week. If you have noticed the title of this post, I have decided to change the format of this weekly update. This is mainly because there appear to be more manga releases in the coming weeks than anime releases, and this has been the case for the last couple of weeks now, so I have decided to include them both in these posts.
Without further ado, here are the new releases you can expect to see this week. There are however no new anime releases this week, so these are the new manga releases:
Without further ado, here are the new releases you can expect to see this week. There are however no new anime releases this week, so these are the new manga releases:
Saturday, 11 February 2012
Hello Kitty Kiss Plushies
Sanrio have just announced that they will be making Hello Kitty cross-over plushies based on the American Glam Rock Band Kiss. The Hello Kitty plushies are all based on the album cover of Kiss' Dynasty album.
The dolls will be sold by Sanrio, but Kiss singer Gene Simmons has announced they will also be selling them at their concerts. A price and date have yet to be set though, but we can only assume it will be within the next few months.
This is not, however, the first time that Sanrio have created a cross over Hello Kitty plushie with a rock band, they have previously based them on Japanese Visual-Kei band X Japan, cleverly named 'Visual-Kei Kitty'.
The dolls will be sold by Sanrio, but Kiss singer Gene Simmons has announced they will also be selling them at their concerts. A price and date have yet to be set though, but we can only assume it will be within the next few months.
This is not, however, the first time that Sanrio have created a cross over Hello Kitty plushie with a rock band, they have previously based them on Japanese Visual-Kei band X Japan, cleverly named 'Visual-Kei Kitty'.
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations - Killer Bee's Rap Teaser
You may remember from my post last week about the new Naruto Shippuden game, Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations, that for those who pre-order the game will receive the first official rap single from Killer Bee, the Hachibi Jinchuriki (Eight Tails Host). Namco Bandai have now begun streaming a small teaser of the song on Youtube. The trailer is 33 seconds long, and contains some more footage of the game, which is due to be released in the UK on 30th March.
The song is performed by the Japanese voice actor for Killer Bee, and is subtitled with the Japanese in Romaji (English text). Namco Bandai have asked for the fans to send in a response on the video to let them know what you think of it.
The song is performed by the Japanese voice actor for Killer Bee, and is subtitled with the Japanese in Romaji (English text). Namco Bandai have asked for the fans to send in a response on the video to let them know what you think of it.
Children Who Chase Voices to be shown in Glasgow Tomorrow
The new film of the moment, Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below, is due to be shown at the Glasgow Film Theatre (Rose Street, near Charing Cross Station) tomorrow, 12th February. Tickets are £8 each, or £4 for anyone under 21 with a valid ID.
The film, created by Makoto Shinkai, is about a girl called Asuna who spends most of her time listening to odd music coming from a crystal radio that she received from her father. She then leaves on a journet to the underground realm of Agartha where she discovers both the cruelty and beauty of the world.
The film, created by Makoto Shinkai, is about a girl called Asuna who spends most of her time listening to odd music coming from a crystal radio that she received from her father. She then leaves on a journet to the underground realm of Agartha where she discovers both the cruelty and beauty of the world.
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Japanese Studies - 07/02/2012
おはおう ございます！
Welcome to another of my posts about my studies of the Japanese language. よろしく おねがいします。
For yesterday's studies I decided to focus on some of the Kanji I will need to know for my JLPT N4 examination in December. The reasoning behind this is that I haven't studied any Kanji for over a month and was getting a little rusty.
I also revised all of the JLPT N5 kanji that I had crammed ready for my exam last year. Annoyingly I am still waiting for my results from that exam, but they are due to arrive in March, so fingers crossed!
Back on topic, the kanji I studied yesterday were the first 7 kanji of the N4 level. They actually looked a bit easier than some of the N5 kanji, especially the later ones (like the kanji for 'week', which even now i still sometimes forget, or get confused on...)
Side note: As i started to write this post this morning, and only ended up revising the kanji again this afternoon and didn't manage to learn any new kanji, this also applies to what i learnt today. A little lazy of me to include it in the same post, but it's starting to get late and i have to be up early for work in the morning lol.
Without further a do, here are the kanji that i learnt yesterday/today:
Welcome to another of my posts about my studies of the Japanese language. よろしく おねがいします。
For yesterday's studies I decided to focus on some of the Kanji I will need to know for my JLPT N4 examination in December. The reasoning behind this is that I haven't studied any Kanji for over a month and was getting a little rusty.
I also revised all of the JLPT N5 kanji that I had crammed ready for my exam last year. Annoyingly I am still waiting for my results from that exam, but they are due to arrive in March, so fingers crossed!
Back on topic, the kanji I studied yesterday were the first 7 kanji of the N4 level. They actually looked a bit easier than some of the N5 kanji, especially the later ones (like the kanji for 'week', which even now i still sometimes forget, or get confused on...)
Side note: As i started to write this post this morning, and only ended up revising the kanji again this afternoon and didn't manage to learn any new kanji, this also applies to what i learnt today. A little lazy of me to include it in the same post, but it's starting to get late and i have to be up early for work in the morning lol.
Without further a do, here are the kanji that i learnt yesterday/today:
Black Rock Shooter Jeans
Cospa, a cosplay outfit company, have announced that they will begin selling Black Rock Shooter styled jeans. They will have a blue star print, star shaped pocket rivets, and a chain style pocket stitching. The front pockets will be lined with a black and white check design
The jeans will be available in sizes 26inch to 36inch, and will be priced at 15,750 yen (roughly £130). The jeans will be on sale at the end of April, but pre-orders are already being accepted and are scheduled to be sent to customers at the end of March.
Dir en Grey Cancel North American Tour
The Japanese Metal Band Dir En Grey have announced that they will need to cancel their 'The STILL RECKLESS Tour' of America due to their vocalist's ill health. Their vocalist, stage named Kyo, has been diagnosed with Vocal Nodule Dyshponia, which means he has nodules on his vocal chords, and has been advised by his doctor to undergo treatment for it, hence the cancellation.
The Doctor's have advised him to limit the use of his voice prior and to rest as much as possible. Although the condition won't affect his everyday life, this surgery should help him recover but he may require the surgery again in the future.
The band posted a statement on their website stating: "To all our fans and affiliates, we are deeply sorry and please understand that this has been a very difficult decision for us as a band. To all our fans, please know that we are always thankful for your continuous support"
I am quite the fan of Dir en Grey, and i would like to wish Kyo a speedy recovery so he can carry on doing what he does best.
The Doctor's have advised him to limit the use of his voice prior and to rest as much as possible. Although the condition won't affect his everyday life, this surgery should help him recover but he may require the surgery again in the future.
The band posted a statement on their website stating: "To all our fans and affiliates, we are deeply sorry and please understand that this has been a very difficult decision for us as a band. To all our fans, please know that we are always thankful for your continuous support"
I am quite the fan of Dir en Grey, and i would like to wish Kyo a speedy recovery so he can carry on doing what he does best.
London Anime Con - 11th and 12th February
An event that i had completely forgotten to attend this year, London Anime Con, is quickly approaching as it is happening this weekend (the 11th and 12th February). The event is held at The Rocket Complex, 166 Holloway Road (near to Holloway Road tube station). Before any youngsters read any further, this event is strictly for over 18s as it has a licensed bar on the premises, and proof of ID is required for entry to the event. Tickets are £10 for the day (£15 for both days if you pre-order), or you can buy an evening only pass for £5 which are available on the door.
There will be plenty of events and things to see at the Anime Con, including plenty of manga workshops on Saturday morning, a J-Pop and K-Pop evening on Saturday night, and a cosplay parade on Sunday.
For more details on the event, please check out the official website.
There will be plenty of events and things to see at the Anime Con, including plenty of manga workshops on Saturday morning, a J-Pop and K-Pop evening on Saturday night, and a cosplay parade on Sunday.
For more details on the event, please check out the official website.
Life-Size Optimus Prime Bust Made of Snow
Another sculpture due to be appearing at the Asahikawa Winter Festival is of Optimus Prime, the main character from classic anime seris Transformers. The toy company behind it's creation, Takara Tomy uploaded a picture to their twitter account yesterday to show the completed bust of him.
The whole scuplutre measures at 53 feet tall (16 meters), and has taken the teams since 6th January to complete. They started piling the snow on the 6th March, started working on Optimus' head on 10th January, and raised the trusses to complete the structure on 19th January.
The whole scuplutre measures at 53 feet tall (16 meters), and has taken the teams since 6th January to complete. They started piling the snow on the 6th March, started working on Optimus' head on 10th January, and raised the trusses to complete the structure on 19th January.
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Japanese Studies - 06/02/2012
Ohayou Gozaimasu!
Unfortunately I do not have Japanese installed on this new laptop yet, so the above phrase is obviously in Romaji instead of Hiragana. It doesn't take very long to install, but I don't get to go on here enough to actually install it...
This is just a quick post, as I didn't actually study any new words yesterday. The reason for this is because I realised I hadn't revised any Kanji in quite a while, the last time being a few days before my JLPT exam in December.
I only went through the JLPT N5 kanji yesterday, and intend to learn a few new JLPT N4 kanji today, and realised I had forgotten a few of the Kanji due to not studying them enough since my exam. Thankfully it literally was only a few, maybe 3 or 4, so I was happy enough with that. I was quite surprised I had remembered the majority of them actually, just because of the amount time that had passed since i last studied them i thought i would have forgotten about half of them!
Well, it's time for me to go to work now, but I'll make sure to post an update this evening (with a picture) of my studies for today.
Matanei
Unfortunately I do not have Japanese installed on this new laptop yet, so the above phrase is obviously in Romaji instead of Hiragana. It doesn't take very long to install, but I don't get to go on here enough to actually install it...
This is just a quick post, as I didn't actually study any new words yesterday. The reason for this is because I realised I hadn't revised any Kanji in quite a while, the last time being a few days before my JLPT exam in December.
I only went through the JLPT N5 kanji yesterday, and intend to learn a few new JLPT N4 kanji today, and realised I had forgotten a few of the Kanji due to not studying them enough since my exam. Thankfully it literally was only a few, maybe 3 or 4, so I was happy enough with that. I was quite surprised I had remembered the majority of them actually, just because of the amount time that had passed since i last studied them i thought i would have forgotten about half of them!
Well, it's time for me to go to work now, but I'll make sure to post an update this evening (with a picture) of my studies for today.
Matanei
Monday, 6 February 2012
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations Trailer
Namco Bandai Games Europe have posted a trailer online for their upcoming Naruto game Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations, which will be released on the PS3 and Xbox 360 on the 30th March.
The trailer is more to show the sheer amount of characters now available in the game, which is now over 70 characters (the most in any game of the series so far). The vast majority of the newer characters are all from the most up-to-date parts of the Naruto Shippuden series, and include all of Akatsuki, all of the 5 Kages, and even Kyubi Chakra Naruto (Nine-tailed Fox Chakra Naruto). The game will also have 65 minutes of previously unseen footage, and even goes further into certain characters stories, like Kakashi-sensei.
The action in the series has been given an update too, and looks even faster than the last iteration of the series. The characters are all cell-shaded, which fits the manga style, but it looks like the graphics have been improved as well. Another point to mention is that there are new moves to be learned and extra battle modes to be played.
One last thing, if you do pre-order the game you will recieve an exclusive soundtrack including "the first official rap single by Killer Bee", which sounds like a pretty good reason to make sure you pre-order it. I know I will be!
The trailer is more to show the sheer amount of characters now available in the game, which is now over 70 characters (the most in any game of the series so far). The vast majority of the newer characters are all from the most up-to-date parts of the Naruto Shippuden series, and include all of Akatsuki, all of the 5 Kages, and even Kyubi Chakra Naruto (Nine-tailed Fox Chakra Naruto). The game will also have 65 minutes of previously unseen footage, and even goes further into certain characters stories, like Kakashi-sensei.
The action in the series has been given an update too, and looks even faster than the last iteration of the series. The characters are all cell-shaded, which fits the manga style, but it looks like the graphics have been improved as well. Another point to mention is that there are new moves to be learned and extra battle modes to be played.
One last thing, if you do pre-order the game you will recieve an exclusive soundtrack including "the first official rap single by Killer Bee", which sounds like a pretty good reason to make sure you pre-order it. I know I will be!
Naruto Theme Park to Open in March
The Laguna Gamagori Marine Resort, located in Gamagori City of Aichi prefecture, will be hosting a "Naruto - Memories of Chakra" theme park attraction between the 17th March to the 2nd September. This event is being held to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the start of the Naruto anime series.
The main attraction of the theme park will be the "Memories of Chakra" which will recreate many of the famous set's and scenes of the series. Among those being remade in the theme park are the Hokage Palace, Konoha Ninjustsu Dojo and a Ninpoudo shop where customers can purchase exclusive goods from the Naruto series. There will also plenty of character shows to be seen, and guests can take part in a "Sharingan Stamp Rally" taking place around all the areas of the attraction.
The main attraction of the theme park will be the "Memories of Chakra" which will recreate many of the famous set's and scenes of the series. Among those being remade in the theme park are the Hokage Palace, Konoha Ninjustsu Dojo and a Ninpoudo shop where customers can purchase exclusive goods from the Naruto series. There will also plenty of character shows to be seen, and guests can take part in a "Sharingan Stamp Rally" taking place around all the areas of the attraction.
Sunday, 5 February 2012
Win L'Arc-En-Ciel Tickets with HYPER JAPAN
One of Japan's biggest rock bands, L'Arc-En-Ciel, are due to hit The O2 indigO2 in London on the 11th April this year, and HYPER JAPAN are giving you the chance to win tickets to see them.
All you have to do to have a chance of winning the tickets is drop HYPER JAPAN an email with your Name, Contact Details and your unique ticket reference (which is found on your HYPER JAPAN 2012 ticket, so this is only open to people going to the event). The competition winner will be picked on the 27th February, so you still have plenty of time to send in your emails.
For all the details, check out the official HYPER JAPAN post here.
For all the details, check out the official HYPER JAPAN post here.
Life-Size Fist of the North Star Figure Sells for 3m Yen
A life-size figure of Kenshiro, the main character from classic anime Fist of the North Star, has sold in a Japanese auction for 3 million yen. However, 10% of the final bid has been donated to the Japanese Red Cross to help the country recover from the terrible earthquake and tsunami that hit the country last year. The figure is more than it seems though, as it happens to be inlaid with 500,000 Swarovski crystals also. The worth of the crystals alone is 10 million yen, so the man has got himself a bargain!
The winner of the auction was a self-employed married man in his 40s, who lives in Fujieda City in Shizukoa prefecture (Southwest of Tokyo). He said that all of his family are Fist of the North Star fans, stating "I'll make the statue a family heirloom". He also did receive his wife's consent to complete the purchase.
The figure itself is 73inches tall (185cm) and is now being protected by a custom-built case to ensure no dust ever gets on it, and it should also protect it from earthquakes.
The winner of the auction was a self-employed married man in his 40s, who lives in Fujieda City in Shizukoa prefecture (Southwest of Tokyo). He said that all of his family are Fist of the North Star fans, stating "I'll make the statue a family heirloom". He also did receive his wife's consent to complete the purchase.
The figure itself is 73inches tall (185cm) and is now being protected by a custom-built case to ensure no dust ever gets on it, and it should also protect it from earthquakes.
Super Mario Tanooki Plush Doll
After the release of Super Mario 3D Land on the Nintendo 3DS last year, San-ei Boeki have announced they will be releasing a plush doll of the Tanooki costume from the game. For those older fans of the series, the Tanooki costume was first included in the 1988 game Super Mario Bros 3 on the NES. There will be two sizes available, a small version which will stand at 9 inches (22cm) tall, or a medium version which will stand at 12 inches (30cm) tall.
The price for these plush dolls will be 1,400yen for the small version, and 2,600yen for the medium version. Both of the dolls are planned to be released in April.
Saturday, 4 February 2012
UK Anime Releases - 06/02/2012 to 12/02/2012
It's that time of the week again to have a look at the upcoming Anime releases for the next week.
There are only two new releases this week, and one of them isn't technically new! Tekken Blood Vengeance was previously released as part of the Tekken Hybrid PS3 game, which also included Tekken Tag Tournament HD and a Tekken Tag Tournament 2 demo. I assume the reason for this release is because it was released exclusively on blu-ray and they wanted to expand their sales of the film.
There are also a few manga releases at the beginning of the week, so i shall include these as well for you.
Monday 6th February
Fruits Basket - Complete Collection
Tekken: Blood Vengeance
And now for the Manga releases:
Tuesday 7th February
Blood Monday - Volume 4
Cage of Eden - Volume 4
Pokemon Adventures - Diamond and Pearl/Platinum - Volume 4
Slam Dunk - Volume 20
There are only two new releases this week, and one of them isn't technically new! Tekken Blood Vengeance was previously released as part of the Tekken Hybrid PS3 game, which also included Tekken Tag Tournament HD and a Tekken Tag Tournament 2 demo. I assume the reason for this release is because it was released exclusively on blu-ray and they wanted to expand their sales of the film.
There are also a few manga releases at the beginning of the week, so i shall include these as well for you.
Monday 6th February
Fruits Basket - Complete Collection
Tekken: Blood Vengeance
And now for the Manga releases:
Tuesday 7th February
Blood Monday - Volume 4
Cage of Eden - Volume 4
Pokemon Adventures - Diamond and Pearl/Platinum - Volume 4
Slam Dunk - Volume 20
Japan Centre competition for HYPER JAPAN tickets
The Japan Centre are currently holding a competition where you could win yourself two tickets to the upcoming HYPER JAPAN event, which takes place on the 24th-26th February. You can win yourself a day pass to the event, and you get to pick which day of the event you would like to attend.
All you need to do to win yourself the tickets is leave a response on their blog post about the competition saying what part of the event you feel will be the best bit. Don't worry if you don't know what's happening there, they have a list of some of the events taking place so you can take your pick from them. Other ways you can enter are through their Facebook fan page or their Twitter account. Details of how to enter through these two are on the blog post mentioned above.
Best of luck, and i'll see you there if you choose the Saturday tickets!
All you need to do to win yourself the tickets is leave a response on their blog post about the competition saying what part of the event you feel will be the best bit. Don't worry if you don't know what's happening there, they have a list of some of the events taking place so you can take your pick from them. Other ways you can enter are through their Facebook fan page or their Twitter account. Details of how to enter through these two are on the blog post mentioned above.
Best of luck, and i'll see you there if you choose the Saturday tickets!
One Piece Chess Set - Pictures
Megahobby, a Japanese company who used to produce a popular range of Chess Piece Collection games, have made the decision to bring back the series. This relaunch will be started with the popular anime series One Piece getting the chess game makeover, which will be released in April.
As you can see, all the pieces are very well crafted and painted with such attention to detail that this would make a perfect present to any anime otaku, One Piece fan or not (i personally haven't watched much of One Piece but i love how this set looks).
All of the pieces measure at 3.5 inches (90mm) and come with either a black or white base. There are also some close-ups of the pieces below, where you can really see all the detail put into these pieces.
Naturally, Luffy is the king of the set:
Nami is the Queen piece:
Sanji plays the role of the Bishop:
All of the pieces measure at 3.5 inches (90mm) and come with either a black or white base. There are also some close-ups of the pieces below, where you can really see all the detail put into these pieces.
Naturally, Luffy is the king of the set:
Nami is the Queen piece:
Sanji plays the role of the Bishop:
Zoro is the Knight:
Usopp takes the position of Rook:
And, last but not least, Chopper takes the place of the pawn.
Friday, 3 February 2012
Rock Lee Anime Spin-Off TV Premiere Announced
The Japanese Anime publisher Shueisha have announced that the new Naruto spin-off Rock Lee no Seishun Full-Power Ninden anime will be arriving on Japanese TV on 3rd April at 6.00pm.
This slot, however, is currently reserved for the Bleach anime, which as the manga is due to finish soon, may be seen as replacing the long-running series once it finishes. Shueisha have yet to say if this is the case though.
I personally cannot wait for this to be released, as i love the manga and find it really funny (Rock Lee was always one of my favourite characters in the Naruto series).
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Bleach Manga entering it's Final Arc
The Japanese Manga publication Weekly Shonen Jump have announced that the long-running manga series Bleach is about to enter it's final story arc.
The manga creator Tite Kubo has been drawing the manga since 2001, and as of writing have released 53 compiled manga volumes, the last being released in December 2011 in Japan. Viz Media, who publish the English version of the manga, will be releasing the 38th Volume of the manga next week.
The manga creator Tite Kubo has been drawing the manga since 2001, and as of writing have released 53 compiled manga volumes, the last being released in December 2011 in Japan. Viz Media, who publish the English version of the manga, will be releasing the 38th Volume of the manga next week.
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
Japanese Studies - 01/02/2012
Ohayou Gozaimasu Mina-San! (Good Morning Everyone!)
As you may have now noticed, i have put the 3 basic greetings at the beginning of the last 3 posts. If you are intending to learn Japanese it is very important that you know them, and use them at the correct time. I remember watching a documentary a while back where an Englishman went to Japan and entered a Ryoukan (Japanese Inn) in the evening and said 'Konnichiwa' to the owner, who then really laughed and said '....Konbanwa' which he then repeated. I'm sure not all Japanese people will react the same, but it's definitely a beginner's mistake.
Anyway, on with the last post of the evening. This is a further continuation of the series of a male and female character meeting each other in the park. This lesson started with the female character saying 'look, my dog is cute!', something she had mentioned in the previous episode, but the male character effectively saying '...anyway' and changing the subject, which made me laugh.
This lesson i will need to go over again, as i studied it this afternoon but do not seem to remember all of the phrases, so this will be revised tomorrow.
For the final time tonight, here is the picture of today's studies:
As you may have now noticed, i have put the 3 basic greetings at the beginning of the last 3 posts. If you are intending to learn Japanese it is very important that you know them, and use them at the correct time. I remember watching a documentary a while back where an Englishman went to Japan and entered a Ryoukan (Japanese Inn) in the evening and said 'Konnichiwa' to the owner, who then really laughed and said '....Konbanwa' which he then repeated. I'm sure not all Japanese people will react the same, but it's definitely a beginner's mistake.
Anyway, on with the last post of the evening. This is a further continuation of the series of a male and female character meeting each other in the park. This lesson started with the female character saying 'look, my dog is cute!', something she had mentioned in the previous episode, but the male character effectively saying '...anyway' and changing the subject, which made me laugh.
This lesson i will need to go over again, as i studied it this afternoon but do not seem to remember all of the phrases, so this will be revised tomorrow.
For the final time tonight, here is the picture of today's studies:
Japanese Studies - 31/01/2012
Konbanwa Mina-san! (Good Evening Everyone!)
This is the second post that i mentioned in my previous post. This lesson is a continuation of the previous lesson, and starts with the male character from the previous lesson waiting in the park to meet a woman. One of the main points of this lesson is asking what someone is wearing (dona kakkou o shiteimasu ka?) and how to conjugate the 'te' form so you can add additional points to a sentence.
Whilst completing this lesson i did think it may have been an idea for me to know this before i took my JLPT examination, but it's a bit late to be thinking that now!
Here is the picture of today's studies:
This is the second post that i mentioned in my previous post. This lesson is a continuation of the previous lesson, and starts with the male character from the previous lesson waiting in the park to meet a woman. One of the main points of this lesson is asking what someone is wearing (dona kakkou o shiteimasu ka?) and how to conjugate the 'te' form so you can add additional points to a sentence.
Whilst completing this lesson i did think it may have been an idea for me to know this before i took my JLPT examination, but it's a bit late to be thinking that now!
Here is the picture of today's studies:
Japanese Studies - 29/01/2012
Konnichiwa Mina-san! (Hello Everyone!)
This is the first of 3 Japanese Study posts that I will upload today, as I have been meaning to upload them for the last few days now. The reason i am uploading them as separate posts is that i like to have a record of my studies for myself, so that i know what i studied and when. Thankfully, the 3 posts I will upload are all part of the same storyline, that according to the actors in the lessons will last for quite a few weeks.
This new series is about 2 people who are going to meet each other for the first time. The first part set the story in motion, and was 2 male friends discussing one of them going to meet someone the following day. I am still revising these lessons, as i seem to be struggling to learn new phrases recently. I am putting it down to my work being more stressful than usual, which can affect people's memory, but i am hoping this will change soon so i can carry on with my studies as normal.
Here is a picture of my studies for the day:
Bekkii Cruel to perform at HYPER JAPAN 2012
The official website for the Japanese Culture event HYPER JAPAN have today announced that online anime dance sensation Beckii Cruel is to perform on stage on the Sunday of their event.
Beckii found fame back in 2009, when she started singing and dancing to anime soundtracks and uploaded them to Youtube. She now has an unbelievably large following around the world, and also being the 7th most subscribed artist in Japan. She also released a single in the UK called 'You Can't Kiss Me' which reached no.8 in the charts.
I personally will not be able to see her, as I only have a ticket for Saturday of the HYPER JAPAN event, but if you are intending to go on Sunday, please leave a comment and let me know what you think.
If you have yet to see Beckii in action, here is here cover of Danjo Dance:
Beckii found fame back in 2009, when she started singing and dancing to anime soundtracks and uploaded them to Youtube. She now has an unbelievably large following around the world, and also being the 7th most subscribed artist in Japan. She also released a single in the UK called 'You Can't Kiss Me' which reached no.8 in the charts.
I personally will not be able to see her, as I only have a ticket for Saturday of the HYPER JAPAN event, but if you are intending to go on Sunday, please leave a comment and let me know what you think.
If you have yet to see Beckii in action, here is here cover of Danjo Dance:
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