My Friend is an Alien Contest (14 July - 8 September)

Congrats to these winners who have put in so much efforts! Thank you for participating! Animax will contact you shortly.

GRAND WINNER
ANGGA KRISTIANTO
- Dopod C720W
- Will be animated by Animax and shown on-air
- Will be produced into Home Sticker by Habbo

1ST RUNNER-UP
TATIANA A. DANIELS
- Dopod D810
- Will be produced into Home Sticker by Habbo

2ND RUNNER-UP
CHRISTIANNE T. AZANA
- Dopod D810
- Will be produced into Home Sticker by Habbo

TEN CONSOLATION WINNERS
Prizes: Animax goodie bag and Habbo 20 Credits for each person.

1. Amanda Mak Siew Ling
2. Dương Hoài Mỹ Linh
3. RAYMOND LLOYD SORIANO Y
4. Teresa Maris San Aguistin Carnecer
5. Jillian Cassele B. Hidalgo
6. Charles Llanto
7. Kriziah Mae B. Tan
8. Muhammad Zulhilmi B. Shaharuddin
9. Junel Daniel T. Galura
10. Maria Emalyne R. Batto
_________________
Animax Official
SPE Networks - Asia
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Be Different

Shonen JUMP Shop New Location!

I figured of going to the JUMP Shop today at Suidobashi (around Tokyo Dome area) since it has been a while since I went there. Waddaya know, it changed to a new location!

Not that far though, it just went to the opposite side of its original location

Animax: Project ‘LaMB’

Youth cable channel Animax today announces the launch of a groundbreaking new project titled LaMB, an entertainment showcase that is spread across three screens – TV, online and mobile. LaMB is Animax’s first original production in High Definition, and promises to revolutionize the entire entertainment experience via how content is delivered and marketed to consumers.

Encompassing a series of multi-platform, multi-disciplinary, and multi-media activities that revolves around the launch of an animation movie on Animax, LaMB aims to redefine the entire entertainment experience for consumers from pre-premiere to post-premiere of the show. The extensiveness of the LaMB campaign was in fact inspired by a 50-page script written by amateur writer Carmelo S. J. Juinio from the Philippines. From a mere text-heavy script to a comprehensive three-screen campaign that is expected to last for at least six months – such is the power of user-generated content.

What is LaMB?
LaMB is the brainchild of amateur writer Filipino Carmelo S. J. Juinio, who submitted his 50-page entry for a regional script-writing competition organized by Animax last year, called Animax Awards. Although he lost out to eventual winner Hayato Takamaga from Japan, Carmelo’s script impressed and captivated Japanese industry experts with its dark beauty and soulful depth, and was accorded a Special Award recognition for his amazing talent. Handpicked from over 3,000 entries across Asia, Carmelo’s LaMB has a storyline that is not only innovative and intriguing, but extremely thought-provoking as well, as it touches on all aspects of concern to today’s young adults – environment, politics, technology and of course, romance.

The story of LaMB centres around the life of a protagonist who can barely speak nor make her own decisions – she being one of the many felons sealed in a ‘laminated’ suit, known as LaMBs for short. The virtual slavery that is Lamination ensures that those convicted of serious crimes remain productive, if not free, members of society, making both jails and the death penalty unnecessary in a world where human ingenuity, creativity and labour continue to be precious commodities that cannot be replaced by robots or any form of “artificial” intelligence.

The 2008 Philippines Animax Fashion Ability Report

Despite the sweltering summer heat, Animax fans and fashionistas alike came in droves to the Trinoma Activity Center in Quezon City, Philippines to witness the culmination of the 2008 Animax Fashion Ability. I must admit to having a soft spot in my heart for Fashion Ability because it gives budding fashion designers -- majority of whom are still students -- the chance to show their talent. It was awe-inspiring enough to see the sketches online at the Fashion Ability website. But nothing could be more thrilling than to see these designs being modelled on the runway. Plus, you have the added bonus of seeing student models wearing these designs. To be honest, I had a kick out of seeing proud fathers and mothers taking photos of the stunning creations of their kids or watching their son or daughter strutting on the ramp. Indeed, if you want to see the fashion designers and models of the future, look no further than Animax Fashion Ability. Before the event started, VIP/Media and special guests were treated to Japanese cocktails courtesy of Tokyo Tokyo in what came to be known as the "Pupil Pit" (it's a pit below the stage where the guest bands were to perform). Animax-Asia Forumites were there, including the hard-working Moderators. I saw Sekira-chan, Dark Yoshi and friends chowing down on yakisoba, sushi and potato balls. Hope you had a great time! Minutes later, Animax Fashion Ability was kicked off by hosts MYX VJ Igi and Andy, who emceed the first Fashion Ability in 2006. Judging from their exuberance, you could say they were just as excited to see the new designs just as much as I did. The first act to take to the stage were Pinoy hip hop stars Ken Johns and the Philippine All-Stars. Levi's also gave the audience a preview of their Spring/Summer 2008 Fashion Collection. Before the finalists were presented, Igi and Andy introduced the judges, who comprise big names in the entertainment and fashion industry. Judges for this year are: Juno L. Henares-Chuidian, Edwin Tan, Cristalle Belo-Henares, David Fabros and Jerome Allen Lorico. The hosts also interviewed the winners of the 2006 Fashion Ability. Model Grendel Alvarado -- who is being touted as the Philippines' Next Top Model -- said that Fashion Ability was her first modelling gig. Said Alvarado, "It was in Fashion Ability that I learned the basics of modelling, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to participate in and learn from that competition." Jerome Allen Lorico -- the Grand Prize Winner of the 2006 Fashion Ability -- now has his own clothing line and has recently won the Special Jury Award at the 45th Japan International Design Competition. "I've seen the sketches, and this batch is a force to be reckoned with," Lorico revealed. "They all designs came out with designs that are truly French haute couteur, which is the theme of today's competition. I am very particular about the finalists adhering to the French theme, and I'm glad to see that they delivered. It's going to be exciting to see the dresses later." Thankfully, we didn't have long to wait. All 20 designs were first presented to a cheering audience. Then, we were given a closer look at the first 10 dresses. And they were really good! To keep the audience in suspense, rock band Imago came on stage to perform their latest hits. Afterwards, the next 10 designs were strutted on the runway. I have to be honest but I really fell in love with Aislynn Liao's gold lame gown, which is reminiscent of the gowns that Audrey Hepburn wore in "My Fair Lady." While the judges were pressed with the hard task of choosing the winners of the competition, Animax's Music Ambassadors Pupil performed their hits from their latest album as well as the rip-roaring Animax anthem, "Set Me Apart." FINALLY, it was time to reveal the winners. Winning 2nd Runner Up and an educational grant of USD500 was RHAI LABORTE. CLICK HERE FOR LARGER IMAGE Winning 1st Runner Up and an educational grant of USD1,000 was AISLYNN LIAO CLICK HERE FOR LARGER IMAGE And the GRAND PRIZE WINNER, winning an educational grant of USD2,000, was BRANDON L. PARRENAS CLICK HERE FOR LARGER IMAGE CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE MODELS, FINALISTS AND WINNERS OF THE 2008 ANIMAX FASHION ABILITY!! MAY ALL OF YOU ENJOY A BRIGHT AND EXCITING FUTURE!!! Oh...and for all you Animax fans in other regions, there's a strong chance that Animax Fashion Ability will hit your countries too. So when it does, please join! Before I forget, there were a lot of peeps in the audience who've been taking videos of the event. Don't forget that we also have the Fashion Ability video competition. You can find the contest rules HERE. Submit those videos now!!

Winter Sonata Anime: Trailer Released!

As announced in the news here, fans of Winter Sonata are now able to check out the newly released trailer of the anime version! The video also includes a short clip of Bae Yong-Joon, the lead actor in the drama series, who is also the seiyuu for his same role in the anime!

Official website: http://anime-wintersonata.com/

Jovovich’s Ultraviolet to be made into an Anime

The Animax satellite television network confirmed in a Tokyo International Anime Fair 2008 press conference on Thursday that its Ultraviolet: Code 044 anime is based on Kurt Wimmer’s 2006 live-action Ultraviolet film starring Milla Jovovich. The anime was pre-announced in a press release for the event. Famed director Osamu Dezaki (Ashita no Joe, Aim For The Ace!, Lupin III movies) will supervise the animators of Madhouse and Tezuka Productions. Dezaki’s longtime collaborator Akio Sugino (Ashita no Joe, Aim For The Ace!, Black Jack The Movie, Golgo 13: The Professional) will design the characters. Romi Paku (Fullmetal Alchemist’s Ed, NANA’s Nana Osaki) will voice the main character “044.” 044 is a female warrior genetically engineered with high combat skills and ordered by the government to annihilate a vampire army. Madhouse founder Masao Maruyama will produce with Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan). The project will premiere on Animax on July 1 to mark the anime network’s 10th anniversary.

Source: Mainichi Newspaper’s Mantan, OCN Anime Tokusatsu

Tokyo Anime Center Posts “Stop! Fan-Subtitle” Notice

On March 26, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan held a symposium to discuss, among other topics, overseas piracy of Japanese animation. The Tokyo Anime Center, one of the organizations involved with the Tokyo International Anime Fair, posted the following notice in Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean at this year’s fair:

Gundam MS IGLOO 2 is Officially Announced!

With Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Season 1 about to end in a couple of days time this month, this news had come just at the right moment to keep the Gundam fan heated till Gundam 00: Season 2 for a possible October 2008 release! Hence, we welcome the confirmed announcement of Sunrise’s Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO 2: Jūryoku Sensen (Gravity’s Warfront) directly from its official website! The series would consist of three 30-minute episodes and have its setting based on Earth and from Earth Federation’s point of view. The 3D CGI will be in high definition, higher in quality than what was seen in the previous productions. The production staff is largely unchanged, though the mecha designers behind the design works are given as Yutaka Izubuchi, Kimitoshi Yamane, Takuhito Kusanagi, Shinji Aramaki and Fumihiro Katagai. The super high-detail designs will appear in the U.C. Hardgraph line and be used as is in the animation.

Official Website: http://www.msigloo2.net/

Blade of the Immortal Anime in Summer 2008!

Yet another awesome welcoming anime to kick off Summer 2008! As a long time, more-than-a-decade big fan of the manga series (since 1994), I’m proud to say that Blade of the Immortal is finally about to have its first anime series!

Kodansha Monthly Afternoon magazine of the May issue (released today) had confirmed that a television anime version of Hiroaki Samura’s Blade of the Immortal manga will premiere this summer in Japan. To those who are unfamiliar with the manga, it follows the story of Manji, a ronin swordsman who had killed 100 samurai in the past (including his sister’s husband), had finally decided to repent his dark history by condemning himself to immortality, at the cost of killing another 1000 bad guys Looking forward to it this Summer 2008! ^__^

Main Characters Voice Casts:

• Manji - Tomozaku Seki (Escaflowne’s Van, Gungrave’s Beyond the Grave)
• Rin - Rina Satou (Negima!’s Negi, Bamboo Blade’s Satori)

Director: Koichi Mashimo (.hack//, Noir)

Official Website: http://mugen.kc.kodansha.co.jp/

3rd Hell Girl series is called Jigoku Shoujo Mitsuganae!

The third season of the horror anime has finally received its name! Hell Girl’s officials had just recently announced that their latest installment will be called Jigoku Shoujo Mitsuganae! Staying true to its style of the second season where they embedded the Japanese word for “two” in its title, this upcoming new series will also have its own “three” in its title

Stay tune for the Tokyo International Anime Fair 2008 as they will then feature the character voices Mamiko Noto (Ai Enma) and Masaya Matsukaze (Ren Ichimoku) and creator Hiroshi Watanabe at the event on March 30th 2008!

Jigoku Shoujo official website: http://www.jigokushoujo.com/news.html

Pokemon 11th Movie Trailer Released!

Yes, my Pokemon masters, you may take your eyes off your NDS for a while, for a new Pokemon movie trailer had recently been released!

Pretty slick eh? This latest installment of the Pokemon movie franchise (11th Pokemon movie) is entitled Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl the Movie: Giratina and the Sky’s Bouquet: Sheimi (劇場版ポケットモンスター ダイヤモンド&パール ギラティナと氷空の花束 シェイミ). Get ready to watch our all-time favorite duo, Ash & Pikachu, going head-to-head against many Pearl & Diamond’s Legendary Pokemons @ Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Regigias and Shaymin! Hidden in all these fights, comes another sinister Pokemon enemy called Zero, with a diabolical scheme to take over the world! (don’t they always?)

Be sure to catch ‘em all… I mean, catch the movie coming your way on July 19th, 2008 in Japan! (for the English version fans: have patience & wait till 2009 kkthxbai)

Official movie website: http://www.pokemon-movie.jp/

Winter Sonata to be Animated!

I’ll tell you a quick story: back in 2002, the Winter Sonata fever didn’t only swept Philippines of their feet, it went to SWOOP the entire Japan as well, including many other Asian countries Coming back to today, here’s the latest scoop: The fever is not over yet — the Korean love drama Winter Sonata (冬のソナタ) is coming back once more, only this time it’ll be in anime version! More details will be announce soon at the upcoming Tokyo International Anime Fair 2008, but the big news for now is that the lead actor of the drama, Bae Yong-Joon, is reprising his role to voice as Kang Joon Sang, the main character in the anime version! Will Choi Ji Woo comes back to voice Jung Yu-Jin, the lead female character in the anime? — We hope so too! So anime fans, if you were an avid follower Winter Sonata back then, you’ll be in a treat when this anime comes out soon!

Oh, still here? Need another good news? Psst.. this anime version is not just set to be a TV series, but there’s also plans for a movie of it too!

Source: http://www.chunichi.co.jp/s/article/2008031890210758.html

Doraemon: Japan’s 1st Official Anime Ambassador

Original sauce here.

Many thanks to firedauz for the article.

TOKYO (AFP) — Japan’s newest ambassador might be among the most listened to in the diplomatic corps, even if he has no ears himself.The foreign ministry announced Friday it was appointing the cartoon cat Doraemon as the nation’s first “anime ambassador,” in Japan’s latest effort to promote its soft power through its animation industry.

Doraemon — or at least a person dressed as the earless, blue-and-white cat — will receive his official assignment letter from Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura in a ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, officials said.

The character will appear in films to be shown in Japanese missions overseas, talking about the country’s lifestyle and customs.

“By appointing Doraemon, we hope people in other countries will understand Japanese anime better and deepen their interest in Japanese culture,” said Yuko Hotta, a foreign ministry official.

Created by a cartoonist under the penname Fujiko F. Fujio, Doraemon is the main character in an animation series that is among the most popular in Japan and widely known in much of Asia.

The friendly cat travels back to the present from the 22nd century to help out a schoolboy by lending an “anywhere door,” which allows people to travel wherever they please.

The government has been trying to turn growing worldwide interest in its anime cartoons, manga comics and cuisine into political capital with a campaign promoting “Cool Japan.”

Last year, Japan launched the International Manga Award for foreign artists. The first winner was Hong Kong’s Lee Chi Ching.

Latest Doraemon film opens #1; Kurosagi movie follows behind at #3

Doraemon: Nobita to Midori no Kyojin Den, the latest movie about Fujiko F. Fujio’s manga robotic cat, opened at #1 at the Japanese box office (March 8–9) with US$5,033,049 on 344 screens (Box Office Mojo). Eiga Kurosagi (Kurosagi the Movie) also opened this past weekend, but at #4 with US$2,817,974 on 315 screens. This is the theatrical version of the live-action television drama adaptation of Takeshi Natsuhara and Kuromaru’s manga. The story centers on a man named Kurosaki who becomes a “Kurosagi” (black egret), or someone who swindles other swindlers.

All three of the previous weekend’s manga-related movies fell but remained on the chart. The ninth film adaptation of the Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece manga and television anime series took in US$1,073,276 on 293 screens in its second weekend. One Piece: Episode of Chopper + Fuyu ni Saku, Kiseki no Sakura was #6 according to Kogyo Tsushinsha, but #7 according to Box Office Mojo. L change the WorLd, the live-action Death Note spinoff starring Ken’ichi Matsuyama (NANA, Sexy Voice and Robo, Detroit Metal City), fell again from #2 to #7 in its fifth weekend, according to Kogyo Tsushinsha. Box Office Mojo lists it at #6 with US$1,096,085 on 317 screens to add to its US$26,119,424 total. Finally, #8’s Chō Gekijōban Keroro Gunso 3: Keroro Tai Keroro - Tenkū Daikessen de Arimasu!, the third Keroro Gunso or Sgt. Frog movie, earned US$699,789 on 163 screens in its second weekend to add to its US$1,889,350 total.

Source: Kogyo Tsushinsha

Image © Fujiko Pro, Shogakukan, TV Asahi, Shinei, ADK 2008

INTERVIEW: SCOTT EVANS: The Challenge of Being A Voice Actor

Scott Evans with his anime counterpart Van from Gun X Sword. [PHOTO CREDITS: © 2005 AIC • Team DannChester/ Gun Sword Partners] When Scott Evans joined the team of Animax VAs, he had a monumental task ahead of him. He was put in the unenviable position of being the replacement for Darren Pleavin (a.k.a. Louis), who is much loved by the channel's viewers. However, Scott took it as a challenge, and at present has been playing lead roles, which include Hanamichi Sakuragi in Slam Dunk, Van in Gun X Sword, and Ovan in .Hack//Roots. (Check the program sked for this shows.) Get to know a little more about Scott in this interview… What prompted you to decide to become a voice actor? Did you get formal training and for how many years? I’m trained as a sound engineer. When I came back to Hong Kong to live, I had the opportunity to work with various dubbers and voice-over artists throughout Hong Kong. It struck me as a challenging and exciting job, one that had more creative outlet than just sitting in the studio control room. I learned how to dub and act by exposing myself to more talented people than me, and really trying to get better and better. Being a musician for the past 16 years, I’m no stranger to having a microphone in front of me, and it felt like a natural progression to go from the mixing desk to the dubbing table! You joined the Animax voice talents when you took over the role of Sano in Law of Ueki from the original voice actor who portrayed the character. Given that Animax fans have a tendency of being overly critical, did you feel any pressure in taking over a part that was played by one of the early voice talents of Animax? You’re definitely aware of the fact that people are going to notice. The people who enjoy anime are fairly discerning, so you know that there are going to be people out there who don’t like the fact that one of the voices in their favourite show has changed. I also took over the role of Yamcha in Dragon Ball from the same voice actor, so I had two pairs of shoes to fill. It’s very much a part of the industry though. Not just dubbing, but regular television as well. Actors have lives too, and sometimes that means moving on and creating new opportunities. Among the characters you have voiced for Animax, who is a) your favorite, b) the most challenging you've ever done, and c) the most memorable, and why? (A) I would definitely have to say Hanamichi Sakuragi has been one of my favourite characters up to date. The rest of the characters in the show are pretty straight forward, very much in the style of most of the anime sports shows. Hanamichi is completely off the rails though. Laughing, crying, screaming and completely unaware of his limitations. That makes it pretty fun. (B) He would also be the most challenging character that I’ve ever had to play. Mainly because all that screaming and laughing is very hard to keep up in an 8-hour day. He’s a particularly difficult character to dub because he’s so unpredictable too. We may have a script, but it’s not always possible to write down exactly what he’s doing. So some scenes require more takes than others, just because I have to watch what he’s doing a few times before I can actually do it. (C) Train Hartnett from Black Cat would have to be my most memorable character because it was the first time I got to play the main character in a series. I received a lot of positive feedback from anime fans (I personally thought you were fantastic!) about the way you performed the stirring monologue in that scene from Gun X Sword wherein Van came close to losing his sanity in that abandoned town (with those church bells). How did you prepare yourself – both acting-wise and mentally – for that heavy scene? Acting-wise, I approach most scenes pretty much the same way. As a dubber, it’s important to take cues from the original Japanese version. They were, after all, the original actors in the scene. So being aware of the mood and scope of the scene helps to give an authentic performance that people find credible. It also helps to understand the show in a larger context than just the episode you’re working on. This reduces character twists from taking you by surprise and allows you give a consistent performance throughout the scene, the episode and ultimately the whole series. The emotional side is quite different though. If you’re doing a scene like the one you mentioned in Gun X Sword, you want to put more of yourself into it. It’s obviously very important to try and feel the way the character feels to the best of your ability. But I may deviate slightly from the original Japanese version in order to give the best performance I can in my own style. I think with the really emotional stuff, being yourself is the key to coming across as convincing to the audience. Anime fans are pretty smart, they can tell when you’re displaying genuine emotion or not. Hanamichi Sakuragi of Slam Dunk is also quite a challenging character to play. Did portraying this well-loved anime icon present any problems for you and how did you overcome them? Hanamichi presents daily problems in terms of just being able to make my words fit his mouth! That’s definitely what I find so fun about the character though. I’d say the challenge is just working with the director to make each performance as funny, energetic and fast-paced as the original. He’s by no means the only character in the show though, so I guess not accidentally spitting on my colleagues while in the middle of a trademark Hanamichi tirade would be the second challenge! In your opinion, why do you think that considerable attention is now being given to voice actors compared to past decades? Do you feel any pressure from a much divided anime "fandom" who can't seem to get along on which is better – subtitled or dubbed anime? I think the companies behind the really famous animation shows over the decades realize that the people watching are actually interested in the people portraying their favourite characters. Voice acting used to be considered a fairly lowly position to have in the animation process, and only recently have the more famous voice actors been given the credit and exposure that their talent deserves. As far as the divide over the “Subtitle VS Dubbing” debate, I think it’s just important that people have a choice. There’s always going to be people who want to keep everything as it was originally created, and that’s important. But I think dubbing a an anime into another language allows the viewer to see the anime a way that’s a bit closer to the original experience, in terms of having someone act the scene to you, instead of reading subtitles. As long as people have the choice, I think everyone will be happy.

VALENTINE'S SPECIAL: Memorable Anime Love Teams!

Ouran High School Host Club © Hatori Bisco, BONES, VAP, ANIMAX/NTV. The blog you are reading today was requested by my niece. She asked me why don't I write a blog about anime love teams, it being Valentine's Day and all. However, not being exactly a huge fan of romance in general, I had to rely on the opinions of a few friends who are diehard otaku as to who are the most memorable love teams in anime. Here are everyone's choices in ascending order... 15. Gennosuke and Oboro (Basilisk) When you say "star-crossed lovers", the term most definitely describes Gennosuke and Oboro of the samurai action drama Basilisk, which makes Romeo and Juliet seem mild in comparison. Same as in Shakespeare's play, our lovers come from rival ninja families, who are hoping for their clans to be unified with their coming marriage...until the nasty emperor decides to rekindle the centuries old feud by choosing them to represent his two sons who are line for the throne. Whichever clans win, the son they represented will become the new emperor. Sadly, Gennosuke and Oboro are forced to become bitter enemies, which leads to a heartbreaking ending. 14. Van and Wendy (GUNXSWORD); Saiga and Kagura (Speed Grapher) These two anime came dangerously close to portraying romances between middle-aged men and girls half their age. In the case of Van and Wendy, it's pretty obvious in the way Wendy dotes on Van and her apparent jealousy towards Carmen 99 and Priscilla. On the other hand, Kagura clings desperately to Saiga as they are pursued by evil villains. Love, however, triumphs in the end despite the age difference...by letting the male characters wait a bunch of years until their teenaged sweetheart comes of LEGAL age. That's the power of the scriptwriter for you! 13. Tenchi and Ryoko (Tenchi Muyo!); Keiichi and Belldandy (Ah! My Goddess); Kei and Mizuho (Please! Teacher) It's a time-honored anime tradition to pair off a clueless, clumsy, somewhat nerdy High School boy with a bombshell, whether she is a hot-blooded alien or a sweet goddess. The fact remains that it's a pairing that ALWAYS clicks among fans. However, fans would always remember Tenchi and Ryoko, Keiichi and Belldandy, and Kei and Mizuho as the best couples of this lot. 12. Hitomi and Van (Vision of Escaflowne) Behind every angsty prince from another dimension is a kind-hearted Earth girl to always bring him back to his senses. Credit to Escaflowne's success lies in the fact that Hitomi is not like your everyday damsel-in-distress who counts on the man in her life to save her. Nope, she also gets into action and ends up saving not only Van and Allen, but a whole universe as well. 11. Yusuke and Keiko; Kuwabara and Yukina (Yu Yu Hakusho) Bit of an argument developed with this one. While many obviously loved the pairing of battle-crazy Yusuke and level-headed Keiko, quite a few defended the unlikely pairing of brash Kuwabara and timid Yukina. I don't think Hiei was happy about his little sister being paired off with Kuwabara though. 10. Pete Pumps and Tazusa Sakurano (Ginban Kaleidoscope) Although a relatively new pairing, Pete and Tazusa of Ginban Kaleidoscope deserved to be mentioned for being quite a lively and funny couple, despite the fact that poor Pete is just a spirit. Too bad the scriptwriter couldn't think of a nice ending to the story by actually bringing the two of them together...like having Pete get reincarnated? Or maybe Pete has had enough of the tomatoes that Tazusa had been shoving down his throat? 9. Ranma and Akane (Ranma 1/2) There's a kind of citrusy taste to Ranma and Akane's relationship -- sweet but with a touch of sourness that is not only caused by martial arts rivalry, but by the natural envy of a girl (Akane) towards another girl (female Ranma) who is better endowed beauty-wise than she. Of course, you don't see Kunou complaining, even if he gets punched and kicked to kingdom come. 8. Seiji and Midori (Midori Days) They say it's nice to have a girlfriend on hand, but this is ridiculous. Still, it cannot be denied that Seiji and Midori were a very memorable couple, simply owing to the fact that Midori was so patient enough to endure Seiji's immaturity and even saw being stuck to his right hand as a blessing in disguise. Unlike Pete and Tazusa, however, they DID get together in the end. Happy, happy! 7. Tamaki and Haruhi (Ouran High School Host Club); Kyouhei and Sunako (Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge) There's a saying that "Opposites attract." This statement aptly describes these two love teams, who are as different as night and day. From Ouran High School Host Club, you have level-headed commoner Haruhi being paired off with bubble-headed rich boy Tamaki. (Personally, I preferred the Kyouya/Haruhi pairing). Then, in Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge, pretty bully boy Kyouhei ends up falling for horror queen wannabe Sunako. Certainly makes for romance that is funny and bittersweet at the same time. 6. Shiro and Saber (Fate/Stay Night) The dynamics of the Shiro and Saber love team is pretty unique...because you have a lovely young lady defending a gallant Magician who, in true male fashion, wants to defend her. In the end, they joined forces to help destroy an evil menace. Sadly, they too split up at the anime's conclusion. 5. Kenshin and Kaoru (Samurai X) Ask any Samurai X fan and they would tell you how much they loved the fact that the love of Kenshin and Kaoru endured through all the villains and uprisings that were thrown their way. Even when their love story ended in tragedy, they stuck together up till the very end of their young lives that were cut abruptly short. Nuff said or else I'll start blubbering like an idiot. 4. Ryuuki and Shuurei (Colourcloud Palace) Everyone just loves Ryuuki and Shuurei, and with good reason. It's not every day that you get to see an immature emperor taught the ways of the world by a poor, but very intelligent young lady (who has a tendency to nag as well). It should be mentioned that while this pairing is very popular, I've got friends who are also rooting for Seiran and Shuurei and Sakujun and Shuurei. Aaaaah...just let Shuurei choose the man she'll love, will ya?! 3. Syaoran and Sakura (Card Captor Sakura & Chronicles of the Wings); Hideki and Chee (Chobits) CLAMP certainly do know how to create real memorable love teams. While Syaoran and Sakura are top favorites among fans, I have a soft spot in my heart for the cyber-love team of Hideki and Chee from Chobits. 2. Inuyasha and Kagome (Inuyasha) Although I'm not a fan of Inuyasha, I've always found the love team of Inuyasha and Kagome very refreshing to watch. Kagome especially is probably one of the few female anime characters that I like because she is no damsel-in-distress who relies on Inuyasha to get her out of any tight predicament; she tries to do something herself. Of course, I always get a kick out of Kagome telling a nagging Inuyasha to "Sit, boy!" Now, that's a woman who knows how to put her man in his place!! 1. Tamahome and Miaka (Fushigi Yuugi) Let it be said that everyone was unanimous in choosing Tamahome and Miaka as the most memorable anime love team of all-time. Personally, I found Miaka irritating and she always needs to be saved by the Seven Star Warriors. Still, I guess every female anime fan loves the idea of a strong, handsome man coming to the rescue of a helpless (groan!) female.

NEWS: New Anime Titles on Animax in 2008

XXXHOLiC © CLAMP, Kodansha, Production I.G. First, the GOOD NEWS!! After a few days of wheedling, begging and groveling, I was FINALLY able to convince a hardworking Animax representative to share with you some of the titles that the network will be airing this year. Here are just some of the anime you can expect to hit your TV screens this 2008… OOKIKU FURIKABUTTE After getting everyone's adrenalin high with soccer, racing and basketball, it's baseball mayhem this time as pitcher Ren Mihashi discovers that it's difficult to be a member of a High School baseball team wherein your grandfather is not the manager. Yep, family connections really don't help if you want to become an ace pitcher. ORIGIN ~ SPIRITS OF THE PAST ~ This is the only anime movie that is definitely scheduled to air this year. In this futuristic thriller, humanity has destroyed the Earth's environment, and the few survivors were forced into a deep sleep. Three hundred years later, a young boy named Agito discovers the sleeping girl Toola, who may be the Earth's savior. LA CORDA D'ORO ~ PRIMO PASSO ~ I know for a fact that La Corda D'Oro ~ Primo Passo ~ is scheduled for airing this April in the Philippines. I don't know about other countries though. Join newbie violinist Hino Kahoko as she competes against top musicians in her exclusive music school in this delightful shoujo romance/comedy. XXXHOLIC Fans of the mangaka circle CLAMP are sure to be very happy with the premiere of xxxHolic. It tells the story of Kimihiro Watanuki who possesses the ability to see evil spirits. Determined to rid himself of this accursed gift, he meets with a mysterious woman named Yuuko. However, Yuuko demands that he work for her in her shop and take on the strangest errands until he has earned enough to acquire her services. AYAKASHI If you love horror anime as much as I do, don't fail to watch Ayakashi, which features three chilling Japanese horror stories. I highly recommend that you don't miss the third story arc, entitled "Bakeneko" ("Ghost Cat"), because the animation style is radically different from what you're used to watching. "Bakeneko" is the story arc that started off the critically acclaimed anime series Mononoke, which I'll be reviewing next week, together with the voice actor's blog. SERGEANT KERORO (KERORO GUNSO) Now, this is one anime I'm definitely looking forward to, simply because it's going to be quite a challenge to do in English for the Animax voice actors. This hilarious anime is about a group of frog aliens from the planet Keron who have been ordered to invade and conquer the planet Pekopon (a.k.a. Earth). Watch Keroro, Giroro, Tamama, Kururu and Dororo as they try in vain to accomplish their mission while doing household chores and assembling the latest Gundam models. NODAME CANTABILE Still want more classical music with your anime viewing fare? The hugely popular anime Nodame Cantabile will be premiering on Animax as well. Follow the trials, tribulations and triumphs of Shinichi Chiaki and Megumi "Nodame" Noda as they strive to be acknowledged as a brilliant conductor and pianist, respectively. EMMA: A VICTORIAN ROMANCE SECOND ACT To those of you who have been left heartbroken with the conclusion of the first season, now you can follow Emma's adventures in the Second Act of this romantic drama. One month has passed since Emma left London in order to end her relationship with William Jones. She has established herself in the estate of the Molders family, and found herself catching the eye of stern, but kind-hearted (Not to mention handsome!) footman, Hans. Meanwhile, back in London, Eleanor Campbell is ever more determined to win William's heart. However, little does everyone know that the fates are conspiring to bring Emma and William back together again. SHOUNEN ONMYOUJI I am very, very sure that a good friend of mine, who is allergic to the word "LICENSED", would be pleased to know that Shounen Onmyouji will be airing this year, especially since she was left hanging at Episode 9. Follow the misadventures of Abe No Masahiro and his diminutive sidekick Mokkun as he struggles to break away from the stigma of being the grandson of the legendary onmyou priest, Abe No Seimei, and earn the right to become his grandfather's successor, if not exceed him. DARKER THAN BLACK Listed as No. 8 in Japan's list for Top Anime in 2007, Darker Than Black will be premiering on Animax. Join Hei and his team of agents as they try to unravel the mystery of the impenetrable Hell's Gate and the powerful humans known as "Contractors" who have appeared as a result of the Gate's influence. ~~~~~~~~~~ After the good news, here are some NOT-SO-GOOD NEWS. Let's just enumerate them. 1. To those who won't stop asking "when", the above titles have NO DEFINITE SCHEDULE YET. Instead of constantly asking "when", do you see that "PROGRAMS" tab on this page? Please just monitor the schedules for the dates when these anime will premiere. SCHEDULES ARE ALL SUBJECT TO CHANGE. 2. There is a possibility that the phrase "TERRITORIES APPLY" will apply to some of the titles above. This means, that some anime may premiere in one country, but not in other countries. For example, I know that Glass Fleet is presently airing in SEA, but it's not airing in the Philippines. Same also applies for the much-complained-by-India-viewers Colourcloud Palace and Le Chevalier D'Eon. When this happens, you can expect the anime to be aired in your country AFTER it has aired in a particular territory or, WORSE, will NOT be aired at all. Licensing and airing rights is the MAIN REASON when this occurs, so please don't go into mob riots and yell "Damn you!" as some of you diehards had done in the respective forums. For heaven's sake, BE PATIENT AND WAIT! I don't think there's any reason for any of you to curse. 3. I DID NOT include in the list above FOUR anime that were supposed to be aired last year, but are hopefully going to be aired this year. Unfortunately, I don't have the permission to reveal those particular titles. All I can say is that one is a series that is presently ongoing in Japan (No, it's not about ninjas!), two are quirky high school comedies, and the last is about weird samurai. 4. Sorry, Full Metal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shamballa is definitely NOT INCLUDED in the line up that was given to me. However, there is a strong likelihood that you will get to watch BOTH Seasons 1 and 2 of God (?) Save Our King! (Kyou Kara Maou) this year as well.

Fearless 2008 Anime Forecast

Bleach © Tite Kubo, Studio Pierrot, TV Tokyo, Viz Media.

1. Piracy will remain a HUGE problem in the Asian region. This is simply because anime distributors still do not realize the fact that the U.S. is not THE market in the world. Anime distributors and intellectual rights protectors have been running after violators in Asia, but are there any efforts being done to meet the high demand for anime in this region? NOTHING! So please, before you blame fansubbers for ruining the anime market, distributors should do a marketing survey of the region. You'll be surprised. Although the average anime fan buys pirates, they would still choose to buy originals...IF IT IS AVAILABLE AND REASONABLY PRICED.

2. The "Dubs vs Subs Debate" will continue to rage on not just in 2008, but beyond. It remains to be seen when all anime fans will realize that, whether they be Pro-Sub or Pro-Dub, in the eyes of the great anime gods, one of them being Osamu Tezuka, EVERYONE is created equal.

3. Constant vigilance will be observed against fans who don't have the common sense NOT to copy what they see in anime. One is reminded by how quickly anime producers canceled the airing of the final episode of School Days, after a Japanese teen hacked her father to death, lest copycats surface. Then, there's the serial killer running around in Sweden or some other European country, who's been leaving notes saying "I am Kira" in the crime scenes. I know people take anime seriously, but this is ridiculous.

4. Long-running anime series will continue to be HUGE hits among the fans. But one has to wonder how long the creator and the writers could stretch the storylines any further. I mean, just look at Naruto. Will it take another 100+ episodes of Shippuuden before Naruto is able to beat some sense into Sasuke's revenge-addled brain? And how about Detective Conan? I truly pity Shinichi Kudo that he is unable to enjoy the perks of teen life (namely girls!) because, after so many, many years, he still remains stuck inside Conan Edogawa's diminutive form. There's also Luffy and the Going Merry gang in One Piece. I won't be surprised if they decide to quit searching for the One Piece and decide to join The Amazing Race instead. Oh, the pairings that could result, although I already foresee that neither Nami or Robin would want to pair up with Sanji (He's stuck with Zoro! He he he!). As for D-Grayman, I really, really doubt if Allen Walker will be able to find Marshall Cross Marian this year. Thankfully, I don't have that problem with Bleach. I'd probably watch Bleach until Ichigo becomes a doddering old Shinigami.

5. Anime producers will come to realize that they are trying the patience of anime fans by creating shows out of ongoing manga, but leave them hanging after 13 to 26 episodes. So, expect new seasons of Alice Academy, Code Geass, the much delayed Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Claymore, Gunslinger Girl, and, yes, Jigoku Shoujo, although I don't know how they could bring back Ai Enma after that neat closure in Season 2. Oh, please don't let the new Hell Girl be that creepy kid Kikuri! And to those who are sure to ask about it in the "Comments" section, the premieres are for JAPAN, not on Animax. Your chances of watching these anime on Animax will be in 2009 at the LATEST.

6. American film producers will continue to turn to anime for future big screen projects. Of course, you have the highly anticipated movie version of Speed Racer. Actor Tobey Maguire is producing the movie version of Robotech. There's also the CGI animated feature Gatchaman. I've heard that the Slam Dunk movie is in post production in Taiwan. But the movie project that is giving me the hives is the big screen version of Dragonball. It's hard enough imagining veteran actor Chow Yun-Fat playing a funny pervert like Master Roshi, but Emy Rossum as Bulma??? After watching The Phantom of the Opera, my skin breaks out in goosebumps at the thought of Bulma singing "That's All I Ask Of You" to Goku. Urrgggh!

MAY YOU HAVE A PROSPEROUS 2008!!

TechnoMax "Design A Game Console" Contest

If you haven't submitted your entry yet to the "Design A Game Console" contest over in Oli Pettigrew's turf TechnoMax, I suggest you do so now.

Tomy Corporation and D3Publisher of America have confirmed the upcoming release of Naruto: Clash of Ninja (Tentative title) for the Nintendo Wii system this Fall 2007.

If you're a frustrated a ninja, the game will give you the opportunity to step into Naruto and co.'s shoes and duke it out with evil assassins and warlords. This is the perfect chance for you to practice that Kagebunshin technique and go forth and multiply like tiny blond haired, orange clad gremlins.

Of course, you can't play the game without a Nintendo Wii. So JOIN THE TECHNOMAX CONTEST NOW!!!

More details @ www.animax-asia.com/technomax