American restaurant chain Domino’s Pizza has just launched an iOS app in conjunction with Vocaloid Hatsune Miku as displayed in this video. In the video, Domino’s Japan President Scott Oellkers goes through the app’s features in a lighthearted, quirky little video made to promote the app’s launch. The app itself consists of a variety of features, as demonstrated, including the ability to pose Miku and take a photo with her, or better yet, if you order a Domino’s Pizza, and point the camera at the box lid through the app, the lid will turn into a live dance floor where Miku busts a move for the user! Fortunately for you guys, Tomoki has an iPod Touch and thus got his paws on the app for an exclusive, hands on look, including screenshots!
After a short animation, Miku appears on the screen followed by the Domino’s logo, and she sings the Domino’s Pizza tune in her signature voice. She both looks and sound adorable during the introduction. Promising start! However upon delving further into the app I began to face a little confusion.
The first among four tabs – with the pizza insignia – seems to be an introduction page with just perhaps some basic information as to what the app does. Bear in mind folks that I cannot read Japanese, therefore your guess as to what the writing says is as good as mine! And it just gets more confusing from here.
The second tab – the one with the letter, or mail sign – seems to hold notifications, as we can clearly tell some dates are displayed here. It could be a messenger of some kind, though this was not mentioned during the video. The letters “MY”are written under the tab, so that would lead one to assume this is customizable perhaps? Again, I’m just guessing here!
The third – and most interesting – tab, with the little Miku symbol is the one with all the goodies. Both the box top dance floor feature as well as the Miku posing feature are in this tab, the top one being the photos feature while the second one is the dance floor one. The one called “Pizza Stage Live”.
After selecting the photo and Miku posing feature, a loading screen with what I assume are instructions appear and the camera on the device activates. In this particular case you are being treated to a view of my Facebook newsfeed. See if you can make out what is going on back there, because I sure can’t!
Scrolling through the outer wheel with the “Face” option selecting changes her facial expressions. There are no more than three or four in total, but each one is cute in it’s own right. I can definitely tell I’m going to have fun with this little feature! You can see some Haruhi going on in the back there too, getting ready for the photo!
When switching over to the “Pose” option, you can – as one would guess – switch her pose, as I just did for your viewing pleasure. I’m not entirely sure what she’s meant to be doing, here but there are three or four of these too, including one where she’s sitting or leaning on something, meaning you can really get creative with this when posing her.
And finally, this is the fourth, and last tab with the timer icon. This is arguably the coolest looking tab, however for the life of me I cannot figure out what it does. I tried selecting everything that looked like a button, but nothing happened. I don’t think it’s just for show, I’m sure it has some use, but I definitely can’t tell what it is. Perhaps it’s supposed to load? The “Play Tracking Song” written below gives the impression that it’s sound related, so not something I could show in the form of screenshots anyway.
As much as I’d love to, I cannot show you the box top dance floor feature, as the Hatsune Miku Domino’s Pizza delivery is apparently only available in Japan, and I doubt they do international shipping! But here’s another shot of Miku during the introduction animation before the Domino’s logo shows up. So tell us, what do you guys think of the app? Any thoughts or opinions you’d like to share about this joint operation in Japan? Let us know in the comments section!
Capcom has just released some nice images and information for Lost Planet 3, including the official box art and a June 25th release date for North America.
Capcom’s third installment into the Lost Planet series has players take the role of Jim Peyton, a Utility Rig pilot who leaves Earth to take on a hazardous but lucrative contract on E.D.N. III. Lost Planet 3 continues Peyton’s story as he faces more hostile forces in Snow Pirate territory. The Lost Planet series is a third person shooter series developed by Capcom, but 3 will be developed by Californian studio, Spark Unlimited. The series has been released on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC and received modest to good reviews across the two games.
You can see the new trailer, which shows what happens to protagonist Jim after taking a serious fall in his Utility Rig, leaving him unconscious and injured.
Capcom has also announced that Lost Planet 3 will be releasing on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC on June 25th in North America and June 28th in Europe. They also released they official box art for the 360 and PS3 versions of the game:
There is also a large informative fact sheet about the game. Here are the highlighting points from the Lost Planet 3 Fact Sheet:
FEATURES
• Return to extreme conditions – Taking the series back to its roots Lost Planet 3 returns to E.D.N. III, delivering a dynamic game world that’s more dangerous than ever before
• Brave the terrifying – Play as blue collar worker Jim, risking assignments in treacherous conditions to earn his hazard pay and return home to his family
• Home away from home – Protect yourself from hostile Akrid and the unpredictable ice storms on E.D.N. III with your utility rig. Equipped with an assortment of tools, including the new winch that can grab your enemies at range and the drill that can destroy creatures of any size, players will need to learn to use the rig to their advantage in order to survive
• Gameplay Variety – Take to the extreme conditions on foot or utilize the safety of the rig for first person combat sequences
• Stormy weather – The ever changing weather system of E.D.N. III affects the way you play with conditions that create an imposing environment players will need to adapt to
• Intense, cinematic experience –Developed with the Unreal Engine 3, Lost Planet 3 presents a visually stunning and unique terrain that impacts the gameplay
• Killer enemies – The Akrid are back, bigger and angrier. The new Carrier Akrid unleashes smaller defender organisms at its attackers. The Carrier is also able to get up and close to impale foes with its powerful front legs. Using Jim’s weapons or his Rig to uncover the core hidden beneath a hard outer shell will be the only way to take this beast down.
• Save your energy! – Harvest energy by planting thermal posts and use the supply to upgrade your weapons. The longer you leave your post in the ground the more energy you’ll source but this reward brings with it the threat of increasing Akrid reproduction, adding even more risks to the unstable environment. Will the reward be worth the risk?
• Reveal the hidden truths of E.D.N. III – The uncharted world has many secrets locked away. What is E.D.N. III hiding? All will be revealed in Lost Planet 3.
• Lonely Planet? – Lost Planet 3 will support a full set of multiplayer modes that enhance players experience of the Lost Planet world
Along with the box art, release date and trailer, Capcom has also revealed some new screenshots and two pieces of character art.
Lost Planet 3 will also have lots of different pre-order bonuses from different gaming outlets. So check out your local store to see all the bonuses you get for pre-ordering the game before its release on June 25th in America, or June 28th in Europe, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.
Well, haven’t we got a beauty for you. High quality one-stop hobby shop E2046.com gives us another taste of their handiwork, this time in the shape of Setsuna Meioh, also known as Trista Meioh in the dubbed version, but best known simply as Sailor Pluto, one of the protagonists from the hit classic anime; Sailor Moon, (also featured prominently in Sailor Moon S, Sailor Moon Super S, Sailor Moon Sailor Stars, and the upcoming 20 year anniversary celebration Sailor Moon reboot). This figure is one of Sailor Pluto in a pose recognizable to fans of the show, seemingly from her transformation sequence. The figure includes the addition of her signature weapon as featured in the anime, the Garnet Rod.
To be quite frank, this figure speaks volumes for itself, the first thing that strikes the viewer is her slender physique and her healthy, round bust. A body like that in such a seductive pose already makes this figure hard to resist. But upon further (and less perverted) inspection, one would find that they have indeed put in the detail expected of a figure. Starting off with the rod (I know what you’re thinking – not that rod – get your mind out of the gutter) the shape is accurate and true to the depiction in the show, which cannot have been easy considering how thin and fragile the piece is. Her costume has also been built in exact accordance to her 2D counterpart, including her gold tiara with garnet center piece, choker, earrings, elbow-high gloves, collar, maroon top and skirt bows, and long boots. The accuracy is complimented by the realism in the clothing, as the ripples in the skirt and creases in the bow add a much appreciated impression of depth. What male fans may appreciate even further is how tightly the top sticks to her body, accentuating her stunning feminine shape.
A closer look allows the viewer to notice the subtle details added to further the realistic effect. Her pink eyes, her eyelashes and her faint smile come together to deliver that same distant, lonely sort of impression Sailor Pluto was known to give throughout the show. What really drives it home, however, is the paint work on the hair. The varying shades of green in the flowing hair looks simply gorgeous, offering depth and layering to an already detailed, sensual figure. But my favorite little effect in this piece is not visible from a front view. We need to take a look at her from the side, at a very specific angle – and this is what makes her irresistible.
Not only does this angle highlight the sensuality of her pose as she arches her back, and not only is the detail of the bun in her hair now visible, but if you look at her skirt closely (which you probably already did before I drew your attention to it – you pervert, you) you’ll notice she’s showing a little more skin than the show ever did. Those two expertly crafted cute little curves tease the viewer beyond imagination. Her lady lumps – both the ones above and below – are definitely what draw us in on this one. Loving it.
This figure is offered with an exclusive stand for display purposes as a “Gathering Surprise” offered by E2046.com only. The stand serves the purpose of keeping her balanced upright as well as providing a nice base on which to show her off. A nice little picture of the model herself on the face of the stand.
She stands at 30cm, just a little under a foot tall, and weighs 2.05kg, that is about 4.5lbs. At one sixth a life size model, she’s nice and compact. Expertly pre-painted, and with extra safe packaging, you must have her. No problems reported with this model, however one should be expected to take caution when handling the rod (not that rod, you dirty, dirty person) as it is thin and potentially fragile. Though temporarily unavailable, the product is usually available here. As stated before, the makers have done a good job of making her undoubtedly sexy and desirable. An absolute must-have for Sailor Moon fans and figure collectors alike. By now, I know where your left hand is, but get your right hand on that mouse and get ready for it to come back in stock so you can order your very own Sailor Pluto!
Here’s a little treat for you Saber fans. You’ll be pleased to know that the high quality anime figure site E2046.com provided us with a premium, pre-painted model of one of our favorite tsunderes – the popular Saber from Fate/Stay Night. This particular model is of Saber in a wounded pose – the valiant Knight nursing her wounds after a grand battle – her trusty sword Excalibur in hand.
Upon a head to toe viewing, it is easy to determine this model has been expertly built and painted. Its exclusive design fitting for the character. It is easy to imagine the noble, brave Saber with her all too familiar “trying-to-be-strong” expression as she tends to her battle wounds. Her armor is appropriately shaped and the detail corresponds to her depiction in the anime perfectly. The armor is where the mastery of the painter truly shines, with the shading of the breastplate, gauntlets and boots. Another fine effect is the swaying of her slightly torn dress under the armor, the waves and curvatures of the cloth certainly look realistic, and the color coding matches her anime counterpart.
My single favorite aspect of the model however is the blood. It looks so realistic, its almost scary! The color and texture of it as well as the splatter patterns. Very cool looking indeed, and the look stays true to the gore content in the show. What’s specifically cool looking is the blood on Excalibur – proof that Saber dished out some slashes of her own!
This rear view provides us with a better look at her dress, boots and hair. Notice the metallic flavor the painter has managed to give the boots and armor. The creases and folds around her sleeves and back are also in plain sight as well as the torn left sleeve. Her hair is styles in Saber’s usual plait, tied with blue ribbon and a few strands of hair standing up. A cute touch – I think – in an otherwise badass model. The only minor complaint ever received about the product is how the thinner tassels tend to be fragile and thus need to be handled with care. If broken however, one can easily fix it with a little glue – most collectors tend to have some in case anyway.
The model comes with an exclusive Fate/Stay Night stand for the figure to enhance display effects as a “Gathering Surprise”. Sharp and sleek looking, with the shows official logo upon it, this black base makes for an excellent addition for a showcase piece. Keeps your model upright, making sure not to let it topple at any point, and providing a nice little base for display purposes. Convenient, and looks great.
With its professional design, this piece is 100% hand-painted by experts. Weighing in at 1.61kg – that is roughly 3.5lbs, this model is approximately 1/6th the size of a life size Saber, manageable, perfect for display, easy to store, and secure delivery. Originally for $227.99, it is available for a discount of 30% off, making the new price an affordable $159.59 plus shipping. Available here at the mentioned price, the product comes in a cool looking black box with a picture of the figure on the cover. Due to its high quality labor intensive nature and painstaking attention to detail, the product is in limited supply, so get your paws on it quick!
So recently our friends at GotWoot had a competition, the rules were to make a banner that could be either GotWoot related or anime-related. I ended up winning with this banner by a 25 vote lead. So here I am doing a boring post about “What’s in the box?”.
I would have done this post earlier but Post Offices here close at 1PM and sleeping schedules suck. Enough talking, here is the parcel:
My parcel had a bit of bad luck and got stopped by customs in UK. VAT ended up costing £14.62 and handlings fees were £8, so a total of £22.62.
So after trying to take some fabulous pictures (I suck at taking pictures), I opened the parcel. This isn’t a LinusTechTips unboxing so I did not take a picture of the box being opened. Just try to imagine I took a picture of the actual box opened so you can all act surprised just like I did.
I must say I was very amazed when I unboxed this, I was never suspecting a graphics card. It’s a Gigabyte HD 5870 1GB (GV-R587UD-1GD) for those who care. I will find a use for this card soon, I can’t wait to test this little baby out :). Thank you GotWoot!
Some of us more hardcore fans tend to watch dozens of shows every year. As anime fans, we have developed tastes for certain kinds of shows depending on our age, gender, etc. Some are short, at only ten to fifteen episodes while others stretch on for hundreds. But what really makes for the better experience? What sticks longer? Tells the better story? What is more satisfying in the long run? A show that lasted ten, or a hundred episodes? Let’s look at some examples and find out. Short Anime:
What would you say is a short anime? Under fifty episodes? Under twenty? How about under five? One of the things one would notice in shorter running anime is a clearer, more concise story. There is a beginning, a conflict (or several) and an ending.
Some shows I’ve seen with excellent stories are ones like Clannad, which, together with it’s second season ~After Story~ hardly covers around fifty episodes, or some even shorter ones such as Angel Beats!, Serial Experiment Lain or Another.
Naturally, there are more short running shows compared to long running ones, and thus there is more variety. Less chance of getting bored of the same thing. Also, each episode of a short show is usually a lot more eventful. Conflicts aren’t as drawn out, and things progress much quicker to finally reach a solid conclusion.
Genre also plays a big part here. Most romantic, comedy, sexual, emotional, or deep shows are short ones. So fans of moe, yaoi, yuri, ecchi or shojo would most likely prefer the shorter shows. Shows such as Kokoro Connect, Kimi no Todoke, Kiss x Sis, Yuru Yuri, and Lucky Star come to mind.
The downside of short shows usually is that it leaves you wishing for more, – sometimes even during the show, if they skip something which one may have been interested in seeing – but mostly occurs at the end,which in a way is a good thing, but that feeling of having just finished a great show and not knowing what to do with your life is all too familiar to fans of these kinds of shows.
Long Anime:
These shows are the ones which tend to carry through for hundreds of episodes, season after season, bringing you more of what you’re sure to love. These types of shows definitely have their good points. Once you grow attached to a character, or a set of characters, you want to see more of them. In a way, they become a part of your family. Especially if it’s a currently airing show and you wait every week for the next episode.
Some people don’t like having to watch the same fight, or same event extended across several different episodes, but other people love it. They begin to truly appreciate the tension, and the struggle of the characters. It brings them closer to the characters, which some love. Further more, the depth and thought put into all the characters and backstories that come into play make things much more satisfying.
Shows like Dragonball and it’s successors had a wide cast of lovable characters that one really looks forward to seeing more of every time. Other shows that come to mind are Pokemon, Yu Gi Oh, Fairy Tail, Inuyasha, Gintama, and One Piece. However, long running shows seem to gear towards the shonen demographic with a majority of popular shows being action or adventure. Bleach, Naruto Shippuuden, D.Gray Man, Katekyo Hitman Reborn, and Dragonball Z highlight this clearly, being some of the most popular shows of all time.
However the drawbacks of long shows is their repetitiveness. In most of these shows one notices a pattern after some time, and it gets fairly boring to some. A common staple in action shows is showing an enemy, a struggle against them, coming close to defeat, but finally pulling through in the end. This process repeats for several seasons. Another result of the ones based on mangas are fillers; that is, episodes that don’t actually have anything to do with the story but are just meant to kill time. Nothing is more disappointing than waiting an entire week for an episode only to find a filler episode, or worse, a filler arc. Furthermore, though not the result of the show being long but simply being a shonen show is that the events are often incredibly childish. Despite there being depth in characters in shows such as Bleach, they are being heavily underutilized in terms of plot and dialogue. The same goes for most long running shows. It is clear that long running shows are designed for a less mature audience.
So, that was my take on the differences between short running and long running anime. If you were to ask me, I’d say I prefer the short kind, but that doesn’t mean I don’t watch any long running shows. Dragonball Z and Bleach are two of my all time favorite shows. I just tend to find a healthy balance between the two types of shows, usually watching short running shows, but reverting to the long ones in between. Both have their own place and are very entertaining to watch. What are your thoughts? Which kinds do you prefer?
We’re almost halfway done with Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai NEXT and I have to admit, my opinion has changed. I loved the first season of Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai finding it to be a lot of fun and actually enjoyed rewatching it on occasion. I was ecstatic when I heard they were producing a new season. However, as episode 5 comes to a conclusion, my opinion has firmly changed on something core to the series. A topic so strong that many forums have genocidal flame wars on the subject. Of course I’m talking about which girl should win. A year ago I would have defended that Sena should be the winner, but now I can firmly say that I want Yozora to win.
All she wants is to be heard by her ‘dear friend’.
Yes, I want the verbally and physically abusive girl with a terrible attitude to win the Haganai. On face value, Yozora is a terrible person. She’s really easy to hate as she’s basically a gigantic bitch to every other character with exception of Kodaka. However, as you begin to dive into her past and her thoughts you find that she’s really doing it for a noble cause even if she might be going around it the wrong way. I advise you right now that if you’d like to continue with this article, I will be going into some spoilers so please don’t read ahead if you don’t want certain things spoiled.
You probably shouldn’t have read that page.
You find out in volume 7, Hagani Connect, or possibly inferred from episode 12 of the first season, that Yozora didn’t make the club because she wanted friends, but because she wanted to spend time alone with Kodaka. Under the guise of creating a club to get friends, she found a way to spend time and become friends with Kodaka again. This was her chance to spend time and develop feelings for her ‘one true friend’. However, nothing ever goes to Yozora’s plan. You find this out in the very first episode when Sena figures out the hidden message in Yozora’s club notice and joins the club. As the series progresses, Yozora tries her best to disfranchisement each girl who gets too close to Kodaka. Every new girl that joins the group tries to separate her further and further from her ‘friend’. However, it becomes quite obvious that she has more than just friendly feelings for Kodaka and each girl is just another enemy that plans on stealing the only person she ever cared about.
Her entire reasoning in this one page.
It’s for this reason that I find Yozora to be the better girl. She tries really, really hard to be with Kodaka only to have everything blow up in her face each and every time. Yukimura, the King’s Game, or Karaoke it all ends in failure for her. In fact, many of her failures only seem to push Kodaka closer to the other girls with Sena being the number one benefactor of it all. It’s really heartbreaking to see her fail each and every time and it makes you wonder if she’s just getting hit with bad karma due to the fact that she treats everyone so terribly or for her own amusement. It really depends on the media you’re reading/watching as she seems to have slightly different personalities in each one. She’s abusive and mean in all of them, but her reasons for it seem to change for each media.
How could a person not feel bad for her?
Her effort is what makes me like Yozora. She is trying so hard to be alone with Kodaka, to make Kodaka have eyes only for her. She loses with everything she does and it only makes me think of her as a tragic character. It was really depressing to see her lose in the spin-off manga where Sena became the winner, but I doubt that’s going to happen in the original canon. I can only hope that Yozora gets exactly what she wants and more. I’m also hoping she eventually gets a little softer in her treatment of others. She might find it going for her benefit.
Wonder Festival 2013 is here!
Yay! That means cutie plastic girls (and guys!)
There’s new figures from currently airing anime and anime to air soon and even some figures from older series. This is day one and I’ve collected all of these images by lurking the net, if you’re a buyer of goods this festival will set how you spend your disposable income for the next 6 months or so.
Pity your wallet.
If you’re not a buyer, these figures are still cute and plenty of fun to look at so check it out, it’s a huge gallery so prepare yourself. There’s nearly 400 images and counting since the first time I’ve posted this! Enjoy!
I will try to update this every few hours throughout the course of the festival.
Hello I’m Dao also known as “OtakuDao” from various other sites. I’m a huge anime fan and I tend to watch a load of crap every season. I’ll be sure to write some reviews and rants here. I have a personal blog located at http://asuna.is-my-waifu.com. Nice to meet you all and I hope to have a good time here.
The happy, carefree 14 year old Akane Isshiki lived a poor, but well loved life together with her reliable little sister, Momo, who does all the housework, and her grandfather, Kenjirou, a genius inventor who only created useless devices. In the center of the Blue island rises the revolutionary Manifestation Engine, a discovery that solved the world’s energy problems. But suddenly, the world is visited by danger. An unknown enemy, the Alone, appear, targeting the Manifestation Engine. As none of their weapons worked and they fell into despair, a lone girl takes a stand wearing a red “Pallet Suit” which wields a great, hidden power. Before long, allies gather around her to fight.
Tomoki knows there are some artists out there among you, so now it’s time to prove your worth! Submit any anime, manga, or JRPG related artwork you’ve made to my Facebook page or the comment section below and we’ll choose the best ones to be featured right here for everyone to see! That’s right, regardless of your skill level, it’s your chance to show all of us what you can really do. So submit your best works as soon as possible! You’re allowed to submit several, if you please, and it doesn’t even have to be a drawing, it could be anything! A cosplay, a prop you made, whatever you’re good at. Just get creative and have fun!
Update: Apparently PROzess got the message and translated the first chapter of volume 7! How wonderful is that? According to an /a/-user under the name PROzess, there seems to be plans to translate all of volume 7! However, once volume 7 is over, we’re gonna be stuck in limbo until volume 8 comes along and gets scanned. At least the current raws seem to be up to date, but I have no way of actually knowing.
This is a call to all translators. Can you please continue on with translating Aku no Hana? I have just discovered that we’re like 8 or so chapters away from being current. Not to mention there was a TIME SKIP and now everything is all different and my feeble English-speaking mind can’t understand new characters and time skips when everything is in moon. So please come on, take a break from Bleach or whatever and translate me some Aku no Hana before the anime comes out and you’ll never get another chance to be cool and popular.
According to Anime News Network, Log Horizon is getting an anime! Never heard of Log Horizon? Neither have I!
Is it an anime about Ragnarok Online?
Apparently my joke isn’t that far off base. Log Horizon is another anime where a whole bunch of Japanese people get stuck inside an MMORPG. Apparently the success of Sword Art Online has made this a popular topic as it’s planned to be 25 episodes long which is longer than most shows get despite having a more popular fanbase.
Cause Pocky reviews haven’t been done a million times already
So there is like a lot of different flavors available.
I took the liberty of testing out 5 different standard flavors for the beginners out there.
It was a difficult task but I persevered for the sake of this review.
I only chose 5 flavors because in my neck of the woods, this stuffs expensive. $4.50 for 1 box with 3 packets containing 8 sticks expensive (3 packets containing 4 sticks for the almond crush flavor).
Anyway.
Here’s my take on each flavor. (Keep in mind everyone’s tastes are different, obviously)
Chocolate –
This is the original flavor.
It tasted kinda like dark chocolate to me. At first it was a bit strong, but then you got used to it. Went down really good with a glass of milk though.
Not bad, but not the best flavor by a long shot. Verdict 6/10
Milk Chocolate –
Taste like every other milk chocolate, although it is much nicer
than the original flavor above. I prefer this over one over that as this one is quite moreish. I would have to say that out of the 5 flavors I tried.
This would be my second favorite. Verdict 9/10
Strawberry –
In order to truly appreciate this particular flavor. You must first inhale the amazing aroma of the strawberry cream as you open the packet. There are also tiny bits of strawberry infused into the cream coating. The only problem I have with this one though is that it can get a bit sickly after a few boxes. Verdict 8/10
Almond Crush –
Definitely my favorite flavor of the bunch.
It has a rich milk chocolate taste with small almond pieces infused into the chocolate cream coating.
As with the strawberry flavor above, it has an amazing aroma as you open the packet.
Verdict 10/10
Banana –
This flavor was an instant like for me.
It has a distinct rich banana flavor with a hint of creamy milk chocolate. Not too sweet and very enjoyable. I just grabbed an entire packet in one hand and ate them all at once.
Verdict 9/10
These are a yummy snack to have by themselves anytime of the day, although they can be enjoyed most when combined with deserts, cakes or savory sweets etc.
I combined a few strawberry and almond crush ones with a banana split for delectable results.
_____________________________________________________
The snack of champions.
History.
Pocky is a Japanese snack food produced by the Ezaki Glico Company of Japan. It was first sold in 1965, under the name Chocoteck, and consists of a biscuit stick coated with chocolate. Pocky was an instant hit among Japanese teenagers, and brought in sales of 30 billion yen in its first two years. The name was changed to “Pocky”, after the Japanese onomatopoetic word for the sound Pocky makes when bitten, pokkin. The original was followed by “Almond Pocky” in 1971, with an almond coating, and “Strawberry Pocky” in 1977. Today, the product line includes such variations as milk, mousse, green tea and coconut flavored coatings, and themed products such as “Decorer Pocky”, with colorful decorative stripes in the coating, and a dark chocolate version.
Pocky is very popular in Japan. In bars, it is sometimes served in a glass of ice water. It also has a significant presence in other East Asian countries such as China and Korea. In Europe, Pocky is renamed Mikado after the game Mikado. In the United States and Canada, Pocky can be found in Asian supermarkets and the international section of most large supermarkets, as well as Wal-Mart Supercenters and anime convention dealers’ rooms. In Malaysia, Pocky was renamed by the Glico Company as Rocky, perhaps to avoid a vulgar word in Malay with similar pronunciation. Pocky has recently been marketed in America by LU, a company of the Danone Group.
Outside of Japan, Pocky is fairly popular among Japanophiles and otaku (anime fans). Its constant association with the Engrish phenomenon and the oddness of some of its versions (like the “Men’s Pocky” bittersweet flavor), as well as the several Pocky parodies seen on many anime/manga series, contribute to the snack’s reputation.
Final thoughts.
For the amount of cash money I blew on these bad boys I could’ve just brought like 10 packets of Tim Tams instead, which are basically the exact same thing. Plus you get more biscuits per packet, they are bigger and have substantially more chocolate/creme on them.
That said, Pocky is a novelty you have to experience at least once if you haven’t already so you can say been there, done that. Then whether you like it or not, is up to you.
That’s Pocky done and dusted. More candy and snack reviews, coming soon.
In a very surprising announcement in the next issue of Young Magazine, a new Ghost in the Shell anime project called Ghost in the Shell ARISE will be airing later this year. With a completely new crew and redesigned Major, things are about to get interesting.
In the early look of Kodansha’s Monthly Young Magazine, the issue has revealed that a new Ghost in the Shell project is in the works and will be airing this year. Titled Ghost in the Shell ARISE, the project is being handled by a completely new crew from previous Ghost in the Shell installments with Kazuya Kise being director- who had previously worked on the Ghost in the Shell and Stand Alone complex series as a key animator. Along him is Sci-Fi novelist Tow Ubukata, who will be supervising and writing the scripts, and Cornelius who will be dealing with the music composition.
In addition to the new reveal in the magazine, a new website for ARISE has launched which features a new rendition of Motoko Kusanagi, or more commonly referred to as- Major. There has been no other information tying in ARISE to the Stand Alone Complexseries, which aired over 10 years ago. This will the first project since the movie Solid State Society and whether or not this is a complete re-imaging of the franchise can be well speculated- even with previous director Kenji Kamiyama tweeting that he has no part in this new project.
The website also mentions an event occurring on the 12th of February. The Ghost in the Shell Arise Production Presentation will be stream lived around the world on on February 12 at 9:00 p.m. in Japan (7:00 a.m. EST) on Niconico, Bandai Channel, and YouTube, and the event itself will be held at the nicofarre event hall in Tokyo.
Another event called Ghost in the Shell Arise Production Commemoration Special Night event will be held at the TOHO Cinemas in Roppongi Hills on February 12 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00p.m. Tickets will go on sale on January 16 and will cost 2,000 yen. The event will screen the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – The Laughing Man compilation, and the Ghost in the Shell 2.0 and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society films in 3D. The event will also host a 60-minute live-viewing event for Ghost in the Shell Arise, which will include announcements, clips from the new anime, and a talk show featuring staff and other special guests.
I’m back again with another giveaway (Yes I did one in November but I love doing giveaways). I have 26 spare copies of Dota 2 just sitting in my steam invent collecting dust, so I’ve decided to give them away on the blog. Steam has been selling ‘early access‘ for almost $30, so here is your chance to grab one for free!
At the first Nintendo Direct of the year, two new games for Pokemon have been announced. Introducing Pokemon X and Pokemon Y, which will be releasing this October exclusively for the 3DS!
The official Pokemon website posted that a major Pokemon announcement will be revealed, and it was unveiled moments ago. Surprisingly, using Nintendo Direct, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata himself revealed the big Pokemon announcement: two new Pokemon games. Stylishly named Pokemon X and Pokemon Y, they will be the first Pokemon games on the Nintendo 3DS. Pokemon Black and White 2 were still DS games that were playable on the 3DS thanks to its backwards compatibility. Pokemon X and Y will be the first Pokemon game to fully utilise the 3DS’ functions such as the circle pad, and the handheld’s upgraded graphical capabilities.
Along with the announcement was a brief visit over the past Pokemon games, followed by Iwata finally unveiling the new games. The game was revealed through a marvelous trailer showing the game running on the console. Another large note is that the games will be releasing worldwide in October this year.
The trailer revealed all that was needed to rile up the fans; the three starter Pokemon: Fennekin, Froakie, and Chespin, some of the new and returning Pokemon, the fully rendered environments and the Legendary Pokemon!!
You can watch the trailer below or alternatively scroll down further to see the screenshots.
So it’s that time of year again, first of all I would like to thank everyone who has used the site and supported us through the years. Without your support we wouldn’t be where we are right now. We have a bright future for Haruhichan and hope to make 2013 our best year so far.
I’m glad we’re able to help you 365 days a year by providing you with new anime releases, information and blog posts from reviews to rants. I plan to introduce a new blog theme early January 2013 and a few new features to the site. I hope you will stick with us for another year of awesomeness.
I hope you have had a great year filled with anime and joy. Let us celebrate and hope for a good 2013! Happy New Year! from Haruhichan team :).
Sword Art Online sure took us for one hell of a ride. I really enjoyed the series but there were also some problems with it. If VRMMOs (Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online) games were real they would be a huge hit provided no experiments are being performed on our brains :3 . The first of SAO was the most interesting, especially the first episode in which the players were warned about the true nature of the game. The plot was intense and the fact that the players would actually die made the story more interesting.
After that came Alheim Online, it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good either. AFO’s plot was severely rushed and many parts from the novel were either changed or removed. Ah almost forgot to mention that my overall favorite character was Yui. All in all SAO was a good series which well, in my opinion was made to move too fast. It should have had more episodes rather than sacrifice the storyline. I tried to make this post as spoiler free as possible for the reader who haven’t yet watched Sword Art Online.
My rating for Sword Art Online-
Plot: 8/10 (Should’ve been 10/10 if the story was not rushed.)
Animation: 9/10
Character Design and Artwork: 10/10
Music/SFX: 10/10
Overall Rating: 9/10
I guess that’s all the ranting I have for now. Please continue the discussion in the comments!
Let’s be honest here, 2012 was a brilliant year for anime. Tons of quality shows released this year that set the benchmark for years to come. It’s pretty hard coming up with a top ten list when there are just so many awesome shows to discuss, but I managed to sort the ones I likes the most. Well, here’s the year-in-review for 2012. Let’s start with number 10…
10.Daily Lives of Highschool Boys
Daily Lives of Highschool Boys (Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou) follows the lives of three best friends in their sophomore year of highschool, tracking their foolish little adventures and the predicaments of being a highschool student in an all-boys school. There is no plot, as it is a pure comedy/slice of life anime, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t involving, in fact, quite the opposite. This is easily one of the funniest shows of the year, and pretty much anyone can relate to the situations they are in. Animation is good, voice acting is enthusiastic, and the humor is pure gold. Divided into little skits per episode, this is a great show to just kick back and relax to for a quick laugh. I felt it definitely deserved a spot on my list, because of all the laughs it gave me, coupled with the fact that I could really relate to the characters.
9. Hyouka
Hyouka is the story of Oreki, a highschool student who is the kind of person to try and get away with doing as little as possible. A very detached sort of fellow. However, at the request of his older sister joins the Literature Club at his school. There he meets Chitanda Eru. A quiet, decent girl with irresistible violet eyes. The two, along with two other friends chance upon a mystery from generations ago that they then try to reveal. Though a work of Kyoto Animation, the show is a lot more mellow and drab compared to any of their other works. A lot more down to Earth, one could say. Generally a mystery/slice of life type show, though it is slow, the story is great, and well told. I enjoyed the plot enough that it deserved to be on the top ten list. Th change of pace is certainly nice, but it isn’t for everyone. Not a very thrilling show, save for a few episodes.
8. Btooom!
Btooom! is about online gaming champion Ryouta, who is a loser in real life, but in the world of popular video game; Btooom! – in which players use bombs to kill each other – he is one of the worlds most elite players. However, things get interesting for Ryouta when he suddenly wakes up on an island without his memory, only to discover that he is in a living, breathing version of his favorite game! He must battle to survive this twisted death game and discover what is happening. The story sounds very similar to the old Japanese film Battle Royale, but with a modern twist. Very interesting idea for a show to be made from this, and definitely an enjoyable, action-packed watch.
7. Kokoro Connect
Kokoro Connect is the story of five highschool students; the helpful Taichi, the happy-go-lucky Iori, the carefree Aoki, the shy Yui, and the strict Inaba. Each outcasts in their own right band together to form their own little club of misfits. However, relationships become strained as strange, supernatural occurrences begin taking place among the five. The show is definitely a very emotional one, combining funny scenes with heart-wrenching ones to produce a very emotionally gripping ride. You truly feel a connection with the characters by the end. The soundtrack and animation are both brilliant, and the story is one of the best ones this year. Though some things are left unexplained, a second season is rumored.
Animated by ViZ media, Another revolves around a highschool in which a popular girl died, many years ago. Sakakibara, a transfer student from Tokyo arrives at this school and sees an enigmatic, eyepatch wearing girl named Misaki often looming about and gains curiosity. What follows is a suspenseful, thrilling show, the likes of which hasn’t been done right since Serial Experiment Lain and Ergo Proxy. The visuals are beautiful, if not slightly creepy, but it makes for a very enjoyable watch. An eerie suspense show that is one of kind, this year.
5. Accel World
Taking place in the near future where a parallel virtual world exists, Accel World is about young boy Haru. In his school, Haru is among the least popular, and always bullied because of how short and fat he is. He often turns to the virtual world to escape his miserable life. But his life becomes a lot more exciting when the most popular girl in school befriends him and introduces him to the Accelerated World. This show not only has beautiful animation and depicts a world anyone would want to be a part of, but tells a good story with dynamic characters. Action sequences are stunning, and it remains interesting enough to watch through to the end. Definitely had to be among the best of the year.
4. Chuunibyou demo koi ga Shitai
Chuunibyou demo koi ga Shitai is a show about a boy named Yuuta who suffered from “8th-Grade-Syndrome”. He used to live in an imaginary world where would pretend to be the “Dark Flame Master” and go on little adventures in his mind, wearing costumes and playing with toys. Once he got to highschool, he decided to leave all that behind and live a normal life. However, that is when he meets Rikka. An eyepatch wearing girl who too lives in this imaginary world, and believes she possesses the power of the “Wicked Eye”. The show is a comedy for the most part, but as it progresses, reveals a much deeper, and emotional story that delves into Rikka’s past. Animated by Kyoto Animation, so we know it has to be good. Certainly a piece of gold.
3. Little Busters!
Little Busters! are what a group of children called themselves, their goal being to fight for justice and vanquish evil. Now several years later, this group of friends still hang out with each other, sharing adventures and being there for each other, both during good times and bad. A mixture of moe, comedy, and some drama. This Key Production is the closest thing of one of my all time favorites, Clannad. Definitely worth watching for fans of other Key shows. Beautiful animation, well developed multitude of various characters, excellent story arcs, and overall a very pleasant, memorable show, with both funny and tear-jerking segments. Coming from a long line of shows by my favorite production company, this had to go in the top three.
K takes place in the near future, revolves around the lazy, lying, carefree Yashiro, a highschool student in this unique world. Caught in a war between 7 kings with supernatural powers, the show is easily one of my top favorites of the year. The animation – by Viz Media – is absolutely breathtaking, with its vibrant colors and filters. The direction is stylized and classy, making the show a really memorable for generations to come. This show is certain to be in the same league as classics such as Cowboy Bebop. The setting is original, and aesthetically appealing, the characters, though many, are unique and well developed, the action segments are as brutal as they are wonderful, and the story is entertaining in its own right. A must watch for action fans. One of the best shonen shows of all time, in my opinion.
Sword Art Online is the name of a groundbreaking virtual reality massively multiplayer role playing game, in which players wear a helmet to be transported into the virtual world, where they fight monsters and level up various skills. However, things go awry when the creator disables the log out function leaving players stuck in the game, the only way to leave is to win – and if you die in the game, you die in real life. The story follows former Beta-player Kirito as he quests to escape this world, and the characters he meets along the way, including a girl named Asuna. This show is easily the most popular show of the year at least, if not all time. Smashing several records, being more popular than even long running shows such as Bleach and Naruto, as well as the protagonist Kirito winning the position as best main character in several anime magazines, SAO has amassed immense popularity. Animation is top notch, as well as characters and plot. In my opinion, and surely in the opinion of thousands of others, this is the best anime of 2012.
Well, I hope you liked my list. Bear in mind however, that this list is comprised of my own personal opinion of this years shows. What is your list? Do you agree with mine? Disagree? Let us know in the comment section and discuss this years shows!
Honorable mentions:
Black Rock Shooter
Highschool DxD (18+)
Girls und Panzer
Psycho Pass
Kore wa Zombie Desu ka?
Jormungand
Seitokai No Ichizon
Yuru Yuri
To Love-Ru
Fate/Zero
Gin Tama
Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai. (18+)
Tari Tari
Durarara!
Swaps4 Productions and Big Bang Studio are excited to unveil the highly anticipated launch of Melody's Melon Mania, featuring Projekt Melody! This captivating, free-to-play...
You probably shouldn’t have read that page.
How could a person not feel bad for her?
Cause Pocky reviews haven’t been done a million times already
Chocolate –
Milk Chocolate –
Strawberry –
Almond Crush –
Banana –
