Category: Cartoons

NY Anime Festival & Comic Con 2010: Exhibitors Hall

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The exhibitors hall is the biggest draw of most big time media conventions housing all types of companies from comics to video games to anime to novels with money to burn and products to promote to the eager masses that pass their way as well as a hodgepodge of comic, anime, and merchandise dealers hocking their wares. Most attendees spend a good portion of their time trolling around this section picking up free swag, playing the latest games, and finding deals. In my early con days, I too rarely went outside of such an area. NYCC really did it up big this year and it left an impression no doubt.

hisuiconYou can always tell how healthy an industry is by how vibrant their booths are. With a few exceptions the companies that are flush with cash will have lavish booths with fantastic giveaways. So while the anime and manga companies mostly had simple booths with a few (if any) giveaways on the other end of the spectrum the video game companies had gargantuan affairs with giveaways galore. The NYCC reminded of my times of going to technology expos like PC Expo were the exhibitors hall is the entire convention and 80% of the reason people go is to get freebies. Theoretically the other 20% of the time you were looking for hardware and software for your home and office but the second free t-shirts came out you wonder if 20% was being generous. But if you were not in the mood to go a panel or a screening there was plenty to do in the exhibitors hall especially if you wanted to go home with a few treats.

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Ongoing Investigations: Case #101

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hisuiconThe problem with webcomics is that if they have been running for a few years reading the back archives to catch up to the present can be insanely daunting. But if you start reading a good webcomic you will quickly notice a week has disappeared and you now have something new to read every week. One web comic that several people repeatedly told me I NEEDED to read is Girl Genius by Phil and Kaja Foglio. The series is a steampunk (I’m sorry gaslamp fantasy) adventure set in a war-torn Europe in which superpower mad scientists battle amongst themselves. Agatha Clay starts out as an average student at Transylvania Polygnostic University but after an eventful morning soon finds her awaking as a spark (aka a mad scientist) and embroiled in a madcap adventure all across Europe involving airships, a mysterious traveling circus, amazons, abominations (both living and mechanical), and everything and anything that makes for good swashbuckling adventure. The art is incredibility dense. There is always something going on in the foreground and usually at least 2 things going on in the background while never being cluttered. This distinctly rewards you for going back and reading chapters again. The story start off strong and only proceeds to pick up steam as it goes on and thankfully has been plotted out in advance. It has a large and extremely colorful cast and someone for almost anyone to latch onto. It is basically good in all the way that a webcomic could be good. I would have broken this review into smaller chunks but I read 9 years worth of comics in 1 week because it was so addictive. There are now 9 books of the collected series if you want to catch up offline. I might go back and review the books individually as I pick them up but I mainly just suggest you go and read any way you can.

I eagerly checked out the new Cartoon Network show Sym-Bionic Titan (eps. 1-2). It warms my heart to see more giant robot goodness this side of the Pacific. The series follows 3 aliens, strong-willed Princess Ilana, her newly appointed guardian the brooding Lance, and the faithful robot Octus who come to Earth fleeing a rebellion on their home planet. Ilana and Lance have the ability to transform into armored robots and they quickly find out that they along with Octus can combine. Of course monsters coming looking for them as they try to hide out, blend into Earth culture, and figure out the next step. There is plenty of action in the first episode, a little less in the second, but each has a good pace. The show takes little jibes at American culture, high school is all you can imagine, and it is amusing to watch our heroes try to adapt. I do hope to see Ilana be less rescued as the series continues. There is already some great plots arising as we learn about their home planet as well as an organization on Earth that already seems to know about our heroes. Great potential, great design, and great to see!

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Ongoing Investigations: Case #098

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I decided to rewatch Avatar: The Last Airbender S1 which I saw during its original TV run, but through circumstances never was able to catch the rest of the series. Since that was so long ago I thought I would refresh my memory before tackling the rest. I stay impressed by what I remembered from it, there is a good flow in the pacing from episode to episode and the weaving of the story is done thoughtfully. Aang, Katara, and Sokka play off each other using their strengths from natural ability to caution making the journey memorable and deeply felt. I also really enjoyed how they were able to give you backstories within an episode without taking you out of the moment, this happens most notable when Zuko’s uncle tells the story of Zuko’s past to his crew which also cemented him as my favorite, my soft spot for redemption seeking characters continues. Speaking of Uncle, the cast of antagonists are well realized, easily becoming some of the more complex on canvas, creating a large world scope but never forgetting to stay true to the main heroes. The balance of action, danger, mystery, and humor solidifies why this show is addictive. And the ending of the season is magnificent, closing out the first part with enough to feel satisfied but make you desperate to see where it will all lead.

hisuiconThis week is a week of me finishing of some decent length titles. Slayers Evolution- R is really just the 2nd half of Slayer Revolution. This is obvious in the fact that it keeps the alphabetical naming scheme that the last season did. The season begins right were they left of still trying to revive Pokota’s kingdom which requires them to find the Hellmaster’s jar with Rezo’s soul. The first few episodes have them find a woman whose soul is living suit of armor with amnesia named Nama. She is obviously supposed to be Naga the Serpent but they keep up the running gag of never having Naga meet any of the regular Slayers cast. We have the end of Zuuma’s plot line, the resurrection of Rezo, and a rematch between Lina and Ruby Eye Shabranigdu. Overall it kept up the same good will that the last season did. It still was never a good as the first two seasons but I did enjoy myself immensely. I found it interesting that both Revolution and Evolution- R  go back and tweak stories from the novels that the last seasons of Slayers skipped for one reason or another. I wonder how well these two season did because there is still some novels that have yet to be adapted so I would be tickled pink to see some of the later books be adapted into anime as well. Continue reading →