The previous films of the Puella Magi Madoka Magica series summarized the plot of the anime's 12 episodes, but Rebellion is a completely new chapter continuing the adventures and misfortunes of the magical girls. With the series' reputation as one of the best anime series out there, will this new story live up to what came before?

Madoka Kaname and her three best friends, Sayaki Miki, Kyoko Sakura, and Mami Tomoe, are magical girls who fight creatures called Nightmares, that are grown from despair. One day, a new girl named Homura Akemi transfers into Madoka’s class, and they are shocked to see that she is also a magical girl. After a month of working together to destroy the Nightmares, Madoka and Homura become the best of friends, but Homura seems to be haunted by something.

The animation quality for Rebellion is done by studio Shaft, which also animated the original series. The studio is honorable to the source material, but also takes its own liberties when necessary. Character movement is flawless, and the fight scenes between magical girls are both creative and amazing. There is also plenty of metaphorical imagery later on in the film, represented by a blend of different artistic styles. This can sometimes be a headache for some people, but it also plays into the deeper meanings of the film.

The story is mostly solid, which comes as no surprise since the script was written by the series creator, Gen Urobuchi. At the beginning, it can feel confusing and disorienting, especially for fans of the series, and the third act feels as if it is drawn out for much longer than it needs to be. As soon as the film reaches its second act, everything becomes heightened. It is almost like the majority of this part of the film is one long action sequence, leaving small pockets to allow the audience to take in a breath or two. There is a turning point that brings a great climax of emotion, which leads to a conclusion that may confuse some fans of the series.

The reason it will be confusing is that it appears (at first) to go against qualities of certain characters, which have been well transferred from the series. Each character, despite being in a different situation, keeps the same attitude and character qualities. A new character, Bebe, is introduced as a companion to Mami. While Bebe definitely adds to the tension between the magical girls, there could have been a lot more done with her, especially since she is a reference to the events of the original series.

The true stand-out character is Homura, who is the central focus of the movie. Just as in the series, all of her actions are to keep Madoka safe, which is also her biggest flaw. When the crucial points begin to strike, the impact and her reactions are that much more devastating because of the amount of time the audience has spent with her.

The musical score, made by the original series' composer Yuki Kajiura, is also worth noting. Kajiura definitely understands how to capture the mood of a single moment and work with the audience’s emotions instead of forcing them out. It is those gentle moments, along with the more bombastic segments, that complements the strengths of a film such as this.

As a continuation of the story, many fans will agree that it is a true successor to the franchise. It carries the same amount of drama and tension as did the original material, and stays true to the characters. It didn’t feel like an extended episode, but an epic story that needed to be told in this format. Fan reactions may be varied due to how the ending is interpreted, not to mention how confusing many of the parts will be. Rebellion definitely needs a second viewing in order to understand everything that’s going on.

Despite pacing issues and some confusion regarding the plot, Rebellion is a solid film. While newcomers are going to be bewildered at certain parts, fans of the series will be happy to know that their favorite characters are well represented, even improved upon. It's definitely a serious contender for “Best Animated Film” come Oscar season, not only for its breath-taking visuals, but amazing storytelling, characters, and commitment to the overall theme.

Anime seems to be having an odd relationship when it comes to recapping a series. While the purpose for it is to remind fans of certain events that have happened, or even to bring in a new audience, it has its drawbacks. The reason why fans are so connected to a show is because of the time they invested with the world and the characters that live there. There are times where recapping the series helps by giving the story more focus, which seems to be what makes Sword Art Online: Extra Edition work.

Sword Art Online: Extra Edition is an OVA movie, which mostly recaps what happened during the 25-episode series. It is told from the view of various characters, but mostly from the main protagonist, Kazuto Kirigaya. At the same time, as a side story, the main girls from the series are trying to teach Suguha how to swim in real life so they can perform a quest in Alfeim Online.

While there is a nice side-story tacked on throughout, much of Extra Edition is recycled clips from the series, and not much exploration into those events. Judging the animation of the new material, there definitely isn’t too much to complain about. However, one of the strong points of the series were the beautiful fight sequences and how smoothly the characters  moved throughout. In the OVA, they didn’t show off any of those moments, and didn’t have anything spectacular for the side story.

Actually, a lot of Extra Edition’s features are recycled from the original series, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Another strength the show had was the music, done by Yuki Kajiura, and the OVA plays some of the best pieces that were used in the series. Mix that in with the opening and closing themes that were also featured in the series to play at crucial moments in the recap makes the story that much more exciting.

While the story is familiar to those who watched the original series, it definitely does feel a lot more focused. One of the biggest complaints of the series was the story and how it felt very forced, messy, and didn't seem to have a central angle. Due to the time constrictions of the OVA, it seems that they felt it important to mention the big plot points that happened in the series, and it was used to great effect. The story felt much more clear and natural, and getting the point of view from different characters was a nice touch. With the announcement of a second series on the way, it’s also a good starting point for those who haven’t watched the series at all.

While a lot of Sword Art Online: Extra Edition feels rather recycled from the original series, it does bring its own charm. It fixes a lot of the big issues that people complained about, such as the story having no focus. The side story of girls going to a pool in bathing suits, while feeling very tacked on, did help serve a purpose in the overall narrative (if only for a little bit). It’s definitely something that fans of the original series will eat up, causal viewers will enjoy, and a good launching point for newcomers.

If you have not heard about CosTrader and are always on the look for decent cosplay deals, this may be a site for you.  Whether you are looking for a full costume, props, wigs, or accessories, this eBay-like site may have what you're looking for.

CosTrader is much like Etsy, Craigslist or eBay, but you will only find cosplay items here. They offer a range of items for gamers and anime lovers with even some Dr. Who thrown in. 

Designers are able to open their own stores and sell their merchandise.  People can also go on and sell costumes that are slightly used and no longer needed.  Most of the pieces are handmade and sell at reasonable prices.  If you do not see what you are looking for, but like a designers style, you can contact them for a custom-made piece. 

For people like me CosTrader could be the difference between a kick-ass costume and a Halloween outfit.  Given time, it could even be “the” place for cosplay shopping.  

Check it out for yourself.

[via Geek.com]

Do you like lots of ass-kicking? Do you like lots of blood? Do you enjoy watching hot women  getting revenge? Then you'll probably love the new trailer from Samuel L. Jackson's new flick Kite.

Based on Yasuomi Umetsu's 1999 Japanese anime, Kite follows Sawa, an orphan determined to find and murder the men behind the death of her parents. 

Not exactly the most original idea from Japan but watch the clip and make up your own mind.

Exciting, thrilling, exhilarating or just another paycheck for big Sam?

When I first saw the trailer to Space Dandy I couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing. An anime directed by Shinichirô Watanabe (who also directed Cowboy Bebop, and Samurai Champloo, amongst many other spectacular pieces of animation) that would have its world wide release here in the States? Instant joygasm. Quite frankly, all I needed was that one trailer on Adult Swim, which totally rocked the Misfits’ song “I turned into a Martian,” to get me hooked. Then I waited, and when episode one hit the web, I watched it, and watched it again.

                                                                                      GIF by Zimfan/ reddit

I’ll be honest, after the first time through watching Space Dandy’s debut episode I was left a little underwhelmed. While the animation was stunning, and the tracks funkalicious, I still had an itch that just wasn’t scratched.  Chalk full of booby jokes, bikini sporting Hooters BooBies babes, and a nonsensical plot that was little more than unadulterated chaos pushing each scene, there was a part of me that just wanted more. Then I remembered that this show was a firecracker that had just been lit, and I was only just starting to ride on this psychedelic space funk rollercoaster. So I watched it again, and took Dandy’s advice. I went with the flow.

When I let go of the “expectations” I had built up, and simply let the waves of trippy aliens, dude monologues, and boobies wash over me, I found myself falling in love. The action was hot, the jokes titillating, and the tunes tasty. It made me realize that the team behind this Dandy dynamite knew exactly what they are doing, and I was a fool to doubt them. The episode is packed with little touches and big set pieces that really make it something else. Like when a giant red robot is freed from its stony prison and proceeds to smash a huge alien centipede thing with its metal fist, only to be swallowed up by a goop monster. Yeah, that’s Space Dandy.

                                                                             GIF by leasonthomas/ Tumblr

There are lines between our heroic trio of alien hunters that you might miss your first time through, bits of animation that are hidden in the glorious madness that dominates the screen. Especially in that ending sequence, where Dandy and Meow (who is a Beetlejuician, not a space cat but totally a space cat) are beamed down by the loveable, yet obsolete, robot, QT, to a planet exploding with giant alien monsters.  There is a galactic war going on, and an evil wig sporting space monkey that seems to be plotting against our heroes, but none of that really matters.

Space Dandy: Live With the Flow Baby is an unapologetic introduction that screams style and attitude. It is so busy with action and poking fun at anime that it may leave you overwhelmed at first, maybe even a bit confused as to what you just watched. But don’t harsh the vibes maaan, mellow out and try to go with the flow. You might just find yourself digging what Dandy dishes out. I know I did, and I’m definitely looking forward to what the next episode brings this Saturday, 1/11/14, on Adult Swim.

Last week I boarded the out of this world ride that is Space Dandy. It was a first episode that introduced us to the wildly colorful, breastaurant containing, downright craziness that made up this new show. At first, I did not know what to make of the episode I had just watched. It left me confused, bewildered, and just plain old lost. But, I came to love the out of control action that pushed the show. Now, after the bout of majestic madness that was episode one, we arrive at episode two: "The Search for the Phantom Space Ramen, Baby."

Considering just how crazy things got last week, I had no idea how things were going to play out this time around, especially with a title like "The Search for the Phantom Space Ramen." But as I learned from Dandy in our previous encounter, sometimes it is best to just go with the flow, instead of fighting the current. I let go of my expectations, and I was ready.

GIF by leasonthomas

Things start out with Dandy and crew, broke as they are, trying to earn some woolongs. That’s right folks, woolongs. In case you aren’t familiar with Cowboy Bebop (from the same director), that is the same form of currency Spike and his crew are constantly trying to get their bounty hunter hands on throughout the show. Whether it was a playful nod to the fans or a hint to something greater, I can’t really say, but it was a pretty cool revelation.

Like a cooking pot of ramen, the episode takes a while to heat up. But as the delicious broth starts cooking, brilliant tunes, one hell of a fight sequence, and visits to a series of comically themed ramen shops (Full Metal Noodle-est was my favorite) held me over. And when I say held me over, I mean kept me thoroughly entertained. From starving in the Aloha Oe,  the Gogol Empire hunting Dandy throughout the stars (with the help of Gogol Galaxy Street View) all the way to being sucked through a wormhole and spit out into another dimension. Timing is everything.  And this episode is cooked to perfection.

GIF by leasonthomas

Busy with action and humor throughout its body, the episode concludes with a somewhat somber finish, dazzling the audience throughout with gorgeous animation. The end sequence, though slow, has some of the best looking scenes in the show so far, and even though it’s only at episode two, that is certainly saying something.

Where episode one left me wondering and lost after my first time through, "The Search for the Phantom Space Ramen" has made things clear. Space Dandy isn’t just another anime full of half-naked, big breasted women who jiggle like Jell-O, and a hero who is impervious to death and danger, overcoming the most impossible of odds. Well okay, it's that too, but it's also more than that. It is an experiment. Raw talent and vision just going as far as it can go, baby. Or maybe that's just me and I’m getting too into this show. Nevertheless, episode two is pretty sweet. 

The game we have all been waiting for is here:  have you ever wanted to fight as Goku against Ichigo, or Luffy against Naturo?  If you said yes, your chance will soon be here with J-Stars Victory Vs.

As part of Shonen Jump's 45th anniversary, Namco Bandai is set to release a new fighting game along the lines of Marvel Vs. Capcom, with one great and awesome difference:  In J-Stars Victory Vs., you will be able to jump onto the battlefield as your favorite Shonen Jump character and fight a variety of other characters in the Shonen Jump world. 

Here's just a few of the included characters: Goku from Dragon Ball Z, Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach, Luffy from One Piece, Naruto from Naruto (that seemed a bit redundant), and Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshin, but that is just the beginning. 

Check out the video below for a preview of the game, featuring a flurry of dream-team match-ups.  Just think; once you have the game, the possibilities are all yours, for hours upon hours of entertainment . . . 

J-Stars Victory Vs is set to be released on March 19 in Japan and will be available for the PS3 and PS Vita.  

Episode three hit the air this weekend, and it did not disappoint. Space Dandy delivered more of the strange spectacle that was introduced to us in episode one, only this time, there are boobies.  Alright, I know, there were boobies in the last two episodes too. Lots of them. And there will probably be boobies in the next episode too. After all, its Dandy’s mission in life to visit every Boobies in the galaxy, remember? But there probably won’t be anything in Boobies like these boobies. Oh, and there are giant monster aliens too. And maybe a super robot.

Broke and out of food, yet again, Dandy sets out on a quest for a free lunch. How, you ask, will he acquire said meal? Well, with his hologram Boobies point card of course, a reward for his leal patronage. The only problem is the card expires at the end of the day, and according to QT, that fount of lovable robot wisdom, they have two hours to reach their destination. Forced into a corner, Dandy does what Dandy has to do. He activates the broken warp drive.

GIF byZimfan/ Reddit

Next thing you know, the Aloha Oe crashes into a mysterious planet, with no life forms to be found. At least, according to QT’s scanners and unreadable paper print out. Not one to be deterred, Dandy sets out to find his Boobies, and ends up saving some mysterious space babe by the name of Mamitas (slang for hot women in Spanish, but literally translating to small mothers) from a swarm of some pretty nasty nasties. The Gogol Empire makes an appearance too, but who cares about those guys, am I right?

Then, all hell breaks loose. The nasty nasties, called Rageians, end up being not so nasty,  trying to warn Dandy of his impending doom. Then Mamitas turns out to be a giant boobie monster that devours everything, and ends up eating Meow. That’s right. A giant boobie monster eats Meow. But lucky for him, “Space Dandy doesn’t abandon his friends!” Enter, Hawaii Yankee, Space Dandy’s pompadour sporting, Hawaiian shirt wearing super robot.  And as it turns out, Dandy is a pretty ace pilot, managing to actually land a shot and hold his own against the Deathgarian (boobie monster), and eventually, with the help of some luck, defeating it.

So, what started out as a quest for a free lunch ends up turning into Dandy’s first time successfully registering a new alien, and earning some cold hard cash. “But what happened to Meow?” you might be asking yourselves. I have no effing clue. But hey! They all survived a supernova, and flying through space without a helmet, so I’m pretty sure we have nothing to worry about (I mean, they just added Meow to the title sequence!).

GIF by leasonthomas/Tumblr

Now there is one thing that has been bugging me as of late, but allow me to elaborate.

I’ve read in a few episode discussions for “Occasionally Even the Deceiver is Deceived, Baby” and apparently people are feeling very put off by the shows overabundance of “fanservice” and its general lack of plot. Sentiments like “I have to make sure all of my roommates are asleep before I watch each episode,” and “Ok, we get it there is a restaurant called Boobies, enough with the boobies,” seem to be pretty frequent among anime fans. Along with “This show is not serious enough, it’s not Cowboy Bebop,” and “Still waiting for the plot to kick in.” Well, let’s talk about that.

Yes, the show is loaded to the brim with ginormous chesticles - this episode in particular - and scantily clad waitresses. Oh yeah, and freaking breastaurants. Obviously, Bones studio is just full of perverted mofos who have no shame in their over the top booby filled animations, right? Or maybe, just maybe, there is something else going on here. Brace yourself, baby. Mammoth sized mamos and revealing outfits are par for the course when it comes to anime, and I get the gripe so many people seem to have with that. Believe it or not, I find the overabundance of breasts and teenage level eroticism in anime off putting. A tired, lazy and overused attempt to make female characters sexy, so all the little boys and grown ass men around the world will watch your show. The kicker here is that there is no façade hiding the outrageous fanservice, Dandy’s animation crew don’t give two shits about “subtlety."  And quite frankly, I applaud them for it.

GIF by megazarak/Tumblr

Space Dandy is a satire. It is a comedy that at no point in its three episodes (so far) wanted to be taken seriously (asides from its animation quality, that shit is the bee’s knees). It’s not trying to be the next Cowboy Bebop, I mean, why the hell would it? Shinichirô Watanabe already played that noise, spectacularly I might add, and now he wants to bust out something with a little more funk to it.

I get it; it’s hard to consider something satire when it just does more of the same, and Dandy definitely lays down a heavy dose of typical fanservice. But notice, how the girls who fit the typical anime mold usually work at Boobies, you know, kind of like Hooter’s girls? Meanwhile, the only female character that I consider sexy is Scarlet, the no nonsense, ass kicking, glasses wearing, agent who checks all of Dandy’s alien finds. I think the crew at Bones studio is just having fun with this series, paying homage to animes of old, while poking a whole lot of fun at them and the people who obsess over them.

Maybe, now I know this is a long shot, but just maybe, Space Dandy isn’t about the typical anime srs business "les sayv the world guis" storyline. Maybe, now stay with me, it’s more about the fantastic animation quality, the brilliant voice acting, the music, and the actual craft of making a damn good piece of animation. Oh, and knowing how to laugh at yourself and not taking yourself, or what you do, too seriously.

The love behind this series really shows, in each and every episode, boobstorm and all. Sure, things get a little awkward at times, and there is not a shred of sense in the twenty two minutes and thirty six seconds of each episode. But when the music starts pumping, and the animation gets going, the boobies are soon forgotten, and the real show begins. Yes, there are a lot of boobies, an embarrassing amount of boobies, but there is also a lot of other stuff. Some really freaking good stuff. That’s why I’ll keep on watching. After all, when you love something, you have to take the good with the bad, right?

Then again, that’s just my take. If you disagree, then that’s cool. Let’s talk; there is a comment section below. 

Dreamworks has recruited Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders to helm the live-action movie adaptation of the much beloved Ghost In The Shell manga/anime. The film has been a personal passion for legendary director Steven Spielberg, who convinced Dreamworks to acquire the movie rights in 2008.

If the name Rupert Sanders sound familiar, it’s because he made gossip headlines in 2012 for his affair with Snow White and the Huntsman star Kristen Stewart.

That being said, the actual film was widely praised for its impressive visuals, an important factor for Ghost In The Shell, which takes place in a futuristic Japan. The original Ghost In The Shellanimated film was released in 1995.

[via Deadline]

Anime crosses over to the auto world in this new Subaru commercial, featuring the giant nude antagonists from Attack on Titan. After seeing just a few commercials out of Japan lately, this one should not surprise you.

The 30-second ad features live-action Titans going up against the new Subaru Forester.  Director Shinji Higuchi, who helmed the 2006 disaster flick Sinking of Japan, worked on the Subaru collaboration and may be showing us how the Titans will look in the movie adaptation slated for release next year.

In a nod to the series'"3D maneuver gear," the Forester is being promoted as an “omnidirectional SUV against attacks”.  I do love the idea of a vehicle that can go anywhere and handle any condition, but will there ever be a time that we face a Titan attack?  I think not, but let us not think about that. It is still a great way to promote a vehicle that is known for its all-wheel drive capabilities.

Watch below and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Viz Media and Eleven Arts have announced that Tiger & Bunny The Movie: The Rising will get a theatrical release in March. Viz Media and Eleven Arts have announced that Tiger & Bunny The Movie: The Rising will get a theatrical release in March. 

The film, the second in the series, will premiere in Japan later this month. Its US debut has been scheduled for March 15 for 20 cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, and more.

Tickets will be priced at $15 each, and will include a free 12" x 18" cardstock movie poster and exclusive movie clear file.

You can find a full list of screening and theatre locations here: http://www.elevenarts.net/th_gallery/tigerandbunny-therising/

In TIGER & BUNNY THE MOVIE: THE RISING, the heroes are back in an all-new feature-length film! Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, a.k.a. Wild Tiger, and Barnaby Brooks Jr.'s partnership comes to a sudden end when Apollon Media's new owner Mark Schneider fires Kotetsu and moves Barnaby back into the First League, pairing him up with Golden Ryan, a new hero with awesome powers and a huge ego to match. When the heroes are sent to investigate a string of strange incidents tied closely to the city's Goddess Legend, they discover three superpowered NEXTs plotting to bring terror and destruction to Stern Bild.