Viewing Room 2009!

It's time again to either offer suggestions or offer up your collection to be used in the two viewing rooms we have got going on. The second is more for the Banzai staff who don't mind us using your DVDs and we know you'll be around to give them to us come convention time.

But just suggestions are good, too. We may be able to dig them up and add them to the list.

EDIT:
I'm posting last year's viewing schedule. I'd really like us not to show any of the same titles twice in a row if we can help it.

Hare+Guu
Animation Runner Kuromi
Magic Users Club OVA
Eureka Seven
My Hime
Kanon (2006)
Utawarerumono
Denno Coil
Neoin
Gurren Lagann
Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
Nana (Live action movie)
Paradise Kiss
Gravatation
Saint Seiya
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
Irresponsible Captain Tylor (TV?)
They were 11
Negadon: The Monster from Mars
Giant Robo
Haibane Renmei
Hikaru No Go
The Third: The Girl with the Blue Eye
Emma: A Victorian Romance
Robot Carnival
Eternal Family
Trava- Fist Planet
Potemayo
Animation Runner Korumi 2
Kamichu!
Tokyo Marble Chocolate
Lucky Star
Clamp double feature: Tsubasa and xxxHOlic
Macross Frontier
xxxHOLiC
Story of the Saiunkoku
Toward the Terra
Ergo Proxy
Le Chevalier D'Eon
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo
Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl
Slayers Next
Revolutionary Girl Utena
Fantastic Children
Fighting Spirit
Mighty Space Miners
Shura no Toki: The Age of Chaos
Twelve Kingdoms
Yokohama Shopping Log
Princess Arete
Mushishi
Now and Then, Here and there
Di Gi Charat
Genshiken

Some suggestions based on stuff I still have, and yes it is the legal copies. Don't have much of what would consider 'newer' stuff, don't have the budget for it.

Arjuna
.hack//sign
Please Teacher
Naruto (First few box sets)
Legend of Himiko
Final Fantasy Unlimited

I have more, but I can't remember most of them...

Might I also suggest making a list of what can't really be shown? (Other than the hentai/puppy/kitty)

Sailor Moon R movie!

Great, I've been waiting for this thread to pop up.

Last year, there were a few titles I really wanted to program but couldn't because they weren't out yet or there were issues getting permission.

Ouran High School Host Club finally came out on DVD in the states the Tuesday after Anime Banzai! We were just three days shy of getting this one. I was hoping Funimation would send us a screener copy, but some wires got crossed when I was trying to get that request across and it didn't end up happening. But that just means it's something we can do this year!

The first volume of Darker Than Black came out a few weeks after the convention. This is a really great action series from Studio Bones, with low-powered super heroes that have OCD tendencies. Winning combination!

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit was one of more impressive anime from 2007, and the first volume got released December of last year. I also believe that it has played on and off again on Adult Swim. Very classy show about a woman warrior named Balsa who becomes a bodyguard for a fugitive prince. It's based off a series off fantasy novels that take place in a setting vaguely reminiscent of ancient Korea.

There were also some ADV titles that I wanted to show, but couldn't get permission for, probably due to the ADV-Sojitz debacle last year.

Kurau - Phantom Memory is one of them. This often overlooked gem, is another work from Studio Bones that I like alot. ADV lost this title and Funimation has it now.

We're long over due for a Makoto Shinkai anime. I wanted to show his newest work 5 Centimeters Per Second, which runs at about a hour. Really glorious looking. ADV said they couldn't give permission, but I don't think they hold the license anymore.

Moving on...

It's no secret that shounen action series, like Dragon Ball, Naruto, Bleach, etc have always done really well over here. And so Hunter X Hunter's absence has always seemed rather puzzling. It was a big hit in Japan, the fansubs had a large following, and it's from the mangaka responsible for YuYu Hakusho. About six months ago Viz finally set about rectifying this problem and has been releasing the show in tidy little boxsets. This may not be a brand spanking new show, but its official North American home video release is new, and cause for celebration if you're a fan.

Last time I checked, Ai Yazawa's Nana was the most popular shoujo series in Japan. I showed the first live action movie last year, and it may be worthwhile to do the second live movie this year. However Viz is finally releasing the anime series later this year (09/08/09) and while I consider myself a fan of the live action movies, the anime series is miles better.

Along with Nana, Viz has been sitting on two other series that Tia and I have been eagerly anticipating: Monster (:wub:) and Honey & Clover. No release dates for those two shows yet, but recently Viz announced their intentions to release all three series soon, so hopefully the other two won't be far behind Nana.

Later this year Funimation is putting out a DVD called "Fullmetal Alchemist: Premium OVA Collection." Its a collection of shorts that were created during the first Fullmetal Alchemist series, and apparently there's a chibi one that's suppose to be really cute and funny. Here's a trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uob1AWD5kIU

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children was released on Blu-Ray last week. As if finally getting to seeing poor sad emo Cloud in hi-def wasn't enough, apparently Square went through the trouble of producing an additional 30 minutes for this release, so now you get more of him! Yay... ? :huh:

While we're on the subject of anime on Blu-Ray...

Mamoru Oshii, one of Japan's most celebrated anime directors, and Production IG came out with an anime movie last year called The Sky Crawlers. And it was just released over here on DVD/Blu-Ray. Based on a series of lights novels, it's about a war fought by kildren, who are genetically-engineered pilots that don't age, can't grow up and are perpetually about 16 years old. It may not be as flashy or bombastic as the original Ghost in the Shell movie, but I certainly liked it much more then Innocence, his last anime movie. It's a good choice if we want to try and work in some more sophisticated fair.

Next week Sword of the Stranger comes out on DVD/Blu-Ray. This movie rocks! Ass kicking samurai getting rude, crude, and pokey stabby. As if there was any doubt before, with this movie Studio Bones cements their reputation as Japan's premier production house for creating thrilling and exciting action animation.

It's a very bloody movie, truth be told probably on par with the likes of Ninja Scroll, however unlike that movie the violence in Stranger doesn't feel gratuitous. This isn't a movie that could be shown with the current family friendly restriction in place, but it's a pretty compelling reason to reconsider said restriction.

Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone is licensed by Funimation, who are planning to release it on both DVD and Blu-Ray, but no release date has been set yet. This is also a bit gory in places.

Okay two movies not on Blu-Ray, from the fansub front-

I've often said that Summer Days with Coo is my favorite anime movie of 2007. The story is about a young Kappa (which are small humanoid turtle like creatures from Japanese mythology) from the Edo period that was buried alive and found sealed in a rock 200 years later by a boy named Koichi.

It's a little bit Pom Poko, and a little bit E.T., and I don't make those comparisons lightly, it can stand shoulder to shoulder with both of those movies. While it is a family movie, keep in mind that it's a Japanese film, and a very intelligent one at that, so it's a very different beast then your typical Disney cartoon cheese. It's thematically rich, very touching, and doesn't speak down to its audience.

Genius Party Beyond is 2008 anthology film from Studio 4°C. It's a bit similar to The Animatrix and Robot Carnival. I love this type of thing. Anthology works like this are really great at showing the versatile possibilities of anime. I'm a big fan of the guys over at Studio 4c (I did a fan panel on them in 2007 after all), but it's not blind devotion, when they turn out a dud, I call them on it. The first Genius Party film from 2006 had some wonderful bits, but overall I felt it was a weak compilation. Genius Party Beyond is a much stronger work. Don't settle for mediocrity; expand your mind, Genius Party Beyond!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1A6wMf0x8w

Okay I'll keep it bit shorter from here on.

Here's a list of highly anticipated shows that were licensed last year and may see release between now and the convention:

* Soul Eater - I love this show. The next big thing in shounen action shows? (Funimation)
* Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - The new reboot of FMA (Funimation)
* Slayers Revolution - New season of Slayers that started up last year(Funimation)
Keroro Gunsou / Sgt. Frog (Funimation)

I don't watch fansubs as much as I use to, but I hang out with alot of anime nerds that consume an alarming amount of the new stuff, and I have sampled many of the most talked about shows from the past year and a half. So here's a list of the coolest, hip new shows that have been fasubbed and aren't currently licensed that I'm aware of:

* Eden of the East
* Michiko to Hatchin
* Toradora!
* Casshern Sins
* Ride Back
* Tetsuwan Birdy Decode
* Basquash!
* Moyashimon
* K-On!
* Kurenai
* Cross Game
* Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya
* Kannagi
* Sengoku Basara

Okay Eric out.

GEEZE Eric, gonna single-handedly fill up the playlist? LOL.

Seconding Soul Eater!

Eric suggested most of the titles I thought of and a whooooole lot more. Eden of the East is awesome, and as skeptical as I was that Advent Children Complete would be better than Advent Children's original release, the extra footage actually made the whole movie make a lot more sense (and the extra blood made me happy too I'll admit...).

Also a fan of Kuroshi-tsuji. (there isn't really a hyphen in it, but banzai forums will edit me if i write it the correct way) The Anime isn't terribly great about keeping to the original story, but the first couple episodes are pretty good.

07 Ghost is I think another new series, though i can't remember who is releasing it. It looks promising, though i've only seen a few eps.

Also, Dogs: Bullets and Carnage OVAS 1 through 4 will be out by banzai. The first two are out now and while the manga is really graphic, the ovas are watered down enough to be around pg-13. Nice animation, fun/dark story, and interesting characters.

Eric got a lot of the ones that I would of suggested. I would also add in a couple other things if we do fansubs though:

Nodame Contabele

Darker than Black

Not sure if I missed either of those. THe first is good since it is a pretty descent jou-sei anime and manga that might show a nice bredth of audience. Darker than Balck is just neat awesome and win.

And stuff.

Shows I do not own, but I would like us to show if we can:

Basquash
Toradora
Red Garden
That cool monster show we saw at club with the girl who had kanji on her motorcycle wheels and people were dying all over the place. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

Anime that I own:

ArgentoSoma
Full Metal Panic: Fumoffu
Fushigi Yugi OVA
Generator Gawl (Must be watched in English!)
Martian Succesor Nadesico (Same, English)
Petite Princess Yucie
Pretear
Scrapped Princess
School Rumble
Gungrave
Ronin Warriors
Saiyuki (TV and Movie)(English)
sCRYed
Soul Hunter
Fruits Basket
Please Save My Earth
Those Who Hunt Elves (English)
Yugo the Negotiator
Trouble chocolate (English)
New Kimagure Orange Road: Summer's Beginning (movie)
Here is Greenwood
Girl who Lept Through Time (Movie)
Strange Dawn
Tokyo Babylon
Millennium Actress (movie)

MoNoNoKe. We would have to show at least the first three episodes. Btw this isn`t Princess Mononoke

Hellsing Ultimate V should make an appearance...I know it's not been released in English yet, but I do keep my fingers crossed it'll field before September. Still, it wasn't half bad in Japanese...but I'm dying to hear it dubbed.

It's Ga-Rei: Zero http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encycloped...me.php?id=10052

Darker Than Black is out on dvd here.. most of it, anyway.. wha?

Evangelion Redeath redux it is the funniest thing you will ever see

5 Centimeters Per Second
The Girl Who Leap Through Time
K-On!
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 2
Evangelion, but that's probably not possible due to the gore.
School Rumble
Soul Eater
Bleach: Diamond Dust Rebellion
Code Geass
Clannad
Kannagi
Toradora
Ef - A Tale of Memories
Hayate the Combat Butler
Lucky Star OVA
Macross Frontier
Nabari no Ou
Maria+Holic, very similar to Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
True Tears
To Aru Majutsu no Index
Vampire Knight
The Familiar of Zero/Zero no Tsukaima

Soul eater would be great to have :D It's very good and funnyXD