We are not going away, but becoming the more unified J1 Studios that we're supposed to be.

We are not going away, but becoming the more unified J1 Studios that were supposed to be. In the next coming weeks this blog will be moving over to the new home for all J1 Studios sections. There's good news and there's bad news. The bad news is that we won't have our specific section names. The good news is that what we post will stay the same quality if not better, and we will be able to post more often than specific times a week, so that way you can come back at any time and find more and more news and reviews. We will also truly be under one roof. If you are looking for a specific subject when you get there, you can use our new search bar, or our Categories section on the right. Thank you for your cooperation. Come see us at www.j1studios.com

Transformers: Rescue Bots Preview

Nearly thirty years ago, we were introduced to shape-shifting robots from a distant planet who travel to Earth. Over the years, Transformers has generated a large fan base through several TV series, a trilogy of blockbuster movies, and is Hasbro’s most successful toy line.

Transformers: Rescue Bots is the latest chapter in the Transformers’ universe. It centers on four Autobots who travel to Earth to meet Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen). Optimus assigns the Rescue Bots to assist a family of heroes in a high-tech town. Unlike previous series including Transformers Prime, which has a darker tone, Rescue Bots is geared for younger viewers. Follow the adventures of Chase, Boulder, Heat Wave and Blades as they protect our planet. Transformers: Rescue Bots airs Saturdays 9:30am EST on the Hub.

http://www.hubworld.com/watch/1539270895001/transformers-rescue-bots-meet-the-rescue-bots-promo

Cartoon Network wants YOU to bring back Toonami!

Toonami was Cartoon Network’s hot spot for action cartoons. It first aired on March 17, 1997 and its final broadcast was on September 20, 2008. On April Fools’ Day 2012, Cartoon Network ran Toonami starting with a new episode of Bleach followed by a trip down memory lane airing anime classics such as Dragon Ball Z, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki, Outlaw Star, The Big O season 1, YuYu Hakusho, Blue Submarine No. 6, Trigun, Astro Boy, and Gigantor. Afterward, Cartoon Network posted on Twitter "Want it back? Let us know. #BringBackToonami." On April 4, Adult Swim followed up this tweet with one stating, "#BringBackToonami We've heard you. Thank you for your passion and interest - stay tuned." What this means is anyone’s guess.

However, on a side note, Cartoon Network is running its old block Cartoon Planet, which features its old original programing from 1996-2008 in celebration of its 20th anniversary. The returning lineup includes Dexter’s Laboratory, Chowder, Powerpuff Girls, and more. They officially re-aired on April 6, 2012. The shows that recently held that spot have been moved to Saturday morning.

Rosario+Vampire Review

Rosario+Vampire Review


When I first picked up the manga Rosario+Vampire, I was immediately drawn to the story. It opened up a supernatural world that was different from what I've seen in other books and movies. After seeing adult monsters, what were their teenage years like? Akihisa Ikeda's manga helped with that answer.

Rosario+Vampire is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akihisa Ikeda that tells the story of Tsukune Aono, a human high school student who is accidently sent to Yokai Academy. He quickly finds out that it's a school for monsters! Worse yet, any human who sees it is killed on sight. One his first day there, Tsukune has a run in with Moka Akashiya, a beautiful vampire who quickly befriends him after sucking his blood. As the story goes on Tsukune meets other supernatural creatures including a succubus, a snow fairy, witches and a werewolf. Being the only human in a school full of monsters makes it hard for Tsukune to fit in, but with the help of his friends, he doesn't have to worry about being alone.

I've watched the anime in Japanese and enjoyed it just as much as the manga. The characters in the anime matched the personalities that Akihisa Ikeda wrote in his books for them. I couldn't wait for it to be dubbed in English. The aforementioned company is well-known for releasing anime favorites such as Soul Eater, One Piece, Sekirei, Hell Girl, Fullmetal Alchemist, and the Dragon Ball sagas. When it comes to picking the right actors for dubbing, Funimation doesn't disappoint.
Alexis Tipton voices Moka Akashiya, the beautiful vampire who befriends Tsukune Aono on their first day at Yokai Academy. She does a wonderful job of bringing out Moka's kind-hearted nature with a soft spoken voice similar to Orihime from Bleach. Reading the manga, this was the voice that makes sense to read her lines: a warm kind personality such as hers deserved an actress to match. Alexis' best known roles include Mizuki Himeji in Baka and Test, Emi Kizaki in Linebarrels of Iron, Musubi in Sekirei, Black Butler's Queen Victoria (Young), Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos- Julia Crichton.

Moka's vampire or "Inner" self is voiced by Colleen Smith Clinkenbeard. She has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films and series, most notably, Monkey D. Luffy in One Piece. Most of the characters Colleen voiced are usually high voiced and excited characters like Luffy or Matsu, so it was interesting to hear her express the darker demeanor of Moka's prideful vampire self.

In the Japanese version of the anime, Moka's voice actress is Nana Mizuki, who is also responsible for performing the theme songs for both anime seasons.
Todd Michael Haberkorn voices Yokai Academy's lone human Tsukune Aono. I imagined Tsukune awkward and nervous in this unique twist on the classic high school coming-of-age story. Not only does he have to keep his grades up but he also has to contend with keeping the fact that he is human secret from the monstrous students of Yokai Academy. However Tsukune's biggest problem is keeping the cute girls who have taken a liking to him from killing each other.
Todd's voice acting with Tsukune is very entertaining especially with the situations that the character is thrust into. His other roles include Hell Girl - Ren Ichimoku, Sekirei - Hayato Mikogami, Soul Eater - Death the Kid, and Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition - Yun.

Moka isn't the only girl infatuated with Tsukune, however. Our hapless human soon has a run-in with Kurumu Kurono, a cute and busty succubus who seduces Tsukune to get back at Moka for ruining her plan to turn all the male students into her personal harem. At first, Kurumu is spiteful and conceded but soon changes her ways when Tsukune saves her from Inner Moka. Since then she has chosen Tsukune as her "mate of fate."
Brina Michelle Palencia is the voice behind Yokai’s seductive succubus. Given her other roles (Dragon Ball Z Kai - Chiaotzu, Puar Hell Girl - Ai Enma, Sekirei - Yukari Sahashi) it was no surprise that she would bring out the arrogant, spiteful personality edge in Moka, as well as her ability to be gentle and caring.

Yukari Sendo is a young witch who was skipped a couple grades because of her high intellect. She tormented and played pranks on Tsukune and other students using her magic. It wasn’t until Tsukune came to understand her loneliness that Yukari atoned for her pranks and joins the group.
The young impetuous witch is voiced by Monica Jean Rial (Dragon Ball Z Kai - Bulma, Sekirei - Miya Asama, Soul Eater - Tsubaki Nakatsukasa). Some of the characters Monica plays are just excitable as Yukari so her performance works well.

With a love sick succubus, a wily witch and the school’s hottest vampire hooked on his blood, what else could happen in Tsukune’s school life. How about that chilling feeling of constantly being watched? Mizore Shirayukiis a snow fairy who has developed a crush on Tsukune through the articles he writes for the school paper. After a fashion, Tsukune befriends the shy snow fairy.
Tia Lynn Ballard puts the icy chill in Mizore’s soft spoken voice. Other roles include Sekirei – Kusano and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Xiao Mei. Mizore’s quiet cool demeanor is brought out nicely by Tia.

Since attending Yokai Academy, Tsukune has longed for the chance to return to the human world. His chance comes during spring break when the Newspaper Club gets an assignment to write about the human world. There, he and his friends meet a witch named Ruby Tojo. After a confrontation, she makes a return appearance to help the Newspaper Club when they get in trouble.
The eccentric Ruby is voiced wonderfully by Leah Clark who has also voiced Sekirei - Homura, Soul Eater - Blair, and One Piece - Coby, Paula, Pukau (young), and Wyper (young).
Ginei Morioka is a second year student at Yokai Academy and Chief Editor of the Newspaper Club. He is a shameless peeping tom. Though his affections lie with Moka, he has no second thoughts about trying to impress other girls.

Ian Sinclair is a joy providing Gin’s smooth-talking, womanizing personality. He has also voiced for Bamboo Blade - Toraji Ishida, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Liam, and One Piece - Ian.
Akihisa Ikeda has created some interestingly entertaining characters in Rosario+Vampire as well as a fascinating storyline. The English Dub anime is just as humorous and charming as the manga and Japanese anime. Tsukune reminds us of that awkward first day at a new school some of us can relate to. Moka and the other girls just may have been the friends we had in school. And the outrageous situations Yokai’s lone human is thrust into—other monsters threatening to kill him or getting him to join a gang (in the manga)—might’ve been similar to an awkward moment we’ve all had…minus the teeth and claws of course. Rosario+Vampire English Dub DVD gets 4 out of 5.
Brian M.

2012 Sakura Sunday Festival

Sunday, April 15th was the date for the 2012 Sakura Sunday, possibly one of the biggest Japanese culture events in Philly. For those who don’t know what Sakura Sunday is, it’s the marquee event for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Philadelphia. The festival is an initiative to encourage the better understanding of the cultural, social, and educational cultures of Japan and the US and Sakura Sunday is the festival’s biggest day.

Hundreds of people came out to be a part of this annual celebration on Sunday. From the Japanese community to the cosplayers and anime fans who came out en masse, Sakura Sunday was a colorful sight to behold. People lined up to partake of many events, from viewing workshops on calligraphy and origami, watching live demonstrations of multiple martial arts, to seeing a live (and colorful) Taiko Drum and Dance routine performed by Tamagawa University. Even the cosplayers had their moments, from a Harajuku Fashion show to a cosplay show done by members of Zenkaikon.

Overall, it was an amazing event. From the colorful sights of the cosplayers to the thunderous sounds of the Taiko drums, Sakura Sunday was an amazing experience.

What is Berserk: Golden Age Arc?

Director: Toshiyuki Kubooka
Production: Studio 4°C
Writer: Ichirō Ōkouchi
Music: Shirō Sagisu and Susumu Hirasawa
Release date: June 23, 2012

An action horror manga spanning decades of serialization; Berserk stars Guts, a man cursed since birth to live only a life of war and battle, and focuses on his life through the years he was a member of an elite mercenary group. Started in 1990, and still running, the manga has been reworked into several other forms: novelization, several video games, and an anime. To this day, the biggest complaint fans have had regarding the games and anime was that there wasn't enough of it; these additions to Berserk’s main story only follow one arc from the story, and that there hasn't been any new material to keep their fancy since the PS2 game released in 2004. Well, the long wait is almost over, and it was totally worth it.

In September of 2010, it was announced that a new movie project, titled "Berserk: Golden Age Arc" would be released as a trilogy, covering the back story of Guts in glorious high definition and superior movie production quality. On February 4th 2012, Part 1 was released, and many a fan watched in euphoric bloody joy at the cinematic opening to Guts' life. Many others who didn't know what "all the hoo-haa" was all about suddenly found themselves clearing the manga stores out of their back issues to catch up on all that they missed. The real wait, however, is for the 23rd of June when Part 2 is released in Japanese theaters. While Part 1 served as a nice opening and introduction to the characters and back story, Part 2 is the heart and crux of the legend, where the plots of the future are established and the points of notoriety are made. The release date for the conclusive Part 3 has yet to be announced, aside from "later in 2012", but suffice to say that after the record-breaking sales in movie theater tickets expected this summer, that everyone will be on the watch-list for the fall showings.

Coming soon to Japanese theaters: Berserk: Golden Age Arc 2

Berserk: Golden Age Arc 2 trailer

Supernatural Anime Review

Supernatural is a television series that debuted on the WB network in October 2005 and currently runs weekly on the CW. The series follows the tale of Sam and Dean Winchester as they travel across the country hunting various supernatural creatures such as werewolves, vampires and demons. Years ago, when Sam and Dean were young, their mother was killed by a yellow-eyed demon. Since then, Sam and Dean have been on the hunt for the yellow-eyed demon, dealing with "odd" jobs along the way. The show gathered a large following over the seasons, making it one of the CW's most popular shows. During those years, the Winchester brothers have fought against demons, angels, evil spirits, and even each other. Supernatural's fan base has grown worldwide and is currently airing in various countries. Warner Bros. Japan wanted to take the show somewhere that it's never been before.

Japanese animation studio Madhouse Inc. was assigned to produce the anime version of Supernatural. Madhouse has produced other anime including Ninja Scroll, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Trigun, Di Gi Charat and Death Note. With help from series creator Eric Kripke, Madhouse was able to gather all kinds of resources for the anime including comics and sidestories, as well as the series itself. The anime series covers the first two seasons of Supernatural with some episodes taken from the comics and even a few anime-only originals. Select episodes from the live action series have been retold with new vision while still retaining the suspense and humor that made Supernatural popular. The action in the anime Supernatural is taken to a level that can't be done in the original series.

One instance is an episode that flashbacks on Sam and Dean's childhood when they were hunting with their father. A spirit had taken possession of junked cars and formed them into a giant robot type beast; something that couldn't be achieved in the live series. Another is the reimagined episode with a creature known as a Shapeshifter. Its metamorphic ability was upgraded to something more dynamic than when Eric Kripke introduced it in the first season; this scene alone was really cool. The Shapeshifter first puffs its body up, then it spreads the skin apart and emereges in a new form like a butterfly from a cocoon. The appearance and metamorphic sequence of the Shapeshifter in the anime were above the live series' budget, where it simply removed its skin off like wet clothing.

Supernatural is also known for the development of its characters. The anime does not disappoint. The chemestry between Sam and Dean plays out much the same way as the series. Dean is the older brother, always willing to do anything to protect his younger brother. Sam has always looked up to Dean and continues to do so. John Winchester is still the tough-as-nails hardened hunter that Kripke made him out to be. Sam and Dean's father is hard on his boys but deep down he loves them. I like how Madhouse made John into a bad-to-the-bone loner type of guy who drives around in a hearse, a great re-imagining for his wheels. This John Winchester is an awesome character and is just as gritty, if not more gritty, than his television counterpart.

Being a fan of Supernatural, I didn't know what to expect from the Japanese versions of Sam and Dean. However, I keep my mind open and I have to say I'm impressed with Yuya Uchida, who voices Sam Winchester in the Japanese dub of the series, and Hiroko Touchi, who voices Dean. Madhouse's Naoya Takayama, who supervised the scripts, truly brought the same suspense and mystery to the anime that it had in its live action counterpart. Takahiro Yoshimatsu's character design is truly impressive. He captured the essence of the Winchesters; they resemble the actors that portray them in Kripke's series; they also bring the same charm that actors Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles do in the series.

Yuya Uchida has voice acted in Eyeshield 21 (Shien Mushanokoji aka: "The Kid"), Naruto Shippuden (Rinji), Soul Eater (Franken Stein), and Black Butler (Ash).

Hiroko Touchi has several popular anime series under his belt with Bleach as Kūgo Ginjō, Trinity Blood as Abel Nightroad, and Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO as Major Michael Colmatta. He has also voiced for several games including Uncharted, Final Fantasy XIII, and Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Touchi has also dubbed for Will Smith and Christian Bale.

Andrew Farrar does a good job filling in for Jenson Ackles, who couldn't appear until the final two episodes because of scheduling issues, voicing Dean Winchester for the English dub. Jared Padalecki voices Sam throughout the anime series.

I have watched Supernatural since the beginning partly because of my interest in the unknown, but also it's a fun and entertaining show full of suspense, mystery, action, and humor. There are twists and turns that'll keep you wondering as to what's gonna happen next, and you'll have to keep watching to find out. Though the anime is a retelling of those episodes, I still had the same feeling that I had and still have for the live show. Supernatural: The Animation is sure to entertain fans of the original series as well as invite new fans of both series. I recommend this for anyone who's a fan of the show or looking for a cool new anime to watch.

Supernatural: The Animation gets 4.5 out of 5.

INSIDE THE CHAMBER: INTERVIEW WITH BUENO; CREATOR OF GUN CALIBER

Hi everyone. It's Frankie Rodriguez from Comic Book Clash. What am I doing writing for Culture Force? Well, I am a big fan of Anime and Tokusatsu, so I figured I would add to the tapestry that is Culture Force. And we start with an interview with the creator, writer, director and actor of the upcoming Tokusatsu feature, Gun Caliber, Bueno.

1. First, thank you again for this interview. With your infamous trailer, are starting filming this month?

Yeah, we start filming at the end of this month.  We're starting off with the action scenes since those are the hardest scenes to film and take up the most time. 

2. For fans who just haven't seen to gotten the word yet, tell us about this upcoming feature Gun Caliber? 

It's about the everyday life of Gun Caliber, a stubborn, negligent, irresponsible, perverted, alcoholic superhero and takes place in a world where being a superhero is an everyday thing.  Kinda like Mystery Men, No Heroics and Tiger & Bunny.  There's all kinds of heroes.  Famous ones, unknowns, and has-beens.  Gun Caliber is a mix of all three.  Just when he thinks his life can't get any shittier, he's then given a pretty big job by this lady professor where he has to retrieve a radioactive filter called the "Gen-Drive" from a bunch of baddies who want to make Tokyo E-X-P-L-O-D-E!

3. How does it feel holding on to the multiple roles of director, writer, creator & star of Gun Caliber? Do you find it easier to joggle with you wearing all those hats yourself or harder?  

It's definitely harder. Especially when I'm the sole person funding the whole thing.  I have a personal life on top of this and basically have to balance all those roles with your my personal schedule...AND THEN the schedule of all the other people who you need to help me.  Sometimes doing all these things by yourself can be really stressful, but can be rewarding if it all pays off in the end.

4. Now, what about Gun Caliber himself as a character. He obviously is not your typical "boy scout" like many of the Tokusatsu heroes that we know. What insight can you give us about him? 

Although he's a "superhero" he's very reluctant about it, but he enjoys the perks.  Him being a superhero means he actually has more authority than the police and tends to use his status in all the wrong ways.  This usually leads to womanizing, drug abuse, alcoholism and all sorts of scandals.  

For Gun Caliber, being a superhero is just a normal everyday job.  He wakes up, watches TV, makes bad guys blow up, gets a beer, orders some Delivery-Health (a girl prostitute), and calls it a day.

Even though he's not the most ecstatic about the job as a whole, he enjoys the fighting and tends to be a show-off when in battle.  He's got the skill to be a hero, but uses it only when he feels like it.

5. Who would you say are Gun Caliber's main villain(s)? And why are they against our dashing hero? 

 The character and story isn't really established yet so it's hard to say.  If it goes on for a couple more years and we have more characters by that time, maybe then I can answer that question.

6. Do you think all of Gun Caliber's notable vices (drinking, smoking, women) actual help or hurt him and why?

They totally ruin his life.  He's basically become this really washed up superhero because he just likes to have a little bit too much fun.

But it also helps divide him from the typical Japanese superhero.  You see, the Japanese mentality of Tokusatsu is that it's always shot with the intent of selling the toys to the kids.  With this movie, there's no toys to be sold, so I can just go crazy with the idea and make it entertaining in my own style.

7. This is a Tokusatsu project and there are lots of homages that can be seen (like one of the Pink Ranger women dressed as Time Pink) but what got you into Tokusatsu? What are some of your favorites?  

Like all the other kids,  I watched Power Rangers first.  It was a little tacky for my tastes, so I tuned out for awhile, but when I went to visit the Philippines, I saw Kamen Rider Black for the first time.  I didn't know why it was better, but I definitely felt it being better.  I think it was because there were less characters to focus on that it felt like a more gripping story.  I also loved how he'd transform, kick a monster in the face and make them blow up.

I also watched a Keita Amemiya movie called "Mirai Ninja" which was released in the west under two different titles.  "Warlord" and then later on by Streamline Pictures as "Cyber Ninja".  At first, I thought this movie was cheesy, but then gave it a second and third chance and started to like it more and more.  The whole concept of the character Shiranui is totally badass.

As for favorites....frellin' hell...too many to name, but here goes....

Kamen Rider, Dennou Keisatsu Cybercop, Kamen Rider Black, Gen Sei Shin Justiriser, Kamen Rider Kuuga, Powered Sister, Kamen Rider Agito, Garo, Kamen Rider Ryuki, Evolver, Kamen Rider Faiz, Dekaranger, Kamen Rider Hibiki, Choujinki Metalder, Mikazuki, Gekiranger, Shinkenger, Kamen Rider W, Kamen Rider Fourze, Magnizer-1, and Houjin Yatsurugi.

...just to name a few.

8. Starring as Gun Caliber, are you doing your own stunts? If so, how much training have you had in martial arts, stunt work, etc? 

Excluding some instances where both Gun Caliber and Soma (Gun Caliber secret identity) are on the screen at the same time, I'm pretty much doing my all own suit work and stunts throughout the whole movie.  Not because it's a macho thing to do, but because there's no money nor time for stuntmen to double for me.

I honestly haven't had much stunt work in my lifetime and that'll probably never change, but I've been on 3 productions here in Japan.  My first one was a stage show for Lion Maru G where I played as one of the "Shadow" insect Ninjas.  Then I played the role of Kamen Rider Kick Hopper in a stage show for Kamen Rider Kabuto at a run down amusement park.  I also helped out on a night drama called Elite Yankee Saburo where I get slapped in the face by the title character.  I've only got be in front of the camera for action once, but it was a pretty fun shoot.

I have a martial arts background in Jeet Kune Do/San Shou and Taolu (weapon and empty hand forms) in Chinese Wushu.  I'm WAY out of practice though and could really use a coach again in my life...

One thing I wanna clear up is the misconception that everybody seems to have about martial arts and action movies.

Knowing martial arts, does not mean that you can automatically do action.  They are two totally different things and a lot of people who watch action movies and martial arts movies don't seem to realize that.

9. What is your ultimate goal with Gun Caliber? 

I really just wanna make a fun superhero-action-comedy the way that I want to make it.  If people actually follow it, buy the DVD and make it successful, then that's way more than I expected.  I just love movies and Tokusatsu, so if it grows into something more than what it was meant to be, that's just a bonus really.

But hopefully there's enough of a following out there that'll support me enough to make my next Garage Hero...

10. Can you estimate when it will be released? and How will it be released?  Indy theaters? Your website? Youtube? 

I plan on releasing it either sometime at the beginning or middle of 2013.  Its really hard to say if it'll be finished by that time but for now that's what we're aiming for.  The reason for this is because we want to get it around to all the film festivals, sci-fi/anime/comic conventions, colleges, and other venues before we eventually sell it on DVD.

11. If you had a chance to do a dream team up of any Tokusatsu hero & Gun Caliber, who would it be & why? 

 I think it would have to be Tentai Senshi Sunred.  From what I've seen, he'd probably get along just fine with Gun Caliber.

12. Finally, you are about to pitch Gun Caliber as a series to a major cable network (being everyone who is reading this). Give us that pitch to sell us on it.  

"Gun Caliber" shows a side of Japanese superheroes that is not aimed towards a young audience, but instead the children of yesterday who have grown up watching Tokusatsu.  Amidst all the sex, violence, explicit language, drug abuse, and alcohol, lies a character who hides his true desire to redeem himself and the choices he makes to walk down that path.

With interesting characters, stylish action, and funny scenarios, this will not only entertain those who have a love of special effects and superheroes, but for those who just want to watch a fun superhero action comedy.

Thank you again Bueno. 

You're more than welcome. 

For more on Gun Caliber & more, Gun Caliber. Press the link and enjoy. 

J1 An-Ex 4 Review

So what do we know November for? We know it as the month that holds Thanksgiving and as the second to last month of the whole year. But on Friday the 18th, anime fans throughout Philly knew it as the fourth installment of the J1 Anime Experience (J1 An-Ex 4). Returning to the Hawthorne Center in South Philly, hundreds of anime fans gathered to celebrate and enjoy the monthly mini-con once more.





For starters, the game room was (as always) a room packed with contenders ready to duel on the sticks. This time, with the premiere of Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, the chaos was taken up a notch than before. From over-the-top combos to amazing come-backs and even a lawyer shouting "Objection!!!", things got a bit crazy in there. And for the non-fighting game fans, the card game room was packed with players ready to duel in Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokemon and more. Virtual Tournament Fighters (VTF for short) made its return to the An-Ex, letting players experience the fighting game based dueling that the president of J1 Studios created.



Cosplayers lined up for a photoshoot!



But nothing was more entertaining than the Cosplay Competition. We were greeted with some creative costumes from a Catwoman cosplayer, a Ms. Kreuger cosplayer and a Dr. Stien cosplayer for all the Soul Eater fans. Even though there were no panda sightings this time around, we still had an enjoyable competition.

Finally, possibly the more noteworthy event of the night was the discussion of Anime, from past to present. Held by the president of J1 Studios, he broke down what anime is now in comparison to how it was in its Golden age. From the funny comments - "How many ninjas do you know wear orange jumpsuits" - to the more informative parts, he taught the crowd a thing or two about anime. Overall, it was a great discussion.



The president of J1 Studios schooling fans on anime in the discussion panel.

  For a small convention, the J1 An-Ex brings out a great crowd. From returning fans to the newcomers, the An-Ex continually expands each and every month. And there's always something new that happens each and every month so you don't want to miss one.

J1 An-Ex 3 breakdown.

J1 An-Ex 3, the J1 Studios Anime Experience

It's October now, the month for putting on costumes and running around like children. There is a culture out there that supports this activity, and an event that panders to that culture, but it isn't All Hallows Eve (Halloween) that I'm talking about. It's the J1 Studios Anime Experience! In it's third iteration as an official anime convention, the An-Ex was fantastic and the fans couldn't be happier with the growth! The Hawthorne Recreation Center was filled with tons of anime fans and nerds of all kinds on the eve of Friday the 7th. 

The Main Event hall was as always a major attraction for the evenings. All available tables were filled with vendors selling everything from original art to costume accessories to baked goods and even some BBQ ribs for whoever got hungry (they were good). The head table was there as well, with an energetic Mario acting the host and chatting up anime with everyone that passed. A crowd of cosplayers passed through during the traditional Cosplay Competition, and their custom threads were fantastic!

It's-a me, Mario!

The Game room was another recurring location with the usual free-play of various games and this time an unusual twist. An official Mortal Kombat 9 tournament was held! Many people participated, but only one was the ultimate winner, though 3 of the participants were able to walk away with a fabulous victory prize for their fighting prowess, and everyone had a good time. Adjacent to the Game room was another familiar sight, the Card room, where the room was packed wall to wall with card game enthusiasts, playing impromptu matches of Magic and YuGiOh, and even a showcasing of J1 Studios own fighting-game-style trading card game VTF, the Virtual Tornament Fighter! 

Winner of the Mortal Kombat Tournament

An-Ex also had a Video Room with back to back Anime for the growing audience, including a showing of the new Bleach movie 4: Hell Chapter!

All in all, there was quite a lot to do in the few hours of the Friday evening at a certain Rec Center in South Philadelphia (1200 Carpenter Street). Many people had a good time and many more have promised to return, which they should, because the An-Ex is a growing convention that you know will only get better!

'Ben

PS:
Pictures can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/j1studios

What is Usagi Drop?

Usagi Drop
Writer - Yumi Unita
Director - Kanta Kamei
Production - Studio Fuga
Music - Suguru Matsutani

Going home from his grandfather's funeral, thirty-year-old Daikichi is floored to discover that the old man had an illegitimate child with a younger lover. The rest of his family is equally shocked and embarrassed by this surprise development, and not one of them wants anything to do with the silent little girl, Rin. In a fit of anger, Daikichi decides to take her in himself. As Daikichi nurtures Rin, he started to understand the struggle while at the same time the joy of parenting.

The word of the day here is "Sentimentality". Familial controversy and comedic gags related to her legal status as his 'aunt' are put aside early to make room for the real purpose of the story, which is "Child Raising". Daikichi knows nothing about raising a little girl and he must learn, frequently through last minute desperate endeavors, how to do so. Rin on the other hand is a 6 year old girl, not even in Elementry school yet, who is trying to understand the death of her real father while adapting to life under her new bungling guardian. Through all the little firsts and experiences and trials experienced by the duo, a very real father-daughter love begins to blossom. The show really does focus on the little things, to such a degree that it might be taken as an "idiots guide to child raising". Little things you wouldn't think about normally, like immunization shots, enrolling in primary school, grocery shopping, or the troubles of co-habitation.

The animation quality is difficult to swallow at first. The first moments of the first episode lend to the thought "how could something this grainy possibly be good or entertaining?" That thought quickly disappears as both story and animation smooth out into a near-real life quality. The background music is phenomenal, adding to and sometimes setting the sheer emotion that permeates through the entire series.

I still cannot believe how addictively entertained I was by this show. Maybe it was because of the nature of the drama, but soon in I was wrapped in the warm blanket of platonic romance and crying for precious more seconds of familial love. For being the most real-life fiction I have ever encountered I give this show an unprecedented Perfect 5 out of 5.

'Ben

J1 An-Ex 2 Review



(Right to Left) Katara Cosplayer, Gaara
Cosplayer and an attendee striking
a pose.



Friday, September 9, 2011 was the date of the J1 Anime Experience 2 (J1 An-Ex 2 for short), the mini-convention hosted by J1 Studios. A day where hundreds of anime fans came from all sections of Philadelphia to fill the Hawthorne Recreation Center with their love of anime, video games, and all things Japanese. And while hundreds of people came out, there were plenty more that missed out on the second installment of the An-Ex.





So what happened on this month's An-Ex, you ask? Well, for starters, the premiere of REDLINE, a title that has been in development by MADHOUSE studios for 7 years. The movie had the audience in awe with it's crisp animation and insane action. Plus, the president of J1 Studios tested out card game series of his own titled Virtual Tournament Fighters (VTF for short). The card game, which took a lot of fundamentals from fighting games, was well received by the participants who tested it out, some even asking for a release date.

Yet nothing topped the chaos in the video game room. It seems to be an unspoken rule that when you enter in, you must bring your A-game because competition is fierce. Players went at it in Street Fighter 3rd Strike: Online Edition, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 and Super Smash Brothers Brawl, showcasing an intense level of competition.
The main room held the vendor area, where artists displayed their best work for sale. From comics, posters, jewelry, and even Pokeball cupcakes, you could find some unique stuff. This time, the An-Ex was graced with the presence of female wrestling superstar Annie Social, who brought custom-designed T-Shirts and merchandise with her for everyone to buy.

Pokeball Cupcakes, courtesy of one of the vendors in the main room.

The major highlight was the cosplay contest, where the brightest and unique cosplayers showed off their costumes. From a Jigoku Shoujo cosplayer, to an FLCL cosplayer, and even a guy in a panda suit, there were great cosplayers that came out to this event.

The one thing about this event is that it keeps getting bigger and better with every month. And while there's a lot of the same faces that show, there are always new faces that attend with each event. So if you missed this one, show up to the one next month. Because there's always something different and better that happens each month and you don't want to miss out on it.



Cosplayers taking a picture in front of a vendor booth.

J1 An-Ex 1 Review

The Birth of a Convention.

Who can remember being apart of a convention since before it was incepted? Over two hundred people from the Greater Philadelphia Area can make that claim now, as they were the ones to come out on Friday, August 12th, for the opening of the first J1 Studios Anime Experience. Sadly, there are millions of future fans who missed out on this opportunity, but they will be able to reap the benefits of the growth next time and beyond.

Small photoshoot of the contestants in the Cosplay Contest.

In previous instances, the gatherings were known as the J1 Anime Event. A slightly-more-formal-than-someone's-garage setting where members of J1 Studios gathered people who were as into Japanese media as they were, and entertain them with the same. As the popularity of these Events grew, so too did the scope of which the J1 Staff took to expand and further entertain their growing circle of fans.

Cue the Anime Experience. With the inclusion of full blown Vendors, Professional artist guests, seperate rooms, and a small entrance fee, the small gatherings of like-minded fans evolved into a fully recognized Anime Convention.

J1 Staff member Ben manning the J1 Table.

Hundreds of people lined up outside the doors to the Hawthorn Recreation Center in order to partake of the experience. Once inside, they encountered tables selling everything from Onigiri (Japanese rice balls) to action figures to comic books. Artists spread their wares and opened for commission. Dozens of wallscrolls lined the walls, sometimes mirroring the dozens of cosplayers who wandered around. Some anime was playing on a big screen in one room, while several video game tournaments broke out in the next. Many gathered in the main room for the Cosplay walkoff, others stepped outside to listen to the Korean rock band, and everyone had a good time. Not bad for a couple of hours on a Friday.



2nd shot of the cosplay entries for the Cosplay Contest.



The J1 An-Ex may be small, but it's local. Fans who come by get the full experience of the big conventions, but without the full brunt of their big price. The best thing of all is, instead of waiting an entire year for a repeat or spending entire life savings to travel across the country, the An-Ex operates monthly, giving everyone plenty of opportunities to experience the Anime Experience for themselves.



'Ben M.

Otakon 2011 review

Otakon 2011
It is one thing to talk about a convention, or to talk it up like it's the second coming of sliced bread, but quite another thing altogether to experience that truth for yourself. This years' Otakon was no exception. Understand that I have been on the convention scene almost every year since 2000, and have since learned how to look at it all without the veil of awe coloring my perception.
Otakon may not be the best (arguable) or largest (only the second largest) Anime convention in the country, but it is one that I have attended almost religiously since I was first introduced more than 11 years ago. This year was no different, resulting in Baltimore's Inner Harbor being graced with my presence once more. So how is this year different from all others? It is because for the first time, I am attending as Industry instead of a fan.
Otakon, the Otaku (obsessed fan) Convention, was started in the early 90's as a gathering of fans of this strange medium called 'japanimation' in State College, PA. Because of the success of the gathering, the organizers of the gathering decided to do it again the next year, and their fan base grew. In 1994, the crew opened their event as an official Convention and the first official use of the term "Otakon", with an attendance of around 350 people with all of 2 rooms and 4 dealers to its cause. Because of its nearly exponential growth, Otakon moved to the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, Maryland in the summer of 1999, where it has occupied the entirety of the Baltimore Convention Center, turnout growing to an unthinkable 100,000 estimated turnstile attendance and some 170 dealers by 2011.
That's alot of people.
With a gathering of fans of any scale, some of them are invariably going to Cosplay, or dress up in a costume resembling their favorite characters. When it comes to large scale conventions, there is an unspoken rule that one is practically required to Cosplay, which turns into mind-boggling 35% cosplayer percentage. 35% may not sound like much, but if you walked down a line of random Convention attendee's, every 3rd person will be in costume! Even moreso for the big cons, there simply aren't any slipshod or patched-together costumes. The effort that goes into the dressing steals as quality. The dedication of the fans to continue to wear said costume, no matter how thick, layered, or heavy it may be, throughout the entire day of 100 degree sunny summer weather! The kind of cosplayers encountered in a con is extremely varied, too. From as obscure and missable as Kintaro Oe (Golden Boy) or Shiina Mayuri (Steins:Gate) to the insanely complicated like Angewoman (Digimon) or Saber (Fate/Stay Night), to the outright functional like Ravage (Transformers) or Angeal (Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII)

As much as a person can spend people watching (I've devoted an entire con or two to doing just that), there was so much more to do or see than one's fellows. On Thursday the 28th, while a large chunk of people (about 8,000) were there a day early to pick up their pre-registered badges, there was a Japanese style Matsuri (festival) on the street outside the convention center. Included in this early arrival activity was a live concert by Eyeshine, a rock band out of California. Regular hours events worth seeing, above the rest of the event which is just as worthy, include an AMV (Anime Music Video) contest-where people splice scenes from their favorite anime to music-: Several Video game tournaments- including Halo Reach, Street Fighter 4, and the American premier of King of Fighters XIII-; The Masquerade -where the best cosplayers perform extremely well choreographed and prepared skits-; not to mention signings from important people in the industry, including the legendary Nobuo Uematsu- the musical composer for the Final Fantasy series!
Let us not forget the Bane of many a Con'ers Wallet, the Dealers Room and Artists Alley. The Dealers room is a warehouse larger than the total square footage of 3 entire football fields, lined wall to wall with booths and tables selling everything a fan could ever hope to see and stuff they would never think of (but desperately want). Scale replica weapons, Resin Statues, Art Books, DVD's and Manga (graphic novels) galore, costumes, wigs, clothing lines, T-shirts, coffee mugs, and even replica Soul Gems from Madoka Magica. Even if one didn't want to spend money they didn't have, there were also large sections devoted to Bandai, Media Blasters, and other less liked licensing corporations who took the opportunity to announce new title acquisitions and other related news!
The other side of the industry room, the Artists Alley, was another humongous room roughly 2/3rds the size of the Dealers Room (more than 2 football fields large!) filled wall to wall with 5' long tables occupied by amateur artists of every kind of ability. From crayon monstrosities to they-make-the-professionals-look-bad to clay sculpting to hand-made plushies of a higher quality than China ever managed to produce. If you even looked hard enough, mainly by walking in with your eyes open because they were that close to the entrance, you could see a table devoted to our own J1 Studios, who had such a successful run spreading the joy that they completely sold out of every single thing they brought!
Several of the downsides to the convention was written off as being "just par for the course", or "you're not a fan if you don't suffer though it", or "it's all part of the convention fun!", even though they really are inconveniences at best and could probably be done better. This includes the reeeeeeealy long lines, such as the 2 hour long line of people trying to even get into the convention center on Friday, the one for people who already picked up their entry badges the day before, because the line to pick up one's badge or even to buy one there is even longer, typically wrapping around the convention center twice. Also, the lines to important events, like Signings or Concerts are just as bad, as one has to get in that line at least 2 hours ahead of time in order to avoid the 2 hour wait for admittance otherwise. Also, sleep deprivation ran rampant, with fans getting an average of 2-3 hours of rest a night, if even that. BO was another factor, as there were a hundred thousand people who were too busy to shower running through those hallways, and it was really really hot that weekend, too.

All in all, Otakon in 2011 was fantastic, as far as Previous Otakon's go. It may be a little too big for first-timers but that never stopped anyone before. Anime Expo, the single largest Anime Convention in the US, tends to hands some of the little things better, like the issue with excessive lines, though Otakon was much more inexpensive to attend. The masquerade was of higher quality than previous years. The dealers room somehow manages to stuff more and more dealers into the same massive crawlspace, and Cosplayers seem to be on a running competition to out-do themselves and each other year after year. If you've ever thought about attending a convention for yourself one of these days, I recommend Otakon, though try to go with a group if it's your first time, lest you be overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of nerdiness around you.

On Stage with TAKII 11 ~ Stage On! ~

So it seems that Philadelphia is starting to blow up with events for the anime/video game fans and Asian culture enthusiasts. Small video game tournaments have been popping up for the video game fans and for the anime lovers and Asian culture enthusiasts…there’s The Asian Karaoke Idol Invitational! Returning for its 11th season, TAKII has hit the scene with only two words for its fans to remember: Stage on!



A few cosplayers and TAKII attendees posing for a photo shoot.



For those who don’t know, TAKII is a local Asian culture gathering held at the Rotunda right in the heart of University City. Created by Damien "D-Chan" Christopher, it's been running for 5 years on a bi-yearly basis, reaching its 6th year with its newest installment. Anime fans throughout the city come to this event to meet up with others and embrace their love of all things anime and Japanese on this two day event. And it's not just sitting back and watching anime, there are events ranging from a talent show contest (Asian American Idol), a cosplay competition, live concerts, a video game tournament, and even a rave for all the ravers in the building.

Now, I’ll be honest with you. The first two seasons I attended (Season 9 and 10) were great, the second more than the first. And entering in the Rotunda, I was expecting to have the same, if not a greater, experience this time around. And I can easily say that I wasn’t disappointed this time. From the events, the performances, the video game tournaments, and even the random hilarity that occurred, it just held an air of – for lack of better words – epicness that you couldn’t help but get swept away in.

One of many things that I enjoyed was the Asian American Idol part of TAKII, the otaku talent show that’s one of the highlights of the festival. Contestants showcase their talents to the audience and judges, and then get tested on their vocal, dancing, and improvisation (acting) talents as well. This event is one of the events that you can’t help but cheer, applaud, and laugh at because things have a habit of getting randomly funny. One of those random moments that stood out was when two of the judges performed “Don’t Stop Believing’”, only to have two of the contestants judge them harshly in return. It left the crowd – and one of the actual judges – in tears.

A dose of their own medicine, I guess.



Sebastian and Ciel waltzing while ElderBerry performed on Saturday's
Makenai Concert.

However, the more memorable moments of TAKII had to be Saturday’s Makenai concert. TAKII legends were out this time to give the crowd a show to remember. From ElderBerry, who performed “Again” by YUI (the opening theme of FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood) and had two Black Butler cos-players waltz on stage as she performed, to Mario Bueno performing an English/Japanese performance of Romeo X Juliet’s theme song “You Lift Me Up” and other songs, it was definitely a concert to remember. Add to it a performer by the name of Lanie who did an ASL set for the audience and it was a night to remember.

But the memorable moment of the Makenai concert was when D-Chan, sung an acapella version of “Life is…” by Hirai Ken as a tribute to his family, who were on stage with him as he sung. What that signified…I have to tip my hat to D-Chan on that one.

Sunday was the perfect way to end the entire festival. The Cosplay Competition was a colorful affair, both in costume and actions from the contestants who were definitely in character. And there were some creative costumes, from a Canti cosplayer in a suit, a Team Fortress Sniper, and a pink-haired cat-girl in a kimono. Add in a sword-fight between a Cloud cos-player and another cos-player and you have what was a good contest.



Contestants of the Cosplay Competition lining up for a photo shoot.

Following that was an encore performance that Lady AI, another TAKII legend, opened. And when I say opened, I mean that she rocked the house. Especially her last song, “Howl” which had everyone in the room on the feet either dancing, clapping, or howling like wolves. And the return of Mario Bueno, who kept the energy going with “Heart of Sword (Rurouni Kenshin Ending Theme)”, “Colors (Code Geass Theme song)”, and the Power Rangers theme, just set the mood for the final event: the video game tournament.

For space constraints, I won’t go into that much. And I’ll bet that there will be a few people who will be laughing at that statement. The tournament games were Mortal Kombat 2011 and Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and the action on both games was insane. The Marvel 3 team tournament, however, was a complete landslide victory for the first team as they completely annihilated their opponents in a Survivor Series type battle. This is not to say that the matches weren’t crazy, just that the second team wasn’t prepared for the first team.




A cute cat-girl cosplayer posing for a picture!!!



The one thing that I do enjoy and is probably the main factor that'll keep me coming back to TAKII is the open atmosphere. I stated in my review of TAKII 10 that it feels like a gathering of friends and it still holds true. Everybody is free to be theirselves with no pressure of any kind and no care to what anyone else thinks. You’re just there to enjoy yourselves and that’s all that matters.

Well…that ends my review of TAKII 11 ~ Stage On! ~. While the first season may be over, the second season is still on its way for everyone’s enjoyment. And while I’ll still be laughing over the countless pics and videos that I’ve taken of that event, I’ll be anticipating what happens on October 22nd and 23rd. So mark that down on your calendar as TAKII 12, check out the pics and videos that will be posted up on TAKII 11 on the J1 Studios Facebook Page, and check out the TAKII website for more info: http://takii.pdnmz.com

Hope to see you there next season!