Amazon to offer Nickelodeon "Burn-On-Demand" titles

From TVShowsOnDVD.

Amazon has struck a deal with Nickelodeon involving a program called "CreateSpace." Basically, a DVD isn't produced until a customer orders it, so there is no retail involved and you won't see them in stores. Some of the shows that will be available include Hey Arnold, Rocko's Modern Life, Doug, and Danny Phantom, among others.

Saturday Morning Memories

It's that time of year again - when kids, teens and college students alike pack up their backpacks, stock up on folders and crazy glue, and head back to school. Until several years ago, this also meant the triumphant return of Saturday Morning Cartoons. It was something to look forward to after a week of "teacher's dirty looks" and pop quizzes. A time to get up at 6 am, a bowl of cereal on your lap, watching the latest antics of your favorite characters, then spending the rest of the day playing with friends.

This isn't so anymore. The most you'll get is Discovery Kids-like fodder, reruns from other channels or imports from other countries (here meaning anime) - nothing at all exclusive and original. That's really sad - but this post is about my childhood, and what I saw during that era (the 1980s).

ABC commercial bumpers:



Commercials that played on CBS in 1988 (also includes bumpers):



Now, I was a teenager when this came into development (late 90s), but I still watched because I love cartoons (and Saturday Morning Cartoons were not yet "dead"), so this is nostalgic for me as well:

Kirarin Revolution, episodes 83 & 84

(きらりん☆レボリューション) 2006

Kirari (voiced by Koharu Kusumi of Morning Musume!) is a middle schooler who LOVES her food. So much so that it's scary! While girls her age swoon over idols, Kirari swoons over her dad's cooking, and couldn't care less about the life of a celebrity. But when she saves the pet turtle of Seiji of pop group SHIPS and falls in love, she decides to become an idol herself so that they can be together (or so she hopes).



Episode 83:

The SUPER NOVA twins have been fired by Black Wood, and nobody will take them. Discouraged, they run into Kirari who offers that they meet with her own company. But they reject them, too! They're good models, but haven't proven themselves worthy idols. However, says Kumoi-san, if they compete in and win a strength contest, the girls will be hired immediately. Their biggest obstacle, however, may be trying to seperate their unity as twins, and try to tap into their own personalities. Otherwise, winning will be impossible.



Episode 84:

Erina is miffed that Kirari gets proper idol recognition/treatment, and not her, desperately wishing a guy would notice her looks. How ironic that she should develop a crush on her rival's brother (without realizing it) when they bump into each other at the park! But Subaru is in the middle of acting practice, and misleads Erina into believing a number of things. Meanwhile, Kirari picks up on the fact that Erina has feelings for someone, and gets her booked on a love confession show. But things will certainly get messy after Erina spots Kirari with Subaru and misunderstands!

Kappa Mikey: The Karaoke Movie Soundtrack

Released in February to coincide with the two part TV special, the Kappa Mikey Karaoke CD is something that fans can definitely enjoy - though some tracks will be preferred over others.

1 It's In Your Heart
2 I Feel Super
3 My Life Is Rulin'
4 When Life Gives You Lunch Meat
5 I Pull the Strings
6 Power Ballad Beat the Hero
7 Nothing Rhymes With Purple
8 Hail Mighty Diva
9 Our Paths (Will They Cross? Will It Matter?)
10 Do the Bounce
11 It's In Your Heart (Reprise)

I have highlighted the songs I particularly enjoyed. Mitsuki and Gonard in particular showcase real singing talent, and while it helps to watch the special as well, kids and adults alike can find something in this soundtrack that appeals to them. It's not the best work of vocals ever, but it's silly and fun, and that's what matters.

Unfortunately, this is available through MP3 download only. Check Amazon MP3, iTunes or CDBaby to get your copy.

Archie Comics - Best Of The Nineties

Coming September 5th, Archie Comics is adding the latest to their "Best of the [Decade]" series with "Best of the Nineties."

BUY IT HERE

New Dominion Tank Police

Released in 1993 as a follow up to Dominion Tank Police, Leona and Al continue to parole the streets and fight crime with the help of good old Bonapart. New Port City is still as rank with pollution as ever, the police still use tactics worse than any gangster's to catch their prey, and terrorist attacks are on the rise. It's so bad that the police are overwhelmed and overworked, making every day possibly the last for every living thing in the area - but that won't stop Leona and Al from pushing their way, head first, into danger to get to the bottom of things.

If you enjoy drama series (especially cop and mystery dramas), I don't doubt you'll find something you like in this. While it's not shy about throwing in comedy and sillyness (Leona's policy on violence, the interaction between the Chief and the tank police force, etc.), it will throw you some more serious curveballs (leading to lots of destruction, but very little gore and death). Al still holds a warm fondness for Leona (though he seems to have stopped trying to ask her out), Leona still has an unnatural obsession for her beloved tank that nobody but her could ever understand. So, don't worry, although there is a tiny bit (just a little) of romance present, it doesn't affect anything until perhaps towards the end. You'll have to watch to find out. Most of the characters are quite lovable, and if you're looking for a strong and fiesty female lead who dares to bend the rules, you'll find that in Leona.



I would rate this for 13 and up (maybe a little higher), because of the excessive use of swearing (that I'm sure wasn't present in the Japanese version - this is purely dub), among a few other things. It's quite fun and I wasn't bored even for a minute, to be honest - although the "businessmen are evil" cliche and recycled voices did feel a little tiring at times. This gets a thumbs-up from a normally shoujo only girl.

The Wallflower, volume 16

-Sunako has decided to brave the outside world, and the only place she could think of is Harajuku. To keep her out of trouble (and keep the area from turning to rubble or chaos), the "perfect four" decide to tag along. It's looking like the wacky and fashionable Harajuku, however, may not impress the usually dark and gloomy young woman.
-Kyohei has only 350 yen to his name, and when he's fired from his job, the poor boy snaps. Now he's acting more like Ranmaru, and his target is Sunako.
-To escape the insane escapades from last Valentine's Day, "the landlady" buys them a cabin in the woods. But not even miles of forest can seperate them from crazy fangirls. All Sunako wants is the chocolate they receive, and she'll promise the stalkers anything to get it.
-At the same time that everyone in the mansion is invited to a Royal Ball, Sunako has gained weight from eating all that chocolate. When Kyohei and Noi push her into exercizing, she soons becomes addicted, and her motivations may not have anything to do with fitting into a gown.

I'm becoming very disappointed in this series. It's no longer about Sunako's low self-esteem and fear of the outside world. Now it's an excuse to draw pretty boys in fashionable clothes, and have Sunako create chaos or act unlike herself, only to go back to normal at the end. Or to just emphasize to us just how insanely popular the boys are - I don't care if they're the sons of Zeus and fart money, how can anybody be that popular? The plot, what little is left, is moving very slowly. I don't know how many volumes are left, but I wish we could get some really good progress.

Kirarin Revolution, episodes 81 & 82

(きらりん☆レボリューション) 2006

Kirari (voiced by Koharu Kusumi of Morning Musume!) is a middle schooler who LOVES her food. So much so that it's scary! While girls her age swoon over idols, Kirari swoons over her dad's cooking, and couldn't care less about the life of a celebrity. But when she saves the pet turtle of Seiji of pop group SHIPS and falls in love, she decides to become an idol herself so that they can be together (or so she hopes).



Episode 81:

The eccentric toy designer, Shouta Bashi Hakasei, saw a TV special starring Naa-san and Nayan, and Dorimu Toys (where he works) requests Naa-san come and be their model for a revolutionary new robot. But something goes wrong during the data transfer, Naa-san becomes ill, and the Naa-san robots are simply too perfect to be, well... perfect.



Episode 82:

Hiroto's absense in SHIPS is starting to punch its hole in their career. Seiji is very limited in what he can do, and everybody says they miss seeing them perform together. While Kirari tackles her latest job, designing men's clothing for world famous designer Sharon Laika, poor Seiji is left alone and likely restless - despite this, he still refuses to sing without Hiroto. If they don't keep him in the public eye, more damage is bound to occur.

Morning Musume in Cinderella performance photos

There are no plans for a soundtrack as of this writing, but the 8/20 performance will be recorded and eventually released on DVD (date unknown).

Slayers Revolution, episode 6

In this episode, while chasing Pokota, Lina and the gang come across a strange village where almost everything is round. The name of the village is Gongoro, and an old man begs them to help in a special festival involving rolling a ball as an offering to the mountain for good prosperity. When he promises food and money as a reward, how can a girl resist?

What I liked:

-While this is an obvious and rather stupid filler episode, it's not all that bad
-Gourry's triumphant "BARBARA!" call
-Prince Phil's shoutout, however disturbing



What I didn't:

-It felt like a shortened OVA where Lina (with no Naga) gets pulled into some story that starts out serious sounding before it takes a turn for the pointless and weird. It even has the part where Lina is stuck between two or more fighting men (and not in the romantic sense)
-Too many over-muscled, shiny men in barely there underwear. For Zel or Gourry (or even Xellos), sure, but not them

KeyholeTV: watching Japanese TV in real time

If you're living outside Japan and very much want to see what's NOW (complete with commercials for the full experience), without resorting to something expensive, bugging a friend overseas or hoping somebody will upload to some torrent site, KeyholeTV is for you. Keyhole gets many regular channels, but the lineup occasionally changes depending on when you visit - you may even find American or other foreign channels. Sadly, the sound and video is rather lousy, and sometimes it's not synched up right. But hey, who can complain? It's free!

First, download the program from here

When it's all installed, open the program. It should look something like this:



The name of the channel is over the word ENABLE. Click on what channel you'd like to see. Once it's open, double click if you want a bigger screen.

For your reference:

オダイバ - Fuji TV
よむよむ - NTV
アカサカ - TBS
ロッポンギ - TV Asahi
テンノウス - TV Tokyo



It's pretty easy to use. To check the TV Guide, go here or here - keep in mind, if you want to sit down and watch something specific, remember the time difference and plan accordingly because this is absolutely LIVE.

Studio Ghibli - Shooto Shooto Shorts DVD

ジブリがいっぱいSPECIALショートショート (or, to shorten to title, Shooto Shooto, or Short Short) is a series of animated commercials and shorts that Studio Ghibli has worked on over the past 16 years.

If you're a fan of Studio Ghibli or can simply appreciate well-made animated work, I'd definitely check this out. It's fun, it's cute, and it'll pass the time or cheer you up when needed. Just a warning, though - don't try to make sense of the last three shorts - let it slide and look at all the pretty colors instead. Because of this DVD, I was finally able to see On Your Mark, one of Studio Ghibli's lesser known works (outside Japan), and is only 6 minutes long. But, it has a lot to say, even without words, and I highly recommend you watch this, if nothing else.

Released in 2005 and retails at 3800 yen.

Here is a list of everything that appears:

1. そらいろのたね（第1話～第3話）
2. なんだろう（Aタイプ～Eタイプ／CGオープニングバージョン）
3. On Your Mark（CHAGE&ASKA プロモーションフィルム）
4. 「スタジオジブリ原画展」TVスポット
5. 「火垂るの墓」金曜ロードショー放送告知スポット
6. 「金曜ロードショー」オープニング映像
7. オンラインショッピングモール「SHOP-ONE」告知スポット
8. アサヒ飲料「旨茶」CM（渋谷編／会議編）
9. 「三鷹の森ジブリ美術館」チケット販売告知スポット（Aタイプ～Cタイプ）
10. LAWSON「千と千尋の神隠し」チケット販売告知スポット（Aタイプ／Bタイプ）
11. LAWSON「千と千尋の神隠し」DVD販売告知スポット
12. ハウス食品「猫の恩返し」キャンペーンCM（Aタイプ～Cタイプ）
13. りそな銀行 企業CM（Aタイプ～Cタイプ）
14. ハウス食品「おうちで食べよう。」シリーズCM夏バージョン（ままごと編／おつかい編／路地裏編／宣伝カー編／ままごと編30秒）
15. ハウス食品「おうちで食べよう。」シリーズCM冬バージョン（ソリ遊び編／道草編／ソリ遊び編30秒）
16. KNBユメデジPRスポット（はじまるよ えらいこっちゃ編／テレビ新世界編／新世界遊泳編）
17. 読売新聞社 企業CM瓦版編（15秒／30秒）
18. 読売新聞社 企業CMどれどれ引越し編（Aタイプ15秒／Aタイプ30秒／Bタイプ）
19. どれどれの唄
20. ポータブル空港
21. space station No.9
22. 空飛ぶ都市計画

Ranma 1/2: Big Trouble In Nekonron, China

Because of another one of Happosai's crazy schemes, an ancient scroll falls into the hands of Akane, leading to an adventure nobody wanted. It seems that this particular parchment is meant to identify the destined bride of a Chinese martial artist named Kirin. In true anime cliche fashion, Akane is kidnapped by him and taken to Nekonron, China, where they will marry according to Nekonron law. It's up to Ranma, Ryoga, Shampoo, Genma, Saotome, Mousse, Happosai and Kuno (along with Lychee, the original holder of the scroll, and her pet elephant, Jasmine) to get there in time to stop the nuptials, defeating The Seven Lucky Gods on the way.

If you are new to Ranma 1/2, this probably isn't the best way to start, as there is a sort of "cast roll call" at the beginning and you likely won't understand who everyone is (especially the minor characters). But if you've watched at least a few episodes and know things here or there, you should be OK.

This movie is great, and though the "helpless female gets kidnapped" thing may have a few feminists clutching the arms of their chairs, it's nowhere near as bad compared to the second film. This one is much more tame and innocent (there are no "jello boobs" and barely there bathing suits), and definitely preferred in my opinion. And even though Akane and Ranma fight and supposedly hate the other, guess what happens when Akane is taken? Ranma is the first person she calls out to! So Ranma/Akane fans will get a good kick out of their relationship explored here. There are some really funny moments, too, but that's to be expected. Definitely check this out if you get the chance!

Studio DC: Almost Live

Studio DC: Almost Live stars Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Ashley Tisdale, Dylan and Cole Sprouse and The Cheetah Girls with the Muppets, and aired on August 3rd at 8:00 PM on the Disney Channel.



My thoughts:

-The performances felt wooden and awkward. Where was the passion from times gone by?
-The Swedish Chef spoke a full English sentence, and that upset me. He doesn't speak English! You aren't supposed to understand him - he's able to get the point across without language. You'd think Disney would know that at least.
-Where was Fozzie?! You can't have a Muppet special without him! I thought for sure when Ashley said she had a crush on him, he'd pop out or something.
-Where was the Muppet wackiness? I believe that would've helped. An over-the-top Gonzo stunt, banana cream pies, clucking chickens, bad Fozzie jokes, SOMETHING. Did they think kids wouldn't get it or something?
-It felt very disjointed and edited. Something wasn't right. It was also very short at a mere 20 minutes after 10+ minutes of commercials (or at least it felt that way) thrown in.
-Miss Piggy looked strange. I don't know exactly what it is, but she didn't look like herself.

But you know, I did laugh a few times. Rizzo and Pepe's "too cool" stunt at the beginning was funny. So was Miss Piggy's "It's a good thing she's rich" line. So yes, it did have its moments. But overall I found it rather forgetful and sad - however, if it brings in young and new Muppet fans, then at least something was achieved.

Slayers Revolution, episode 5

In this episode, we learn of a lost country called Taforashia, which appears once every few months during a misty fog. Pokota holds a strong link to this place, and Lina learns who was originally responsible for linking her to the mage tanks.

What I liked:

-Xellos is in this one!
-Starting to get intense and just the way I like my Slayers
-It looks like Zuuma, the incredibly deadly and skilled assassin from the novel series, will be making an appearance soon!



What I didn't like:

-Not much. Pokota is starting to grow on me now that I know who he is (he's probably human under a spell).