Sims 2 'The Secret Show' Photoshoot

Featuring Victor, Anita, and their twin kids, Vic and Andy.

Made in China by Reed Darmon

This book features colorful ads and merchandise illustrations from the early 1900s to as recent as the 1980s. It's a fascinating look into Chinese culture and displays how much delicate work was put into something even as simple as a box of matches. I highly recommend it!

Buy HERE!

Live action Barbie movie in the works

From Variety:

Universal Pictures has added Barbie to its star stable.

The studio has made a deal with Mattel to build a live action film around its signature toy line. Studios are placing a premium on building films around well-known concepts. Universal brass feels it has landed the queen of globally branded toy figures.

Laurence Mark will produce.
According to Mattel, the 50-year old Barbie has 99% worldwide brand awareness, is the number one girls property in the toy industry, the top doll property in the U.S. and the number one worldwide property in the traditional toy industry.

“Barbie is the most famous doll in history, a unique cultural icon in the world of brands,” said Universal Pictures chairman Marc Shmuger. “So many representations of Barbie frequent pop culture, but never before has she been brought to life in a motion picture. We’re grateful to Mattel for entrusting us with this extraordinary opportunity.”

More at link!

Cosmic Baton Girl Comet-san, episode 13

(コメットさん) 2001

12-year-old Princess Comet has no interest in her royal duties. She'd much rather play with little stars in the Haromonica Star-World system than fulfill anyone's expectations. On the evening of a ball meant to introduce Comet to the prince of Tamborine Star-World, he runs away, and the only way to know him is from the "twinkle" in his eyes. Now it's been decided that Comet will go to Earth to find him and set things right - but can she make the time between having so many fun adventures?

The march into summertime is approaching, and while Comet's host mom prepares her store for the new season, Keisuke is also training to be a lifeguard. But in the middle of practice, he trips and injures his leg. Comet was witness to the whole thing, and tries to help, but Keisuke stubbornly refuses treatment. So, Comet enchants his bike, bringing him right into the doctor's waiting room. But the injury is more serious than Keisuke assumed, and he can't really use his leg for a week. But he has to get ready for the beach to open for the summer, so that just won't do! Can Comet help him heal in time so his dream won't be ruined?

New items in my mom's Etsy shop

Etsy Buy Handmade shesuchacard

Kusumi Koharu to graduate from Morning Musume

More information and statements from Tsunku and Kusumi herself here!

Kirarin Revolution, volume 8

-Hiroto and Izumi have some filming to do at a hot springs resort, and Kirari sneaks along disguised as a crew member. She can't just leave him alone with Izumi! While there, with a prompting from an elderly woman, Kirari signs up for a kimono modeling contest. When Izumi finds out, she joins in on the contest and attempts to sabotage Kirari from winning; because if she did, as per a deal she makes with Kirari, Izumi would have to leave Hiroto alone.
-Izumi isn't a she - she is a he! And Hiroto knows him very well. His real name is Izumi Hyoutarou, and Hiroto and himself were childhood friends. Hiroto once made a promise to Izumi that they would start a duo pop group together, but that was obviously broken after Izumi's family moved away. He decided to go under the guise of a girl and become famous to get close to Hiroto again. But just because he is no longer a threat to Kirari physically, it doesn't mean he won't keep trying to win Hiroto's heart.
-Kirari has been asked to draw a comic for a magazine, but as with everything else she tries to hand make, she can only draw mushrooms. Enchanted with a mangaka she sees on TV, she decides to go to the woman for help. But the life of a mangaka is no party, as she quickly learns. It drains away the hours and fun in your life, making you tired and haggard. Can Kirari make the poor woman feel happy again?

Nozomi Tsuji sings song for Kiwi commercial

Tsuji is singing a song called "Bokutachi ZESUPURI KIWII Da ne" for Zespri Kiwi. If you visit the official website you'll find clips of the commercial, along with a link to buy the song on iTunes.

Zespri Kiwi

Yet more of gamers playing games...

If you like to watch people playing/reviewing, and/or love to learn about the world of video games, check these out:

2-Bit Gaming

Classic Gaming Room

CornshaqGaming

Famicom Dojo

Hello Project's Tsunku makes voice acting debut

From Anime News Network:

Not-So-Daily Link of the Day: Tsunku♂, the Hello Project producer best known for assembling the Morning Musume female idol group, is making his voice-acting debut in the anime adaptation of Tomoko Nishimura's Gokujō!! Mecha Mote Iinchō high school romance manga. He is playing Nijūkyu-sensei, the advisor of Musashino Moriyama Academy's light music club. (The Television magazine posted side-by-side pictures of Tsunku♂ and his character.) In the story, Mimi Kitagami is a kind, level-headed girl who aims to be the best, coolest student council president of her high school class. However, three trouble-making boys are always causing her grief — and she has a one-sided crush on one of the boys, Ushio Tōjō.

In addition to being a character in the anime, "Nijūkyu-sensei" is credited with composing the "Mecha Mote I Love You," "Kirei ni Naritai," "Daisuki ni Nare—!" and "Kokoro Kimi ni Todoke" theme songs. Tsunku♂ is the actual composer of these songs. The songs' performance are credited to "MM Gakuen Gasshō-bu" (Musashino Moriyama Academy Choral Group), Mimi Kitagami (voice actress Mana Ogawa), and MM3 (the characters Ushio, Ao Nishizaki, and Namito Nagumo as played by voice actors Ryo Oshima, Ryutaro Abe, and Tomohiro Watanabe, respectively).

After his dialogue post-recording session, Tsunku said that the voice-acting stint was basically his first job outside his usual work in the music business and was most fascinating. Tsunuku played the character with an accent from the Kansai region south of Tokyo.

Tsunku assembled Morning Musume from the finalists of the televised auditions for his own rock band, Sharan Q. In addition to producing Morning Musume and other musical acts under the Hello Project umbrella name, Tsunku♂ once sang several hit songs for Sharan Q, such as DNA²'s "Single Bed" and Orphen's "Ai Just on my Love" and "Kimi Wa Majutsushi." He also composed and wrote music for Hyakko, Kirarin Revolution, Patalliro Saiyuki, School Rumble: 2nd Semester, and Yo-Yo Girl Cop. (Some of these anime- and manga-related projects feature current members and alumni of Hello Project.) He appeared at Anime Expo this past July.

Japan's video, anime sales drop furthur

From Anime News Network:

On Tuesday, the Japan Video Software Association announced its survey results on Japanese video software sales for the first half of 2009. The overall market, which includes DVDs, Blu-ray Discs (BDs), UMDs, and video cassettes, amounted to 127.731 billion yen (about US$1.381 billion). That is 90.3% of the sales in the same period last year — a drop of almost a full tenth in sales. Despite its declining sales, the DVD format is still the overwhelming bellwether with 93.1% of the video software market.

The sales of Japanese animation DVDs for general audiences was 22.447 billion yen (US$242.6 million), or 91.2% of the sales in the same period last year. This is the latest annual drop in the segment; sales in the first half of 2008 had been 88.1% of the sales in the first half of 2007. Still, anime continues to be the largest segment of overall DVD sales, with 30.4% of the yen spent and 24.1% of the raw number of releases sold. However, less anime DVDs were rented — 88.1% of last year's total.

Now that last year's Blu-ray Disc/HD DVD format war is a fading memory, BD sales jumped 386.8% to 8.443 billion yen (US$91.2 million). 1,744,105 copies were sold — an increase of 312%. BDs now represent 6.6% of the overall video software market by yen spent, and 4.5% by copies sold. Anime dominated BD sales with a 56.6% share; last year, it was only 20.9% of the market. However, only 32.7% of the BDs rented were anime.

Interesting Parody of Morning Musume's hit "Love Machine"

It's incredibly strange yet somehow gets in your head. I think I spot Tsunku in there ;)

Morning Musume at AX in LA video

As broadcast by NHK World, here is a video about Morning Musume's trip to America:

The Wallflower, volume 18

-Led to believe that in the process of remodeling the estate the landlady removed their rooms, the boys are in a panic. Sunako is given no choice but to get a job if she wants to keep living in her tiny apartment, but her choice is questionable. It's in the red light district at a hostess bar! And the boys freak - if the landlady finds out they'll never be able to go back.
-Takenaga moves back in with his family, a very prominent one who disapproves of his lifestyle and company and prefer he simply stay on the path of inheriting the family business. Will the boys be able to get him to come back? What about poor Noi?
-It looks like Sunako has finally recovered from the incident that pushed her into complete seclusion. Now Noi thinks she needs to move on and fall in love with Kyohei, like she should have ages ago! But trying to get that girl involved in romance is like trying to teach a duck to climb a tree - pretty impossible.

Hime-chan no Ribbon manga remake launches

From Anime News Network:

Hime-chan no Ribon Colorful shōjo manga launches on Thursday

Shiho Komiyuno, the artist who adapted the Demashita! PowerPuff Girls Z anime into manga, has launched a remake of Megumi Mizusawa's classic Hime-chan's Ribbon (Hime-chan no Ribon) manga in the October issue of Shueisha's Ribon magazine on Thursday. In the original 1990-1994 manga, Princess Erika of the parallel-world Magic Kingdom gives a human tomboy named Himeko a magical ribbon that can transform her into any person she sees. Komiyuno's Hime-chan no Ribon Colorful remake takes the characters and background story and brings them into the 21st century.

Toei Animation adapted the original manga into a popular 61-episode television anime series from 1992 to 1993.

Nozomi Tsuji selling a line of "relax wear" in the Ameba blog celebrity shop

Shop is located here!

Tokyopop to lose Kodansha licenses

From Anime News Network:

The North American manga publisher Tokyopop has confirmed that the Japanese publisher Kodansha has decided to let their manga licensing contracts expire. That means Tokyopop will not be allowed to complete any ongoing manga series from Kodansha or reprint its back catalog of Kodansha titles once the existing stock runs out. According to Tokyopop, the company does not know Kodansha's reasons for the decision. Among other titles, Tokyopop has licensed Chobits, Love Hina, Samurai Deeper Kyo, Rave Master, Initial D, Kindaichi Case Files, Life, GetBackers, and Love Attack from Kodansha.

Source: MangaBlog

Update: Tokyopop's Germany office had acknowledged in January that Kodansha let their manga licenses in Germany expire. Just like Tokyopop's American office, Tokyopop Germany said that Kodansha had not given a reason for the decision. Another North American manga licensee of Kodansha manga, Dark Horse Comics, is no longer listing Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira and Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell in its catalog as of this year.

Update 2: In June, the North American publisher Del Rey announced that it acquired the newer volumes of Samurai Deeper Kyo. Tokyopop had published the first 34 volumes, and Del Rey will publish an omnibus book that will combine volumes 35 and 36 in December. Dark Horse confirmed at Comic-Con International last month that it is publishing omnibus versions of Clover, Chobits, Magic Knight Rayearth, and Cardcaptor Sakura — all Kodansha titles by CLAMP that Tokyopop once licensed.

Update 3: ICv2 has confirmed that Random House is distributing the Akira and Ghost in the Shell manga on behalf of Kodansha in North America; the two titles have already appeared on the pre-order lists from the online retailer Amazon and the August issue of Previews magazine. The About.com:Manga website has posted the lists of Tokyopop's incomplete Kodansha titles, Kodansha titles that have been relicensed, and completed Kodansha titles that are out-of-print for now. Tokoypop emphasized to ICv2 and AnimeVice that it minimized the effects of Kodansha's decision a few years ago by diversifying the sources for its content. The publisher added that the decision "wasn't completely unexpected" and "has little bearing on Tokyopop's current or future stability." Thank you to Aaron Deslauriers for the Previews news tip.