1 year anniversary!

My blog is now a year old - hurray! Here's to another year, and another, and another! Originally I planned to focus only on Japanese stuff, but it's obvious I've branched out. How did that happen?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Funimation licenses Slayers Revolution & Evolution-R

From Anime News Network:

The North American distributor FUNimation Entertainment has announced on Monday that it has licensed the Slayers Revolution fantasy comedy anime series from Enoki Films. This 2008 anime is the fourth television series based on Hajime Kanzaka and Rui Araizumi's novel series, after the first Slayers series, Slayers Next, and Slayers Try. The first three Slayers television series were previously licensed by Central Park Media, and then FUNimation picked up their licenses in 2005.

Like the previous Slayers projects, Slayers Revolution follows the comic misadventures of the sorceress Lina Inverse (Megumi Hayashibara) and the swordsman Gourry Gabriev (Yasunori Matsumoto) in a fantasy land. Several other familiar characters in the franchise make appearances during the series, and Takashi Watanabe (Boogiepop Phantom, Ikki Tousen, Lost Universe) directed all four series. The 13 Slayers Revolution episodes aired in Japan from July to September, and a fifth series, Slayers Evolution-R, will continue the story in January.

Update: According to FUNimation's press release, the company will release the complete series on DVD in 2010. However, the website lists a 2009 date.

Update 2: FUNimation has confirmed with ANN that 2009 is the scheduled date for the digital release.This literally came out just 30 minutes ago!

Update 3: FUNimation lists its Slayers Revolution license as a 26-episode series. Hajime Kanzaka, the author of the original Slayers light novels, had indicated that Slayers Revolution and Slayers Evolution-R were originally planned as one 26-episode series with a production break in between the two halves.

Update 4: FUNimation has confirmed that it has licensed both Slayers Revolution and its follow-up, Slayers Evolution-R.

Smurfs links

If you're feeling nostalgic for The Smurfs and want to look at interesting websites about them or meet fellow fans, these links should help:

Blue Cavern

Kitty's Cavern

SmurfySteve's Smurf and Snork Forum

Three Apples Tall

Jellaby, Volume One

Portia Bennett is lonely. Though she is smart for her age and tries to be social, none of the other kids at school seem to want to have anything to do with her. Her home life isn't much better, with a mom that works all the time and a dad missing and presumed dead. One night, Portia finds an unexpected friend in a large purple creature she names "Jellaby." He (she?) never says a word and Portia presumes him to be lost, deciding to help Jellaby get back home, wherever that might be. Eventually a kid named Jason joins the group after Jellaby is accidentally exposed to him, and Portia has no choice but to let him in on the secret. Together they find a possible clue to Jellaby's origin and must venture alone to Toronto, a mission with unknown dangers at every corner.

Jellaby is a seriously cute and deceptively simple story. It's interesting that most of the coloring consists of shades of purple, though occasionally you see a dark shade of red, some yellow and a small amount of green. You'd think it'd be distracting, but it works very well. There is mystery and suspense on just where Jellaby comes from, where Portia's dad is, and even what a series of upsetting dreams/flashbacks Portia's been having might mean. I should warn you, however, that the story does not wrap up in this volume - there is another one on the way, set to be released in April of 2009 (ugh). This could definitely be enjoyed by comic enthusiasts, young and old.

Spears Christmas photoshoot

Pictured below are one of my Sims families: Blade (red dress), Jace (blue suit), Knife (gray suit), Fork (white tux), and Wanda (green dress).

Rainbow Brite Christmas

DOWNLOAD

This Christmas album featuring Rainbow Brite may be corny (and the first song is terrible), but if you ever loved this blonde girl in your childhood, or are simply curious, add this to your collection of holiday listens.

Holiday Must Watches!

In no particular order:

Movies:

1. Muppet Christmas Carol
2. Home Alone
3. The Santa Clause

TV Specials:

1. Jim Henson's The Christmas Toy
2. Muppet Family Christmas
3. A Chipmunk Christmas
4. Mickey's Christmas Carol
5. A Charlie Brown Christmas
6. Garfield Christmas