Category: Arts & Culture

Fates Are Sealed in a Final Showdown as Epic Manga Adventure “InuYasha” Concludes

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media has announced the release of the final installment of Rumiko Takahashi’s longtime bestselling manga (graphic novel) series, InuYasha, on January 11th. Fans won’t want to miss even a single page of the action in Volume 56, Curtain of Time, which is rated “T+” for Older Teens and carries an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. InuYasha is published under VIZ Media’s Shonen Sunday imprint.

Kagome, a modern-day high school girl, is pulled into Japan’s ancient past! There, her destiny is linked to a dog-eared half demon named InuYasha. Together, they battle evil demons who seek to acquire the shards of the legendary Shikon Jewel and wield its incredible power. But can Kagome and InuYasha stop feuding with each other long enough to save the feudal or modern world — let alone both?

In the climactic showdown, the demon Naraku’s true intentions are finally revealed! Then, Kagome is swallowed up by the Meido. Is she finally beyond her friends’ reach? And will the final battle over the Shikon Jewel draw InuYasha and Kagome together… or pull them apart forever?! Find out in the exciting concluding volume!

The spotlight on manga creator Rumiko Takahashi began in 1978 when she won an honorable mention in Shogakukan’s annual New Comic Artist Contest for Those Selfish Aliens. Later that same year, her boy-meets-alien comedy series, Urusei Yatsura, was serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday. This phenomenally successful manga series was adapted into anime format and spawned a TV series and half a dozen theatrical-release movies, all incredibly popular in their own right. Takahashi followed up the success of her debut series with one blockbuster hit after another — Maison Ikkoku ran from 1980 to 1987, Ranma ½ from 1987 to 1996, and InuYasha from 1996 to 2008. Other notable works include Mermaid Saga, Rumic Theater, and One-Pound Gospel. These, as well as her newest manga series, Rin-ne, are also published in North America by VIZ Media.

Also catch InuYasha anime episodes — for free — on VIZAnime.com.

More information on InuYasha, or other Shonen Sunday titles from VIZ Media, is available at ShonenSunday.com.

Sue, Per Hero – Know Your Comics Law

from GeekChicDaily:

Marvel Comics made a name for themselves featuring heroes with “real-life” problems, but we’re sometimes skeptical. Oh, sure: Peter Parker has dating woes, and Iron Man’s a souse. But are these really the biggest issues such characters would face? Where are all the lawsuits over property destruction? The civil rights acts that protect mutants? Does Superman qualify as an illegal alien, and if so, how would you deport him?

Thankfully, we have the work of James Daily and Ryan Davidson to help us out. Both are actual lawyers, and yes, they spend their free time thinking about issues like these at their blog, Law and the Multiverse.

Watchmen and The Incredibles envisioned scenarios wherein superheroes were simply banned, but it’s hard to imagine those heroes wouldn’t take advantage of all the law has to offer and countersue in the face of such discrimination. Either way, it’s going to be a tough court battle if the defendants can utilize telepathy, shape-shifting, and all that good stuff. In the end, we gotta think these cases would probably come down on the heroes’ side. President Obama has been seen palling around with the likes of Spider-Man and Youngblood. When the chips are down, we imagine he might step in with an executive order or two.

For now, Law and the Multiverse is for entertainment purposes only… but if you’re ever bitten by a radioactive spider due to lab-tech negligence, you might want to drop Misters Daily and Davidson a line.

3 days left to vote for “The Legend of Neil”

from The Legend of Neil:

Which other webshow had a 7 minute kung fu fight between Neil’s & Gannon’s Asian doubles? C’mon, vote Neil Clicker.com best web comedy serial! Only 3 days left. You can vote once a day per computer! No registration required. Takes 2 seconds. The more awards we win the more Atom/Comedy Central is going to want to make the DVD! Thanks for your help and happy new year!

J!NX: Voting Now Open for EVE Design Contest

from J!NX:

New J!NX Design Arcade Winner
The Design Arcade continues to run rampant with awesome designs. This time around, mike reisel honors the legendary battle at Thermopylae. Of course, even the most valiant of warriors can succumb when faced with overwhelming odds. Luckily, the odds were in his favor this round, and he takes home some WINSAUCE for his OMGWTFBBQ.

Vote for Your Favorite Designs
EVE Online players from around the world have gathered their creative genius and submitted dozens of designs into the J!NX EVE Online Design Contest. Score the submissions and you can help decide which will turn into the next wave of EVE shirts from J!NX.

The Art of How to Train Your Dragon

The Art of How to Train Your Dragon

How to Train Your Dragon was recently released on DVD and Blu-ray, but if you’ve already worn your disc out and need a new Dragon fix, then pick up a copy of the film’s companion book, The Art of How to Train Your Dragon by Tracey Miller-Zarneke. Published at the beginning of this year to coincide with the film’s premiere, publisher Newmarket Press has posted an announcement on their website that the title is now back in stock.

The Art of How to Train Your Dragon is a gorgeous hardcover, divided up into five easily accessible sections:

  • The Dragons: The next best thing to having a Dragon Manual — the dragon field guide that Hiccup consults on-screen (and needs to be replicated in real book form) — this chapter details each of the dragons that appear in the film, from preliminary design sketches through to finished CG animation stills. Stats on the different species, some that aren’t revealed in the film, accompany the illustrations, and thumbnails of several dragons that didn’t make it to the screen are included, as well. Budding fantasy artists will find the material in this section invaluable, not only as a tutorial on how to draw credible dragon anatomy, but as a creative reminder that dragons come in more shapes and sizes than the traditional green dragon seen in storybooks. Not surprisingly, Toothless, as the main dragon and the character who underwent the most changes as he winged from book page to silver screen, dominates The Dragons, with considerable coverage also given to his nemesis, the monstrous Red Death, who received a number of progressively scarier make-overs.
  • The Vikings: Early sketches, character studies, CG models, and biographies of the film’s human characters add background and depth to the main cast: Hiccup, Astrid and the other dragon trainees, Chief Stoick the Vast, and blacksmith/dragon trainer Gobber. As an added bonus, original drawings by the author of the How to Train Your Dragon books are reprinted alongside the film drawings. A two-page spread is devoted to the design of Berk’s Viking “extras”, and Hiccup’s mother, Valhallarama, who didn’t survive the journey from book to screen, is memorialized.
  • The Dragon World: Dragon Island’s forbidding environment is showcased, with a focus on the immense Dragon Cave. A maze of shadowy dragon dens, pits, and winding passageways, the intricate Dragon Cave proved to be quite a challenge to build in 3D, leading to it being dubbed “the Swiss Cheese set”.
  • The Viking World: In an exploration of Berk’s varied landscapes, from the sea to the highest mountain peak, digital paintings take readers on a breathtaking tour of the Viking village, houses, Meade Hall, harbour, and training grounds. In addition, visits are made to Toothless’ secret cove and some intriguing locations that were unfortunately dropped during script revisions. A wealth of sketches and illustrations delve into Viking culture, examining the Vikings’ props, iconography, boats, weapons, statues, and the fascinating Meade Hall carvings and tapestries.
  • Bringing the Worlds Together… and Bringing It All to the Screen: The final chapter offers a run-down of the tasks assigned to individual units of the film team: story, layout, cinematography, 3D rendering, animation, character effects, general effects, lighting, and editorial. Filmmaker comments take viewers even further behind the scenes of creating a full-length animated film, and the job descriptions may help those who aspire to work in feature animation decide where their skills lie, much like Hiccup finding the place he fits best in Viking society.

The book’s preface is written by Cressida Cowell, whose children’s book of the same name (the first in a series) inspired the How to Train Your Dragon film, which The Art of How to Train Your Dragon classifies as a prequel of sorts to Cowell’s stories. In her introduction, the author engagingly relates the story of her family’s annual camping trips to a remote Scottish island, a tiny, rugged spot that sparked the idea for How to Train Your Dragon and served as a model for the Isle of Berk, the place that her imaginary tribe of Vikings inhabits. Comedian and late-night television host Craig Ferguson, the voice of Gobber, provides a humorous yet heartfelt foreword that reveals how he conquered his fear of flying, singling out a favourite scene from the movie that expresses his newfound passion for flight.

Expertly penned by Walt Disney Feature Animation alum Tracey Miller-Zarneke, The Art of How to Train Your Dragon benefits from the knowledge of an animation insider, coming to life as Miller-Zarneke deftly pulls quotes from the production crew, sprinkling them throughout the book to enhance her narrative. Compared to other “The Art of…” books, the The Art of How to Train Your Dragon does seem to have less of a text-to-pictures ratio, but is still as enjoyable and informative a read as Miller-Zarneke’s prior film animation book, The Art of Kung Fu Panda, and Dragon’s 350-plus images really do speak for themselves. Beautifully printed in full colour on large, glossy pages, the development art, sketches, pencil and marker drawings, storyboards, digital paint renditions, and finished artwork collected in The Art of How to Train Your Dragon makes reading the book feel like a stroll through a fantasy show at an art gallery. The volume’s binding is stitched, rather than glued, so the book lies perfectly flat, which is particularly handy for artists using it as a reference work.

Fans of Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, the previous film helmed by How to Train Your Dragon writer-directors Chris Sanders (whose unique visual style is evident in the look of both films) and Dean DeBlois, will obviously be drawn to this book, but, as Newmarket Press points out, The Art of How to Train Your Dragon is actually “a book for anyone who loves moviemaking, animation, art, Vikings, and, of course, dragons.”

Order now at Amazon.com:
The Art of How to Train Your Dragon
How to Train Your Dragon Book 1
How to Train Your Dragon (Single Disc Edition)
How to Train Your Dragon (Double DVD Pack)
How to Train Your Dragon (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)
How to Train Your Dragon (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Dragon Double Pack)

The Art of How to Train Your Dragon is distributed by Newmarket Press. Follow Newmarket Press on Twitter. For more information about How to Train Your Dragon, please visit DreamWorks Animation’s official How to Train Your Dragon website.

Vork One-Shot Comic & Vote for “The Guild”

from The Guild:

Today sees the release of the one-shot comic Vork from Dark Horse Comics, the continuation of the comic book series set in the time period before the events of Season One of The Guild. From Dark Horse:

As leader of the Knights of Good, Vork rules with an iron spreadsheet. Having devoted his life to gaming and the pursuit of Goodness, he’s earned the nickname “Goody–Two–Greaves” within the game world, but there’s more to Vork than his guild knows. Written by Felicia Day and Vork himself — actor Jeff Lewis — this hilarious one-shot delves into the man behind the rule book!

As previously announced by Dark Horse, The Guild comics will continue with a one-shot for each of the remaining Guild characters. The Vork comic can be found in your local comic shop, find a shop at ComicShopLocator.com or by calling 1-888-ComicBook, and is available online from Things from Another World and other online retailers. Coming a day after the release of Season 4 to DVD and iTunes (see yesterday’s blog entry) and recent release of The Guild trade paperback/graphic novel, it’s a very Guildie Holiday for us as for the first time, we have some great brand new merchandise out for the holidays.

In other, holiday/end-of-year news, we’d love it if you voted for The Guild for Clicker’s Best of 2010, the show is in the category Best Web Comedy (Serial). There’s no registration required, and please take a look at the many other web series listed there — we’re betting you’ll discover some new ones that would love for you to check them out.

The Guild graphic novel has been nominated by fans for a Goodreads Choice Award in the graphic novel category, and we’d love your votes for the book there (NOTE: you need to sign in to Goodreads to vote, but creating an account doesn’t take too long). If you don’t know Goodreads, it’s a social networking site built around books and reading. You can vote for The Guild here, and be sure to friend and follow Felicia, who’s a very active Goodreads member.

Split Reason: Last chance, save 20%

from Split Reason:

We managed to sneak in some last minute re-stocks of our most popular shirts, so if you missed the boat over the last few weeks the final sailing is set to depart! We’ll be offering 20% OFF all fares until January 5th, 2011. Enter the promo code LASTMINUTE during the check-out process to knock 20% off the block of your order total. (With a Tiger Uppercut, no doubt.) You can also send gift certificates via email, an excellent “Plan B” if you missed a special geek during the holiday shopping madness!

We’d like to send a special thanks to all of our customers, Facebook fans, and Twitter followers for a great year and look forward to cooking up more great products, contests, and geeked-out adventures in 2011. It’s also awesome to say “2011” for the first time, which means we’re nearly one year away from the end of the world. It’s cool, if we’ve learned anything from Minecraft it’s how to build a shelter.

Have fun, be safe, and frag as many noobs as possible in the allotted timeframe. We’ll be running Win Wednesday and Facebook Friday during the holidays so if you need a break from WoW, COD, or your obsession of choice, stop by and try to win some stuff!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Let the games begin…

An Epic Adventure Reaches Its Climax in “Shaman King” Manga Finale, New from VIZ Media in January

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media unleashes the final volume of Hiroyuki Takei’s Shaman King as the long-running manga (graphic novel) series reaches a grand climax. The concluding installment, Volume 32, (rated “T” for Teens; MSRP: U.S. $9.99 / $12.99 CAN) hits nationwide on January 4th, 2011.

Yoh Asakura has spent years training for the Shaman Fight, an epic tournament to determine who will become the Shaman King and shape humanity’s future. Unfortunately for Yoh, every shaman in the world is also vying for the same prize.

To most people, ghosts are the stuff of horror stories and nightmares. But to Yoh Asakura, a transfer student at Shinra Private Junior High, they’re his friends! Yoh Asakura is a shaman, one of the gifted few who can speak to spirits by channeling ghosts into his body — like the long-dead samurai Amidamaru. He can also allow them to possess him and use their powers. But a modern-day shaman faces great responsibilities, because spirits — and the people who work with them — can be very dangerous indeed. In the series’ grand finale, A Song Someday, Yoh and his gang finally reach the end of the line after all these years and all the hard work. Who will be crowned the next Shaman King, and who will go home in defeat?

Unconventional author/artist Hiroyuki Takei began his career by winning the Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prize. After working as an assistant to famed artist Nobuhiro Watsuki (Rurouni Kenshin, published by VIZ Media), Takei debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1997 with Butsu Zone, an action series based on Buddhist mythology. His multicultural adventure manga Shaman King, which debuted in 1998, became a hit and was adapted into an anime TV series. His new series Ultimo (also published by VIZ Media), a historic collaboration with comics legend Stan Lee (co-creator of many iconic superheroes including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men), is currently being serialized in the U.S. in Shonen Jump. Takei lists Osamu Tezuka, American comics and robot anime among his many key influences.

VIZ Media Announces the Season Finale of the Online Adventure “Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan”, and the Manga Debut in February

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media has announced that the season one finale of the online streaming anime hit series Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan will conclude on VIZAnime.com, the company’s premier website for anime, on December 27, 2010. Also announced is the manga (graphic novel) version of Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, which the anime is based upon. Created by Hiroshi Shiibashi, Vol. 1 will have its North American debut under the Shonen Jump imprint on February 1st 2011, is rated “T” for Teens and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

While the day belongs to humans, the night belongs to yokai, supernatural creatures that thrive on human fear. Caught between these worlds is Rikuo Nura. He’s three-quarters human, but his grandfather is none other than Nurarihyon, the supreme commander of the Nura clan, a powerful yokai consortium. So, Rikuo is an ordinary teenager three quarters of the time, until his yokai blood awakens. Then he transforms into the future leader of the Nura clan, leading a hundred demons.

Hiroshi Shiibashi debuted in Japan in Business Jump magazine with the series, Aratama. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan is his breakout hit. He also worked as an assistant to manga artist, Hirohiko Araki, the creator of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (also published in North America by VIZ Media).

VIZAnime.com is a free-to-use web destination that is now the permanent home to some of the company’s best-loved animated series. Over 1,100 episodes are currently available, and new content is added on a weekly basis. Series currently featured on VIZAnime.com include Bleach, Buso Renkin, Death Note, Honey and Clover, Hikaru no Go, InuYasha, InuYasha: The Final Act, Kekkaishi, Nana, Naruto, Naruto: Shippuden, One Piece and The Prince of Tennis.

To view subtitled Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan animated episodes (rated “T” for Teens) and other VIZ Media animated titles, please visit VIZAnime.com.

For more information on Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan and other Shonen Jump manga titles, please visit ShonenJump.com.

“Vampire Knight”, “Otomen”, “Ouran High School Host Club” and “Rurouni Kenshin” Join Lineup of Legendary Manga Series Available

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media announces the launch of Vampire Knight (rated “T+” for Older Teens), Ouran High School Host Club (rated “T” for Teens), Otomen (rated “T” for Teens), and Rurouni Kenshin (rated “T+” for Older Teens), available now from the VIZ Manga App on the Apple iPad mobile device. The VIZ Manga App is available for free download through the iTunes Store, and all manga volumes are available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada directly within the application for $4.99 per volume.

The recently launched VIZ Manga App is the leading application to read Japanese manga on the iPad, with a downloadable library of the most popular manga series in the world. Readers are encouraged to check the app regularly, as new additions to the store and free Chapter 1 previews of other forthcoming manga series for the iPad are featured.

Other series now available for download on the VIZ Manga App include volumes from Bleach (rated “T” for Teens), Bakuman (rated “T” for Teens), Death Note (rated “T+” for Older Teens), Dragon Ball (rated “T” for Teens), Naruto (rated “T” for Teens), and One Piece (rated “T” for Teens).

In Otomen, a romantic comedy by creator Aya Kanno, Asuka Masamune is a guy who loves girly things — sewing, knitting, making cute stuffed animals and reading shojo comics. But in a world where boys are expected to act manly, Asuka must hide his beloved hobbies and play the part of a masculine jock instead. Can Asuka ever show his true self to anyone, much less to Ryo Miyakozuka, the girl that he’s falling for?

In the screwball romantic comedy Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori, Haruhi, a poor girl at a rich kids’ school, is forced to repay an $80,000 debt by working for the school’s swankiest, all-male club — as a boy! There, she discovers just how wealthy the six members are and how different the rich are from everybody else…

Action, romance, and historical intrigue help make Nobuhiro Watsuki’s Rurouni Kenshin, the tale of a wandering swordsman set against the backdrop of the Meiji Restoration, one of the most popular Shonen Jump titles among fans to date! Himura Kenshin, once an assassin of ferocious power, is now a humble rurouni, a wandering swordsman fighting to protect the honor of those in need.

In fan favorite hit Vampire Knight, by Matsuri Hino, Cross Academy is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorm, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, protecting the Day Class from the Academy’s dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires!

For more information on the VIZ Manga App, please visit VIZ.com/apps.

The Legend of Neil: Award Season Has Begun

from The Legend of Neil:

Hey Neil fans,

Now that The Legend is over we’d really like to punctuate all of our hard work with some awards! Clicker.com has nominated us for Best Comedy Series here. It takes all of 2 seconds to scroll down and click to vote. No registration is required. You can even easily click to “like” it on Facebook or post to Twitter which will help our cause. Aid us in our quest to go out Return of the King style, and win a few. Our team worked so hard to bring you an epic finale on a small budget, give us the gift of your vote!

Oh and tomorrow is probably your last chance to buy some Neil shwag from our store and have it delivered in time for Xmas. (we can’t guarantee it, but I’ll ship everything 2-3 day priority mail Monday & Tuesday so it should arrive on time). The 2 for 1 poster deal from the previous blog post/email is still on, so simply buy 1 poster and then email legendofneilstore@gmail.com with your transaction ID or receipt number and which other poster you want. Sandeep will sign the finale posters!