Celebrate Your Geekdom
from Milky Way and the Galaxy Girls:
Free Galaxy Girls Book!
($12.95 value!) when you buy ANY Milky Way and the Galaxy Girls doll.*
Plus, Enjoy Free Shipping on Everything!
(up to a $25 value) with your purchase of $99 or more!**
*Quantities limited; no rain checks.
**Standard shipping only. Excludes video game accessories, consoles/handhelds, software.
from J!NX:
The Summer ’10 IDentity Tees Have Arrived!
The days are getting warmer, and the need for that protective outer layer of clothing is anything but dire. What better time to 1-Up your wardrobe with a set of new IDentity tees? Whether you’re a fan of robots, zombies, or simply enjoy the good ol’ days of 8-bit gaming, we’ve got something for you. Check out all the new tees right here!
from Shout! Factory:
From Japan — the country that brought us such mythical movie monsters as Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra and King Ghidorah — storms Gamera, the titanic terrapin feared by adults and loved by children. On May 18, 2010, Shout! Factory will unleash Gamera: The Giant Monster Special Edition on DVD for the first time in its unedited original version, with English subtitles — in anamorphic widescreen from an all-new HD master. The DVD includes a 12-page booklet with an essay by director Noriaki Yuasa, a photo gallery, trailers and more. The collectible Gamera: The Giant Monster Special Edition DVD is priced to own at $19.93.
Like all classic monster movies, it is the folly of man that unleashes a ginormous beast upon the world. This time it is literal fallout from the Cold War — a Soviet bomber is shot down over U.S. airspace in the Arctic Ocean, with the massive radiation from the resultant atomic explosion awakening the ancient, gargantuan Gamera. A long-forgotten legend of the lost continent of Atlantis, the 200-foot-long, fire-eating turtle isn’t in a good mood, and proving impervious to all manmade weapons, the colossal chelonian smashes a cataclysmic swath across the globe. But when he arrives in Tokyo, a small boy forms an odd connection with him, allowing authorities to unleash “Plan Z.”
The classic Gamera was directed by Noriaki Yuasa, who helmed all seven of the original Gamera entries in the Showa era series between 1965 and 1971, and stars Eiji Funakoshi (Fires on the Plain), Harumi Kiritachi, Junichiro Yamashiko and Jutaro Hojo (Wrath of Daimajin). The subsequent franchise was more kid-friendly (yet ironically bloodier) than Godzilla, who became less menacing and more cuddly himself during the Sixties. The Gamera series was creative in the monstrous nemeses that it pitted against the towering turtle, the most famous being the flying, pointy-headed Gyaos, who was resurrected for the successful trio of movies in the Heisei-era series between 1995 and 1999.
Created by the same company who brought Zatoichi to the screen, Daiei Studios’ titanic terrapin is the only true rival to Toho’s King of the Monsters, able to hold his own at the box office and secure a place in the hearts of kaiju eiga (Japanese monster movie) fans around the world. The original films have woefully been underrepresented on DVD, especially releases featuring the authentic Japanese versions.
Pre-order at Amazon.com:
Gamera: The Giant Monster Special Edition
Or order directly through the Shout! Factory website.
Gamera: The Giant Monster Special Edition is distributed by Shout! Factory.
from Vivendi Entertainment Canada:
What happens when Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk, Wolverine, and some of the best known heroes in the Marvel Universe get together? You get The Super Hero Squad Show, the greatest (and coolest) heroes on the planet uniting together to face the world’s most notorious villains — the biggest, most family-friendly Super Hero team-up in TV and DVD history. It’s no small job protecting Super Hero City from the wild, weird (& even wacky) villainy of VillainVille’s infamous baddies… but the Super Hero Squad is always up for the job. These brave heroes totally deliver the action — but with plenty of humour on the side.
The celebrate the highly anticipated release of The Super Hero Squad Show, Vivendi Entertainment Canada and Teletoon are teaming up to give away a grand-prize trip for two to Comic-Con in San Diego, California. Beginning May 4, fans are invited to enter online at teletoon.com for their chance to win daily prize-packs containing Hasbro Super Hero Squad action figures and Marvel Animation DVDs. The on-air promotion dubbed “Marvel May-hem” will run for two weeks leading up to the ultimate fan experience, a grand-prize trip to Comic-Con!
This is the first time the “Squaddies” have been available on DVD! Each DVD contains five episodes from Season One of The Super Hero Squad Show. Bonus features include a Stan Lee interview, Marvel Animation’s sneak-peek of the new series The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and a first look at a new Super Hero Squad online game.
Order now at Amazon.ca:
The Super Hero Squad Show, Volume 1 — Hero Up, Squaddies!
The Super Hero Squad Show, Volume 2 — Titanic Team Ups
from Weta:
The Stench from the Painting Room is utterly un-bearable! We are hazarding a guess that the paint sniffing department are about to divulge three utterly new and fantastical rayguns. A plethora of clues have led us to this conclusion.
*Schedule (Tuesday 11 May):
Los Angeles — 2PM
Little Rock — 4PM
New York — 5PM
London — 10PM
Stockholm — 11PM
Hong Kong — 5AM (Wednesday 12 May)
Sydney — 7AM (Wednesday 12 May)
Palmerston North — 9AM (Wednesday 12 May)
Same place as usual — wetanz.com/rayguns
As you can clearly see from these clues, next week is the time to sniff out a one-of-a-kind treasure from Dr. Grordbort’s. Do not hesitate. The consequences of such inactivity are likely to be dire. So dire, in fact, that you may have to paint your own!
But wait…
Persistent rumours circulate that a fourth gun (codename “Big K”) has been customised by Dr. Tremont and will be revealed at the same time. If this is indeed the case, it will be only the second time in history such an event has occurred, so don’t miss it. And it won’t be based on a ManMelter.
Keep an eye on the Raygun Shoppe at the above times!
Come-as-you-are to Oamaru!
The hilarious people in the rural New Zealand outpost of Oamaru are staging a pseudo-chronological event they call “Steampunk Fashion Show”. From what we can gather, this is an opportunity to show off your normal everyday garments to an audience somehow gathered in “the future”. Or as they (The League of Victorian Imagineers, Oamaru) say: “…men in top hats, adorned with goggles made of brass or copper, waistcoats, thick overcoats, brooches, cravats… The women… leather corsets (hazzaah!), bio-mechanical (pardon?) body modifications…”. Sounds to us much like an afternoon game of Whist at the Explorers’ Club, but by all means — join them if you must! Entries close 15 May for the 5 June Show and Gala Ball!
The April Raygun Shootout has been shot… out…!
As April drew to a close, the judges were deliberating viciously and we do see why — an ENORMOUS amount of creativity has gone into these designs. All of them naturally with the October Grand Prize of a trip to Weta in New Zealand firmly in their sights! Splendiferous! Allow us to present the April Winner — The String Manipulator XII by contestant “jrobot” from the US. The lucky sod runs off with a Real Imitation Metal Righteous Bison Indivisible Particle Smasher! The jury’s verdict: “For its swirling-ice-cream-cone-of-death good looks and minimal effort required to fire. The monocle trigger is pure genius. Just wink, and that Meddling Moon Man is a Mere Memory! It’s mesmerising. Hazzaah!” We shall be announcing the April winner in a few days’ time, in the meantime — why not compete in the May Competition for best Alien Raygun Design!
The Orangerie is a-flutter!
Company Lepidopterologist, Dr. Beswarick was seen recently carrying a huge bottle of Ethyl Acetate to his shed adjoining the orangerie. Something is definitely afoot. He hasn’t been seen in public since December, when he proudly emerged with a beaut specimen of the Blue Sacked Pillock, remember? Discuss in the forum, perhaps? Any clues welcome! We’re tickled pink with anticipation!
from VIZ Media:
VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, beckons fans to sink their teeth into the gothic romance of the animated series Vampire Knight, launching online today on VIZAnime.com.
VIZ Anime is the official online home to some of VIZ Media’s best-loved animated series and a burgeoning social network for fans to connect and form an interactive community. Over 400 episodes are currently available and new content is added on a weekly basis. VIZ Anime is accessible at: VIZAnime.com.
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 dorms, they cross paths with the mysterious 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! Yuki Cross has no memory of her past prior to the moment she was saved from a vampire attack ten years ago. She was adopted by the headmaster of Cross Academy, and now works alongside Zero to guard the Academy’s secret. Yuki believes that vampires and humans can coexist peacefully, but her partner has different ideas…
“With its cast of edgy and engaging characters combined with a dark sexy storyline, Vampire Knight is destined to be one of the most exciting anime releases of 2010,” says Brian Ige, Director of Sales, Home Entertainment. “Fans can also look forward to the release of Vampire Knight on DVD, under the Shojo Beat imprint, on July 20th. Stay tuned for more details coming soon on some hot VIZ Media anime summer releases!”
Vampire Knight (rated “T+” for Older Teens) is based on the best-selling manga series created by Matsuri Hino, who burst onto the scene in Japan with her debut title, Kono Yume ga Sametara (When This Dream is Over) in LaLa DX magazine. With the success of subsequent series such as Captive Hearts and Meru Puri (both published domestically by VIZ Media), Hino has firmly established herself as a major force in the world of shojo manga. Vampire Knight is currently serialized in LaLa magazine in Japan.
For more information on the Vampire Knight manga and to read free previews online please visit shojobeat.com. For more information on other animated titles from VIZ Media please visit VIZAnime.com.
from Weta:
Come, all ye Satyrs!
Weta wants to see more Centaurs, Satyrs, Demons, Gargoyles, Unicorns, Dragons, Minotaurs and other fantastical creatures roaming the earth! So we just launched Weta Legs with our good friend Kim Graham. If you are a performer, costumer or just want to change into a new creature, then Weta Legs will help you take your creativity to a whole new level (literally!).
The YouTube video has already been viewed 25,000 times in the last 2 weeks. Costume Actor Shane Rangi demonstrated a pair at the Elf Fantasy Fair in Holland on 24-25 April, and our good friend Meredith Yayanos will be showing them off at the Bay Area Maker’s Faire on 22-23 May in the US. These are the first digitigrade legs ever made available for the public. Here’s what Coilhouse Magazine had to say about them.
Now, take advantage of this SPECIAL OFFER! Order your Weta Legs by 25 May and you get an “Early Bird” discount of US$150!
Want to win an all-expenses trip to Weta Workshop in New Zealand?
Join in the digital rendering creativity at Dr. Grordbort’s Raygun Shootout. Entry is free. The challenge for April was to create the most “Futuristic Raygun”. Check out the awesome entries on the Leaderboard. The winners for April will be announced very shortly. There will be new competitions each month up until October. In May, your challenge is to create the finest “Alien Raygun” in the Universe. Get your entries in now. There are monthly prizes and spot prizes from Dr. Grordbort’s. If you are not into rendering you can still vote for your favourite entries. Just register your details, and vote for your favorites on the Leaderboard.
The Lord of the Rings
Middle-earth fans have got a range of new art to choose from:
Keep your own piece of Middle-earth close to your heart with engraved Stone Pendants from the South Island of New Zealand. Their journey began thousands of years ago in the mountains of the Southern Alps. Will they make their way across the globe to your home?
The first 3 of our miniature shields are now shipping from our warehouses in the US, UK and New Zealand. They can be displayed as collectibles or worn as a badge (there is a pin on the back). Stocks in our UK warehouse are already down to very limited numbers, so be quick. A fourth shield is already in production. Which will it be? Have your say on this thread at our fan forum.
Strider’s Sword from the Master Swordsmith’s Collection sold out very quickly. We will be shipping these beautiful works of art out to their 10 lucky owners in May (there are plenty of jealous staff in the Workshop who wish they could afford one!). If you have not yet seen the video on how these blades are crafted, it really is worth taking a look.
The Map of New Zealand as Middle-earth is proving very popular.
Pre-orders for the Bag End Collector’s Edition are racing along. Make sure you don’t miss out before it’s too late.
We will be sending out shipment notices for the Argonath next week. This item has already Sold Out, however you can put your name on the waiting list for cancelled orders by e-mailing us at info@wetaNZ.co.nz.
Please don’t forget if you are ordering 5 or more pieces at once, it pays to send us a note to see if we can reduce your shipping costs by packing them all in one bag.
District 9 fans — Watch Out!
We will be opening pre-orders for an all new D9 collectible in our next newsletter. So get your eyes off the cat food and watch out. The full scale Arc Generator gun sold out in only 4 days, so you don’t want to be late for this one. (You can still put your name on the waiting list for the Arc Generator). The Art of District 9 book is well under away and the design team are doing a terrific job. It’s full of never-seen-before art and tells the story of the design process. We are so excited about launching this book later in the year, we just might have to leak a few glimpses every now and again.
Weta Cave
The Weta Cave in Wellington, New Zealand is nearly 2 years old. We were thrilled to host 100,000 people from all over this world (and a few others) in the last 12 months. It’s a real motivation to all of us at Weta to know that people care enough to travel so far to come and say Hi. Please keep coming and please keep sharing in our obsession for creativity. Recently, we were delighted to host author Robert Rankin from the United Kingdom. We were geeking out about his books and were surprised to find out from his friend “Raygun”, they were both huge Dr. Grordbort’s fans. Huzzah!
We can confirm rumours of Trolls stomping around Wellington airport are true. Weta has a new shopping display at the Discover New Zealand store inside the airport. And yes, of course the trolls do come alive at night time. How else would they stay so well fed?
Dr. Grordbort’s
We are very sorry to advise the Superintendent of Grordborts Industries Misinformation Office has been replaced because of health (death by insect poisoning) reasons. However, on the positive side, we have now discovered where the last remaining live Blue Sacked Pillock was hiding. It has now been skewered through its sack and the new Superintendent is very pleased to announce another Venusian species has officially been made extinct. Our congratulations to the brave gentlemen and literate women at Grordbort Industries for bringing their combined total up to 814 species and counting. There are indications that more bugs are likely to follow in the footsteps of the unfortunate Pillock. Gossip is also rife in the Workshop at the moment. The doors to the paint room have been locked for days on end (luckily — that place stinks of heavy metals and nasty solvents), and the only visitors have been a space man, a well dressed gentleman with over-sized canines and a so called “graffiti artist” with rather loose fitting trouserage covering only the lower halves of his puny buttocks! Could there be more custom painted rayguns on their way? Look out for an imminent propaganda message from Dr. Grordbort’s for more misinformation.
Halo Console Auction
Weta recently created a Halo themed Xbox for our friends at Microsoft, which was auctioned off for charity on eBay. The winning bid was A$10,000. The piece was designed and sculpted by Weta Workshop’s Alex Faulkner. Check out the video! And the full range of Halo collectibles.
Comic-Con is Coming!
San Diego Comic-Con 2010 is only 2 and a half months away. We hope you’ve booked your tickets and will be visiting the Weta team at our booth. More news coming soon…
from OneUp Studios:
The wait is over.
The long-awaited album has arrived. 10 tracks of Super Mario Kart goodness. Now… Where to get it?
I recommend Bandcamp. You’ll be able to:
— Buy the physical copy of the CD
— Get an immediate digital download in whatever format you wish (MP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, etc.)
— Pay what you want, as long as you pay $9.99.
— Get to hear the whole album for free before you buy to make sure you’re making a smart purchase.
— Now that sounds like fun, doesn’t it? The album is selling like hot cakes (what does that mean, anyway?). Get your copy now.
Also, for those of you who don’t want to use Bandcamp:
iTunes (may not be up at this moment but will be any day)
Music Video — Mario Circuit
I believe this marks the first time a video game music cover band has made a live-action music video. You will please enjoy. Shot and chopped by our friend Duncan Skiles at Waverly Films. Share with your friends!
The OneUps in San Francisco Area May 16 | Free Show All Ages
Holy smokes we’re playing a FREE show for ALL AGES on the Microsoft Campus on Sunday May 16 for the Bay Area Game Jam 2010. We did this last year with The Megas and it was friggin’ awesome. Please join us for a free show. We’ll have the Super Mario Kart Album and the new Volume 1&2 Combo Pack on hand for you to purchase for your long (or short) drive home following the show.
But where can I find out the address and stuff?
New The OneUps Web Site
Check out our baller new Web site via Mazedude Productions. You can head to the “News/Calendar” page to find out upcoming show dates, times, and link right to the map. You’ll also enjoy the new picture gallery, video gallery and new store with plenty of things to order like the NEW Volume 1&2 Combo Pack! We managed to squish Volume 1 and the two-disc Volume 2 onto two super-long playing CDs. If you missed physical copies of our previous albums, check it out! (Ships late May)
That’s it for now. Hope this is enough to keep you entertained until next time, Gadget…
-m
Mustin
Producer
OneUpStudios.com
from Ex-Boyfriend:
We want to meet you!
New Designs!
After you check out…
Follow us online
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from J!NX:
New Dungeons & Dragons Tees!
Attention all Eladrin, Dwarves, Tieflings, Dragonborn, and all the rest! Get your Daily Cast ready, polish your d20, and spruce up your character sheet, for there’s a fresh set of Dungeons & Dragons tees for you! What better way to gain a +5 buff to Charisma?
Win a World of Warcraft Loot Pack from J!NX and SteelSeries!
The J!NX Crew has teamed up with our friends over at SteelSeries to present three weeks of World of Warcraft giveaways via Facebook! We’ve got some epic loot packs to disperse, filled with items like a Talking Murloc, WoW apparel, a gaming keyboard and mouse, and much more. Click here to find out all the rules and get yourself entered!
from Nintendo of Canada:
A great value in video games is about to get even better. Starting May 9, Nintendo will add new elements to the baseline Wii system package offered at retailers throughout the Americas. In addition to the intuitive, motion-sensing Wii Remote controller, Nunchuk controller and popular Wii Sports game that currently comes standard with each system purchase, every new unit will now also come packaged with Wii Sports Resort and the control-enhancing Wii MotionPlus accessory. In addition, consumers will be able to choose between two colour schemes for the Wii console and included controllers: original white, or a new black option. The Canadian suggested retail price of the new system package will remain at $209.99.
“Nintendo leads the way in delivering rich motion-control gaming experiences at an accessible price point,” said Ron Bertram, Nintendo of Canada’s vice-president and general manager. “By including even more of our top-quality hardware and software in the basic Wii system package, we’re extending that commitment to entertainment and value. Now more than ever, consumers can count on Nintendo to deliver inclusive fun and advanced motion controls at a mass-market price.”
Wii Sports Resort expands on the active-play fun of the original Wii Sports, with resort-themed activities such as wakeboarding, archery and swordplay. What’s more, Wii Sports Resort features the rich control enhancements of Wii MotionPlus, which allows users to dive in and enjoy precision motion-control excitement right out of the box.
Wii MotionPlus has set the standard in precision motion control by delivering an immersive, social experience unavailable on any other system. As of May 9, when both the Wii Sports Resort game and a Wii MotionPlus accessory will come standard with every new Wii console, people who purchase the system can experience this leading-edge video game technology from the moment they plug in and power up.
Previously unavailable throughout the Americas, the black version of the Wii console will offer all the groundbreaking features and functions of its white counterpart in a stylish new colour scheme. Whether they aim to colour-coordinate with other devices or simply love the way it looks, consumers throughout the Americas can add a black Wii console with matching black Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers to their home entertainment lineup. Additional black controllers and accessories can be purchased separately.
The Wii system launched in November 2006 and continues to attract millions of new and experienced gamers with its intuitive motion-sensing controls and inclusive game offerings.
Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about Wii, visit Wii.com.