Category: Arts & Culture
More on Lil’ Guildies
from The Guild:
Most of you caught on yesterday but for those who didn’t, we’d like to be the first to say APRIL FOOLS!
Although the show isn’t real, a ton of hard work went into orchestrating this elaborate prank. Extra special thanks goes to Greg Aronowitz and his animation team for doing 3 months of work in 3 weeks, Paul and Storm for writing a theme song so catchy that only death will get it out of our heads and Marc Hustvedt and Jenni Powell at Tubefilter for writing hilariously convincing articles that kept some of our fanbase guessing! The full credits have been added to the “more info” box on YouTube. And there are a few behind the scenes photos on The Guild’s Flickr page.
The reactions to this ran the whole spectrum, from “this is awful” to “this is amazing” and from “please be an April Fool’s joke” to “I hope this ISN’T a joke.” We appreciate all the comments and discussion and encourage you to continue discussing them in the comments of the video on YouTube.
And for those of you wondering about Season 4, don’t worry, it’s coming. We’ll have some announcements coming soon. Here’s the video from yesterday in case you missed it (bonus! we uploaded a deleted scene of Vork’s monkey for those of you that want more Lil’ Guildies).
–The Guild Management
Announcing: Lil’ Guildies
from The Guild:
We were saving this announcement for tomorrow’s comic book signing at Golden Apple Comics, but this inadvertently got leaked via our YouTube Channel and then picked up by the web TV news site Tubefilter.tv. Yes, The Guild is moving into animation. This is one of the new projects that has been in development from Knights of Good, as has been mentioned in several interviews. Especially exciting is that the animation studio that approached The Guild intends on bringing it to Saturday mornings as a half-hour program.
We’ll post more details as soon as we are allowed to (or as soon as we make another mistake that leaks top secret project info!), but for now, you can read Jenni Powell’s exclusive write up on Tubefilter, watch the opening credits sequence on YouTube, and discuss the new development in Guild Chat or on our discussion boards.
Special thanks to the fabulous Paul and Storm (website, Twitter) who created the theme song and Greg Aronowitz (blog, Twitter) who is leading the project. Behind the scenes photo below of Greg working on the animation.
Thanks,
The Guild Management
Weta News Update: Bag End is here!
from Weta:
Bag End has launched!
Available in two versions:
One ultra-desirable limited edition of 1,111 pieces that includes a supremely detailed interior of Bag End. This is set to be a hugely popular piece among The Lord of the Rings collectors the world over. Available to Pre-order Now!
And one open edition without the interior detailing.
Aqua-performer Marina “MeduSirena”
from Medusa22:
Some clips of Aquatic performer “Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid” AKA MeduSirena performing at the newly remodeled Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel (formerly Yankee Clipper). Special thanks to Lola Dutronic for “La Mer”, their beautiful version of the classic song, “Beyond the Sea”.
The “Mermaid” swims are stunt dance performer Marina’s homage to underwater performances made popular during Florida’s Golden Age of Tourism.
Marina’s underwater performances can also currently be seen all over the U.S. and abroad, including the Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel & at the City of Dreams in Macau, where she can be seen projected on the world’s largest virtual aquarium.
Learn more about Marina & her retro-performances at ~MeduSirena.com,
MySpace: Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid!
Facebook: Medusirena Marina
Twitter: FireatinMermaid
VIZ Media Licenses “Kekkaishi” Anime Series to Adult Swim
from VIZ Media:
VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has licensed 52 episodes of the popular Shonen Sunday Kekkaishi anime series to Adult Swim for domestic broadcast. Kekkaishi will begin airing on May 29th.
Kekkaishi is based on the hit manga series by Yellow Tanabe (also published in North America by VIZ Media). A story of mystical forces powerful in the region known as Karasumori. For over 400 years, it has been the duty of a clan of “kekkaishi” — barrier masters — to guard this land and exterminate the supernatural creatures that are drawn to it night after night.
Yoshimori Sumimura is a junior high school student at Karasumori Academy, which is built upon the Karasumori grounds. By night, Yoshimori follows the tradition passed down through generations and fulfills his destiny as the twenty-second “kekkaishi” of the Sumimura clan. But by day, Yoshimori’s got other demons to contend with, like an obsession with cake making and a seriously crotchety grandfather! Yoshimori’s pretty neighbor, childhood friend and rival, Tokine Yukimura, is also a “kekkaishi,” but their families are caught up in a feud over who is the true practitioner of the art. Protecting ordinary people from the ever-present danger of the Karasumori grounds, Yoshimori will continue to grow stronger as he battles the forces of evil again tonight!
“Kekkaishi spotlights compelling cool characters, in an intense yet fun-filled supernatural action adventure saga. It possesses all of the hallmarks of great anime!” says William Germain, Director, Programming & Music Sales, VIZ Media. We are very excited to add Kekkaishi to the Adult Swim anime lineup for U.S. fans to enjoy.”
For more information on Kekkaishi please visit ShonenSunday.com.
“InuYasha: The Final Act” Reaches the Ultimate Series Finale on VIZAnime.com
from VIZ Media:
VIZ Media invites fans to catch the last episode of InuYasha: The Final Act scheduled to air on VIZAnime.com today! The finale to the long-running animated adventure saga will be broadcast on the video-streaming site shortly after it airs in Japan. Find out the exciting conclusion to one of the greatest anime series of all time in the installment titled “Toward Tomorrow”!
InuYasha: The Final Act is based on a massively popular manga (also published by VIZ Media, rated “T+” for Older Teens) by famed creator Rumiko Takahashi, who won the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award for the series in 2002. Many of Takahashi’s titles have been adapted into other media such as anime, live-action TV series, and film. The InuYasha anime series has run for 193 episodes in total and has also spawned several feature films.
Pulled back in time to Japan’s ancient past, Japanese high school girl Kagome finds her destiny linked to a dog-like half-demon named InuYasha, who remembers Kagome’s previous incarnation as the woman who killed him — and to the Shikon Jewel, or “Jewel of Four Souls,” which can fulfill the greatest dreams of any man or monster. Now Kagome and InuYasha must work together to search for the scattered shards of the jewel before everyone’s nightmares are given the power they need to come true.
Takahashi’s manga, as well as the other formats her work has been adapted into, have continued to delight generations of fans around the world. Distinguished by her wonderfully endearing characters, Takahashi’s work adeptly incorporates a wide variety of elements such as comedy, romance, fantasy, and martial arts. Rumiko Takahashi is an artist who truly represents the very best from the world of manga. Please visit the official North American web site for all Rumiko Takahashi-related news and information located at TheRumicWorld.com.
VIZAnime.com is a brand new, free-to-use interactive web destination that is the permanent home to some of the company’s best-loved animated series. VIZ Anime is accessible at: VIZAnime.com.
RiffTrax: Log into the site for tonight’s streaming webcast of our 2009 Comic-Con panel!
from RiffTrax:
Greetings riff-fans!
We’ll be hosting a streaming webcast of our panel from last year’s Comic-Con for FREE!
All you have to do is point your browser to rifftrax.com/live/sdcc09 at 6pm Pacific Time (9pm Eastern)! You’ll need to login to the site (or register if you don’t already have an account) in order to watch the show and chat with other fans!
The show itself runs just over an hour, and includes the “live” riffing of Shake Hands with Danger that the guys did to a standing room-only crowd of 1000 people. After the riffing, there was a question-and-answer session where the audience got to suggest one of the next movies for the guys to riff. (Spoiler alert: the winner was Dragon Wars, available at rifftrax.com/rifftrax/dragon-wars-d-war.)
All of this was MC’d by the lovely and talented Veronica Belmont.
Set your calendars for 6pm Pacific / 9pm Eastern and join us for the RiffTrax: Comic-Con 2009 webcast!
Weta: Wellington 17 January 1893
from Weta:
Codswallop! Doctor Tremont is at it again. Not content with the direction Earth’s Venusian campaign is taking, he’s been seen through the sooty window panes of his laboratory hugging his knees, rocking back and forth chanting barely coherent phrases in something that resembles Nedderdüütsch. Or possibly plain German. We have no doubt something will be revealed next week, as he has hung a sign on his door bearing the inscription “Fischen gegangen — zurück Dienstag”. We shall keep you posted by carrier pigeon. So don’t bloody cook or eat it this time!
Public Service Announcement
Lord Cockswain’s Top 5 tips for the endurance of hardship while on Safari.
1. Drink plenty of fluids morning (Gin), noon (Pimms or Claret) and night (Any well salted Islay Single Malt).
2. Do not bring women or children. Dogs, however, make great company and servants, while expendable, are indispensible.
3. Arm for all eventualities. There is no such thing as “over-kill”. It’s “under-kill” you want to avoid!
4. Wear sports attire. While a silk smoking jacket may be appropriate on board your ship, it’s too slippery for Toop wrestling.
5. Keep a log. All real explorers do. Scientists will one day find the answer why.
Not a Grordbort’s Collector yet? Buffoon!
Luckily, you have just run out of excuses, as we have decided to completely forego all sense and sensibility and extend our Dr. Grordbort’s Starter Pack until 7 April. 1x VICTORY, 1x Dingus Directory, 1x Victorious Mongoose — Miniature version and 4x postcards, one of which has been befouled by Greg Broadmore, the rapscallion. Get the whole kit and kaboodle for a measly US$49! That’s what the gun itself normally costs! (Bits of it will also make satisfying gifts, once you have ripped out anything of real value.) Also: Good news from the sweat print shop: The Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory is now in its 4th Print Run! Hazzaah!
Grand Theft FMOM!
At a recent stocktake, it became apparent that somebody has run off with 470 out of the 500 F.M.O.M. Wave Disrupter Guns manufactured by F.M.O.M. Industries and less than 30 remain in the entire Universe! We are currently investigating this atrocity and will keep you posted. Meanwhile, if you need an F.M.O.M. — don’t delay — the remaining 30 will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Unconfirmed reports from the bean counting department suggest the guns have been acquired entirely legally through sale and purchase agreements by customers across the planet, but we refuse to believe this can be the case for so many guns. We always assume foul play!
Dr. Grordbort’s has set up camp in Hongkers!
Hosted and presented by the wizardly Hong Kong based technological upstart CYBERPORT. Richard Taylor Esq. and Greg Broadmore attended the official opening Pomp and Circumstance this week. See more autophosphorescent etchings here!
Have you been insulted by the buffoons on the Forum yet? Go on — it’s a blast!!!
J!NX: No Micropayments Required
from J!NX:
New J!NX Classic Tee: Face Wars
In the old days, people could gauge each other on the merit of their lifetime achievements. A knight could boast of his prowess in battle and show spoils of his conquests. A Pirate had his booty. A farmer had his harvest. Wiseguys kept a tally of all their broken kneecaps. However, now that we are in the age of Digital Faces and Virtual Achievements, how do we determine who is on top? Two words: Cage Match.
Take a Look at What’s Happening in the J!NX Community!
The J!NX Community Page is a hotbed of geeky activity, so if you haven’t been by in a while, now would be a great time. There, you can sample Nooch’s latest Comic Review, test your knowledge with our latest minion-inspired Trivia quiz, or check out the newest Tweakfest Contest. There’s tons to see and do in the J!NX Community, so check it out!
VIZ Media Assembles a Cast of Veteran Voice Actors to Bring “Vampire Knight” Animated Series to Life for North American Debut
from VIZ Media:
VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the cast for the upcoming North American debut of Vampire Knight, the gothic-romance animated series based on the bestselling manga (graphic novel) by Matsuri Hino.
Vampire Knight takes audiences to Cross Academy, which 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!
VIZ Media sought out a cast of talented voice actors and the recording expertise of Bang Zoom! Entertainment to bring this series to life. Yuki Cross, the adoptive daughter of the headmaster of Cross Academy, is played by Mela Lee. Veteran anime voice actor Vic Mignogna plays Zero Kiryu, a student who is a year older than Yuki Cross and comes from a family of vampire hunters. Finally, Kaname Kuran is portrayed by Ethan Murray. In the series, Kuran is a pure blooded vampire and the current Head of the Kuran Clan. He once saved Yuki from an attack by another vampire when she was seven years old and also serves as the president of the Night Class and the dorm leader. Kuran is both feared and respected by the other Night Class students.
“Vampire Knight is an important series that demanded skilled actors who could portray these complex characters without sacrificing any of the intensity and emotional drama each one exudes,” says William Germain, Director, Programming & Music Sales, VIZ Media. “We also know there are a lot of fans of the manga that have been waiting for this series so we wanted to bring in some very talented people who we know will take Vampire Knight to a whole new level. Look for more news coming soon about the North American debut!”
Vampire Knight (rated “T+” for Older Teens) is based on the best selling manga series created by Matsuri Hino, who burst onto the manga scene with her debut title, When This Dream is Over, in LaLa DX magazine. With the success of subsequent series such as Captive Hearts and MeruPuri (both published domestically by VIZ Media), Hino has established herself as a major force in the world of shojo manga. Vampire Knight is currently serialized in LaLa magazine. On January 17, 2010, the latest volume of Vampire Knight, Volume 9, ranked Number 1 on the New York Times Manga Bestseller list. Currently Vampire Knight has two volumes in the top ten.
Weta News: Easter, Bag End, District 9
from Weta:
The End is near… Bag End!
Check out the third installment in Daniel Falconer’s article series about the creation of a miniature collectible of Bag End from The Lord of the Rings. It’s getting near launch… keep an eye out before Easter!
Only one left: Strider’s Sword Edition #10 — Will it be yours?
Your last chance to own this incredible piece of art as well as fully functional weapon from The Lord of the Rings. Made at the hands of Weta Master Swordsmith Peter Lyon. The other nine swords have already been reserved by collectors. Will number 10 be yours?
New Lord of the Rings merchandise
A New Zealand Map of Middle-earth and a The Dark Lord Sauron T-shirt are available at the Weta Cave and to NZ customers on our website. (Unfortunately our licensing agreement only permits us to sell these to New Zealand customers.) Daniel Falconer designed both! Check them out! AND… The Miniature shields have started arriving in our warehouses. We are experiencing a few customs delays in our US and UK warehouses, but rest assured — we’re processing the orders as soon as we have the all clear!
The Art of District 9 — new book from Weta this year
We’re very pleased to reveal that we are working on an Art Book cataloguing the awesome work Weta’s artists and craftspeople did for Neill Blomkamp’s District 9. We promise to bring you ongoing updates on the progress. In the meantime — please join the friendly crowds in our online forum and tell us what you would like to see in the book! As a member of the forum (did we mention it’s FREE?), you can also Win District 9 Goodies in our forums in a fun competition by our friend and king of the forums, Charles Song.
The Exceptional Exhibition opens in Hong Kong
Richard Taylor and Greg Broadmore are currently in China for the opening of Dr. Grordbort’s Exceptional Exhibition at Cyberport. See the photos we just received!
Easter at the Weta Cave? Or at WonderCon in San Francisco?
Weta’s friend Phil Davis will be at WonderCon at the Moscone Center in SF 2-4 April. Go see him! For those of you who find Miramar, Wellington an easier place to get to, we have a fantastic line-up of guests at the Weta Cave:
- Friday 2 April | 10am-11am | Champ the Chopper author Rebekah Palmer
- Saturday 3 April | 11am-12pm | Sculpting demonstration with Weta sculptor Gary Hunt
- Sunday 4 April | 1pm-3pm | Meet acclaimed Tolkien artist John Howe at a book signing
- Monday 5 April | 1pm-2pm | Digital sculpting demonstration with Weta artist Scott Spencer
See the WotWots in person!
Here’s a free activity for parents who are wondering what to do during the school holidays. Take your no doubt grateful kids to see the WotWots in person at a selection of shopping malls in New Zealand and Australia. Check out where and when.