Category: Announcements

Help “RiffTrax” get on Netflix Watch Instantly!

from RiffTrax:

We need your help! We’re trying to get our video on demand content — hilarious titles such as Voodoo Man, Plan 9 from Outer Space, Maniac, and our Shorts collections — onto the popular Watch Instantly service from Netflix! Problem is, they don’t think our DVDs have enough “Queue Demand” to warrant having us on the Instant system too.

That’s where you come in! Simply head over to Netflix (if you have an account) and add some — or ALL! — of our DVDs to your Queue. This will let the big-wigs over at Netflix know that we mean business!

Click here to go to a RiffTrax Search results page on Netflix.com.

If you’re on Twitter, you can also send a message to @Netflix and @Netflixhelps.

Thanks for helping!

A Teenage Psychic Mixes On-the-Job Romance with Invading Aliens in Arina Tanemura’s “Mistress Fortune” Manga from VIZ Media

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, will delight shojo manga (graphic novel) fans with the release of Arina Tanemura’s Mistress Fortune on February 1st. The new single-volume story will be published under the company’s Shojo Beat imprint, is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

Fourteen-year-old Kisaki Tachibana has psychic powers. She works for PSI, a secret government agency that fights aliens. She’s in love with her partner Giniro, but PSI won’t allow operatives to get involved. Just when Kisaki thinks she may be getting closer to Giniro, she finds out she’s going to be transferred to California!

“We’re excited to release Mistress Fortune for current and new fans alike,” says Nancy Thistlethwaite, Editor. “Arina Tanemura pulled from her experience of visiting San Francisco, the home of VIZ Media, as well as San Diego Comic-Con for this manga. Her huge following of readers here will have fun with this story that takes place in both Japan and the United States.”

Arina Tanemura began her manga career in 1996 when her short stories debuted in Ribon magazine. She gained fame with the 1997 publication of I.O.N, and ever since her debut, Tanemura has remained a major force in shojo manga with popular series Time Stranger Kyoko, Full Moon, and The Gentlemen’s Alliance † (all published by VIZ Media). Full Moon and another Tanemura manga, Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, have also been adapted into animated TV series.

For more information on Mistress Fortune, please visit ShojoBeat.com.

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from Mimoco:

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Sucklord goes Legit — Suckworld’s Art Opening (1/11/11 in Chelsea)! For folks who just want dangerous, here’s The Sucklord’s latest gallery exhibition! Watch Now!

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ThinkGeek upgrades your inbox with LASERS

from ThinkGeek:

Quoth the Harley, “Popcorn, more!”

In an awesome coincidence, Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday also happens to be National Popcorn Day. We’ll be spending the day tossing popcorn at office dog Harley and trying to flip the pages of our Poe collection with our non-buttery hand.

Did we mention we’ll be topping our delicious hot buttery popcorn with Bacon Salt? Mmmmm… really helps to break up those long intervals of horrible sanity.

Khet 2.0 Laser Game — World’s coolest board game
Hey kids, playing with lasers is fun. And playing board games with lasers is funner. And playing board games with lasers when the game is the brand new version of Khet (aka. Khet 2.0), it’s more funner than three fun things in a pod! The goal of Khet 2.0 is to move your mirrored pieces around the board and fire your laser beam. It will ricochet from mirrored piece to mirrored piece and, hopefully, hit your opponent’s Pharaoh piece. For Khet 2.0, the board has been slimmed down and the lasers that were once permanently attached to the board have been turned into Sphinx pieces, which can actually move during game play! Plus, the box can be used as a carrying case. Get playing.

A ThinkGeek exclusive! Click for details on entering our Khet 2.0 contest.

Take $10 off $50+ orders — The beating of his geeky heart…
Is there a telltale way to distinguish nerd from geek? The boundaries which divide Geek from Nerd are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins? Let your choice of ThinkGeek favorites tell the tale. Use code TELLTALE for $10 off your order of $50 or more through Friday, 1/21/11 at 11:59 pm EST.

Find more What’s New items at ThinkGeek!

Nintendo 3DS Brings a Dimensional Shift to the World of Entertainment on March 27

from Nintendo of Canada:

The company that changed the world of video games with touch-screen gaming in 2004 and motion-controlled gaming in 2006 now pioneers the next dimensional shift. On March 27, Nintendo introduces portable entertainment in 3D — without the need for special glasses. The Nintendo 3DS system will be available in either Cosmo Black or Aqua Blue, and will have a suggested retail price of $249.99.

“Nintendo 3DS is a category of one — the experience simply doesn’t exist anywhere else,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “You have to see Nintendo 3DS to believe it. And it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before.”

Nintendo 3DS includes two screens. The bottom touch screen makes use of a telescoping stylus that is stored in the unit itself. The top screen displays 3D visuals to the naked eye. Looking at the screen is like peering through a window into a world where characters and objects have true depth. The system also has a 3D Depth Slider that lets players select the level of 3D they enjoy the most. The 3D effect can be ratcheted up to the highest level, scaled back to a more moderate setting or even turned off completely, depending on the preference of the user.

In addition to the familiar + Control Pad and button controls found on previous Nintendo hand-helds, Nintendo 3DS now also includes a Circle Pad, which provides a full 360 degrees of direction, giving it the freedom and precision needed to play games in 3D worlds. It brings the same degree of responsiveness that gamers enjoyed when Nintendo introduced an analog control stick to navigate Mario through Super Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64 system.

A built-in motion sensor and gyro sensor can react to the motion and tilt of the system, so whether players are twisting their systems side to side or moving them up and down, their motion-compatible Nintendo 3DS games respond instantly. No other system includes so many tools for game developers to create new and fun experiences for players.

Two features will allow owners to stay connected in new ways. Both deliver bonus content to owners as they move around during their daily lives, so users might open up their systems at any moment to find new surprises. For owners who choose to activate it, the StreetPass feature is capable of exchanging game information with other Nintendo 3DS systems as owners pass one another. Small packets of information can be exchanged using this data-transfer method, such as Mii character data, maps for games or high scores and custom character data for different games. The SpotPass feature can connect to compatible public hotspots and through a wireless broadband Internet connection at home, even if the system is in Sleep Mode. Once connected, the Nintendo 3DS system will receive new content and updates on a regular basis.

Each Nintendo 3DS system comes pre-loaded with a variety of fun games, applications and features, such as Nintendo 3DS Camera. Nintendo 3DS has three cameras. One camera points at the user, while two additional cameras point outward. These two outer cameras take photos in 3D. The fun, built-in game Face Raiders asks users to shoot at funny depictions of their own faces. Nintendo 3DS, when put into Sleep Mode, can act as a pedometer, while letting users earn Play Coins for the steps they take that can then be traded in for additional content in compatible games and applications. By accessing the Activity Log, users can check their steps as well as their play time. With Nintendo 3DS Sound, users can enjoy sound-manipulation tools or rock out while listening to their MP3 or AAC music files. An upgraded Internet browser will also be available via a system update.

The Mii Maker application gives users new tools to create Mii characters even more easily. Users can either import Mii characters from their Wii systems using an SD memory card or use the camera to take a picture of a person and have an automatic Mii character created. Users can even save their Mii characters to an SD card as pictures, which enables them to be used any way a digital photo would for personal use, such as a profile picture on social-networking sites.

The Nintendo eShop, through a system update, will offer access to downloadable games, including Nintendo DSiWare and ones specifically made for Nintendo 3DS. Also, just as the Virtual Console service on Wii makes retro games available for download, the Virtual Console games on Nintendo 3DS will be pulled from classic Game Boy and Game Boy Color games. Players will be able to view game videos, download demos for select games and see how other consumers rated the games. The Nintendo eShop will use a cash-based system. Users can either input credit card information in the shop or purchase a Nintendo 3DS Prepaid Card at retail locations.

Nintendo 3DS comes with six augmented-reality cards, called AR cards. When the two outer cameras are pointed at the cards, they read the cards and superimpose images and animations onto the scene. So users shouldn’t be surprised if they see a dragon popping out of their kitchen tables. Developers can also use this technology to add creative new experiences to their games.

Built-in parental controls can be used to limit Internet access or some of the wireless functions. By using a PIN code, parents also can turn off the 3D function altogether, or limit the ratings of the games that their kids can play.

Fans of online play will be happy to learn that the friend codes for Nintendo 3DS are specific to each Nintendo 3DS system, not each game. Once friends trade hardware codes, at any time they can check their friends list to see which of their friends are online and what they are playing.

Nintendo 3DS can also play Nintendo DS game cards with their original 2D visuals. The system also includes a slot for an SD memory card. To help users get started, every system comes with a 2GB SD memory card (though owners can provide whatever size they like). Using a service that will be provided after the hardware’s launch, Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL owners will be able to transfer games downloaded from the Nintendo DSi Shop onto their new Nintendo 3DS systems.

During the launch window (between the March 27 launch date and the E3 Expo in early June) more than 30 games will be available to Nintendo 3DS owners. These include Nintendo-created games like Pilotwings Resort, which has players soaring acrobatically over iconic Wuhu Island; nintendogs + cats, a new version of the Nintendo DS classic with a feline enhancement; and Steel Diver, a side-scrolling submarine adventure that gives the illusion that the player is peering into an aquarium. Other Nintendo 3DS games in the works include The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Star Fox 64 3D, Kid Icarus: Uprising and new installments in the Mario Kart, Animal Crossing and Paper Mario series.

Nintendo 3DS also enjoys some of the strongest third-party support of any system launch. A partial list of titles coming soon to Nintendo 3DS includes Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked from Atlus; Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition and Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D from Capcom; Madden NFL Football from EA SPORTS; The Sims 3 from Electronic Arts; Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D from Konami; LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars from LucasArts; Ridge Racer 3D and Dual Pen Sports from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.; Super Monkey Ball 3D, Thor: God of Thunder and CRUSH 3D from SEGA; BUST-A-MOVE UNIVERSE from Square Enix, Inc.; Samurai Warriors Chronicles and Dead or Alive: Dimensions from Tecmo Koei America Corp.; and Asphalt 3D, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars, Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell 3D, Rayman 3D and Rabbids: Travel in Time from Ubisoft.

For more information about Nintendo 3DS, visit nintendo3ds.com.

VIZ Media’s Fiction Imprint Haikasoru to Publish Cyberpunk Thriller “Mardock Scramble”

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 North American debut of the Japanese sci-fi novel, Mardock Scramble, on January 18th. The novel, written by Tow Ubukata, will be published under the company’s Haikasoru imprint and will carry an MSRP of $17.99 U.S. / $21.00 CAN.

Haikasoru is VIZ Media’s unique literary imprint with a dedicated focus on publishing some of the most compelling contemporary Japanese science fiction and fantasy for English-speaking audiences.

Why me? It was to be the last thought a young prostitute, Rune-Balot, would ever have… as a human anyway. Taken in by a devious gambler named Shell, she became a slave to his cruel desires and would have been killed by his hand if not for the self-aware All-Purpose Tool (and little yellow mouse) known as Oeufcoque. Now a cyborg, Balot is not only nigh-invulnerable, but has the ability to disrupt electrical systems of all sorts. But even these powers may not be enough for Balot to deal with Shell, who offloads his memories to remain above the law, the immense assassin Dimsdale-Boiled, or the neon-noir streets of Mardock City itself.

“Author Tow Ubukata won the prestigious Japan SF Award for Mardock Scramble in 2003, and the book also inspired an acclaimed feature-length animated film by director Susumu Kudo,” says Nick Mamatas, Haikasoru’s editor. “We’re very excited to kick off 2011 with this cyberpunk epic that has has sold over half a million copies to-date in Japan.”

Born in Gifu prefecture in 1977, Tow Ubukata was exposed to a blend of cultures from early childhood until the age of fourteen, having lived in Singapore and Nepal because of his father’s work. In 1996, while still in college, Ubukata won the first Sneaker Taisho Gold Prize for his light novel Black Season. In 2003, he won the Nihon SF Taisho Award for Mardock Scramble, originally published as a three-volume series. He has also been involved in a wide range of projects including anime production for Fafner, video game production, and original content writing for comics such as Le Chevalier D’Eon. His other published works include the Bye-Bye Earth and Spiegel novel series. In 2009, he published his first historical novel, Tenchi Meisatsu, which focused on a mathematician of the Edo period.

For more information on Haikasoru, please visit the dedicated website at Haikasoru.com.

The Must-See Conclusion to an Epic Three-Part “Clone Wars” Arc – This Friday on Cartoon Network!

from StarWars.com:

Sent to track down the mysterious figure behind the deaths of several Jedi, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi find themselves on the trail of Count Dooku’s newest apprentice — the monstrous Savage Opress. However, Dooku and Asajj Ventress discover that their creation has a will of his own, and that he has grown more powerful than either of them had anticipated — perhaps even more powerful than the combined forces of the Jedi and the Sith. The end begins in “Witches of the Mist,” the final chapter of a thrilling, three-part Clone Wars arc — airing at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT Friday, January 21 on Cartoon Network.

Driven by the Machiavellian machinations of Count Dooku, the series’ various villains come face to face at last in a climactic clash of red sabers. Dooku, Opress and Ventress — all are manifestations of evil, yet each is so distinct. It’s not until these three titans are brought together in the heat of conflict, however, that their nuances and differences become truly clear.

“With Dooku, the series’ direction is pushing his character more towards that of a masterful diplomat, concealing a sinister agenda beneath a veil of polite sophistication,” says Corey Burton, voice of Dooku — and countless other Clone Wars characters, both good and evil. “He’s a subversive political overlord — a major marketing force and seducer for the dark side ‘brand.’ It’s all about his personal enrichment, power and position within the hierarchy; there’s nothing intentionally cruel or vengeful in his manner, or behind his dastardly actions — as a Sith Lord, it’s just how things are done to most efficiently preside over the fate of the galaxy. Mustache-twirling displays are beneath his sense of dignity.”

While Dooku is as consumed by his quest for power as he is by his own sense of sophistication, Ventress is wholly unconcerned by the niceties of evil. Driven by a desire for revenge, her motivation is raw and real — a product and a reflection of her own difficult past.

“She’s been wronged by so many, and I believe her experiences will lead her in an even more powerful direction,” says Nika Futterman, voice of Ventress. “We are finally beginning to understand what makes Asajj tick; I think this is her quest for revenge and not power like the Sith. That’s what separates her. She does things that may seem like her quest for power, but, I think she aligned herself with the dark side as a means to an end. She doesn’t ever forget who has done right by her and, of course, who has done her wrong. All this time, I had hoped that I would be able to delve into what made her so fabulous and complex. It turns out my hopes are coming true!”

Serving as a foil for the final confrontation between the former master and his jilted apprentice is the massively powerful Opress. Ostensibly a blunt instrument of evil, the monstrous creation is nonetheless imbued with a perverse humanity of his own — brought to the surface by sharp writing and a soulful performance by screen legend Clancy Brown (Highlander, The Shawshank Redemption).

“I’d been a fan of The Clone Wars since the first season; and then caught up with the second season with my son,” says Brown. “He was excited because it was Star Wars and I was excited about the role not just because it was in the Star Wars universe but because the writing is so sophisticated. There was never any question from me about Savage’s motives and what was going on because I was familiar with the characters, and you can go another layer deeper.”

J!NX: Now in NYC + Save $10 with Over 60 Designs Back in Stock

from J!NX:

New Design Arcade Winner: Give Me Some Sugar
Before every moment, there is a moment. When your life hangs in the balance, and the undead horde cannot be kept at bay any longer, then you better make sure that final moment is full of WIN. Congratulations to Minion Queenmob for a Design Arcade submission that personifies an epic moment of success.

J!NX Comes to YRB in NYC!
The Yellow Rat Bastard store in New York City is known for its unique, eclectic mix of products and for having its finger on the pulse of what’s new and hot in fashion. We’re pleased to announce that J!NX will now be a featured brand in their Soho shop! This is a huge milestone for us, one we’re especially proud of, and we’re hoping to make more announcements like this in the future. You can read all about it over at the J!NX Blog, and while you’re at it, make sure to pick up our limited edition commemorative t-shirt!

60+ Designs Now Back In Stock
Been waiting for something to come back in stock? Chances are it came back recently. We’ve added a new category to our navigation menu that will help you find stuff we got back in recently. It’ll typically be filled with products that came back within the past month or so. From now through January 24, you can even save $10 when you spend $50 or more and use code: FREEZING during checkout.

$10 off $50 or more
Use Promotion Code: FREEZING
This offer expires Monday, January 24, 2011 at 11:59PM PST, so don’t wait!
*can’t be combined with any other offers, sale prices, or discounts

The Gripping Sci-Fi Thriller “Gantz” Premieres Across the U.S. This Thursday, January 20th in a Special One Night Only Event

from VIZ Pictures:

Don’t miss the very special one-night-only screening of Gantz, premiering at 333 theatres across the U.S. and presented by NCM Fathom and NEW PEOPLE, on Thursday, January 20th, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. CT / 6:00 p.m. MT / 8:30 p.m. PT (tape delayed). The sci-fi thriller, which is based on a hit anime/manga series, is opening in the U.S. nine days ahead of its wide release in Japan on January 29th.

Tickets (for all locations except Hollywood, CA) are available at participating theater box offices and online at FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, please visit the web site (theaters and participants are subject to change).

As part of the release, NEW PEOPLE will welcome Gantz lead actors Kazunari Ninomiya (Letters from Iwo Jima) and Kenichi Matsuyama (Death Note, Detroit Metal City), for an in-person appearance for the premiere of the film at the Mann’s Chinese 6 in Hollywood, CA. Immediately following the Gantz screening, Otaku USA Editor-in-Chief Patrick Macias will conduct a live interview session with Kazunari Ninomiya and Kenichi Matsuyama that will be telecast to theatres across the country. Fans have the opportunity to submit questions for the actors at GantzMovies.com.

Kazunari Ninomiya, best known in America for his role in Clint Eastwood’s 2006 blockbuster, Letters from Iwo Jima, is both an actor and a singer. He is also world-renowned as a member of the Japanese boy band “Arashi,” which topped Japan’s music charts in 2009 with the three best-selling singles. Kenichi Matsuyama is currently one of the most sought-after actors in Japanese film and he has won several awards including Japanese Academy Awards Best New Actor (2007) and Most Popular Actor (2009). Matsuyama is widely recognized for his part as L in Death Note (2006), Death Note II: the Last Name (2006) and Death Note: L, change the WorLd (2008) and also for his portrayal of Johannes Krauser II in the outlandish rock and roll comedy, Detroit Metal City (2009).

Gantz (English dubbed) is based on a hit manga series created by Hiroya Oku and tells the story of childhood friends Kei Kurono and Masaru Kato, who are accidentally killed while trying to save another man’s life. Rather than find themselves in the hereafter, however, they awaken in a strange apartment in which they find a mysterious black orb they come to know as “GANTZ.” Along with similar abductees, they are provided with equipment and weaponry and manipulated into playing a kind of game in which they are sent back out to the greater world to do battle with alien beings, all while never quite knowing whether this game is an illusion or their new reality.

St. Jake Launches “A Conversation While…”, a Seriously Funny Web Series

A Conversation While...
Art imitates life as real chats become fodder for A Conversation While..., an existential crime comedy web series, described by its creators, multimedia production company St. Jake, as "Tarantino meets the gravediggers from Hamlet." It launches 1/25/11.

from A Conversation While…:

A pantheistic Jew, an Atheist, and a recovering Christian Fundamentalist walk into a coffee shop. It may sound like the first act of an old vaudeville joke, but it’s actually a meeting between Jason McMahan, Kevin Joiner and Stephen Boatright. They are the guys behind St. Jake, a multimedia production company gearing up for the January 25 launch of A Conversation While…, an existential crime comedy web series, which they describe as “Tarantino meets the gravediggers from Hamlet.” The 10 episode season was shot entirely on location in Greenville, South Carolina.

“On paper, we shouldn’t even be friends, much less creative partners,” says series director Stephen Boatright. “But we love great ideas, no matter where they come from. The diversity of our perspectives leads to a wonderfully eclectic mix of ideas.”

A Conversation While… follows two criminals, brothers Horace and Jasper St. Jake, on their nefarious outings and listens in as they discuss topics as diverse as capital punishment, corporate greed, religion, Hitler, free will and finding one’s soulmate. “Humor uses the familiar as a launching point into the unfamiliar and unexpected,” says series co-writer and co-star, Kevin Joiner. “It can make you think more critically about what you take for granted. We don’t provide answers so much as a place to start your own conversations.”

Regarding the origin of the project, co-writer and co-star Jason McMahan says, “For me, this is an example of art from adversity. I’ve suffered with clinical depression for the past decade, and I did a lot of reading to figure out what was supposedly ‘wrong with me.’ The initial idea for the project came out of discovering the contradictions in our received wisdom during that process.”

“There’s an old adage in film production: ‘Cheap, fast, or good. Pick two,’” says Boatright. “But by starting with a great script, working hard and using a little creative problem solving, we were able to bust that production triangle.” He points out that the total production budget for the entire season was just under $500. “But the footage looks gorgeous. And in one episode, the characters even burn a car.”

VIZ Media Debuts “MÄR” on VIZAnime.com and Hulu

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media announces the launch of MÄR (rated ‘T’ for Teens) available on VIZAnime.com, the company’s premier website for anime, as well as the streaming content provider Hulu (Hulu.com), starting on Monday January 17th.

VIZAnime.com and Hulu will stream for FREE episodes 1-5 of MÄR (subtitled). Two additional FREE new episodes will launch each Monday.

MÄR is based on the hit manga series by Nobuyuki Anzai (creator also of Flame of Recca), published in North America by VIZ Media. An ordinary middle-school boy with an overactive imagination, Ginta Toramizu dreams about fairy tales and make-believe lands. One day at school, a gate appears and he enters the World of MÄR, the world of his dreams. Within the World of MÄR exist ÄRM: accessories with unique powers. Soon, Ginta stumbles upon Babbo, an ÄRM that can speak, and learns that he has been summoned to this mythical world to stop the Chess Pieces, a group of rogue soldiers, from destroying the World of MÄR. Now part of Team MÄR, Ginta and Babbo fight in War Games against the Chess Pieces to save the MÄR World. But will Ginta’s mission be compromised by his ally’s secrets?

To learn more about MÄR anime and manga series, please visit VIZAnime.com or ShonenSunday.com (free Chapter 1 manga preview available).