areaseven

Not exactly Japanese Engrish, but like the Blow-Off products, the people who came up with this product name must've been on crack. Planters

Carl Macek is to anime as Eric Bischoff is to pro-wrestling. Good business at first, but ending up in the gutter.

SPOILER ALERT!!! Do not read further unless you've reached episode 20. So far, there's been a severe lack of action, as the storyline is focused on Usagi-chan trying to get closer to Mamoru, not knowing that he's engaged to his childhood friend Hina. Meanwhile, Minako-chan is still on the run and Rei-chan is trailing her, trying to find out what her personal agenda is. The situation is further complicated when Kunzite plays mind games on the Sailor Senshi with illusions of various Yoma from previous episodes. And without warning, Ami-chan is attacked by Kunzite, who unleashes a dark cloud on her. What evil plan does Kunzite have on his sleeve?

Seriously, what does Soul Calibur have to do with pie?

I saw the RX-78-2 at Target, but there were two different box colors - one blue, one red. Are there any differences between the two variants other than box colors?

Is it me, or has the production team gone low on budget? First time around, there was a different Yoma on each episode. Now we just have the same damn Yoma in the past six or so episodes.

Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger (特捜戦隊デカレンジャー) TV Asahi/Toei Co. Ltd., 2004 Exploited by Buena Vista Entertainment in 2005 as Power Rangers SPD Running Time: 25 minutes per episode Not Rated (Suggested TV-PG). Contains violence and mature situations. Cast Ryuji Sainei as Banban Akaza/Deka Red Tsuyoshi Hayashi as Houji Tomasu/Deka Blue Yosuke Ito as Senichi "Sen-chan" Enari/Deka Green Ayumi Kinoshita as Marika "Jasmine" Reimon/Deka Yellow Mika Kikuchi as Koume "Umeko" Kodou/Deka Pink Tomokazu Yoshida as Tekkan "Tetsu" Aira/Deka Break Tetsu Inada (Wakkein in Mobile Suit Gundam movies 1-2) as Doggie Kruger/Deka Master (voice) Mako Ishino as Swan Shiratori Ryusei Nakao (Frieza in Dragon Ball Z) as Agent Abrella (voice) Toshio Furukawa (Ataru in Urusei Yatsura, Asuma in Mobile Police Patlabor) as the Narrator "Emergency...DEKARANGER!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1MwupHAPpU Synopsis Earth's population has increased dramatically over the past few years, partially due to aliens migrating to the planet and getting jobs here. But with every case of population growth, there's always a case of unusual criminal activities. To keep alien-related crimes in check, the Special Police Department (SPD) sets up an Earth branch near Tokyo, Japan. This branch consists of the special task force Dekaranger, who can take on any alien threat with their vast array of sophisticated weapons and mecha. But the Dekarangers get the biggest surprise when loose cannon Banban Akaza is transferred out of his home planet and joins the team as Deka Red. Lowdown I've been a casual fan of Super Sentai shows ever since the 1984 classic Choudenshi Bioman. But after Saban started licensing Toei's super sentai titles and turning them into Power Rangers, I started to lose interest in the genre. Then, a couple of days ago, a fansub of this new series came out, and I decided to check it out. Wow...despite the use of CG, Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger has the elements of Super Sentai shows we all know and love: cheesy special effects, near-laughable acting, awesome fight scenes and catchy theme music. Dekaranger even mixes the genre with the alien immigration subplot inspired by Men in Black. In the first episode alone, you can easily get to like the characters, from the hot-headed Deka Red to the cute Deka Pink, who spends most of the show taking a bubble bath. The battle scenes are a complete riot, especially when Deka Red makes his Earth debut. I can't wait for the next episode, when they bring out the Dekaranger Robo. Overall, Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger is a surprisingly excellent Super Sentai show. It sure as hell beats the snoozefest called Chouseishin GranSazer. Rating: A Links Super Sentai's Official Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger Homepage (Japanese) Toei's Official Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger Homepage (Japanese) References Wikipedia

New rule to the Anime Trivia Thread: All Macross-related trivia questions should be posted on the Macross World Trivia Thread. In the meantime, carry on. There's limitless knowledge to be discovered in the world of anime.

Last night on RAW: - Austin's ATV got impounded after he ran it over Vinnie Mac's limo. - Another Undertaker promo. Yawn. - Bischoff granted Molly Holly a rematch against Victoria for the Women's title at WrestleMania. However, Austin added a stipulation to it: if Molly loses the match, she loses her hair as well. - Apparently, Randy Orton legitimately busted Mick Foley's left eye. Sure, Foley is Foley, but when you legitimately give your opponent a black eye like that, you don't belong anywhere near a ring. Just ask Jerry Sags of the Nasty Boys after he gave Scott Hall a dental check a few years ago. - And finally, as predicted, the Rock & Sock Connection will reunite at WrestleMania to face Orton/Batista/Flair.

For a minute, I thought someone would put C as their answer. The ball's on your court, Lynx7725.

Sorry, no Guyver or Mospeada available in the book.

In Gunslinger Girl, what brand of perfume does Henrietta use? A. Tommy Hilfiger B. Pupa C. Electric Youth D. Estee Lauder

Anime Poster Art: Japan's Movie House Masterpieces DH Publishing, Inc./Cocoro Books, 2003 Introduction by Patrick Macias (TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion) 112 pages; US$19.95 Some images may contain graphic violence and nudity. For years, Japanese animation has become part of today's popular culture. But while everyone talks about story, animation quality and characters, has anyone talked about the artwork used to promote their favorite titles? This is where Anime Poster Art steps in. The full-color softcover book covers over 160 promo flyers and movie posters for different types of anime, from cult classics such as Uchuu Senkan Yamato, Kagaku Ninjatai Gatchaman and Lupin III, to recent releases like Steam Boy and RahXephon Tagen Hensoukyoku, to Studio Ghibli favorites like Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Spirited Away. The book gives detailed information on each title and translations of their tag lines. Whether you're a hardcore otaku or just starting to pick up anime as a hobby, you must pick up Anime Poster Art. It's an excellent coffee table book and a perfect conversational piece. Rating: A BTW, I'm taking requests for poster art scans. Tell me which posters you want to see.

None. There are reports of Toei refusing to release BR in North America.

1. The Heroic Legend of Arslan 2. Mugen Toshi 3. Nana Toshi Monogatari

Battle Royale II: Requiem ( バトル・ロワイアルII ) Fukusaku-gumi/Toei Co., Ltd., 2003 Not Available in the U.S. Directed by the late Kinji Fukusaku Based upon characters created by Koushun Takami Rated R-15 (Japan) for extreme violence and gore, mature situations and profanity. Cast Tatsuya Fujiwara as Shuya Nanahara Shugo Oshinari as Takuma Aoi Ai Maeda (Kino's Journey) as Shiori Kitano Ayana Sakai as Nao Asakura Natsuki Kato as Saki Sakurai Riki Takeuchi as Mr. Takeuchi Aki Maeda as Noriko Nakagawa "Beat" Takeshi Kitano (Zatoichi, Yamamoto in Brother) as Mr. Kitano Sonny Chiba as Makio Mimura Synopsis Three years after surviving his former class' Battle Royale, Shuya Nanahara forms a terrorist group called "Wild Seven" as a means to defy the adults and topple down the Japanese government. As their first act of terrorism, Wild Seven destroy several buildings in Tokyo on Christmas Day, killing more than 8,000 people. One year after the Tokyo bombings, the government passes a new law called the "New Century Terrorist Counter-Measure Alternative" - otherwise known as the BRII act. Forty-two students from Shikanotoride Junior High Class 3-B become the first participants under the BRII act. Their mission: to invade Wild Seven's island stronghold and kill Nanahara within a span of three days. Failure to do so will result in instant death. Lowdown Thought the first Battle Royale was gruesome? It's actually nothing compared to the sequel. While the Battle Royale is still a battle for survival, the classmates are not to fight each other to the death. Instead, students are assigned in pairs according to their class numbers. If one of them gets killed, his/her partner suffers the same fate through their explosive necklace. Just how brutal is this sequel? On the first 10 minutes of the invasion, the class loses nearly 1/3 of its roster on a beachfront battle reminiscent of Saving Private Ryan. More lives are lost as classmates panic and either break the 50 meter limit between their partners or simply stray right into danger zones. But the endless gore-fest is not what many would complain about. It's Shuya's position as the film's anti-hero. Because he's a terrorist leader, he would already be branded as the villain. He starts to glorify terrorism as a means to an end - even mentioning the AK-47 as the international symbol of freedom fighters all over the world. But halfway through, when the students encounter Wild Seven, the movie once again depicts the Japanese government as the villains of the story. Another issue is the new teacher Mr. Takeuchi, who lost his family to the Christmas bombings one year ago. He's perhaps more psychotic than Mr. Kitano of the first film, but his role seems to be much smaller than expected. And the outcome of his character in the end is questionable. And then we have Shiori Kitano, daughter of Mr. Kitano. She joins this Battle Royale to avenge her father's death, but later on, it is revealed that she actually hated him. In one flashback scene, he even asked her if he should commit suicide. It's also important to note that director Kinji Fukusaku died shortly after the first day of shooting. His son Kenta finished the movie. If Kinji himself had finished directing the film, would it be completely different from what we see? BRII may not have met a lot of expectations as the sequel to an already controversial film, but the non-stop killing spree makes up for some worthwhile entertainment. Rating: C Links Official Battle Royale II Homepage (Japanese) Reference Battleroyalfilm.net Battle Royale Online The Internet Movie Database

Last Friday, the Outsiders wrestled at a UPW show in Anaheim, CA. They lost to UPW locals Tom Howard and Chris Daniels. After the match, Scott Hall got the mic and said that there wasn't enough money in the world to pull the Outsider's "fat asses" off the couch, but that they were "glad to come out any day to help some young guys trying to make a start." Kevin Nash put on the referee's shirt, but then he low-blowed Hall. Don't know what that was all about. Check the pic below. Talk about out-of-shape:

SPOILER ALERT!!! The alien forces have advanced drop ships disguised as normal aircraft. During the Tibet invasion, the ship infiltrates the Earth resistance's base by disguising itself as a Harrier. In the middle of the film, a Japan Airlines 747 (don't know the exact model; help me out, David Hingtgen) flies on the background in various scenes. After Miyamoto kills Mizoguchi, the 747 hovers in front of Miyamoto and Milly before transforming into a giant insect-like mecha.

Just wondering, has anyone made garage or model kits of the transforming Harrier or 747?

The DVD features the original Japanese (with some English, as there are a lot of American actors) dialogue, an English dub that's okay, and a French dub that I haven't played yet.

Returner ( リターナー ) Toho Films/Pony Canyon, 2002 Destination Films/Columbia Tri-Star Home Video, 2004 Directed by Takashi Yamazaki (Juvenile, Onimusha 3)Running Time: 116 minutes Rated R for extreme violence and gore, mature situations and strong language. Cast Takeshi Kaneshiro as Miyamoto Ann Suzuki (young Hatsue in Snow Falling on Cedars) as Milly Goro Kishitani as Mizoguchi Kirin Kiki as Xie Yukiko Okamoto as Dr. Yagi Synopsis A.D. 2084 - Mankind is on the verge of extinction at the hands of an advanced alien race. As the alien forces crush the Earth resistance's final stronghold in Tibet, a girl named Milly jumps into a portal that sends her back into time. October 19, 2002 - Miyamoto, a hired assassin, is in the middle of killing crime lord Mizoguchi when he shoots Milly, mistaking her for a thug. After Mizoguchi escapes, Miyamoto finds out that Milly is unhurt. She then tricks him into embarking on a dangerous mission as a means of preventing the war on her timeline from happening. Lowdown Take one part Terminator 2: Judgment Day, one part Men In Black and one part Independence Day, mix it with The Matrix and you've got one of the most explosive blockbuster films to come out of the Far East. Returner is filled with non-stop action and spectacular special effects. No stuntmen in rubber monster suits here - Returner uses a lot of computer-generated effects that look like they came from Hollywood. Many of the alien battle scenes are reminiscent of The Terminator and Independence Day. The fight scenes and gun fights have shades of The Matrix and a handful of John Woo's films. As for the story, it's actually pretty good. Unlike most of the newer sci-fi films, you can get into Returner's plot and characters. If not, at least the action makes up for it. Returner will not win any points for originality, but if you want a popcorn film that kicks major ass, look no further. Proof that Tokyo can also produce high-caliber science fiction and go head-on with Hollywood. Rating: B Sub vs. Dub Returner should be played in its original Japanese track, as it's pretty complex with the alien battle scenes in English and the Triad lord scenes in Mandarin. The English dub does away with the Mandarin dialogues, not to mention that redubbing a scene that was originally recorded in English is pointless. DVD Extras: A- Columbia Tri-Star's DVD release has a behind-the-scenes look at the movie, as well as interviews with director Yamazaki and Ann Suzuki. There's also a montage of comparisons between composite shots and clips from the final product. Links Official Returner Homepage (Japanese) Sony Pictures' Official Returner Homepage Reference The Internet Movie Database

Yeah, but he's no longer co-GM because his team lost at Survivor Series. However, by popular demand, the board of directors brought him back under his own terms. Hence the role of Sheriff being used by Austin. But what's the whole point of Austin using an ATV to enter the ring?

Earlier tonight on RAW: - It was a rather boring episode of RAW. I can't believe Foley is selling any of Randy Orton's "hard punches," making them sound like they're worse than those two major bumps he took at the 1998 King of the Ring. - The Y2J/Trish/Christian love triangle made less sense today when Christian and Trish fought each other. We all know that Y2J is getting a big push, but what's the point of having Trish and Christian in the fold? - Vinnie Mac's big announcements for WrestleMania: 1) Seeing that Stacy Keibler and Jackie Gayda are upset over Torrie Wilson and Sable getting the Playboy covers, Vinnie Mac sanctioned an inter-promotional tag-team Evening Gown match between the four Divas. Like Sable ever won one of those in her life... 2) The Undertaker vs. Kane match appears to be a casket match. 3) Stone Cold Steve Austin requested to be the special guest referee for the Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar match. - Vinnie Mac called out Eric Bischoff for their long-awaited match, with Austin as the referee. If you've read The Fate of Eric Bischoff (link below), this match was almost dead-on to the story. The whole twist was that Brock Lesnar ran in and gave Austin the F-5. Anyway, here's the link to the story that ended up becoming a prophecy: The Fate of Eric Bischoff