Picking up where the original show left off Darker Than Black is finally back with a second season. From Wikipedia: “Ten years ago, an inscrutable and abnormal territory known as Hell’s Gate appeared in Tokyo, altering the sky and wreaking havoc on the landscape. The heavenly bodies disappeared, replaced by false stars. During this time, people who possess various special abilities emerged. Kept secret from the masses, these individuals, known as Contractors, are able to murder in cold blood. Various nations and organizations around the world use Contractors as spies and assassins, often resulting in violent battles for information. Each fake star has a corresponding Contractor, and they vibrate when their Contractor’s power is being used.”

Sorry that the first video was taken down so quickly after I posted it. But that is the nature of YouTube and its content partners. They don’t want consumers to talk about or reference their work in any way unless you write them a check. Seems a little backwards to me. Anyway, here is a consolation video:

Set only two years after the first game in 1937 Valkyria Chronicles 2 involves cadets from the Galia Royal Military Academy sent to prevent a rebellion from starting in Gallia. Sega claims the games concept is to contrast the world of a military academy with actual war.

It is due to be released this Winter in Japan for the PlayStation Portable.

Source: Kotaku

Vocaloid mascot Hatsune Miku put on her first live performance at Animelo Summer Live 2009. She appeared on screen and was accompanied by a live band during her set. It is a little disheartening that a computer program stole the thunder of actual performers but I guess that proves that Japan’s Otaku and Technophiles are on an entirely different level compared to fans in the United States. Not that I wouldn’t have gone if I could….

Animelo Summer Live is Japan’s biggest annual anime themed concert and has been held ever summer since 2005.

I don’t understand why American translators feel like they have the right to alter pieces of a Japanese film. Especially a film by master animator Hayao Miyazaki. The difference between the Japanese Ponyo theme and the English version is striking.

They turned the slow, sweet song about the hero of the film into popular garbage. The “singers” use vocalizers and a rap beat as opposed to the straight singing classic Miyazaki theme.

Basically Disney is saying that the American audience is:

1) Unable to pay attention to music that is slow and melodic.
2) Hate the sound of a natural human voice.
3) Like to clap their hands.

Source: The Ghibli Blog

Marvel and Japanese animation studio Madhouse have released trailers for anime based on popular comic book characters Iron Man and Wolverine. While these characters are well known in the states Marvel has decided to go a different direction for the Japanese adaptation. They describe it as “Popular Super Heroes redesigned and repurposed as emerging from the fabric of Japanese culture” which I’m going to assume means there is going to be much more MOOOOOOOOOE.

Marvel Anime Iron Man teaser

Marvel Anime Wolverine teaser

Source: SankakuComplex

I’ve made it very clear that I’m not a fan of English language dubs of anime. Especially with how far the quality of voice work has dropped since the anime explosion in the late 1990s. Acceptable dubs like Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop are things of the past. But we might be rescued by an unlikely source: Tonight Show Host Coana O’brien!

Conan and Andy Richter recently visited Bang Zoom Entertainment in Los Angeles and did some voice work for Manga Entertainment’s new dub of Ghost in the Shell. The two comics managed to improve both the American production of the anime and the script for the film. If the industry could afford actors as talented as Conan and Andy then perhaps anime would see a resurrection in the States.

But, alas, this was a one time deal and I don’t think we’re going to hear their voices or improvisations in the finished product. Masamune Shirow wouldn’t have approved of the pair anyway. Sigh… I’ll just have to stick to English subtitles.

It’s also very cool to see the awesome anime themed office space of Bang Zoom Studio. Probably the only opportunity that fans will get a tour.

As one of the few people on the internet who isn’t in a blind rage at Kyoto Animation for running six “Endless Eight” episodes, episodes which bring the “time loop” science fiction trope to a new extreme, I can understand why there is such frustration since  I also want the story to move on as well and explore more of the Haruhi story. But I also think that the stretching out of Endless Eight  is a sign that we will have more Haruhi much sooner than distance between seasons 1 and 2.

Yamamoto-San admits to being part of the creation of the Endless Eight episodes but agrees that the arc should have been limited to two episodes. I think three would have been the sweet spot to hit… but I’m not a famous animation direction so what say to *I* have in the matter.

I have to give Yamamoto-San some credit for standing up and saying that the direction of the show is wrong but at the same time I’m a little reluctant to celebrate his bluntness because he no longer works for Kyoto Animation and has no impact on how Haruhi was produced. It feels like he is slapping Kyoto in the face by suggesting he could have done a better job.

Anyway, enjoy the video after the jump.

Source: Japanator