Sunday, October 28, 2012

After Hours Weekly News


First thing this week on After Hours Weekly News…

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!



Everyone here at Midnight Anime Radio wishes you a happy (and safe) Halloween!

Sword Art Online PSP



This week, Namco Bandai announced that they would be releasing a special edition PSP of Sword Art Online that includes a bunch of goodies. First of all, it includes a soundtrack CD, a special booklet, a custom (and very sweet) PSP themed skin and some special content DVDs. This PSP is scheduled to hit Japanese stores on March 14th. The special edition PSP is going for 9,980 yen (about $125) and the standard for 6,280 yen (around $78). If you would like to pre-order one now you can head over to AmiAmi.

FUNimation and Xbox Video Team Up



Yesterday (Oct 26, 2012), Microsoft launched its new operating system Windows 8 and also announced that it would be partnering up with FUNimation to sell certain anime at a discounted price on their new platform called Xbox Video. FUNimation will be selling the first six episodes of Dragon Ball Z season one and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood season one at a discounted price until the end of January; around 50 percent off! Also, Xbox Live/ Windows 8 consumers will be able to download episode one of Samurai Champloo and FLCL for free.

Windows 8 also hit Japan this past week and many people lined up to buy it. One difference is that in Japan, the new operating system has its own anime girls! Here are some photos from Akihabara, Japan during the launch party.





Source: Scott Green

Massaki Yuasa’s Kick-Heart Anime Hits Fundraising Goal



In our previous podcast, we talked a little bit about this fundraiser that Production I.G/Masaaki Yuasa had organized and this week they were able to reach their main goal! The project also added new stretch goals on Wednesday and will add new features/content if they reach these goals. There’s only a few days left so if you have a chance you should check out their project and maybe consider donating!
Also, a Japanese/Thai  IT company Goopa launched a preview of their new crowd funding service Anipipo this week. This is somewhat like the website KickStarter but only focused on funding animated projects. This might lead to a new era where people are funding these anime projects instead of people that are only focused on making money.



We need your help!



So this news segment has been out for a couple of weeks now and I would like to hear from you guys! What do you think about the content that is coming out every week? What can we do better or differently? Make sure to comment (or send us an e-mail) bellow and follow us on our Facebook!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Episode 10/25/12 - I'll Baccano You!

Hello guy's we have another great show for you guys. In this show we discuss the Funimation/ Senti suit and we discuss the Kick Heart kickstarter that you all should support! Here is a link:
kickstarter-production ig's masaaki yuasas's kick-heart
We also have Nick's review Baccano! and I have a interview with Leah Clark leftover from NDK 2012. Sorry, my Fafner review seems to have disappeared. Enjoy!

6 seconds Dashing Discourse

1 minutes 40 seconds Intro

10 minutes 42 seconds News

18 minutes 59 seconds Nick's review of Baccano!

28 minutes 51 seconds Leah Clark's Interview

Listen Now!

Monday, October 22, 2012

After Hours Weekly News



Steins;Gate Film Announced!



     The new Steins;Gate movie will be premiering in Japan inSpring 2013.  The MAGES president ShikuraChiyomaru tweeted that the anime movie will feature an original story with a new conclusion to the time travel mystery. The TV series directors will also beback: Hiroshi Hamasaki and Takuya Sato (chief directors). Tickets will go onsale on November 10 and will come bundled with one of four metal charactercharms. Also, the movie will be shown at 17 theaters across Japan. Hopefully itmakes its way over to the US and other countries.

     Something I might add is that a new character has beenannounced for the upcoming Steins;Gate novel that will be released this winter; thenovel is called Steins;Gate: Heijikyokuson no Epigraph. Her name is Maho Hiyajo(who is voiced by Sayuri Yahagi) and she’s the Japanese American university associate(or senpai) of Kurisu Makise and is an expert in neuroscience/artificialintelligence. There’s some fan speculation that the new novel will tie in withthe new movie that is coming out next year.




Amazon.co.jp Opens Online Pokémon Store




     In a partnership with game developer Game Freak andNintendo, Amazon has launched an online Pokémon store that offers over 10,000Pokémon merchandise! Some of the things they offer in the store were once only availableat the Japanese Pokémon Store (Pokemon Center Tokyo). They also offer alifesized Pikachu that’s priced at ¥3,800 or $48 US dollars. The shipping costis somewhat expensive when you’re shipping to the United States or any othercountry but if you’re a big fan of the series, this is a great opportunity tobuy unique merchandise.




New Puella Magi MadokaMagica Show Considered After 3rd Film

Artist: Yamasan


     This week, writer Gen Urobuchi revealed in a newspaperinterview that the Madoka Magica staff is considering making a new televisionseries after the third film. In the interview, he said that plans for ahalf-year series are being considered. He also commented that he would like tosee new writers working on this project. Hopefully this new series (if its evermade) will be just as good as the last series.
The new Madoka movie has been doing quite well in Japan. Injust over a week, it earned $3.9 million (US dollars) and has been sitting atthe #11 spot in the Japanese box office.




Evangelion: 3.0 YouCan (Not) Redo



With less than a month to go before (November 17th)the next Rebuild of Evangelion movie premieres in japan, a lot of newinformation, advertisements, and new merchandise have been popping up all overJapan. Here’s a trailer that was played on the wall of Tokyo's Shinjuku Wald 9 Theater. 



There's also a new Sante FX eye drop commercial:


and last but not least, Sante FX ads in Akihabara, Japan. Photos taken by Mikikazu Komatsu.
















Sunday, October 14, 2012

News Flash

Funimation at New York Comic Con announced the acquisition of Wolf Children Ame to Yuki. Though this is not surprising when you look at how well Mamoru Hosoda previous movie Summer Wars sold for them. Wolf Children is a movie about how a single mother deals with raising two very unique children on her own. The other aquistion today was the title Toriko. Toriko is the story of a mercenary looking for the best meal. To get these meals he hunts monsters and stews them up. Seeing how this title is from Toei, the same people who put out One Piece and Drangonball Z. Both proprieties being very successful for Funimation it makes sense they would pick this up.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

After Hours Weekly News



PETA Releases Pokémon Parody Game


     This past Monday, the animal rights group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), released a Pokémon Black & Blue parody browser game. This comes after the Pokémon Black and White Version 2 came out. I got a chance to play part of the game and it’s pretty ridiculous. The Pokémon trainers use attacks like tail docking, choke collar, and dissections in order to harm the Pokémon. They try to capture them. I’m not sure what kind of Pokémon games PETA have been playing but, Pokémon aren’t mistreated in their games. The browser game’s website also has a few statements regarding its views on the Pokémon video and anime franchise. The statement is as follows:  
The amount of time that Pokémon spend stuffed in Pokéballs is akin to how elephants are chained up in train carts…If PETA existed in Unova, our motto would be: Pokémon are not  ours to use or abuse. They exist for their own reasons. We believe that this is the message that should be sent to children. 
 This isn’t the first time PETA has made a parody game involving other game franchises (including Mario, Cooking Mama, and Super Meat Boy) and it probably won’t be their last.

Six Shows Added to Funimation Fall 2012 Simulcast



     I don’t know about you guys but I’m pretty excited about all these new shows coming this fall. FUNimation has finally announced their simulcast schedule and it has a few that I’m looking forward too. The six shows that were added are as follows: 
  • Code Breaker – Premiering Wednesday, Oct 10 @ 10am 
  • Kamisama Kiss – Premiering Wednesday, Oct 10 @ 12noon 
  • Jarmungand Perfect Order – Premiering Thursday, Oct 11 @ 10:30am 
  • Psycho-Pass – Premiering Thursday Oct 11 @ 11:45am 
  • Oniai – Premiering Friday Oct 12 @ 11:30am
  • Robotics; Notes – Premiering Friday Oct 12 @ 11:45am 
The simulcasts are available through the paid FUNimation app or with a subscription to FUNimation EVS. The free app doesn’t allow access to the simulcasts unless a subscription to the EVS service is purchased. I’m super exited for Robotics;Notes and Psycho-Pass! Stay tuned for reviews and more information regarding these awesome new anime!
              Source: FUNimation Simulcast Schedule

Steins;Gate Part Two Blu-ray/DVD Release Date



      FUNimation has announced that our Future Gadget Lab Members are coming on December 11, 2012. I don’t want to give out any spoilers for the people that haven’t seen most of the series or are just starting the series but part two really picks up where part one left off. The part two release will also come with Episode 25 (if you have seen the whole series but not this episode you are missing out!). You can pre-order your copy now on Rightstuf, Amazon, or any other leading anime provider.
                 Source:Steins;Gate Part 2 Plus Steins;Gate Info
Here's a short trailer for the Steins;Gate Part 2 release. Warning: There are spoilers in this trailer. 




Crunchyroll Simulcast Lineup for Fall 2012



     Crunchyroll has released most of its new streaming schedule (apparently there’s one more anime that hasn’t been announced). This fall they have seventeen new titles that will premiere this fall and will have thirteen simulcast titles that will continue into fall 2012. The new titles are as follows:
  • ·         Hiiro No Kakera – Sundays @ 10:00am PDT
  • ·         Gintama – Thursdays @ 2:00am PDT
  • ·         Hayate No Gotoku! Can’t Take My Eyes Off You – Wednesdays @ 10:00am PDT
  • ·         Shin Sekai Yori (From the New World) – Tuesdays @ 11:40pm PDT
  • ·         Ixion Saga DT – Sundays 9:00am PDT
  • ·         My Little Monster – Mondays @ 9:30am PDT
  • ·         Blast Tempest – Thursdays @ 11:00am PDT
  • ·         BTOOOM! – Thursdays @ 6:00pm PDT
  • ·         Magi – Wednesdays @ 9:00am PDT
  • ·         GIRLS und PANZER – Wednesdays @ 7:00pm PDT
  • ·         Medaka Box – Thursdays @ 10:35pm PDT
  • ·         The Pet Girl of Sakurasou – Wednesdays @ 11:00am PDT
  • ·         Teekyu – Sundays @ 5:50am PDT
  • ·         Lychee Light Club – (Time TBA)
  • ·         Aoi Sekai no Chushin de – (Time TBA)
  • ·         Ebiten – Wednesday @ 10:00am PDT
  • ·         TBA (No information has been released yet)

You do need a premium membership in order to watch these anime the same day as they are broadcasted in Japan, but you can also wait a week in order to watch them for free. Stay tuned for more information and reviews on these great titles! For more information please visit Crunchyroll.


One last thing I would like to add

Oreimo


     This is a new section on Midnight Anime radio that we will have each week. We will do our best to bring you interesting and enjoyable news that you guys care about. If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to email, comment, or even call us! All of our information is on the “Get in Touch!” tab. Thanks for reading and don’t forget to like our Facebook page!

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Redline Anime IOS APP Review

In this weeks ios review I will be covering the APP that Madhouse released Redline the Second Season.
This ios app was released on the Japanese itunes store in 2011. You get to be JP has he drives his Transam20000 in the Redline race.
The controls are pretty simple. They are all gyroscope based by moving the iphone around. On top of that you can add "acceleration gold" pills to act has a temporary turbo boost. Your goal is to when the race and gain as many points from tricks as you can. 
I found the game to be fun but, its short with not to many options. If you find that Redline itch this does an ok job of scratching it. It does have many of the original songs and sound effects from the movie which is cool!
I'd give a a total score of 3.5 out of 5. Ok but, you will probably only get and hour of entertainment out of it.