Come Get Some Queen's Blade

Melona From Queen's Blade Fanart
by Jackson Thom

It's not ecchi if they don't show the bods, and Queen's Blade brings it in spades.  Queen's Blade is the royal standard as far as ecchi anime's go.

The story revolves around a Queen's Blade tournament that occurs, oh, I have no idea how often.  I suppose about often enough for this tournament to make sense, which is fine.  Anyway, any busty beauty with a weapon can enter, and it involves them getting a call from some ominous force, and reporting to the one-on-one battle, to have it out with an equally busty beauty.

No one dies, and there's no real consequences of losing, other than that they're out of the tournament.  But there's no reason for them to not give it their all, including every shred of clothing.  The final prize is a battle with the queen of the land, and the chance to become the next queen.

The story revolves around the main character, Reina, a busty blonde, who's lived a sheltered life cooped up in a castle, while her eldest sister has become one of the world's greatest warriors, and her closest sister has become a lusty lesbian, who desires her body.

During a robbery of the castle, Reina is taken by the burglar, and she decides it's time for her to start learning to defend herself, so she enters the Queen's Blade tournament.  She bonds with her captor, as well as another woman who wears a snake instead of panties, and they go on to train her for the tournament.

Echidna On Reina From Queen's Blade Fanart
by Jackson Thom

There are all manor of hot chicks in this one.  Like I said above, there's an assassin girl, who doesn't where much clothing, but she has a pet snake that she wears as her bottoms, instead of anything.  There are perfectly angled shots of her releasing her snake upon her prey, so that you only get a glimpse of her back-side, while not actually seeing anything too revealing.

There's also some kind of demon girl, who wears a see through pink night-gown, and her hair looks like two hands that dangle down, and keep her breasts in place.  They frequently come loose, however, revealing her nipples.

There's a holy woman, who attacks her enemies with her holy poses, which are just erotic poses revolving around spreading her legs or sticking out her breasts.

There's one woman who carries a sentient staff for her power, that has tentacles that will now and again force there way into her mouth and ejaculate some fluid into her, for strength.  Ya know, that old chestnut!

Then there's Reina's sister, who never quite comes clean about her lesbianism, but always lusts after her, and finds ways to be in the bath with Reina.

I won't ruin it all for you, but there are several other great women, and each of them better than the last.  There's probable one or two total males in the entire series.  It's female centric, and it does benefit from this.

The actual story is kind of mindless, and it doesn't really matter anyway.  The Queen's Blade tournament is just an excuse to put the women into precarious positions on top of one another rolling around, while shredding their clothing, and breaking their armor, to expose more skin.

There have been two seasons of Queen's Blade that I've seen.  They've both been dubbed, and are uncensored.  There is a second series, called Queen's Blade: Rebellion, which has been released as only a subtitled version, and it is severely censored.  I haven't seen this one.

To learn a little more about Queen's Blade, or its adaptation from the manga, check out Queen's Blade on Wikipedia.

Plan For the Sekirei

Musubi On Minato
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by S4ku

If you like bubbly busty ladies, in cloth shredding battles, than look no further than Sekirei.  It has it all, and it will blow your mind.

Let's say you're an 18-year-old college guy, who just flunked his entrance exams for the second time,  what would cheer you up?  That's right, a bootilicious young girl, barely dressed, landing right on your face.

The main character, and eventual harem king, is Minato, a young would-be college student, down on his luck, until Musubi literally lands on him.  Then, she bonds with him, and finds herself burning form the inside for him to help her emerge, which he does by leaning into one-another for a very deep kiss.

It's a must see.

Minato doesn't stop there.  He goes on episode after episode, acquiring more of these Sekirei's in the same manor, and it is epic.

The actual point of the show, is something called the Sekirei plan, which is dominated over by a diabolical overlord, who's name I can't remember, professor something or other.  It doesn't really matter.  He's easily identifiable, and definitely evil.

This professor is pitting the Sekirei's against each other in battle, and the one that remains will get to live happily ever after with her Ashikabi.  That's what they call the person who allows them to emerge--hint, hint!!!

Anyway, each of these Sekirei's has a different skill, some with water, fire, knives, fists, etc, each trying to gain advantages in different ways.

There are two seasons of the show that I know of.  The first is pretty good, and sets the tone nicely for the show, but things REALLY start to heat up in the second season, with a couple of HOT additions.

I'm telling you, this show is full of animalistic ecchi action, at its finest.  The main character Minato, plays the role of the chivalrous hero, who would never take advantage of his position, but he could.  And there are plenty of opportunities for him to do so.

To learn a little bit more about Sekirei, or it's adaptation from the manga, check out Sekirei on Wikipedia.

Freezing, and the Best Touch of All

Satellizer el Bridget Chained Up
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Johnathan Smith

 Tell me, do you like the boobies?  If your answer is anything other than, yes, than feel free to move on.

The first I heard of the anime, Freezing, was when I saw an image of one of its main protagonists, Satellizer el Bridget, down on her hands and knees, with her dress flipped up over her back, and her panties pulled down.  I had to know more.

Later, I discovered, this was one of many scenes peppered throughout this battle vixen style harem anime, that depicted curvy girls, in various stages of undress.

The anime Freezing, is about a world that's been under attack by some kind of otherworldly aliens, called Nova, that have an ability to freeze their enemies, as a part of their attack, so the government, created schools, such as the fictitious West Genetics, to engineer young girls, called Pandoras, and then teach them to fight using some strange elemental abilities.

Each young girl, is powerless without a young male companion, called a Limiter, to limit the freezing area of the enemy.  This companionship can be quite intimate in certain cases.

Satellizer el Bridget Coupling
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Johnathan Smith

The school's best student, Satellizer el Bridget, won't bond with any Limiter, giving her the nickname, the Untouchable Queen, because of some fear of contact.  That is until she meets a boy, named Kazuya, who happens to be the younger brother of a girl who had last repelled a Nova attack, and lost her life.

The actual plot of the story is unnecessary, to watch the story.  It's basically, a school that pits the girls in clothes shredding, humiliation style battles, where they and their male companions, come under fire, and reveal their true feelings for one another, typically revolving around a great deal of physical contact.

The two main types of male characters in harem style anime, are either 1.) the perv or 2.) the honorable, but bumbling young boy.  Kazuya is the boy in this one, and his personality takes on number two.  He frequently ties his hardest to help Bridget, or demand that others show her respect, but his bumbling cavalier efforts, usually lead to Bridget becoming undressed, or him being stuffed between her huge breasts.

This is not a bad thing, in fact it's a part of what makes the show so awesome.  The scene that initially got me interested in this show, was one of those.  Bridget is in a fight with an upper classman, who should easily defeat here, so Kasuya steps in in her defense.  Bridge attempts to get away in the distraction, only to see Kazuya get trapped in her opponents freezing zone, so she goes back for him, giving her opponent the upper hand, and gets herself frozen.

This leads to a series of humiliating gestures, where down in her hands and knees, her dress is flipped up, and her panties are pulled down.  It's a hell of a scene.  And a hell of a show.

Each episode sees Bridget and Kazuya take on more and more difficult foes, all the while their relationship is becoming ever more deepened.  It's the way this kind of show should work, in my opinion.  I enjoy the vulnerable, uncomfortable ecchi/harem style animes.

If you were to ask me about the down side of this show, it would have to be, that the plot does actually come into effect.  As the show develops, the Nova wind up invading, and the real plot of the show interferes, with all of the excellent ecchi action, adding a bit too serious a tone.

But even with that, the show is amazing, and if you are into ecchi/harem style anime, you will not be disappointed.

I've only seen the first season of this, but there is a second season that I still haven't taken the time to watch, called Freezing: Vibrations.  The only thing is, I still can't find it dubbed in English, yet, only with subtitles, and that is not the way I like to watch this type of show.

If you want to know more about it, or its adaptation from the manga, check out Freezing on Wikipedia.

Next week, I'll review Sekirei.

Best Of the Best...Pics of Hot Girls

Lately, I've been on a nice little drawing rhythm, and I've been able to pound out some nice drawings, that I've been able to do up all nice and tidy in InkScape.  I'm real proud of what I've produced lately, so I wanted to show it off a little.

Mission From the Future
by Jackson Thom

Mission From the Future

This is one badass chick, with two guns, leather and a hell of an attitude.

Go check out the real version on my gallery on DeviantArt, where you can also buy prints.
Mission From the Future.
This got some nice kudos over there, like being added to the PinUp-Club gallery, as well as the Elite-Girls gallery.

You can also get it on a t-shirt at my Zazzle Store.  Give it a try.

Mission From the Past
by Jackson Thom

Mission From the Past

This girl's fired up, and ready for anything, with a great sword and wild pink hair.  What else do you need.

Go check out the real version on my gallery on DeviantArt, where you can also buy prints.  Mission From the Past.  This one also got a couple of nice kudos there, like being included in the Elite-Girls gallery and the Inkscapers gallery.

You can also get it on a t-shirt at my Zazzle Store.  Give it a try.

Kodama From Maken-Ki Fan Art
by Jackson Thom

Kodama From Maken-ki!

This is the character Kodama from the ecchi anime, Maken-Ki, which I did a review of recently.

Go check out the real version on my gallery on DeviantArt.  Kodama From Maken-Ki Fan Art.

I can't sell this one in any way, because it's fan art, so enjoy, but like the others, it did receive a couple of nice kudos, such as being included in the Elite-Girls gallery, as well as the Inkscapers gallery.













I hope you enjoy!  Thanks for stopping by!

Makin' Whoopie With Maken-Ki!

Haruko from Maken-ki Fanart
by Jackson Thom

If you were looking for some high brow anime that would touch your soul, let me stop you right there.  Maken-Ki is not the one.

Last week, I said, I'd be reviewing my favorite ecchi (or fan service) animes, starting with Maken-Ki, which is definitely one of my faves.  It comes in at number five.

So, the story revolves around a the main character Takeru, a girl-crazed boy, who's just transferred to the formerly all girls school, Tenbi Academy.  He's beyond excited at this fact, because due to the fact that it was previously an all girls school, the ratio of boys to girls is fantastically in Takeru's favor.

On his first day of school, at Tenbi Academy, he walks with his childhood friend Haruko, who he hasn't seen in years, but has since developed into an exceedingly buxom and beautiful girl.  There's immediate chemistry, but neither will openly admit to it.

Kodama From Maken-ki Fanart
by Jackson Thom

Once Takeru arrives at the school, he suddenly realizes that it's  not just a school it's a training ground for young people to hone a magically elemental fighting power, to some day battle an evil unknown enemy.  This offers many changes for some exciting clothes shredding duels, which are fully sanctioned by the school, and overseen by a committee, called Maken-ki, which makes sure all of the duels remain fair.

Of course, Takeru, along with Haruko become members of Maken-ki, along with a couple others, and thus, Takeru's harem begins.  He also begins living in a dorm room of his own, that quickly becomes the home of three other girls, including Haruko, Kodama, who initially doesn't like Takeru, and another girl, Inaho, who claims that Takeru is her fiance.

The truth behind the plot of this story, is it's not really much to keep you mind occupied.  The real reason to watch this show, or any ecchi harem anime, is for the boob and panty shots, and there are plenty of those.

I only watched the first season, which is the only one that is dubbed, the second season is only in sub-titles, and I can tell you the animation is great.  They ecchi is delivered, along with the sexual chemistry between several of the characters, each revolving around the main perverted character Takeru.

There are steaming bath scenes, there are pool scenes, there are the aforementioned cloth shredding battle scenes, as well as one single episode dedicated to a french maid restaurant, where many of the main characters get part time jobs.  If you're looking for ecchi, this one delivers.

There are a couple minor blemishes on the show, however.  The main one being that there is really is no story.  The students are all preparing to battle some strange nemesis, which you do get to see later in the first season, but for the most part, there's no real payoff, so there's nothing to watch the show for, other than the boob and panty shots.

I'm not saying that's at all a bad thing, it just might be nice to give a crap about what's going on a little.

The other minor downside here, is many ecchi animes show the boob and butt shots coming into contact, somehow accidentally with another person.  This show, however, rarely does that.  There's the occasional smothering of boobs in face, but often the show revolves around Takeru, and another perv boy he befriends ogling the girls from a distance.

I'm not saying this is a let down.  I'm just saying some contact would be better.  But for the most part, Maken-ki delivers as one of my favorite ecchi animes.

If you want to know more about it, or its adaptation from the manga, check out Maken-ki on Wikipedia.

Next week, I'll review Freezing.

Tis the Season, and Fallah, Lallah, Lah

'Tis the Season
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Fausto Hernandez

'Tis the season, and all that junk, and with that I just wanted to hit everyone up, and see how the year's been going, as it's almost over.

I mean come on. It's just about Christmas, and the cheer is in the air. What's everyone getting this year?  Has everyone been good, or very VERY NAUGHTY?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!  Just kidding!

Bone Cycle
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Jeff Holter

I know you've been terrible this year, just like me.  But ya know what's cool about Christmas?  Each year, after Christmas, comes New Years Day, and we all get to start over.  You know what I'm saying.  So, enjoy the debauchery.

With that in mind, I wanted to let everyone know about a couple great places I found to watch my favorite anime.

Otaku Streamers 
This is pretty much the Wikipedia of anime.  It's got everything.  It's easy to get lost there, so it's kind of aptly named..

My Hentai TV
This is a little different.  It's not your average anime.  This is the adult stuff, so, as I said above.  Enjoy the debauchery.  See what I did there?

And while you're at it, enjoy this stunning video of the WWE's Nicki Bella, as she perfectly executes her back-side spin move.  Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Prepping For Saint Paddy's Day and Heavy Metal

Drunken Leprechaun

Whoa!!!  It's been some kind of winter, so far, huh?!?

I'm talking crazy snow.  My arms have been exhausted from shoveling--probably because I'm so out of shape, and all.  These string beans can't move mountains.  They were designed for more delicate work.

Anyway, aside from all that, I've been very busy.  I've had a few set backs, but for the most part, things have been going good.

If you're gearing up for Saint Paddy's Day, as I know you are, I pounded out a great How To Draw a Leprechaun article, over at Squidoo.  Click the link to check it out.  If you like that, there's also shirts for sale, over at Boneworld's Zazzle Store, that you can check out, featuring the drunken leprechaun.  Click the links below to check them out.

Get Drunk and Carry On Leprechaun on Zazzle

Cheers Leprechaun
Get Drunk and Carry On Leprechaun

Most people who've read my articles should note that I'm a big fan of anime, and I've written several articles reviewing anime movies, as well as discussing anime topics in depth.  However, the truth is, I've always been more of a fan of American animation and comics.  I wouldn't say I'm any kind of expert on the subject matter, but I am very interested in it.  And because of that, when the option to review a super hero animation came up, I jumped on it.

I reviewed the feature length animated film Ultimate Avengers, in the article Avengers, Bringing Captain America Home.  Click the link to read all about it.

Metal Hurlant
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Alexis Ziritt

Along the same lines of my American animation and comics, is Heavy Metal.  The movie, I mean, that was sort of a skit based drug induced science fiction film.  There were two movies, Heavy Metal and Heavy Metal 2000, and it kind of ended there.  The magazine it was based off of discontinued.

However, in France, where the magazine originated, being called Metal Hurlant Chronicles, they've created a new series of shows based upon the magazine, with the same name.  It's again a skit based series of twelve episodes.  Many people are mildly aware that this show was created, and that it was originally only available in France, but that has all changed, as Syfy channel has bought it, and will air the episodes in April.  Check out the full story on Coming Soon and ScienceFiction.com.  This is a great day for anyone who was a fan of the original movies and magazine.

Cheers!

Purple Stars For Everyone!!!

Purple Star

Wouldn't you know it, I got me another of them Purple Stars.  It seems all those nice folks over at Squidoo must really like me.  I'm not sure what it is, but I got my third Purple Star for Understanding the Genres of Anime.  Click the link to check it out.

It's really a more detailed and pruned down post of the Anime vocabulary I posted on this site, called Making Sense Of an Anime List Of Vocabulary.

You see, I like many people didn't understand anime for a very long time, and I felt the need to discover what it was really about.  Along the way, I discovered that anime wasn't just one thing, it was a plethora of things, and once I identified the major genres of anime, I felt I needed to share my vast knowledge.  And there you have it--Purple Star!

This brings my total for Purple Stars up to THREE!  My other chosen articles are I Wish I Could Draw and My Art Gallery.  Click the links to view them.

If you're unaware of what Squidoo is, it's really a place for writers, like me and possible you, to find a voice, and let it be heard to as many people as possible, while making a little bit of money.  Squidoo is a highly visible unified blog that many people in all different areas of interest are using to build an online reputation.  Squidoo is much like any other blog, but it offers a more unified movement, so the strength of the voices of those that have written before can carry those new comers to find more readers than they otherwise would.  This is the real benefit to Squidoo.  So, if you have something to write about, and you think Squidoo might be for you, why not start a Squidoo account today.

Otherwise, if you'd like to take a look at some more of my work, please check out Boneworld on DeviantArt.

Angry Birds Love Anime, Maybe???

Angry (Love) Birds
Photo Credit: Drawn By Me in Inkscape

Check it out!  So, there I was, trying to find the perfect thing to combine drawing and Valentine's Day, and nothing came to mind--I mean nothing, zilch.  But I didn't give up.  I scoured the interwebs, like a maniac, and all I came upon were love birds.  Now, love birds are fine, if you're normal, but not if you're me, so I kept going, until I finally had a brain fart.

The opposite of love birds, are Angry Birds!?!

And the idea was born.  I'd create an article on How To Create an Angry Birds Valentine's Day Card.  Isn't that sweet, a personalized love birds type card for your sweety, with Red Bird and Female Red Bird in an intimate snuggle.  Go on and click the link, if you want more details.  But, if you want Angry Birds, click their link instead.

Black Lagoon - Revy
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Joriel Jimenez

Toonami is quickly becoming my favorite thing ever.  If you don't know what that is, it's really a time slot on Adult Swim on Saturday nights, from 11:30PM to 6:00AM, and it's just loaded with some awesome anime.  I know it's late, but it's totally worth it, and you can just DVR it, and watch later.

The latest show is Space Dandy, and I've loved the episodes, so far.  It's incredibly creative.  But Toonami is already stating that in March, the lineup will be changing, yet again.  This time, Soul Eater (which I dislike), is being replaced by the show Black Lagoon.  Everything I've read about Black Lagoon includes the words bullets, blood and babes, along with adult action, so I'm pretty pumped for this.  It's due to start March 22, 2014.  So, it's still a couple months away, but coming up soon.  I believe there will be a few other changes to the lineup, as well, but this is the only show I'm aware of right now.

Vampire Hunter D
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Lord Ketchup

While we're on the topic of anime, I stumbled across a list of the Top 10 Horror Anime.  I don't know most of the titles on the list, but a few of them are doozies, like Death Note, Devil May Cry, Berserk and Blood+.  The movie in the number one spot is a great one, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust.  And, if you click the link, you can stream an English dubbed version of the full movie from YouTube.  It's great!

Finally, I wanted to call some attention to a blog I occasionally follow, called Galaxy Zento.  It's written by a guy named David Wilde, who uses each post as another part in his fantasy universe story, which includes elements of fantasy, sci-fi and magic.  I believe he does his own art, and he's in talks with an agent for a novel consideration.

I don't keep completely up to date with his stories, but I read them when I have time.  One thing that stuck out for me, was his bio states he's an advocate for autism research, and after some digging, I discovered he himself is dealing with autism.  I was about to write that he is suffering from autism, but he's married, has four children, and is a writer, so I'm thinking he's overcoming it, instead of suffering from it.  Check out David Wilde's Google Plus, by clicking the link.

Remember Heavy Metal Magazine? It's Coming Back!!!

Heavy Metal Magazine

Heavy Metal Magazine
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Rene Walter

I've been a fan of animation and comics for years.  In fact, many years.  And I can tell you, one of my all-time favorite animated films was Heavy Metal, the movie.  I just loved it, the wild art, the risque material, the epic battles, and the episodic nature of each of the stories woven around the Lok-Nar.  I've watched it probably two-dozen times.  I own the DVD, and I could watch it almost every night of the week, if I had time.

So, anyway, the movie is based upon a comic magazine, called Heavy Metal, which was based upon a French version, called Metal Hurlant.  Well, I just learned that Heavy Metal magazine sold, to relaunch as bigger brand.  Click the link to read all about it.

To me, this is very exciting news.  Heavy Metal magazine redefined art, and what was acceptable, and what was exceptional.  It was more a movement than a magazine, spawning two movies in its time, and launching the careers of some if the greatest film makers, and graphic artists there are in recent years.

Metal Hurlant Chronicles

Metal Hurlant Magazine
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Alexis Ziritt

On top of the Heavy Metal news, has anyone every heard of Metal Hurlant Chronicles?  Well, it's a TV series on France, that was based upon the original French version of the magazine.  And it will soon be beginning its second season.

I can't even believe season one is over, because it still hasn't made its way to America, even though it was filmed in English, and has some big North American stars, like Michael Jai White, Joe Flanigan and Matt Mullins, also  including the likes of Rutger Hauer, Michelle Ryan and Kelly Brooke.

To read more about it, as well as see the trailer, check out the productions companies website, WE Productions.  Or, check out Metal Hurlant Chronicles on Facebook.

Game of Thrones

On top of all that, if you're a Game of Thrones fan, and why wouldn't you be, season four begins, on April 6, on HBO, and you can see the Game of Thrones Season 4 Trailer, here.  It looks like it's going to be another epic season.

Toonami

Space Dandy
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Danny Choo

Toonami's been busy as well, now three weeks into the latest season on Adult Swim.  The latest show, Space Dandy, has been absolutely amazing.  The colorful character, wild stories, precise animation and wonderful fan service, have been just about the best ever.  I can't wait each week to see the latest episode.  It really is entertaining, if you haven't already seen it.  To see some pics, check out Toonami on Tumblr or get into a discussion on Toonami's Reddit account.  Otherwise, check out the line up every Saturday night on adult swim between 11:30PM and 6:00AM.  I know it's late, but just DVR it, like me.  It's worth it.

Polypore, An Independent Film

I also wanted to give a heads up on an independent science fiction thriller, called Polypore that I just stumbled upon.  You can find out more about it on the Polypore homepage, as well as take a look at the trailer.  The home page and the trailer don't give away too much, other than that it's a science fiction thriller, with deep characters, with telepathy and teleportation, but it looks interesting none-the-less.  You can rent the entire film for $1.99.

Making Sense Of An Anime List Of Vocabulary

Evangelion
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Paul Evans

So, hey, I'm a huge anime freak, or otaku as many would say.  I've done a number of anime reviews on Squidoo, such as for the movies Redline, Fullmetal Alchemist, Trigun: Badlands Rumble and Summer Wars.

My latest article on Squidoo addresses something I've struggled with for some time concerning anime, and that's the terminology required to understand the genres.  My article on the subject on Squidoo, is called Understanding the Genres of Anime, and it tries to de-mystify some of the terms used to describe types of anime.  It was not a comprehensive list, and I'd like to rectify that here.

Below is a list of all anime terminology that I've come across, and at least a brief description of each.  Have a look, and let me know what you think in the comments.

Anime Car
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons Photo by tsukubajin

1. Kodomo or kodomomuke - Means child or childlike.  This is anime directed at children.  Typically young children under 10.  Examples are Hello Kitty, Pokeman or Sonic X.
2. Chibi - A Japanese term for a diminutive person, but in anime it means super deformed or SD.  It typically depicts children with small bodies and huge heads for a comical effect.  They are meant to be cute and more easily demonstrate extreme emotions.  This is not a commonly used genre on its own, but frequently used to emphasize an emotion in a short instance in another genre of anime, such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, Ninja Turtles or several others.  Some that use this exclusively are, SD Gundam Force, Hanamaru Kindergarten and Lucky Star.
3. Kawaii - The word means lovable, cute or adorable.  This is specifically a character that has been created solely for cuteness, such as Hello Kitty, Pikachu or Teletubbies.  These shows are usually geared towards the youngest of crowds, such as kodomo, although there are a few exceptions.
4. Shoujo or Shojo - This means girl, as in a female minor from 10-18.  It is a show surrounding young girls, and there doings.  It is very popular in Japan, and in fact the most popular of all anime genres.  Some of the more popular include Sailor Moon, School Life and Maid Sama.  Some common themes include relationships with boys, interactions with girls on a popularity level and school.
5. Shoujo-ai - The literal Japanese, shoujo means girl, and ai means love.  This is an anime that centers around lesbian relationships of usually younger girls.  This specific genre doesn't show any nudity or anything explicit, but instead focuses on the relationship aspect of female attraction.  It isn't por.nographic, but instead it's lesbian romance.  Some examples are Blue Drop, Kampfer and Simoun
6. Shounen - The literal translation is few years, but the word has become synonymous with male minors, such as Shoujo is for female minors, this is its male counterpart.  As these are for younger men, typically teens, common themes include action, adventure and sports.  Sometimes they include things like school and romance, but only included among a more major action oriented story.  Just like Shouju, this is more a demographic than a genre, so it can actually have many different themes.  It just needs to be aimed at young men.  Some examples are Naruto, Bleach and Attack On Titan.
7. Shounen-ai - This is a boy on boy romance story, that typically includes younger men.  These types of stories do not include any explicit scenes, but are more focused on romance, and a great deal of kissing.  Some examples of this are Sukisho, Princess Princess and Gakuen Heaven.
8. Seinen - This is typically seen as meaning mature.  Manga and anime that specifically targets young adult males around the ages of 18 to 25 are seinen titles. The stories in seinen works appeal to university students and those in the working world. Typically the story lines deal with the issues of adulthood.  These are considered adult movies, but not por.nography.  There may be some immorality, extreme violence and language, among some possible other things.  Some examples include Monster, Berserk and Cowboy Bebop.
9. Josei - Literally means woman. It targets women 18-30.  This is the female equivalent to seinen. Unlike shoujo the romance is more realistic and less idealized. The storytelling is more mature.  Some examples include Honey and Clover, Nana and Paradise Kiss.
10. Bishojo or Bishoujo - In Japanese, this means beautiful young girl.  It's not a genre or a demographic, but actually a character type.  It is an indication that there is a pretty girl, or more than likely, many pretty girls in this anime.  It's used in nearly all young adult anime, and it doesn't imply anything other than just that there will be pretty girls, along with others that maybe aren't so much.  It's a character type used in many different genres and for many different demographics, such as Shoujo and Shounen.
11. Bishonen or Bishounen - This is a Japanese term that means beautiful young boy, or in a better term, a pretty boy.  It's more or less an attractive young male.  This is a character type in many anime series and movies, and the characters are used in many different ways.  There can be homosexual implications to it, but not always.  These types of character usually appeal to young women, and are easily used for subjects of attraction.  Think of the boy bands in America and England, and this is kind of the same philosophy.
12. Mecha - The word mecha comes from a shortened version of the English word mechanical, and it's used to describe a genre of science fiction that focuses on human controlled machinery and robots.  Some examples are the Gundam series, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Eureka Seven.
13. hikikomori - This isn't a genre at all, and in fact just means literally "pulling inward, being confined."  It's a term in Japan that would mean a recluse, and is typically the assignment of a key character in an anime to help add some suspense.  It can be used in any types of movie or series, and really can't be assigned much specifically.  Some examples of anime that have these types of characters are, Welcome to the N.H.K, Rozen Maiden and Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei.
14. shinigami - This means death god or death spirit, and in fiction it has come to mean the Grim Reaper.  It's actually from ancient Japanese religious references, which call on a god like being to bring on death.  It's developed over time, much like the grim reaper or devil or many other ideas like this.  This being has become fairly common in certain types of anime.  Not necessarily any specific genre, but as a key character or force.  Some examples are Death Note, Black Butler and Soul Eater.
15. Ecchi - This is anime that is typically considered a bit on the "dirty" or erotic side.  There's no actual sexually explicit scenes, but there are innuendos, some mild nudity and scantily glad men and women.  Another term for this is fan service, which indicates, these will be certain characters dressed provocatively for fans to get a better view.  Some examples of this are Queens Blade, Samurai Bride and High School of the Dead.
16. Hentai - This is anime por.n.  These are sparse story lines with full nudity and sexually explicit scenes.  An example is Tsugou no Yoi Sexfriend? or some manga displayed on Prime Hentai.
17. Yaoi - This is homoerotic stories about men in love for female audiences.  These movies have explicit sex between two males, but this is a genre written by women and geared towards women to watch.  
18. Bara - These are homoerotic stories about men in love for homosexual male audiences.  As opposed to Yaoi, these are much more realistic tales, and will include things such as a slice of life to help the realism come through.
19. Yuri - This can also be called wasei-eigo, and it means something along the lines of girls' love.  It deals with lesbian love affairs, and depicts explicit girl on girl scenes of an erotic nature.  The types of stories can span many different genres as well as demographics.  Some are geared towards women and others are geared towards men.
20. Lolicon - These are stories surrounding a sexual attraction to under-aged girls.
21. Shotacon - These are stories surrounding a sexual attraction to under-aged boys.
22. Doujinshi - This is fan made manga.
23. otaku - This is a Japanese word that indicates a person with a certain obsession.  But it has lost its negative connotations, and now is more of a proclamation made by many anime fans to insist they are crazy for anime due to its insane popularity.  
24. seiyu or seiyuu - This is the word used to indicate a Japanese voice actor, which is fairly prominent, since Japan produces more than 60% of the animations in the world.  These are highly trained voice actors, who's talents are extensibly used in all manor of media.  Many of the most popular have developed adoring fan followings.

Anime Girl Eyes
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Danny Choo

For some more details on this, check out these resources:

• Anime Genre List With Descriptions
• Anime Networks Encyclopedia of Genres
• Anime Networks Encyclopedia of Anime
• My Anime List Forums

So, there ya go. A vocabulary list of terms used to identify anime.  I'll try to keep it updated periodically, but this should be enough to get started.  If you have any suggestions, please let me know in the comments below.

Fan Service Swimsuit Girls
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Manuel Siordia

Bring in 2014 With Anime and Indie Films Online

Vash the Stampede
Flickr Creative Commons Photo by *Yu7yU*

Welcome to 2014, yo!  I'm rocketing through the air as we speak in my auto driven flying car, ordering up some stuff on Amazon with my wi-fi connected brain, and just hoping your having as much fun in this futuristic utopian world, as I am.  Oh wait, none of those things have happened, yet.  I'm sitting in front of my slow antiquated computer, typing with my over-used fingers, and wishing you a wonderful New Year.

Anime Reviews

Anyway, Toonami finished up its month of movies with the amazing Trigun: Badlands Rumble.  Over at Squidoo, I wrote a review, so go on ahead and check out Old West Has Nothing On Badlands Rumble.  Starting next week, Toonami will have their regular schedule of shows, including the all new Space Dandy.  The new schedule begins at  Saturday, January 4, 2014 at 11:30PM, and you can check it out on Toonami's website.

You can find my other anime reviews on Squidoo, right here:
Summer Wars, Dorothy Can't Hack This OZ
Fullmetal Bringing Back the Brothers
Buckle-Up For the Redline Review

Indie Films Online

The indie film industry online is booming.  It seems that more and more great films are coming alive all the time.  I've previously noted the existence of Black Flag TV, which is an independent TV station, broadcasting horror movies online.  Now, I've come a cross a couple more, of note.

Porcelain Presence is a wild indie film studio working on an intense and suspenseful film concerning a porcelain doll in an average British neighborhood.  It appears things get out of hand, but things are not always what they seem.  If you like, check out the trailer for the movie on YouTube.  It'll send a chill down your back.

ZOMB! the Movie is an independent zombie flick.  It sounds pretty interesting concerning a tongue-in-cheek health awareness documentary on the threat of the zombie virus.  It's a crowd funded film, and you can get more details on that on the website if you'd like to help support the film.  They're offering some perks for any assistance.

Anime Streaming

I've come across a couple of sites that are great for streaming anime, if you're interested.  Go ahead and check them both out.

Otaku Streamers

• Really good stream, and a great selection--all at no cost, just a sign up.

Crunchyroll

• The selection here isn't as great, but the stream is excellent for no cost.  However, there is a premium membership that, I assume, will give you access to more.

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As always, you can check out my latest work on my DeviantArt page, or my Zazzle Store.  You can check out my latest t-shirt, KEEP CALM and LEARN TO DRAW.

Hey, Animated Films for Adults Do Exist

Anime Girl in Black
Flickr Creative Commons Photo by intruzo..99

I love cartoons, and especially most anime.  You see, I watched tons of cartoons as a kid, I was immersed in them--G.I Joe, Transformers, Exosquad, Starblazers, and so many others.  But somewhere along the line, I guess I started to think maybe there's an age limit for cartoons, so I stopped watching them. But, in the last few years, I've rekindled that love of cartoons, that I lost so long ago, and it's been wonderful.

The thing is, I think this is very common in adulthood.  We turn our backs on so many things we used to like, sometimes for the better, but in some cases, it's just because we have this preconceived idea that adults don't do that.  I think it's this way with cartoons, and I really wish I could call people out on it more often, because I believe if people would give it a chance, more adults would be watching 2-D animated cartoons.

Heavy Metal
Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Rene Walter

Some of my favs now, are Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal 2000, Titan A.E., and a great many anime movies that I've discovered.  One of my favorite anime movies, is Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shamballa, which I recently did a review of on Squidoo, called Fullmetal Bringing Back the Brothers.  Click the link to find out more about it.

There is another movie, however, that really brought back my love of animated movies.  It's a documentary that fleshes out all the ins-and-outs of the anime industry in Japan.  The movie is called, Anime: Drawing a Revolution.  It's a movie chock full of interviews and information about the burgeoning industry in Japan, and what it really means to be an anime movie.

Fullmetal Alchemist
Flickr Creative Commons Photo by mimimeow_

The thing is, all major nations have an entertainment mecca that developed over time due to different influences and needs.  It's kind of a cause and effect type relationship.  America has Hollywood, India has Bollywood, and Japan has anime.  The economy and culture of Japan doesn't lend itself well to big budget blockbusters that rely on big named stars or effects.  Most movies in Japan have a small budget, and require that the small number of big named directors work magic to eek out epic films with little but pennies on the dollar, or Yen.  This has lead to anime studios.

You might think, well anime is still just a cartoon, and technically you'd be right.  However, anime is actually a revolution in Japan.  It's swept the country, just the same way the big named actors in America take control every big movie season.  Anime movies are the movies of Japan, and with that, they aren't the typical silly child-like cartoons, such as Scooby Doo.  Many of them are dramatic pieces, that can create an emotional tie to the stories and characters.

Akira
Flicker Creative Commons Photo by ORAZ Studio

Some of the big ones are Akira, Summer Wars and Grave of the Fireflies.  Akira starts off with an atomic detonation that levels all of Tokyo, and brings on an apocalyptic setting, which for the Japanese is something many actually have feared, at one time or another.  Summer Wars is a movie that depicts a nation submerged in the internet, so much so, that when a virus cuts things off, the world plunges into complete chaos.  The only thing that keeps them all alive, is family and friends bonding together.  And Grave of the Flireflies is a movie of two children trying to survive in the ravaged country of Japan after World War II.  Their parents were killed in an air raid, and they have little to go on, but their wits.  It's a depressive story, but one that is all too real for those in Japan.

The difference here, is an emotional tie that isn't present in most animated movies.  However, in anime, this is an important factor, to find something true to hold on to, and press beyond the black lines and colors, to reach out and touch the audience.

Afro Samurai
Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Nuno de Azevedo

That's not to say that anime movies don't have their fun movies.  There's always Trigun, Redline and Afro Samurai, which are all amazing anime films that are more likely going to just entertain with violence and exhilarating action.  And that's not always a bad thing.  It all depends upon what you're in the mood for.

So, before you pass judgement on an animated feature-length film, please try and consider its background first.  If you know of any more films you think deserve consideration, I love to hear about them in the comments section.  Otherwise, I hope your holidays have been great!

Let's Talk Independent Film News and Media, Shall We

Toonami
Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Toro Urata

Yo, yo, yo, what better way to spend the holidays, or the couple weeks leading up to the holidays, then to send some love to some others around the internet that I really like.

Many of you who know me, know that there's a warm place in my heart for anime, but in America there's just not enough of it.  However, I'm getting my fix on Saturday nights between 12:00AM to 6:00AM (yes, that's right, the middle of the freakin' night) on Toonami (I DVR it, and watch when I'm actually awake), which is basically just Cartoon Network.

Summer Wars
Flickr Creative Commons Photo by CCSX

Toonami shows a series of some of my favorite shows, like FLCL, Full Metal Alchemist, Cowboy Bebop, Bleach, Naruto and a few others.  To find out more, check out the site Toonami Faithful.

This month it's on hiatus, and in its place they've been showing some of the best feature-length anime movies ever.  The first week, they showed Akira, and unfortunately, I didn't know about it and I didn't DVR it, so I didn't get to watch pretty much the greatest anime movie ever.  However, this past Saturday, December 14, they showed Summer Wars, which I reviewed on Squidoo.  Please head on over and read my review, In Summer Wars, Dorothy Can't Hack This OZ.

Adult Swim Offices
Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Fred Seibert

Next week, they'll be showing Full Metal Alchemist: The Conquerer of Shambala and they'll wrap it up with Trigun: Badlands Rumble, before continuing with the normal run of series.

I also found a site by a couple of animators called GrisDismation.  They appear to be a couple who enjoy drawing together, and they're trying their hand at creating an independent animation studio.  I've checked out a number of their films, and they remind me a little of Ren and Stimpy, but with a far darker sense of humor.  The one I like best is called If I Didn't Have a Brain (The Anti-Drug Song).  You can check them out at GrisDismation.com

Heavy Metal Magazine
Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Rene Walter

The next one is called Blag Flag TV, and it's an independent TV station playing indie horror movies 24-7 on their website.  This one kind of took my by surprise, because I really didn't know what to make of it.  It appears any indie film maker can submit their B-horror film to be shown at some point in their schedule, and it will be shown to a wider audience.  Possibly, getting a little better play then if it were just sitting on YouTube.  The creator of the site is SV Bell, who is a film maker, comic book artists and Heavy Metal painter.

Finally, I'd like to send a little love over to the folks over at Huckaberry's Cryptic Crydders.  The site is run by Reggie Whitehead, who's art is extremely intriguing to me.  He makes art out of animal bones, and other buried treasures.  Yes, I know.  He actually uses animal bones to create works of art.  They're actually pretty awesome.  Check it out, whenever you get the chance.

Oh, and don't forget to check out my review of Summer Wars, In Summer Wars, Dorothy Can't Hack This OZ.  If you want to share the love, or just get a conversation going, go ahead and leave me a comment.