Tag Archives: Anime

May 15 2013

Classic anime: Vampire Princess Miyu


The best way to sum up Vampire Princess Miyu for me would be ‘Sailor Moon meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘. The premise of this vintage 1997 series is deceptive; Miyu is The Guardian, vampire trapped in a 15-year-old girl’s body, goes to high school in Japan, and is tasked with returning evil demons, shinma, to the darkness. Doesn’t sound particularly original, right? Well, you’d be surprised.

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Source: mefistosanimeblog

Spoilers for episodes 1 and 2 below! 

The whole ‘high school girl fighting demons’ is a tried and tested TV series format, from Japan’s classic Sailor Moon to America’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer. However, Vampire Princess Miyu doesn’t quite fit the mould. There are no happy endings! In Sailor Moon and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, bad things happen to good people, but then Buffy defeats the villain and everything goes back to normal (and there’s a good chance everyone will conveniently have amnesia). In Vampire Princess Miyu, everyone dies no matter what. Painfully.

Episode 1 sets the premise for the whole series. The mysterious Miyu Yamano turns up at high school as girls are found dead with the blood drained from their body. Nobuo, your average boy with glasses who is ‘fed up with the boring world’ and feels above it all, suspects that Miyu is a vampire and follows her to the roof of the school where the real culprit is revealed. Miyu puts an end to them but when Nobuo jumps forward and begs her to let him join her and slay shinma. If you’ve watched enough anime, you might expect for Nobuo to be bitten by Miyu and become a vampire, or at least become her bumbling human accomplice. What happens in this show? Miyu chastises him for his idiocy, he falls to his death and she basically just says ‘told you so, idiot’. Ouch.

In the second episode, young women’s souls are trapped in mannequins by a shinma who promises to make them more beautiful. Miyu predictably defeats the shinma but the girls are not freed. She expresses no remorse or pity at all and effectively says ‘they were selfish, so this is their punishment’.

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Source: crawlanime

This brings us on nicely to characters. Miyu appears to be a heartless you-know-what, and there aren’t many living characters to warm up to by the end of each episode. People die regularly and quickly in this show but, fear not, Miyu isn’t the only recurring character around. There’s the mysterious Reiha, another creepy and even more heartless shinma hunter, her talking doll Matsukaze; Larva, a shinma and Miyu’s guardian; Shiina, Miyu’s bunny mascot companion with spooky mixmatosis in one eye; and Miyu’s three school friends, Chisato, Yukari and Hisae. This collection of characters is close-knit enough for you to become close to and interested in them, although it may not make up for the copious amounts of death elsewhere and Miyu’s apparent inability to care about human suffering.

Vampire Princess Miyu is not without its faults, however. With 26 episodes and a small cast, most episodes seem to be stand-alone shinma slaying and tragic human tribulations mini stories. If you like shows like Musashi, where the main character typically encounters a new spirit each episode and interacts with it in a human environment, this is a series for you. If you like a complex plot and an ongoing story, you might find Vampire Princess Miyu a bit slow. That said, the last few episodes turn everything on its head and finish the series off with a bang. You eventually learn how Miyu became The Guardian and, without giving too much away, the ending doesn’t pull any punches. I recommend watching the whole series to really connect with the story but the final DVD in the boxset is by far the best one, in my opinion.

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Source: thedigitalfix

If you want to add more ‘classic’ anime series to your collection, Vampire Princess Miyu sits comfortably alongside old favourites like Berserk, Rorouni Kenshin and Neon Genesis Evangelion. The art style and soundtrack are beautiful and, although dated, do not take anything away from a great story and setting. The director, Toshiki Hirano, also worked on Detective Conan and Fist of the North Star, so you can expect good things! As you might expect with an anime series dubbed in the 1990s, the English voice over version is poor. Miyu sounds like a 30 year old school mistress, rather than a 15 year old school girl (even though she is actually hundreds of years old), and Shiina’s voice is painfully squeaky. That said, I always recommend watching at least one episode in English for comparison. The extras also offer little other than a shinma gallery, which is obviously best viewed after the episodes.

All in all, Vampire Princess Miyu is a solid classic series. Its strength lies in the shinma-human relationships and tragic stories of both humans and shinma who try to live in the human world. Although it feels slow in places, there are some emotive stand-alone episodes and the dramatic ending more than makes up for any other shortcomings. The Complete Collection is now available from MVM Entertainment, and I have already lent my copy to a friend to pass on the love!

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Mar 8 2013

Cosplay competition and DVDs to be won!


Do you cosplay, live in the UK and fancy winning some fantastic new anime DVDs? You’re in luck – the blog’s teamed up with the amazing guys at MVM Entertainment to offer not one, not two but THREE cosplayers the chance to win some anime DVD goodies!
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Here’s your chance to get your hands on MVM Entertainment’s latest anime releases: Shana Series Two Part 1, Needless Part 1 and Bodacious Space Pirates Part 1. Oh, how we spoil you!
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Read on to find out how to enter!
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Step one: Like MVM on Facebook and send your cosplay photo (including your name, character name and series) to sophiesjapanblogATlive.co.uk by midnight Sunday 24th March. Please send only ONE costume photo per person – it gives everyone a fair chance of winning!

Step two: All the photos will be uploaded to a folder on the Sophie’s Japan Blog Facebook page on Monday 25th March. We then need YOU to ‘like’ your favourite cosplays. There’s no limit to how many photos you can like!

Step three: Voting will close at 9pm Sunday 31st March and a first, second and third place will be drawn from the votes… and announced on the blog!

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The prizes…

Third place: One of MVM’s exciting new releases

Second place: A selection of two of MVM’s exciting new releases

First place: All three of MVM’s exciting new releases

Cosplayers of any age, level and skill are welcome to enter, as long as the costume was made by you! If you’re not entering the competition, we hope you still join in and vote!

Good luck and play nicely!

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Photo credits: manylemons.co.uk

Feb 18 2013

Interview with Patrick Seitz!


You might remember a commemorative post I wrote for the blog’s first birthday back in August 2012, where I said one of my goals for the next year was to interview some anime and video game voiceover actors. Well, guess what? Here’s a special interview with Patrick Seitz!

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Photo credit: K. Perotti

If you’re big on your anime and video games, you might have already heard the name Patrick Seitz before. For those of you who don’t actually know what voiceover actor is (aka my mum!), the long and short of it is that they are the people behind animated characters. Patrick is one of my personal favourites and 90% of this due to the fact that he voices Motochika Chosokabe from the Sengoku Basara series. He is also behind the voices of Franky from One Piece, Sky High from Tiger and Bunny, Kenpachi Zaraki from Bleach, Laxus Dreyar from Fairy Tail, Germany from Axis Powers: Hetalia, Agni from Black Butler, Sloth from Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Simon Brezhnev from Durarara!!!

OK, that list is extensive enough. You can check out Patrick’s website for a complete and less-rambling list of all the characters he’s voiced.

Here are two clips from Hetalia and Sengoku Basara to start you off:

I feel I should also point out that Patrick is clearly amazing because he replied to my email! Anyway, that’s enough from me for one day…

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First things first, please introduce yourself!

Hey, guys! My name is Patrick Seitz, and I’ve been lucky enough to work as a voiceover (VO) actor, script-adapted and ADR director for about 13 years now. Most of the work I’ve done has been in the sphere of anime and video games, and I absolutely love my job!

When was your ‘big break’ in voice acting? What did you do before then?

I don’t know if it was as exciting as an actual “big break,” but the definite turning point was back in 2003 or thereabouts, when I got the offer from New Generation Pictures to adapt and direct all 24 episodes of a zany T&A show called Girls Bravo (which has lots of skin but even more heart, if that makes any sense?). Up until then, I was doing a bit of voiceover work now and then, but much of my time over the last three years had been spent teaching English at my old high school when I was barely older than my seniors, and then working on my screenwriting Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree. Once the adapting/directing offer came in, I immediately moved back out to Los Angeles and got started on that. I ended up spending a year and a half directing two shows (Girls Bravo and Kamichu), and by then had forged enough of a connection with the other folks in the business to start working for a variety of studios. Thankfully, I’ve been lucky enough to keep some combination of those three jobs as my “day job” ever since.

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Early career days with Kamichu (photo)

Is voice acting really as glamorous as it sounds, or is there really a lot of hard work behind it?

Voice acting really isn’t all that glamorous, at the heart of it. It’s a lot of fun, but it can be a lot of work–and at the end of the day, unless you’re one of the luminaries of the industry at the very top of the heap, no one knows who you are. You’re not going to get stopped in the grocery store, which is fine by me. And there are days when you go in for a recording session and you’re literally back in your car twenty minutes later because there was that little that needed to recording. But then there are the days where you’re screaming like a maniac for four hours, and when you get home you’re ready to fall over and sleep for the rest of the day. It’s a great job, but it’s not steady by any degree. You have great weeks and months, and slow weeks and months.

What is the voice acting community really like? Do you get together outside of work?

The voice acting community is small, compared to the on-camera community, and the anime VO community is even smaller than that. Folks get together outside of work less than one might assume. With everybody having a different work schedule, and with that schedule often changing at the last minute, it’s hard to carve out a specific spot in your calendar to do something without someone having to drop out or postpone. There are VO friends of mine whom I get to spend more time with at conventions across the country than in Los Angeles, which is something we laugh about sometimes.

Which characters have you enjoyed voicing the most? Are you a ‘fan’ of any of the series you worked on?

Oh, man…I don’t know if I can narrow it down! I’ve been very lucky in that I’ve had the chance to voice some very interesting characters over the last decade and change. Grimmer from Monster, Koshiro from Koi Kaze, Motochika from Sengoku Basara… there’ve been so many gems., and I’ve grown to be a fan of the series I’ve worked on. I’m not usually familiar with them before we start working on them, but over the course of voicing a character (and/or writing scripts and/or directing the VO), some shows really grow on you. The three I’ve listed above are definitely examples of those, but I could name so many more. Steins;Gate, for example, or Summer Wars or Tiger & Bunny. I’m not giving the medium a free pass (you’re going to have gems and duds alike in whatever genre you’re talking about), but there’s a heck of a lot of good anime out there.

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Grimmer from Monster (photo)

My friends and I love your portrayal of Chosokabe Motochika in the Sengoku Basara series! Do you have a preference for voicing more manly characters?

I don’t know if I’d call it a “preference,” but I realize that where my voice naturally sits lends itself well to the beefier, more macho guys. That said, it’s nice getting to voice a variety of voice-types. I wouldn’t want to do the manly voice all the time, ideally, but hey… if I’m working steadily, I can’t really complain, right?

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All hail Motochika! (photo)

How do you come up with the voices for your characters?

It’s a collaborative process with the voiceover director. We watch a scene or two with the character, taking into account how he acts and what we think will sound right in English. We refer to the Japanese voice, too, to a certain extent- though our priority in dubbing something is how it’ll play to the English ear, not trying to emulate the Japanese. We play around with a few lines until we come up with a voice we like, the engineer usually labels that take as a file that we can refer back to at recording sessions down the road as a sample, and we forge ahead from there. Most of the time, you’re modifying a voice you’ve used before to a certain degree; most characters are not so unusual to merit “reinventing the wheel,” so to speak.

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Keith Goodman aka Sky High from Tiger and Bunny (photo)

Do you prefer voice acting or voice directing?

I love them both! Voice acting is nice because you go in, you put all of your focus into one character, and then you leave. Directing is rewarding in that you’re bringing all the elements together, and it’s very gratifying when that process bears fruit, but it’s all on you. When I’m directing, I never completely stop thinking about the project until it’s finished. In the case of Monster, which took a year and a half to complete, that’s a long time to have deadlines and casting questions and script revising and whatnot rattling around in the back of your head.

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Cervantes de Leon from Soul Calibur V. The game was directed by Patrick (photo)

What advice would you give to young people who are interested in voice acting, or acting in general?

If you want to be a voice actor, make sure you actually enjoy acting. Do some theater! I’m not saying they’re the same beast (because they’re not), but if you don’t enjoy the process of acting in real-time with other people, you’re probably not going to enjoy (or be particularly suited for) acting in a tiny dark room all by your lonesome. Also, and this holds true for anybody considering a career in the arts, realize that the thing you love doesn’t need to be the thing that pays your rent. It’s glorious when it can be, and I realize how stupidly lucky I am to be able to kill two birds with one stone. But I had an epiphany when I was living in Los Angeles the first time, right out of college and clueless as to how to proceed. I realized that I was happier living in my hometown and getting to do community theatre than I was living in Los Angeles and not doing any acting. It was only after I’d had that realization and returned home to re-establish a life that nourished me that my ship finally came in…but even if it never had, that would have been okay. I had a job, and I had acting. Rent was paid, soul was fed, all was good.

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Franky from One Piece (photo)

What’s the strangest thing a fan has said or given to you?

I had this one very spirited little fan who wanted me to laugh like Mickey Mouse because, heaven help me, “It turned her on.” I belted out a few obligatory chuckles and then made a quick escape.

Sophie: I…. ummm… WHAT?

Are you attending any anime or video game conventions in 2013? Would you ever make an appearance at a UK convention?

I’m attending a few conventions in 2013, but so far, my schedule isn’t packed. I’m trying not to book myself too far ahead of time, so that I’m not stuck having to be two places at once if something awesome comes up, work-wise. That said, I really enjoy conventions, and can’t wait to meet more of the anime fans. Also, I’ve never been to a UK convention, but I’d be very interested in attending one if the offer was ever made!

An absolute massive thank you to Patrick for letting me interview him! If you’re a VO fan or are now starting to think ‘hmm, I had no idea what a VO was but clearly they are amazing and I need to start watching more anime/playing more video games’, you can check out Patrick Seitz’s official website, like him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter!

Next week… The MCM Midlands Comic Con video is ready to go on Youtube, so I’ll be sharing it with you on here too! I know I said it would take me a few weeks to get round to editing it but… well, I had a free evening, alright?

Jan 30 2013

Help make an MCM Midlands Comic Con video!


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If you’re a regular MCM expo attendee, you might already have planned to go to the Midlands Comic Con, which is held at the Telford International Centre on Saturday 16 February. If not, here are a couple of highlights to tempt you:

  • The scavenger hunt! Not much has been revealed about this yet, but if you’re on Twitter or Facebook be sure you’re either following MCM on Twitter or have liked them on Facebook because there are free prizes and tickets to be won! A fun challenge for you smart phone addicts!
  • Guests! Although not ‘Japan’ guests, there’s a pretty good line up. The highlight is Jeremy Bulloch. Who’s that? Oh, it’s only BOBA FETT FROM STAR WARS! On top of that, there are going to be some Primeval stars. Andrew Lee Potts (Connor) and Hannah Spearritt (Abby — also Hannah from S Club 7!) will presumably be racing around shooting velociraptors. Clever girl.
  • DDR! A regular feature at any MCM expo. A good chance to work out to some old school favourites, plus your regular dose of anime music.
  • Cosplay! If you’re a cosplayer, there’s a chance to show of your creations at the masquerade. The standard of costumes and performances gets better every year and there are prizes to be won – a worthwhile watch even if you don’t cosplay yourself.

Reason number 5: I’m filming a video and I need your help!

I’ll be wondering around with my camera on the day, going up to cosplayers and non-cosplayers alike to interview them! Why are you here? How long did it take to make your costume? What have you bought? and much better questions than that. Basically, I’d like to make a little video to introduce new people to the con scene and make something entertaining for the regular attendees. As someone who was once convinced that I was the only person interested in ‘geeky’ things until the age of about 17, a video like this would have made me realise much earlier on that there are hundreds/thousands of other like-minded people scattered across the UK. In my experience, they’ve all been very nice people from the get-go!

One thing to note though, I’ll be in disguise…

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Yup, I’ll actually be in cosplay for once. The character is Uryuu Minene from the Mirai Nikki series – one of my favourite recent shows and by far my favourite character. So, look out for someone with an eyepatch and press pass and say hello! Either come over or I’ll come find you and film you (with permission) and give you my oh-so-smart business card so you can find the video on the blog afterwards. If you want a couple of shots of you in your cosplay to be included in the video, let me know and I’ll be happy to oblige!

If you’re interested in getting involved, please leave a message below or just come up to me on the day! Hopefully it’ll result in a fun, mad video.

See you there!

Jan 13 2013

Music and magic: Studio Ghibli Selectrospective at The Prince Charles Cinema


When I heard that my favourite cinema in London was screening three Studio Ghibli films in one day, I pretty much rallied the troops and promptly bought my ticket!

As most of you probably know, Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation film studio. No, it is the Japanese animation film studio.

Studio Ghibli really became famous in UK in 2001, when it had its first cinematic release with Spirited Away. To date, this is still my favourite Ghibli film and I have fond memories of sitting in the cinema on a Sunday afternoon with my dad and sister with just two other people for company.

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Picture not really related but awww…

The studio was founded back in 1985 by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, after the success of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Of course, Hayao Miyazaki is now an international figure: as a film director, animator, artist and screenwriter. The creature from its second film, My Neighbour Totoro, was the one that became the company’s logo and still remains as popular as ever. Fluffy Totoro even made a background cameo in Toy Story 3, much to the delight of fans!

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Arguably, Studio Ghibli is one of Japan’s greatest modern exports. It’s essential that anyone with the slightest interest in Japan has at least seen some of the studio’s films and for very good reason. All of the films retain the special ‘Ghibli’ magical charm that both children and adults adore. To date, the studio has produced 17 films.

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Rather than run through the plots of three films that were shown at The Prince Charles Cinema, as most of you have probably seen at least one of them, I thought I would dig a little deeper and explore what ‘makes’ a Ghibli film.

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There are three things that are essential any Ghibli film: child-like imagination, a fantastical setting and powerful music. In My Neighbour Totoro, two young sisters move to a new home in rural Japan, waiting for the day when their mother will be well enough to leave hospital and join them. Distracting them from the daily anxieties of the real, adult world are their adventures with the strange creatures around them; dust bunnies, little white rabbits, the cat bus and, of course, the big fluffy Totoro. Only the children can see and interact with these creatures but their imaginations are so powerful that you never doubt that what is happening around them is real. There is no “was it all a dream?” moment because the presence of the creatures impacts the plot of the film; the seeds that Totoro gives to the girls sprout into trees, the girls lend their father’s umbrella to Totoro and it subsequently goes missing and, in the climax of the film, the cat bus reunites the sisters after one of them gets lost searching for the hospital where their mother is resting.

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At first, Porco Rosso felt like the odd film out at the screening because it initially seemed to lack the fantastical creatures and spirits and young innocent children. This was my first time seeing the film but, to put it simply, it had Miyazaki’s signature all over it. The film’s hero is a pig pilot… does it get any stranger than that? Furthermore, his unusual appearance is never questioned by the film’s characters and is accepted as part of the world’s natural order. The story is set in post-World War One Italy and follows an ex-fighter pilot ace, who has been mysteriously turned into a pig and now spends his days as a bounty hunter. At first, this doesn’t sound like conventional Ghibli material but don’t be fooled into thinking that it is not an excellent film or breaks the pattern. We still have our adventurous child, perhaps pushing the definition at the age of 17 but integral to the progression of the film and its resolution, and the mystifying alternative Italy where fighter planes and pirates rule the skies and seas. Porco Rosso himself is an brilliant character too!

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Personally, Spirited Away will forever be my favourite Ghibli film because it encompasses these three themes I mentioned earlier. When Chihiro and her family stumble across an abandoned theme park (as they are moving home, not too dissimilar to Totoro), she is the one to resist the mysteriously-placed food that subsequently turns her parents into pigs. She then becomes trapped in the themepark, which reveals itself to be a bath house for spirits, and is forced to enter a contract with the owner Yubaba in exchange for her own name.The bath house is huge, overwhelming and terrifying not only for Chihiro but for the audience, which is partly helped by the amazing artwork, strange-looking spirits and soundtrack. The childish charm of the film lies in certain characters that are particularly ‘cute’ and Chihiro’s own struggle to help those around her and return home with her parents. If you only ever see one Ghibli film, it really should be Spirited Away.

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A massive thank you to both the Prince Charles Cinema for screening these three fantastic titles and inspiring this blog post, and Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki for being responsible for them! I have always wanted to blog about Studio Ghibli but was never sure how to go about it differently, so I am glad this opportunity came along! There are so many other good Ghibli films out there, so I probably will do a Selectrospective of my own in the future…

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I will leave you this week with a present; my single favourite piece of music from any Ghibli film. As you might have guessed, this is from Spirited Away. We first hear this when Chihiro becomes trapped in the spirit world, running from terrifying beings and desperately trying to find her parents. Close your eyes, seriously, and picture yourself as an eleven-year old in that situation. It is surprisingly overwhelming and proves just how much a soundtrack can add to a film.

All photos for this post were taken from this amazing Photobucket page.

Jan 4 2013

Miracle Train: miraculous anime or train wreck?


It’s time for another anime review! The focus this week is on Miracle Train -Ōedo-sen e Yōkoso, a 13-episode series from 2009. The formula is relatively simple: ’troubled ladies’ unwittingly board a magic train running through the Oedo line on the Tokyo Underground, where personified versions of some of your favourite tube stops have to solve their problems.

Just your average day in Tokyo, right?

So, the verdict: is the Miracle Train actually miraculous or is it a horrible train-wreck of an anime series?

The train stations are entertaining but two-dimensional

Alright, so this anime falls into the bishounen/reverseharem category, so I shouldn’t have expected much else. For those of you who don’t know, reverse harem are basically shows where there are basically lots of handsome young men and the female character flits from one personality to the other because she can’t decide who she likes most. (Worst definition ever, but it gives you the basic idea).

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So, from left to right we have:

Shinjuku- OK, everyone’s heard of Shinjuku, so of course he’s the popular ladiesman.

Shiodome- The youngest station of the group (this station actually opened later than the others).

Roppongi- General all-round nice guy, although the Roppongi station is actually famous for its rich folk and night life.

Tocho-mae- The serious bossman. This district is actually most famous for its administrative offices.

Tsukishima- Basically, this guy’s quiet and likes cooking. Tsukishima is famous for the dish ‘monjayaki’.

Ryogoku- hot-headed history nut, named after the district which is home to the Edo-Tokyo Museum and sumo wrestling sites.

The little dog there is called Tokugawa. He talks, which is pretty standard in anime. The only other recurring characters are the child-like guide Akari and mysterious masked conductor. Why the Oedo line needs either of these things is a mystery…

The personification of the underground stations is a nice touch and gives the show its overly-stereotyped yet well-rounded male cast. I found them funny, which distracted me from the non-existent character development or conflict.

The ‘troubled ladies’ are hardly troubled

I think this is probably the most diappointing aspect of the show. I was expecting some serious problems such as ‘my parents kicked me out of the house’ or ‘I’m addicted to drugs’ . Instead they rolled onto the train with problems such as ‘I fancy a guy but he really likes trains and I only pretend to like trains and he still doesn’t fancy me and life is so hard’! Then again, I suppose the more convoluted problems can’t be resolved within a 25 minute episode.

The Miracle Train needs some screening criteria for its passengers…

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Get her off, she’s boring!

That’s not to say that none of the female passengers were likeable or have actual problems, although there were only one or two who I couldn’t wait to see step of the train by the end of the episode. I did tear up at one point. I won’t spoil which ones these are though - you’ll just have to watch the show if you’re really curious.

As a result, I’ve nicknamed this show ‘First World Problems on the Miracle Train’.

Wibbly-wobbly timey wimey stuff

Fortunately, not every single episode follows the recycled ‘girl gets on train, girl gets off train’ format. You at least get some insight into why the train exists and who the stations really are, although its not brilliant explained. Halfway through the series, the Miracle Train goes into overdrive (with psychedelic rainbow effects) but it’s back to normal by the end of the episode and then you have to wait until the last two episodes for an answer. It’s not much of a plot point but, minor spoiler ahead…

TIME PARADOX!

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I like trains…

One of the things that makes this anime different is its ‘trivia’. You actually learn things in this show! Admittedly, the Tokyo Underground might not sound like the sexiest of subjects but it’s certainly an interesting one. Are you curious about the history of the Oedo line or the mechanics of the carriages? No? Well, perhaps the animated tour around certain districts in Tokyo will give you ideas for your next holiday.

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There’s even some historical cosplay…

Watch if you like..

Doctor Who, Ouran High School Host Club, learning things…


Marks out of ten?

This show gets a solid 6 from me. It’s not bad but it’s not great either. It doesn’t take long to watch with just 13 episodes so, if you’re looking for something easy on the brain and the eyes, it’s worth checking out. My favourite thing about the show was its trivia because I just like learning, even if it’s something as abstract as the Oedo line. You never know when you’ll need to recall that knowledge in the future. Probably never, unless you go to Tokyo, but what’s the harm in watching some handsome men and discovering something about trains?

Image sources:

1) zerochan

2) meikai-animes

3) alphacoders

3) thenullset

Nov 19 2012

Diary dates: anime screenings in London


Apologies for the London-centric post but, if you do happen to be in the capital over the next few weeks, there are a couple of anime screenings that you might be interested in…

The Mystical Laws, Friday 23rd November – Friday 30th November

Location: Odeon Panton Street (near Picadilly Circus)

Source: animenewsnetwork

The film’s story takes place in the near future, when the newly-formed “Godom Empire” is threatening to take over the world by using advanced technology offered to them by Leika Chan, the mysterious female president of a trading company. The protagonist of the film, Sho Shishimaru, is the one man who has the “mystical technology” that can stop the Godom Empire. After being hunted down by the Empire, Sho is saved by mysterious Indians monks, who tell him about a prophecy about the rebirth of Buddha.

The film is an adaptation of a book by Ryuho Okawa, the founder of the controversial religious organization Happy Science (Kōfuku no Kagaku). The publishing arm of the organization produced the animated film alongside a live-action film adaptation of Okawa’s Final Judgement. The group has sponsored a number of animated films in the past

Oh look, it’s the same weekend as Hyper Japan! It’s a good excuse for a pre-Friday outing then…

I spotted posters advertising the screening on the underground, so it’s safe to assume it’s going ahead even though there are no screening times yet. I suggest you check the Odeon Panton Street or Anime News Network websites for updates.

The internet seems to describe this film as a ‘religious anime’ and, with an organisation name like ‘Happy Science’, it’s probably going to be weird… Hopefully the good kind.

Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro, Saturday 8 December @ 2-6pm

Location: Roxy Bar and Screen (near Borough underground station)

Source: eventbrite

A flamboyant thief and his gang struggle to free a princess from an evil count’s clutches and to learn the hidden secret to a fabulous treasure that she holds part of a key to.

First 30 people to arrive get free popcorn! No, really. You can also enter a raffle to win the blu-ray box set of the film. If you know anything about anime, it should be that Lupin is a classic series and so this is a pretty great prize.

This is the third of the ‘Mayamada presents’ anime screenings, an original anime-inspired clothing brand. There will even be a pop-up gift store at the event, so it’s a great chance to get some Christmas presents (for you or your friends)!

Check out the website for more details…

If you know of any other Japanese film screenings taking place in the UK, drop me an email at sopihesjapanblogATlive.co.uk and I’ll get it up. Next week’s post (or even posts) will be Hyper Japan-centric, with some extra treats thrown in!

Nov 12 2012

Calling all writers/aritsts!


Do you have something to say about Japan? Perhaps you are a Japan blogger, a novelist or an artist? Whoever you are, Sophie’s Japan Blog wants you!

I’d love to see some varied content on the blog over the next few months. There’s plenty I don’t write about on Japan and, with my super new busy job, I’ll inevitably need some help in creating great blog content every week.

So, here are some of the things you could write about:

  • Martial arts
  • Japanese cookery
  • Cosplay
  • Anime and manga reviews
  • Video games
  • Drawing manga (perhaps you’re an artist? You’ll be featured in the artwork section)
  • History and culture

It doesn’t matter if you’ve never written for a website before – it’s all about interest! If you’d like to try something new, you’re more than welcome as long as you have something you want to write about! Of course, you’d be credited for your work.

Please email your suggestions or questions to sophiesjapanblogATlive.co.uk . Also, if you could share this post with your friends and spread the word that would be fantastic!

Sep 25 2012

Tiger and Bunny: The Beginning



Source: whatson.bfi

If you’re a fan of the wacky-yet-brilliant anime series Tiger and Bunny, you may have heard that its first film of three, The Beginning, was screened at the BFI Southbank last Sunday. Unusually, this one-off screening coincided with the film’s release in Japan. No ‘straight to DVD two years later’ business here, thanks to Scotland Loves Anime.

If you haven’t seen or heard of the series, it’s definitely worth a watch. In a nutshell, it’s the Japanese version of X-Men. I won’t spend time telling you about the plot when you can easily look it up online. Plus you probably already know what it is…

Rather than spoil the film and rub salt in the wound for those of you who missed it, I’ll give you a quick run through of the plot and what a special screening such as this could mean for the UK anime community. I don’t keep up religiously with the latest anime releases – I’m actually very behind with ‘what’s hot’. That said, the Tiger and Bunny series came out last year and my friends wouldn’t shut up about it. So, I marathoned all 26 episodes in a week and am definitely a fan now.

Tiger and Bunny: The Beginning is the first film in a trilogy following on from the original series. So, what’s it even about? Not bothering to ask this question, I just booked tickets for me and my friend Jenny, who I later found out hadn’t actually seen the series, but this didn’t turn out to be a problem because about 50% of the footage was rehashed from the first few episodes! At first, I thought this would mean the film would be a disappointment as I’d travelled down from Manchester to see something I’d already watched on my computer but this wasn’t entirely the case.

The film was clearly designed not only to delight the existing fans (and milk them for more money!) but also introduce new people to the franchise. It took a lot of material from the first few episodes that introduces the characters and the setting for the benefit of those who were new to it all, then in the second half we were introduced to a new villain who the heroes had to band together to defeat. In the directors’ own words, it was intended to be a ‘hybrid’ episode.

They also kept one of my favourites original scenes in the film, which made me happy! I’m still not sure why I find it so funny though…

I made the most of the Southbank outing by spending the weekend in London (Planet Hollywood, Japan Centre, Tokyo Toys and watching anime films with Jenny on Saturday) then joining a pre-movie meetup where I caught up with some friends and met new ones too! As you’d expect, there were quite a few cosplayers. I ONLY SAW ONE TIGER AND ABOUT A MILLION BUNNIES! This picture proves it…

Hopefully, this one-off special London screening of Tiger and Bunny: The Beginning will be repeated elsewhere for other anime films. I had to travel to Japan last year to watch the Sengoku Basara movie (no need to comment on how cool that is) and I’d rather not pay that kind of price again! UK anime fans will typically have to wait to import the DVD from Japan or download it online. Licensing anime is definitely expensive but should that mean the Brits must continue to stream or download (technically illegally!) a film they’d happily pay for if they liked it enough?

Scotland Loves Anime seem to be on the ball with these UK screenings, but how about setting up a few more? Anyone else interested in discussing a potential Manchester Loves Anime? Or maybe a UK-wide project where a particular anime film might be screened in several locations for one weekend? Maybe I’m dreaming, but I hope that the BFI will at least screen the next Tiger and Bunny movie, The Rising, next year.

Most importantly, did I enjoy the film? Umm, YES!

Next week: October’s book of the month will be unveiled AND I’ll have an interview with its author to share with you! Subscribe today so you’ll be the first to hear about it!

Sep 16 2012

WIN! Broken Blade with MVM Entertainment!


Do you like your mecha anime? Then you’re in luck! The blog’s teamed up with the fabulous guys at MVM Entertainment to offer one lucky winner the chance to win the complete OVA series … Broken Blade!

The Time of Awakening. In Cruzon, children are born with the ability to control quartz. This power allows them to levitate simple objects – or control enormous and complex mobile battle suits called Golems. But when an ancient Golem is discovered during the height of a brutal war, a young king and his beautiful queen turn to Rygart Arrow. Though an “un-sorcerer,” Rygart can miraculously pilot this ancient and powerful weapon. But in war, school friends can turn into bitter enemies and allies have suspicious motives.
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Check out the trailer!
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This is a very original and unique anime series. It’s perfect if you’re looking for a new, short and powerful OVA series to sink your teeth into. You could win the complete series of Broken Blade (that’s all six episodes) just by following these simple rules…

Get your entries in by 11pm Friday 19th October and the winner will be announced on Twitter by Sophie the next morning! You’ll be asked to DM your postal address so we can get your prize out. GOOD LUCK!

(I recommend subscribing to this blog too, just so you know when the winner is announced!)

There’s also one week left to enter the blog’s art competition! Check it out if you haven’t already…