moetron.com

[ATTENTION]: It's Moving Day for Moetron

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 12:42:00 -0800

New address (Please bookmark): Moetron.com

We finally have a dedicated paid server (Dreamhost) for Moetron. With that, I took the liberty of registering yet another domain address: Moetron.com ... (So just toss moetron.net out the garbage, please.)

From now on this site here will NO longer be updated. So please redirect all your links to the new Moetron.com address when you get the chance to. The content here on Moetron.net (a.k.a: pkjd.blogspot.com) will stay online indeterminately, but I’ll be putting up an automatic redirect to the new site relatively soon.

Neka Reviews: Grandia III

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 16:28:00 -0800

This Valentine's day, an old favorite is about to hit the states. The Grandia series returns with Grandia III! This time kicking off the adventure with another new set of characters and a beautiful world that can only be taken in full from the skies. With airships a plenty the new Grandia promises to be as loveable as those it follows in this epic series!

The trailers give it complete justice as it gives you a peak into the new realm of Grandia III. Square Enix does it again, by giving us an expansive game with a psuedo real time battle system. Something to wet the pallete until Kingdom Hearts 2 I'm guessing. Already released in Japan it's date to the states is fast approaching.

The official website
The official fansite

The official fansites features fun challenges and awesome banners and icons from those who participate.

Take to the skies and enjoy!

Here are few of my favorite screenies from Gamespy for the trailer!

The perfect gift for a sweet Valentine!

My Turn to Flood the Net w/ Even More Junk!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 13:52:00 -0800

I thought I'd take this moment to go ahead and share with everyone the very environment that I'm exposed to every time that annoying morning sun hits my eyes as I awake to start the day:

Click For Full-Size

Most of the posters that you see are from past issues of the popular Megami magazine, (very recommended). However lately I've been in dire need of some room on my wall for even newer posters I just acquired. So don't be surprised if you see some of the stuff above pop-up on Ebay in the near future...

And now for our next presentation, I bring you this small batch of gashapon and PVC goodies, (not for sale, for obvious reasons ^^)...

Click For Full-Size

Yes, I know my 'photo-taking' skills suck, but please bear with me, I'll get it right eventually ^^;; ... Anyway, I'll try to get even more pics on here soon, hopefully...

.hack//G.U. to be Animated...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 9 Jan 2006 14:57:00 -0800

Moonphase has recently listed, in their anime section, the upcoming .hack//G.U. series. This would mark the third TV animated installment of the .hack franchise.

TV Series:

.hack//SIGN (2002)
.hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet (a.k.a. .hack//DUSK) (2003)
.hack//G.U. (2006)

OVA Series:

.hack//Liminality (2002)
.hack//Intermezzo (2002)
.hack//Unison (2003)
.hack//GIFT (2003)

Genshiken 2nd Season Anime Announced !!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 9 Jan 2006 13:21:00 -0800

I kid you not...

㈱メディアファクトリーアニメーション「げんしけん」の続編 2006/10 UHF全国
ネット（予定）

(Genshiken season 2, 2006/10)

Source

So far we got, in 2006, season 2's of:

Ah! My Goddess
Tsubasa Chronicle
School Rumble
....and now Genshiken.

Upload Complete

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 8 Jan 2006 16:53:00 -0800

Torrent CD:

Nausicaa OST + Bonus
MP3 Rotation:

(As promised...)

# Futakoi Alternative - [OP] New World
# Ah My Goddess TV - [OP] Open Your Mind
# AIR TV - [OP] Tori no Uta
# Dokuro-chan - [OP] Club-to-Death Angel Dokuro-chan
# Gundam Seed Destiny - [OP 2] Pride
# Gundam Seed Destiny - [OP 3] Bokutachi no Yukue
# Gundam Seed Destiny - [ED 2] Life Goes On
# Gundam Seed Destiny - [ED 4] Kimi wa Boku ni Niteiru
# Full Metal Alchemist Movie - [OP] Link
# Bleach - [OP 1] Asterisk
# Loveless - [OP] Tsuki no Curse
# He is My Master - [OP] Trust
# Full Metal Panic : The Second Raid - [OP] Minamikaze
# Ichigo 100% - [ED] Ike Ike
# Ichigo Mashimaro - [OP] Ichigo Complete
# Nanoha A's - [OP] Eternal Blaze
# Pani Poni Dash - [OP 1] Kiiro Vacances
# Rozen Maiden 2 - [OP] Seishoujo Ryouiki
# Shakugan no Shana - [OP] Hishoku no Sora
# Tsubasa Chronicle - [OP] Blaze
Video Rotation:

Bleach [OP 3] - "Ichirin no Hana" by High and Mighty Color
Wallpaper Goods:

Blood+
Mai Otome
Random Artwork from Ryoji (Attic Work Space)
Karin

News that may be of interest:

KOTOKO has been confirmed to perform the second opening theme to the series Shakugan no Shana.
A second season to the popular School Rumble series is in the works.
The Nintendo DS has sold out in Japan.
Credit goes out to one of our visitors for this one, (wish they would've left a name though)... The first trailer to the upcoming Disgaea anime has been released. If I'm not mistaken, I believe this came from last December's Rondo Robe event. Just press play below to see it!

Next month expect to see yet another teaser as a new special promotional DVD goes on sale in February. Details here.

[pKjd] Fate/stay night Anime - Episode 1

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 6 Jan 2006 11:33:00 -0800

Just aired 3 hours ago:

ｷﾀ━━━━(ﾟ∀ﾟ)━━━━ｯ!!

Click for Full-Size

[RAW Torrent]

Initial Reaction: （　ﾟДﾟ）（　ﾟДﾟ）（　ﾟДﾟ）

WOW OH WOW!! It was everything I expected and more. (Actually it was so beautiful that it almost brought a tear to my eye, *sniff*). Expect a lot of free media goods from the show as the weeks go by. <3 Saber!!

(Oh and yes, I will post those Top 20 mp3s eventually, just as soon as I recover from the awesomeness that you see above ;p ...)

Anime Review: Honey & Clover Ep. 1 by Neka

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 6 Jan 2006 01:19:00 -0800

Title: ハチミツとクローバー (Hachimitsu to Clover)
Translated Title: Honey & Clover
Episodes: 24 [Complete]
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Slice of Life
Studio: JC Staff
Year: 2005
Website: http://www.hachikuro.net/

Review:
First we have Takemoto, Mayama, and Morita students at an art university that live in a run down apartment building. They each pay way too much in my opinion, but they are art students they don't have much to begin with. The main focus of this story is basically Takemoto, a sophmore who is lost to the world but seemingly is enjoying life. Mayama is a Senior when we first enter the story that has his life pretty much spread out before him. And then we have Morita, I can't really explain his character because Morita is just insane. Together these 3 make the best adventure they can out of life while they have it, becoming more and more entwined as the year passes. However, no matter how close they can be there are always those parts of our lives that we do not share with one another.

Enter Hagu-chan (Hagumi), Hanamoto-sensei's cousin. Hagu-chan is a beautiful young lady with amazing artistic abilities starting at this college. However, she looks like she's still in gradeschool. When she appears in the lounge infront of Takemoto and Mayama; Takemoto falls into a trance. Mayama looks on at Takemoto and notices that this is probably the first time he's ever seen someone fall in love at first site. Hagu-chan is very quiet, and reserved. She serves them all tea with her little hands using the kettle Takemoto is still staring. Just at that moment, Morita comes barging in as usual. However, as his eyes cast upon he falls into the same trance as Takemoto, but instead of keeping it, he goes running from the classroom a grin emerges. He comes back after some time with a huge leaf and holds it out to a frightened Hagu-chan telling her to hold it. After a few moments she takes it and he proclaims she's a Korokokkuru (dwarf like thing in Ainu myths that lives under a fuki leaf) and begins to take pictures of her.

Morita, the man who disappears for weeks on end and returns with a wad of money. Mayama, an architecture student who already knows where he wants to be. Takemoto, a student who keeps running away and not looking back hoping to find answers. These three will lead you on a very interesting tale of love, rejection, and discovering that sometimes answers are simply found with nothing gained.

With an amazing soundtrack featuring YUKI from Judy and Mary now performing solo she opens the show with an amazing upbeat song. SuneoHair, gives melodic melodies that are sure to steal your heart each time the beat begins and you know yet another episode has ended. Definitely get this OST!

Opening Theme:
"Dramatic" by YUKI
Ending Theme:
#1: "Waltz" by SuneoHair (eps 01-12,24)
#2: "Mistake" by THE BAND HAS NO NAME (eps 13-23)

Rating A+

Manga review: Girls Bravo by Coengar2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 3 Jan 2006 16:40:00 -0800

Ok,the rain has been falling steadily here in Seattle for at least the last two weeks.Everything is soaked and with the continous grey skies,it all just feels miserable.And you know what that means....it's a great excuse to stay indoors and read all the manga i got for Christmas LOL. Here's an interesting series that has recently caught my eye.

Title: Girls Bravo
Publisher: Tokyopop
Genre: Comedy
Age: Teen 13+ (i disagree with this,should be Older Teen 16+)
Volumes: 2 out of 10
Violence: slapstick
Sex/Nudity: plenty of fanservice,bare breasts,sexual innuendo and situations
Status: New series,just getting started

Yukinari Sasaki is an average high school boy who has been so abused and mistreated by girls throughout his life that he has developed an physical allergy to them,one touch and he breaks out in hives.One day he falls into his bathtub and resurfaces on an alien world called Siren,a world populated almost completly by women.Yukinari soon finds himself being chased by a screaming horde of lust/love crazed women who want to marry him or worse. With the help of the lovely Miharu,Yukinari escapes back to his world,accidently bringing Miharu with him.Yukinari is surprised to discover that Miharu is the only girl he can touch without getting sick,much to the dismay of his childhood friend Kirie,who is developing romantic feelings for Yukinari which she hides behind incredible displays of violence,usually against Yukinari.To add to the chaos of his life,Risa,the younger sister of his nemisis,Kazuhara (a cad of low character and even lower morals) has decided that Yukinari is destined to be her husband and will stop at nothing to make it so.As if that wasnt bad enough,several of the girls from planet Siren,including Miharu's older sister,Maharu,have discovered the way to Earth and have crossed over to continue thier pursuit of Yukinari.

Good Points:The artwork is pretty good and the characters work well with each other. See Overall Review for other good points.

Bad Points:Every character in the series reminds me of some character in another manga series. It's like the mangaka went through his manga collection and "Frankensteined" this series from elements taken from his favorite books.
Yukinari combines elements of both Keitaro Urashima (Love Hina) and Junta Momanari (DNA2).He even gets girl sickness like Junta
Kirie acts just like Naru Narusegawa from Love Hina.She even beats up on Yukinari the same way that Naru pounded on Keitaro (Yukinari seems to have inherited Keitaro's invulnerability)
Miharu is very much like Ren from DearS,right down to a triangle shaped marking on her forehead

Overall Review:It should come as a surprise to noone that this series is done in the "Harem Genre" style of one guy being chased after by many girls.In my opinion,this genre has been over worked.Now you may ask,if this series seems so unoriginal,why do i collect it.The best Harem comedies work best when the characters are placed in situations where they can just be themselves and the jokes come from reactions that you can believe that the character in question would actually do or give.Girls Bravo does this pretty well.I can believe in the characters and this makes all the chaos that much more funny.I actually laughed out loud a few times (a very rare occurance for me,only Excel Saga can do that to me on a regular basis).So while i cant say that this is an original series i can say that it is a funny series and that makes it worth collecting. By the way,even though the series is rated Teen 13+,i feel that the sexual nature of some of the content makes this a series better suited for the Older Teen 16+ reader

Coengar2 gives this series a 3 out of 5 (for now) and says:CHECK IT OUT!!!

Moetron's Top 20 Anime Themes of 2005

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 31 Dec 2005 20:33:00 -0800

Sorry I completely forgot to post this list earlier. Check back later as I'll have all these songs uploaded and ready:

20.) Futakoi Alternative [OP] - New World
19.) Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's [OP] - ETERNAL BLAZE
18.) Full Metal Panic! [OP] - Minamikaze
17.) Gundam SEED Destiny [ED 4] - Kimi wa Boku ni Niteiru
16.) Ah! My Goddess TV [OP] - Open Your Mind
15.) Loveless [OP] - Tsuki no Curse
14.) Ichigo 100% [ED] - Ike Ike
13.) Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan [OP] - Club-to-Death Angel Dokuro-chan
12.) Rozen Maiden -Traumend- [OP] - Seishoujo Ryouiki
11.) Pani Poni Dash! [OP] - Kiiro Vacances
10.) Ichigo Mashimaro [OP] - Ichigo Complete
09.) Shakugan no Shana [OP] - Hishoku no Sora
08.) Fullmetal Alchemist Movie [OP] - Link
07.) Gundam SEED Destiny [OP 3] - Bokutachi no Yukue
06.) Tsubasa Chronicle [OP] - BLAZE
05.) Gundam SEED Destiny [ED 3] - Life Goes On
04.) He Is My Master [OP] - Trust
03.) AIR TV [OP] - Tori no Uta
02.) Gundam SEED Destiny [OP 2] - Pride
01.) BLEACH [OP] - Asterisk

Moetron's Top 20 Anime Titles of 2005 [#10 - 01]

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 00:27:00 -0800

So here it is, the final 10. (*Note - Please remember that in order for a show to be nominated, it must abid by the following rules: 1.) The show must have debuted between October 2004 - December 2005. 2.) The show must have already ended. So sorry, no Bleach, Shakugan no Shana, Rozen Maiden Traumend, SHUFFLE!, To Heart 2, Solty Rei, Blood+, or Jigoku Shoujo. I've also been informed that the final episode of Paradise Kiss just aired yesterday. Unfortunately it is too late to include it into our little list we got here, but I'm sure it'll still receive the same kind of attention in the new year...)

Rank: [# 10]
Title: Kamichu! ~ Kamisama wa Chugakusei ~

Debut: June 28th, 2005
Comments: By the same production team that blessed us with Read or Die TV, ANIPLEX, comes an animated show about a middle school girl, (Yurie Hitotsubashi), who suddenly tells her friends, (Mitsue Shijou and Matsuri Saegusa) that she had become a God. This series kept me entertained from episode 1, wanting more as the weeks went by. Inspired by the legendary Hayao Miyasaki, Kamichu takes the whole lighthearted comedy/romance genre to a brand new level. High quality animation, a powerfully balanced soundtrack, unique and memorable characters,... there's really nothing bad to say about this show. (Shame it didn't rank higher on the list).
Rank: [# 09]
Title: Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's

Debut: October 1st, 2005
Comments: I for one was not a fan of the first season. Never have I seen a mahou shoujo title that more reminded me of CLAMP's Card Captor Sakura series. But, when a friend just about begged me to check out the new second season that just started to air, I thought why not since it would make him and everyone else who's been asking happy. What I saw was insane! So much action being thrown at you all at once. Fate and Nanoha never looked better. "Mahou shoujo for guys" I believe is how he put it...
Rank: [# 08]
Title: Loveless

Debut: April 6th, 2005
Comments: "Shounen-ai" themes made evident in mainstream anime? (I've never actually been exposed to this sort of thing before.) So yes, I was a little hesitant when I first heard about Loveless, but seeing as I make it my job to check out just about EVERYTHING anime, regardless of the touchy subjects that may be present, it was only a matter of time before I would start checking out this show. And I have no regrets whatsoever. What secured this series for me was its mysterious storyline. What exactly did happen to Aoyagi Ritsuka's brother, Seimei? Fighters and Sacrifices, what is their true purpose? And the ending that left you saying, "what the heck!?". I guess it was just the staff's clever way of forcing us the fans to read the manga to see what happens next...
Rank: [# 07]
Title: Ichigo Mashimaro

Debut: July 14th, 2005
Comments: One can put it simply in just 3 words: Cute, clever, funny. I think anyone who's been reading my entries throughout the year knows perfectly well just how much I adore this show. From what I hear, Geneon US has the rights and may start producing the domestic DVD releases next year for purchase. I can't wait!
Rank: [# 06]
Title: Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid

Debut: July 13th, 2005
Comments: Usually I'm not one to say that the sequel was better than the original, but when it comes to TSR, I have to give credit where credit is due. The atmosphere of the new season felt a lot more darker and overall much interesting than its predecessor. Though it did feel a bit rushed, I'd say it was still a major improvement. The Kyoto staff certainly knew how to make this combo-formula of action and comedy continue to work in this mecha series, (something I thought only GONZO could do.)
Rank: [# 05]
Title: Victorian Romance Emma

Debut: April 2nd, 2005
Comments: Those who are appreciative of Jane Austen's works, such as "Pride and Prejudice" and "Emma", may have already treated themselves to a little something special with this anime. It takes place in late 19th century London, (right after the industrial revolution), and the main story, (William Jones, a member of the gentry, falls in love with a maid named Emma), is told in a very realistic fashion. So as you can clearly tell, the barriers of their social class is what stands in their way from true happiness. Yes it may be a little slow-paced and too focused on the mundane, but the rich atmosphere and beautiful chemistry between William and Emma will keep you begging for more...
Rank: [# 04]
Title: Tsubasa Chronicle

Debut: April 9th, 2005
Comments: It's not over yet! Second season is marked to take place sometime in April 2006.

So yeah, I was one of those who had some major issues with the earlier episodes. It was so bad that I almost gave up on the show entirely. But I continued to watch and thought it was handled okay, (still nothing beats the manga period.) Also would of loved if they got Sakura Tange to play the role of you know who. Yeah I know, but still!
Rank: [# 03]
Title: Ah! My Goddess TV

Debut: January 6th, 2005
Comments: Once again, another show that will receive a second season in the Spring of 2006!

Everybody knows about this show, so it's no surprise why it would rank as high as #3.
Rank: [# 02]
Title: Honey and Clover

Debut: April 14th, 2004
Comments: A true masterpiece. If you haven't seen it yet then I'd suggest you do so as soon as you can. Definitely the best that 2005 has to offer. I also suggest not to place any judgment based on the first few episodes, b/c it really picks up half way through.

This slice-of-life series focuses on these main college students, (yes college, not high school), and, as the relationship entanglements come into play in their everyday lives, we witness the bunch grow up right into adulthood. The animation and art style from J.C. Staff is almost perfectly matched to Haibane Renmei with the usage of beautiful watercolor backgrounds and rather sketchy character designs. And it does feel like watching a live-action drama at times. The soundtrack is also an element that shouldn't be ignored. Pick this up if you haven't already...
Rank: [# 01]
Title: AIR TV

Debut: January 6th, 2005
Comments: AIR TV is, and you can even quote me if you want, the best eroge-to-anime adaptation ever! No other story more symbolizes the season of Summer better than AIR. Here is a quick summary of the plot given by the staff at ANN: "Yukito Kunisaki is on a journey, seeking a girl with wings who flies in the sky, as mentioned in a childhood tale. During this journey, he settles down in a small town, trying to make some money. There, he meets a strange girl named Misuzu. Misuzu quickly makes Yukito her friend and invites him to stay with her. Yukito decides to stay in the small town, and continue searching for the winged girl his mother had searched for in her life."

With its absolutely stunning animation, luscious backgrounds, beautiful musical score, and brilliant dialogue script, it's no surprise why the show would rank at #1 for 2005. For many, AIR TV will always remain as an experience that will be cherished for many years to come. For me, this enchanting series was certainly an incredible/emotional ride from beginning to end.

Gao~

[Disgaea 2] - Laharl and Plenair FTW !!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2005 08:17:00 -0800

Once again, leave it to Gpara.com to unleash even more new images and secret info from the upcoming Disgaea 2 game. Apparently Laharl and Flonne will have some sort of new role this time around. But what exactly is still to be seen... It also seems that the Dark Assembly wants you the player to perform a few illegal activities in exchange for new items and weaponry... Also take a look at the near bottom for some info on the "Legendary Senators". And is that Plenair and Usagi-chan handling the next episode previews instead of Etna?

(*´Д`)ﾊｧﾊｧ

Manga Updates by Coengar2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 28 Dec 2005 16:44:00 -0800

Well,Christmas is finally over and i've managed to blow all my holiday loot at the local mall (on manga and anime of course LOL) However,the traditional Seattle holiday rainy season is still going strong with it raining now for about seven days straight with no end in sight,at least for this week. i'll be posting new manga reviews in the weeks to come but i thought that i would take some time to update the status of several manga series that i have review on Moetron in the past,and to report on a few that while i didnt review onsite,are well worth mentioning.

Boys:Be : Now at volume #7 (with #8 due out in Feb.) : While my original enthusiasum for this series has diminished lately,it still has moments when the stories show the promise that they did when the series first came out,so it still is on my buy list,but now on a volume by volume basis. My biggest peeves are this: 1)As stated,there are only so many variations on the first love/new romance storyline,some of the stories in later volumes can feel pretty stale. 2)It's really difficult to tell characters from different stories apart as they are all drawn in the same manner.

Cheeky Angel: Now at Volume #10 (#11 due out in March): Still going strong and holding my interest.This series has moved onto my must have list and is one i now preorder directly from the publisher.I'm not sure how many volumes are left but elements in the storyline of the last few volumes seem to indicate that this one may end around Vol. 15 or so (but dont quote me LOL)

Happy Hustle High: Now at Volume #4 (#5 due out in march) :Another one i preorder now.While the latest volumes are less slapsticky than earlier ones,the series is still funny and the characters are developing nicely.And in Vol #5 Hanabi and Yasu supposably will finally go "all the way" (lordy knows they've been trying since Volume #1 LOL)

Hot Gimmick: Now at Volume #10 (#11 due out ???) : I still can not praise this series highly enough,although it has gotten a bit more soap opera like now that the secret of who Azusa's mother's lover was has been revealed (dont ask,i'm not telling) Definatly still worth adding to your collection. My biggest peeve: Unlike most other Viz titles (which are released every two months) Hot Gimmick seems to release a new volume whenever they bloody feel like it,which leads me to believe that it may be in translation hiatus (they've translated and published all available material and now release new volumes whenever they can translate more material)

Also in Translation Hiatus:
Full Metal Panic!
Steel Angel Kurumi
Excel Saga (which really sucks since the mangaka only releases two volumes a year in Japan. Excel Saga #14 not due in America until at least April

Series Ending in 2006:
Kare Kano (His and Her Circumstances) 2 volumes left,should finish up in July. This is probably one of the best manga out there the last two volumes promise to be filled with high drama as Soichiro must finally confront his birth parents and faces the same choice that his birth father had to.

Ai Yori Aoshi: 4 volumes left.should finish up in December. My all time favorite manga.

Mahoromatic:Automatic Maiden: 1 volume left,finishes in January. Mahoro and Sugaru finally confess their love for each other,but only Mahoro knows that her lifespan is now measured by days and hours.The Keepers declare open war on the now publically revealed Saints with Vesper caught in the middle.Should be a great send off to a worthy series

Maison Ikkoku: 1 volume left,released Feb. 14th. The conclusion of one of the true classics of manga. A ground breaking series from the beginning,it was Rumiko Takahashi's second series and it paved the way by showing that Shojo style manga could be both popular and profitable.

Also ending in 2006:

DearS
Doubt!
Sakura Taisen

well,that's it for now.Thank you for allowing me to indulge in a bit of nostalgia.I'll post updates for other series at another time,but for now,look for reviews for Evil's Return and Girls Bravo in the upcoming weeks

Moetron's Top 20 Anime Titles of 2005 [#20 - 11]

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 28 Dec 2005 00:32:00 -0800

Below is a short list of what we (and a few others) felt were the top 20 shows of the year. We asked some staff members, a few friends, and randomly picked a couple of online buddies to submit what their top 20 list would look like. And from all the votes that were sent in, we somehow came up with the following. However there were two rules to follow closely. 1.) The show must have debuted between October 2004 - December 2005. 2.) The show must have already ended. So sorry, no Bleach, Shakugan no Shana, Rozen Maiden Traumend, SHUFFLE!, To Heart 2, Solty Rei, Blood+, or Jigoku Shoujo. Since the idea came to us a little late, there was no real time to create an online poll to let our own visitors make their say. Sorry, but we'll definitely make this idea a little more interactive in the new year. Until then, enjoy as we recall some of the best of 2005:

Rank: [# 20]
Title: Pani Poni Dash!

Debut: July 3rd, 2005
Comments: Many I spoke to agree... Pani Poni Dash! = Azumanga Daioh. Though personally I don't think the show deserves such high praise. But don't get me wrong. There were some very memorable moments spread throughout the series. But the real reason why I even gave this anime a chance was b/c it was latest project done by the same staff who did Tsukuyomi Moon Phase, SHAFT.

Another thing that made the show great was the opening and ending animation sequences. Other than that, Pani Poni Dash is highly strange, over the edge at times, and chock full of Japanese cultural references, (which was the same formula used to make Azumanga what it is today). With each episode having its own story, you can easily check it out whenever you have the time.
Rank: [# 19]
Title: Ichigo 100%

Debut: April 5th, 2005
Comments: Okay, I feel the only reason this show is even on this list was b/c of the manga's popularity. Other than that, the show was just god awful! However, I will admit that I do have a soft spot for the OVAs that have been coming out over the months. But when referring to the TV anime, it was just weak. This is one of those cases where the anime does not do the manga any justice at all. As each episode aired, I felt more and more angered by what the staff was doing to the storyline. They kept jumping important pieces of the story that were told in manga chapters. "Just how the hell did they get from here to there!" - my reaction. I swear it was all too confusing for those of us who were already established fans of the Ichigo comic. Stick with the manga by all means.
Rank: [# 18]
Title: Futakoi Alternative

Debut: April 7th, 2005
Comments: As the title implies, this is a remix version of the original Futakoi anime. Great show, nice designs, smooth animation, but, I did have one major complaint, the opening sequence. The opening was so full of fast-paced, high flying action scenarios that made the new series look very promising. However, none of that actually ever happened in the show itself, (with the exception of a few eps including the very first). So, with putting aside the misleading opening and first 2 eps, I'd say Futakoi Alternative still turned out to be pretty decent.
Rank: [# 17]
Title: Erementar Gerad

Debut: April 5th, 2005
Comments: Yet another great product from anime powerhouse XEBEC. With an intriguing and unique storyline, (mixed in with well-done character development), and a grand finale that lasted over the span of 6 episodes, Erementar Gerad is a well deserved ride that shouldn't be missed.
Rank: [# 16]
Title: Petopeto-san

Debut: July 8th, 2005
Comments: Now this is how all anime character designs should look like!

The show also gets some major points for having Kana Ueda play the part of Petoko. Brilliant!
Rank: [# 15]
Title: Trinity Blood

Debut: April 28th, 2005
Comments: A series that felt like it had a lot of potential but never quite fulfilled them. (Caused mostly by the staff's decision to rush the overall backstory/flashback). Nice show but the end did leave me unsatisfied.
Rank: [# 14]
Title: He Is My Master

Debut: April 4th, 2005
Comments: With an alligator who has a tendency to ~~rape~~ play with young girls in sexy maid outfits, a lesbian who has absolutely no self-control for Izumi's pure body, and a rich, extremely perverted 14 year old lolicon boy who would have nothing better than to have a bunch of ~~pre~~ teenage girls bow down to his feet and call him "goshujin-sama", He is My Master is a show that you'll either love or just plain be digusted by. (GAINAX had me rolling on the floor with this one...)
Rank: [# 13]
Title: Mahou Sensei Negima!

Debut: January 1st, 2005
Comments: No real comment from me, as I stopped watching half-way through, (but apparently people loved it so much that it ranked at #13 o_O ...). Again, just another typical case of "anime doing no justice to the original manga storyline".
Rank: [# 12]
Title: Gundam SEED Destiny

Debut: October 10th, 2004
Comments: u_u <---(watch the ending and you'll know what I mean).
Rank: [# 11]
Title: Zettai Shounen

Debut: May 21, 2005
Comments: With its laid back pacing, quirky animation, and unique art style, Zettai Shounen is definitely one of the surprise hits of 2005.

Happy Holidays! - Now for some Disgaea News!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 24 Dec 2005 18:36:00 -0800

First off:

Click for Full-Size

A X-mas themed Disgaea 2 wallpaper, (featuring 2 new characters from the game). Anyway, let's get started with what we do best, (we think):

Disgaea 2 News - (Regarding the PS2 Game) -

Laharl, Flonne, and even Pram are all confirmed to appear in the sequel!
Brand new screenshots, including a first-look at some of the new playable characters, with additional info available here.
A second trailer was released last week on the game's official website. You can dowload it from there, or... from the 2 direct links I've provided below:

Disgaea 2nd Trailer (MP4 Format)

Disgaea 2nd Trailer (WMV Format)

Disgaea News - (Regarding the Anime) -

As you can see from the picture above, ALL the seiyuu(s) from the original PS2 game are reprising their roles for the anime adaption!

Kaori Mizuhashi as Laharl
Tomoe Hanba as Etna
Yuko Sasamoto as Flonne
Junji Majima as Prinny
Chihiro Suzuki as Vyers
Interviews with the fellow cast can be found here and here.

Wonder Momo-i DVD Track List!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 24 Dec 2005 07:24:00 -0800

Wonder Momo-i Live Tour Final Express DVD:

DISC I

> Motto, Yume, Miyou!!
> Natsuda! Matsurida! Sukumizuda!
> Koi no Recipe
> Let me Love You
> Luminary
> Chuo Line
> Tondoll Baby
> Nihon Break Kogyo
> Tagai no Sutarujii
> Broken World
> My-pace Daiou
> WONDER MOMO‐i ～New recording～
> Friendship
> Hide and Seek
> ONCE UPON A TIME ～Fairy story～

DISC II

> Ai no Medicine
> Game Kiss of 2001
> Mail Me
> LOVE.EXE
> Akihabara
> Life is free ～momo-i live version～
> WONDER MOMO‐i ～New recording～」

must... pre... ORDER!

Source: Nakid

[News] Gundam Seed 3 - ALL GREEN!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 21:19:00 -0800

Comic Gum's February issue will be making an official announcement over the 3rd installment of the Gundam SEED anime franchise. (Also note, Gundam SEED DESTINY FINAL PLUS is set to air this Sunday 12:30 AM on MBS.)

Source: Moon Phase

Testing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 05:40:00 -0800

Poyoyon Layout is Back! ... for now.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 03:12:00 -0800

Okay so this is what's up. I had to go back to the old look b/c it seems their were still a few folks out there that were still having issues with displaying the site correctly on their browser. So until I get this all worked out, I'm going back to the old Poyoyon Rokku layout. But this may not necessarily be a bad thing, since I feel most of our visitors preferred the old look over the new. Btw, the Radio Blog is back!

Firefox Browser Issues

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 16:10:00 -0800

It was just brought to my attention that some internet browsers, (including the latest Firefox 1.5), are not allowing the site to be viewed correctly. I personally have been using Firefox 1.0.7 because the latest version of Firefox (1.5) is very unstable. Just take a look at their technical support forum to see what I mean. Here are a few browsers that I tested out myself and know works fine: (I've also provided links to download the following)

Firefox 1.0.7
Internet Explorer 6.0
Netscape 8.0
Opera 8.5

*Please let me know if you are having issues viewing the site. Also be sure to tell me which browser you are using.

New Media Goods

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 19:14:00 -0800

Torrent CD:
> Mai-Otome OST I
Mp3 Rotation:
> BLEACH [OP 3]- Ichirin no Ha
> Kingdom Hearts II [OP] - Passion
> Naruto [ED 11] - Soba ni Iru Kara
> Kamichu! [OP] - Hare nochi Hare!
Wallpaper:
> Jigoku Shoujo
> Kamichu!
> To Heart 2 X-rated
> D.C. Da Capo

On the next update: Moetron's "Top 20 Anime Titles of 2005", followed shortly by, "Top 20 Anime Themes of 2005" (w/ downloadable music of course!)

[PVC] - Etna from Max Factory

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 12:03:00 -0800

Click for Full-Size

Just reserved mine seconds ago for 4,343 yen (about $38.00) on Hobby Search. (It's already sold out on HLJ.com). If interested, go directly to Hobby Search and look under "reserve". Etna PVC [Maxfactory] is scheduled to be shipped by March 2006.

[PV] Utada Hikaru - Passion & Kingdom Hearts II Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 16:52:00 -0800

Artist: Utada Hikaru
Song: Passion
Type: Promotional Video
Link: - removed - (Ask by Request)
Series: Kingdom Hearts II Theme Song

==========================================

Download the trailer to the Kingdom Hearts sequel here. (Fansubs provided by Anime-Keep).

Official release date: 12.22.2005

[PV] Makoto Kawamoto - 1/2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 16:40:00 -0800

Artist: Makoto Kawamoto
Song: 1/2
Type: Promotional Video
Link: Here
Series: Rurouni Kenshin [OP 2]

News Round Up

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 04:25:00 -0800

Studio Ghibli's new project Ged Senki: Tales from Earthsea was unveiled ealier this week.
Oh! Great's very own Air Gear to be animated for 2006.
Fate/stay night anime to begin broadcast on January 6th at 1:30 AM on Saitama TV.
Tenchi Muyo spinoff Sasami Mahou Shoujo Club has a long promotional video up for view.
New artscan from the upcoming Disgaea anime available here.
Gundam SEED Destiny special conclusion episode will air late, late night on December 25th.
Hellsing OVA I, which was delayed until January 26, will be extended an extra 15 minutes, making it 50 minutes total instead of the original 35.
A sequel to the Mahou Sensei Negima! anime may be on the way, however nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
May 9, 2006: Mark this date on your calenders because on that day Nintendo plans to reveal ALL they can about their new Revolution.