Ani-Gamers

Survival horror dissected at AnimeNEXT 2009

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:35:00 +0000

“Survival Horror: Expanded” was a panel at AnimeNEXT that explored all things that go bump in the night (...or day) in the videogame genre of, you guessed it, survival horror. If you’re not familiar with the genre, think of it as being trapped inside the horror movie that made you dread dangling a limb over your bedside as a child, question the inter-dimensionality of closets, and worry about the sounds of breathing coming from underneath your magically protective covers and all too soft...

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Otakon Or Bust! Come see us this weekend!

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 02:25:00 +0000

DIRECT DOWNLOAD (Runtime: 25 minutes) For the first time in our blog's history, Ani-Gamers will be sending representatives to Otakon, the largest fan-run anime convention in the United States, which is being held this year from July 17 through the 19th in its traditional location at the Baltimore Convention Center. There to report on the goings-on at the con will be staff writer and columnist Ink as well as yours truly. And let's not forget Mr. Karl Custer, who will be...

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 14

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here. Watch Episode 14 - Those Who Lurk Underground While FMA2 may attempt to lure us into a false sense of familiarity by resuming where it left off, underground in The Devil’s Nest, there’s a lot more sucker-punch behind door number one. Let’s start with a humorous...

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uReview: Halo Wars (360)

uwrite@anigamers.com (uWrite) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:13:00 +0000

Genre: Real Time Strategy Designer: Amanda Wyatt (Director) Developer: Ensemble Studios Publisher: Microsoft Console: Xbox 360 Release Year: 2009 Rated: M for Mature The following article was submitted by Ra1don (before he was brought on as a staff member). The opinions expressed below do not represent those of Ani-Gamers or its affiliates. Ahh, I could still remember that day in 2005, going over to a friend's house to play his special edition copy of Age of Empires III...

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Impressions: Cowboy Bebop vol.3

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:00:00 +0000

The fun continues as I delve further into the classic nineties anime series Cowboy Bebop. In volume 3, I began to notice something very fascinating about Bebop. Of course, it is clear to any first-time viewer that Yoko Kanno's distinctive music pays tribute to a wide variety of musical styles. One episode, titled "Asteroid Blues," will feature the bouncing beats of the blues, while another, titled "Heavy Metal Queen," will showcase rocking metal music. But what really makes Cowboy Bebop...

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Ani-Gamers Podcast #017 - Tokyo Godfathers

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 02:50:00 +0000

Hosts: Evan "Vampt Vo" Minto, Mitchell Dyer Topic: Tokyo Godfathers (2003) This time we're talking about a movie from Evan's favorite anime director: Satoshi Kon (Paprika, Paranoia Agent). The review portion is sort of short compared to the What'cha Been Doing? segment, which is probably because Evan had to rush to go see Star Trek at the end of the episode. Our plans for next episode are not yet solidified, but the goal is to record a whole slew of new episodes at Otakon later this...

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries – Episode 13

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:30:00 +0000

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here. Watch Episode 13 - Beasts of Dublith This review will be a bit long in the tooth. Its FMA2 episode skips a rather major story arch that spans 3-4 entirely omitted FMA1 episodes while combining its lessons, sacrificing plot for character development...and it ain’t...

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Con Report: AnimeNEXT 2009

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:45:00 +0000

Or click here for the Photo Gallery AnimeNEXT 2009 June 12-14, 2009 Garden State Exhibit Center Somerset, NJ, USA There is little to say about AnimeNEXT for those who have never attended the New Jersey convention. That's not because there was nothing to do; in fact, quite the opposite. The reason is that AnimeNEXT is a fan-run convention that feels less like an organized series of events, and more like a giant, three-day party. It's an experience like no other. Those who have...

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This Month in Ani-Gamers ~ June 2009

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:00:00 +0000

To subscribe to these posts through our email newsletter, click here. Can you feel the summer air? Here in the state of New Jersey, things are finally looking "summer-y" after a few weeks of torrential rain and bad conditions. But don't fear, beloved readers! The beautiful sunshine will not keep this intrepid editor from his keyboard! (After all, everybody knows that otaku are like vampires in that we burn in sunlight. But we're also not sparkling pretty-boys, so I guess we're not vampires...

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Noboru Ishiguro, Yukio Kikukawa, Hidenori Matsubara to appear at Otakon

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:00:00 +0000

So the title of "largest anime convention on the East Coast" wasn't enough to convince you to attend Otakon? Its reputation as the premier fan-run con just didn't sway you? Well, the Baltimore convention, to be held on the weekend of July 17-19, just might change your mind with a triple-whammy of guests, all announced this evening. First up is Mr. Noboru Ishiguro, the celebrated anime director whose sparkling resume includes such science fiction classics as Space Battleship Yamato (season...

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Impressions: Cowboy Bebop vol.1&2

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:30:00 +0000

I'm finally watching Cowboy Bebop. I know, I know, it's been a long time coming, but I hadn't picked up the DVDs until a recent 50% off sale in the Best Buy anime department spurred me to grab the classic late-90's anime series. And so far, I love it. The first two volumes serve primarily to introduce viewers to the characters and standard situations that will presumably define much of the rest of the series, which revolves around a crew of misfits and bounty hunters on the spaceship...

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 12

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:30:00 +0000

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here. Watch Episode 12 - One is All, All is One A memory of dear ol’ dad starts us off while on the train to Dublith, but don’t expect any exposition other than Ed mentioning “a dream about him” ...yet. And of course, seeing as the Elric brothers were headed toward their...

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 11

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here. Watch Episode 11 - Miracle at Rush Valley Rush Valley is introduced in a quick flash of stills, one of which alludes to FMA1’s arm wrestling contest. Sly! But what is Rush Valley without its main character anchor, Paninya? By the way, she is introduced in FMA2 as a...

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries – Episode 10

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:35:00 +0000

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here. With the return of FUNimation's video service, Ink has been able to resume his Brotherhood Diaries series once again. The two missing articles will be posted today and tomorrow respectively, leading up to the latest article (12) on Sunday. Watch Episode 10 - Separate...

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Trailer for Ghibli's Ponyo released to Apple website

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:40:00 +0000

It's been a long time coming, but Disney has at last provided a dubbed trailer for Ponyo, the newest Hayao Miyaki-directed Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke) film released in America by the massive Hollywood studio. Fans who have been paying attention to the movie over the past year will no doubt notice Disney's name change, from "Gake no Ue no Ponyo" or "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea" to, simply, "Ponyo." The new name will definitely be easier for mainstream viewers to remember,...

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Brotherhood Diaries postponed due to FUNi video problems

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:00:00 +0000

We sincerely apologize for the lack of "Brotherhood Diaries" posts in the past few weeks. Unfortunately, though, the FUNimation video portal has been down for weeks as the anime distributor performs "maintenance operations." The site just came back online recently, but the latest Fullmetal Alchemist episode is still Episode 9, so we cannot provide a column about Episode 10 just yet. (Yes, we realize that the series has been broadcasting on Japanese TV and there are fansubs for it online....

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Review: Cyber City Oedo 808 (Hyb)

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:13:00 +0000

Medium: OAV (Original Animated Video) Number of Episodes: 3 Genres: Action, Cyberpunk, Science Fiction Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri Studio: Madhouse Licensed? Yes, but out of print (Central Park Media) There's something special about OAVs from the late 80's and early 90's. Their blatant disregard of silly things like coherency and decency have made for some epic flops (M.D. Geist) and some verified classics (Megazone 23), but among the pile of crap and quality is an oft-overlooked...

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Sakura Matsuri: harmony between anime and nature

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:00:00 +0000

We realize that this is over a month late. We deeply apologize for the embarrassing lateness. Anime convention personalities wandered between booths as OEL manga artists showed off their stuff. Uncle Yo performed a comedy routine while hordes of otaku watched, and many more lounged behind them in full cosplay. These unusual occurrences are standard fare for most anime convention-goers. What might have struck most of them as odd, however, was the venue – not a massive indoor convention...

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E3 2009: EA Press Conference Highlights

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:00:00 +0000

EA is more than just a game publisher. Their recent forays into revolutionary kinds of game experiences have elevated them to near-equals with the console manufacturers in terms of significance in the industry. Their E3 press conference was no exception. The most important part of the conference was definitely BioWare's segment, where they showed off Mass Effect 2 (trailer) and Star Wars: The Old Republic (trailer), the MMORPG based on the popular Knights of the Old Republic single-player...

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 9

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:40:00 +0000

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here. The FUNimation video portal is down at the moment, so no image just yet. Sorry! Watch Episode 9 - Created Feelings Initially the most noticeable difference between this episode and its FMA1 counterpart is that we start off with a much less sulky/belligerent Al and...

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E3 2009: Sony Press Conference Highlights

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 04:52:00 +0000

Ah Sony. The former industry leader, now reduced to a lumbering giant with the technical brute force to be the best, but apparently without the marketing know-how. Their E3 press conference was, at long last, not really about hardware. The PS3 has long been criticized for being too expensive and too hard to develop for, but most importantly, its game lineup has been... disappointing at best. Sure, there were some hardware announcements, but Sony really wanted to tout their exclusive franchises,...

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FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 8

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here. Our apologies for the late article this week. FUNimation's video portal went down temporarily, leaving Ink without an episode to review. The next article is already written, and will be published on Sunday. Watch Episode 8 - Research Laboratory 5 My fears proved...

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E3 2009: Nintendo Press Conference Highlights

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:40:00 +0000

The Nintendo Press Conference was not quite as action-packed as the Microsoft one, since they've already used up their quotient for earth-shattering motion control announcements. Instead of motion control, however, the console manufacturer and game publisher announced a new "Wii Vitality Sensor," which will attach to players' index fingers and track their pulses. Why? Well... nobody's really sure, though Nintendo President Satoru Iwata suggested that "games have been used for stimulation, but...

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E3 2009: Microsoft Press Conference Highlights

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 03:38:00 +0000

Video Games | Project Natal | E3 09: Project Natal IntroXBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii While Ani-Gamers does not have reporters present at E3 this year, we are nonethesless striving to bring you up-to-date coverage from and opinions on the show through the reporting of other websites. Without further ado, here's what went down at the Microsoft Press Conference. Corporate Vice President of LIVE, Software and Services John Schappert began by setting a countdown of sorts: There...

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Ani-Gamers Podcast #016 - Pinoko Is A Creepy Stalker

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 03:30:00 +0000

Hosts: Evan "Vampt Vo" Minto, Mitchell Dyer, Elliot Page Topic: Black Jack (Manga: JP-1970, NA-2008) In this episode, Mitchy reappears to talk about Osamu Tezuka's Black Jack manga, which we've wanted to review since last fall when it began its English language publication courtesy of Vertical, Inc. Our second guest, Elliot from Luke and Elliot's Bearfighting Extravaganza, was invited onto the podcast between the first segment and the review, so he joins us for the remainder of the...

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