Sorry I haven't updated in a while.  I've been incredibly busy with school and my two jobs.  But I've been trying to make more time for web design.  I've already updated the DVD and manga releases and upcoming conventions pages.  They're not as detailed as I'd like - at least not the DVD and manga pages.  I hope to go back sometime soon and put in exact dates for these releases, and also add more.

Thanks so much for continuing to visit.  I promise that things will get better! 

Sara

Okay, so I've come across a bit of a problem.  As you probably know, most anime series are relatively short - usually 26 episodes.  This makes reviewing them a snap - I can see the whole series and give a general idea of what it's about/how good it is in a short paragraph.  Unfortunately, there are a few series (such as Dragonball Z, Yu Yu Hakusho and Naruto) that are much longer than 26 episodes.  Because of this, they become much harder to review.

For example, with DBZ, the episodes are divided into Sagas (I guess you should call them seasons, whatever).  Some sagas/seasons are really good, some are not so good, some downright suck.  But when I reviewed DBZ, I gave one rating and one review paragraph.  That's just not enough. 

The problem is, though, that I don't know how to divide them up.  Should I rate just by season/saga?  That would make the list of reviews rather long, and could also be difficult because I remember some sagas better than others (like the Saiya-man saga that Cartoon Network played OVER AND OVER AND OVER FOR LIKE FIVE TIMES!).  So, I guess I'm just curious of what everyone else thinks?  Divide and conquer?  Or just rate the whole darn thing and hope that I'm giving the series the credit it deserves?  You decide.  Let me know.

Okay, now I'm really confused and require some help from you anime know-it-alls out there.  I recently found out that Funimation has acquired the rights to the anime, Gunslinger Girl - kind of surprising to me, since ADV has the rights to the manga, but whatever, not the point of this posting.  In trying to find out when this title is going to be released, I did a web search, and came across a site in which a person mentioned that Funimation had acquired Gunslinger Girl as well as a few other titles.  One of these other titles was Trigun.

Okay, correct me if I'm wrong - Trigun is finished.  The whole series was dubbed by Pioneer/Geneon and there isn't anything after that, right?  Not that I would be upset if the story were to continue, seeing as how Trigun is one of my favorites.  But I have never once heard of a second series.  Anyone have any information on this fabled second series - a name perhaps?  If so, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE leave it here as a comment.  Thanks!

Well, let me first start off by saying that I've been rather impressed recently with the large number of new titles in Japan that are being quickly licensed and brought to the U.S.  Though I'm sure everyone has their gripes about this - English dubs generally aren't as good, downloading fansubs stops after licensing, blah blah blah - I am very happy with the responsiveness of US companies.  Though US releases are generally more expensive, and I'm sure we've all been guilty of downloaing a fan sub (or two), or buying a bootleg (or two), I am the type of person who is more likely to buy a legal copy and be broke than buy an illegal copy and have money to spare.  Guess that's just how I am.  Not that I'm rolling in money, but I guess I believe more in supporting the artist.  Don't worry, I'm not here to lecture.  Much like in my other web journal posts, I'm here to bitch.

But I believe that you should say something nice before you tear into somebody or something.  My complaint is that, even with the responsiveness of US companies, there are many titles that have been for some reason overlooked.  For example, great series like Naruto (incredibly popular AND still airing in Japan), or Flame of Recca, to name a couple, have not yet been licensed in the US (though the mangas for these two have been), and it seems as though US companies should be jumping at these animes.  Unless of course, Naruto and Flame of Recca have been licensed and no one seems to know about it.  This is much like another series I've been trying to get a hold of, D.N.Angel, which I just learned today has been licensed by ADV Films.  Okay, I don't go to conventions, I don't read every single press release on every anime company website, and I don't read every single word printed in NewType USA.  I figure I'm like the average anime fan.  So how are we supposed to find out about this stuff?

I guess that leads me to my resolution.  I plan on being more vigilant about the anime titles that are to be released in the US and will try to pass this information on to you.  I guess you could call me the informant for the average anime fan.  I will bring the anime information to the masses!  Quite a lofty goal, I know, but I guess it's the only way to get me to stop complaining about a lack of information.

Man, this has to be my least organized column yet.  Anyway, I wanted to end with this.  I guess you could call it a survey.  The one title I would love to see licensed in the US is Naruto (if anyone knows if it's been licensed, let me know).  What title would you like to see licensed in the US?  Post it on my tagboard. I will compile a list and put it up on my website.

In the February 2004 Newtype, there was a cover story about Fullmetal Alchemist, a new anime in Japan.  It tells the story of the Elric brothers, Edward and his younger brother Alphonse, who use forbidden alchemy to raise their mother from the dead.  Unfortunately, the alchemy did not work and pieces of their bodies were lost - Edward lost his right arm and left leg and his brother Alphonse lost his entire body (luckily, his soul remains in a suit of armor).  Not wanting to give up on their plan to revive their mother, the brothers set out in search of the Philosopher's Stone.  Along the way, Edward passes the exam to become a licensed alchemist (the youngest ever at the age of 12), which allows him to learn new alchemy... and hopefully find out more about the Stone.

When I learned about this anime, I was fascinated by it and really wanted to watch it.  I was about ready to just purchase imports over the internet, but luckily, Fullmetal Alchemist has been acquired for US release and is headed our way this fall.  Who do we have to thank?  None other than the people who brought us Dragonball Z and Fruits Basket - Funimation.

Of course, what does this mean for fans?  Well, on the plus side - it means that DVDs will come out ON TIME (no telling us one day and then not releasing it for a week or so after that).  It also means that the DVDs will be available all the time on the Zstore website.  Finally, it means that Fullmetal Alchemist will be coming to Adult Swim (who introduced many to shows like DBZ and Yu Yu Hakusho) on October 23.  However, there may be a few negatives.  Hopefully, Funimation won't take any liberties with the script, like they have in Dragonball Z and GT.  Also, though the voice acting of Funimation is generally good, the directorial and casting decisions (let's not blame the actors for those, k?) are sometimes questionable. (Anyone hear the hick voice they used in the DBZ movie Super Android 13?  Yeah, what was that?!)

But perhaps we should give Funimation a little more credit.  So, be sure to get your Fullmetal Alchemist fix on Adult Swim starting October 23 and on DVD in January of 2005.

Okay, I am a big fan of many of the manga titles released by Viz, including Flame of Recca and Hot Gimmick (to name a couple).  Unfortunately, the newest volumes of these titles have not yet been released, though according to my calendar, they should be out already.  Leaving us to ask the question - what is going on with Viz?

First of all, Flame of Recca Vol. 6 should be out, and in fact, should have come out weeks ago.  With Vol. 7 due out shortly, what is Viz going to do?  It's the same thing with Hot Gimmick Vol. 5, which should have been released already.  This concerns me, because there are other titles that I am looking forward to (as I'm sure many of you are as well), such as the Ceres Vol. 8 due out in mid-July.  Will this title come out on time, or are we doomed to wait, checking the bookstore racks daily?

This brings up another concern, the website.  Viz's product sections are grossly unupdated (if that is in fact a word).  Many of the books that are out in the store are not available for order on the Viz website.  Doesn't it strike anyone as strange that, for example, Alice 19th Vols. 4 and 5 are available at any bookstore as well as Amazon, but not the Viz website?  I do. 

Basically, the point is, Viz really needs to get their act together and let us fans know if and when we can expect these titles.  Not that I think my lousy little web journal will do any good, but it's nice to have the chance to complain.

Hello and welcome to my web journal.  I am Zefie the Vagrant, webmaster, as well as mild-mannered citizen Sara House, grad student.  You may wonder how I am able to split my time between maintaining my anime webpage and keeping up on school.  Well, for the moment things are going well because I haven't started school yet.  In the fall, or rather, in August, this may all be a different story.

On August 1st, I will be moving into my new apartment in Chicago, IL.  Around the 20th, I'll have orientation for psychology students, and on the 30th, classes will begin.  That is when keeping up with my webpage may become more difficult.  However, I hope to keep updating as I am now, and also hope to keep everyone filled in on what's going in my life through this web journal.  Perhaps this will help me bridge the gap between my life as a Vagrant AI/Webmaster and my life as a Grad Student/Crazy School-Loving Masochist.

That's about it for now.  I'm preparing for my move at the moment, trying to decide what to take and what's the cheapest way to get it all there.  I've also been doing a lot of Yahoo Yellow Page searches, trying to find some of the businesses I will need when I move into my new home.  I can't do too much packing until closer to my move, since most of the things I am taking with me are things that I also need to use now, such as clothes, computer, books, etc... 

I'll try to get some pictures up of my apartment/Chicago once I make the move.  Until then, I'll try to talk on here as often as I can.