Two Hatsune Miku Dancing Videos Fascinate Vocaloid Fans

MMD (MikuMikuDance) is not only tool to create dancing videos of Hatsune Miku and other vocaloid characters. Two new videos recently posted in the web have amazed vocaloid video watchers by their uniqueness and cuteness. The first video "Kami Miku Nekomimi Switch Odottemita" was created by Miro using paper collage technique. The creator made 2,000 paper Mikus and spent 7 months to create the video. The video has been viewed more than 140,000 times at Nico Nico Douga in only 6 days. The second video "Doll-type robot dances 'Miku Miku ni Shite Ageru'" was made by Rozen Zebet using a highly-realistic 60 cm dancing robot doll "Arisa" in Hatsune Miku costume. 

Which dancing Miku is your favorite?

"Kami Miku Nekomimi Switch Odottemita"

"Doll-type robot dances 'Miku Miku ni Shite Ageru'"

Source: cruchyroll

Karneval TV Anime's 1st Promo Streamed

Karneval, supposedly the next "big" fantasy, action and mystery anime in 2013. Let's hope the promotions aren't just all `talk' and the final product doesn't disappoint, like with Arcarna Famiglia, K or Magi.

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The official website for the television anime adaptation of Touya Mikanagi's Karneval manga added the first 36-second promotional video on Tuesday. Voice actors Hiro Shimono (Nai) and Hiroshi Kamiya (Gareki) narrate the video.

The website also updated with details about a February 10 "Opening Performance" event in Tokyo, as well as additional character profiles.

The original manga follows Nai, a naïve boy searching for someone important to him, with only an abandoned bracelet as a clue. He encounters the pickpocket Gareki when the two meet in a strange mansion. Soon they find themselves part of a setup, becoming wanted criminals by military security operatives. When all hope seems lost, the two are introduced to none other than the country's most powerful defense organization, "Circus."

Eiji Suganuma (Kodomo no Jikan, Mashiroiro Symphony - The color of lovers, Ninja Cadets, Sasameki Koto) is directing the series at Manglobe (Deadman Wonderland, Hayate the Combat Butler: Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Mashiroiro Symphony - The color of lovers, Ergo Proxy) and Touko Machida (THE IDOLM@STER, Lucky Star, Amnesia) is handling the scripts. Toshie Kawamura (Yes! Precure 5, Smile Precure!,Mashiroiro Symphony - The color of lovers) is serving as the character designer and chief animation director for the series.

The television series is scheduled to premiere this spring, and the manga's 10th volume shippped last month with an anime preview DVD.

Source: ANN

Square Enix Lists 5 Elements That Make a Final Fantasy Game

The Japanese game developer Square Enix held a conference in Tokyo last weekend to discuss its recent real-time tech demo Agni's Philosophy: Final Fantasy. During the conference, the creators of the tech demo presented a list of five elements that make a Final Fantasy game:

• Magic
• Summoning
• Gorgeous beauty
• Refinement
• Change and challenge

The creators did not go into detail on each of the components.

In a related story, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn director Naoki Yoshida recently discussed what he thought went wrong with the original Final Fantasy XIV massively multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG). Yoshida was not a staff member on the original game.

In an interview with Kotaku, Yoshida said that for the Final Fantasy XI MMORPG, Square Enix researched the EverQuest game for a year to discover why it was so popular and then created a game that was inspired by EverQuest but added elements that made the game distinctly a Final Fantasy game, such as story-driven content and cutscenes. For Final Fantasy XIV, however, Yoshida said that Square Enix tried to make a game that was different from Final Fantasy XI. Yoshida added that he thought the original creators of the game did not recognize the way that MMORPGs had evolved since Final Fantasy XI.

Yoshida added that "I think it would've been good if they tried seeing what happened if they turned World of Warcraft into Final Fantasy." He said that Square Enix should have similarly had its employees play World of Warcraft for a year for inspiration. Yoshida also said that he thought it was a mistake to release Final Fantasy XIV when it was, and he and his team will be sure not to release the revamp game before it is ready.

The Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn revamp game will host an alpha test this winter, and a beta test from late January to early February.

Source: ANN

Steins;Gate Film's 2-Minute Teaser Trailer Streamed

Japanese production company Kadokawa began streaming a 118-second teaser trailer for the Steins;Gate Fuka Ryōiki no Déjà vu film on Saturday. The sequel to the 2011 Steins;Gate television anime series will open next spring in at least 30 theaters across Japan.
Source: ANN

Dog Days Anime Gets 3rd Season

Dog Days manga artist Takuya Fujima reported from the "Special Promotion -Flonya Festival 2012-" event on Sunday that production on a third season of theDog Days anime has been green-lit.

The studio Seven Arcs (Asura Cryin', Sekirei, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha) animated the first two seasons that premiered in 2011 and 2012. In the story by Masaki Tsuzuki, Princess Millhiore (Yui Horie) of the Biscotti Republic decides to summon a brave warrior from an alternate world to defend her country from the neighboring fiefdom of Galette. The "brave warrior" turns out to be a boy named Shinku (Mamoru Miyano) from modern-day Japan.

[Via 0takomu]

Source: ANN

The picture says it all

PSotD - Dark Shame

Title: Dark Shame

Artist: Granrodeo
Year: 2012

Notes: OP for Code:Breaker.
Another catchy rock tune.
My favourite characters: Toki, Yuuki, Yukihina, Heike, Hitomi, Prince.

DDL: here.

Which anime fansub groups should I use?

A quick search for an anime title in your favourite anime download site will generally return with bundles of results from various fansub groups. One major dilemma is to decide which group should I choose?

Does it even matter which fansub group to use in the first place? I'm a very picky person, so yes. It bugs me so much when I find typos, grammatical errors and even translation errors in fansubbed anime. So for me, it is important that I choose the "best" available subs.

Because we don't speak 'cow'

What factors should one consider when looking for the 'best' available subs? For example,

• the quality of the translations - how accurate are they, do they troll the audience, have the scripts been proofread;
• the quality of the anime file - did they tamper with the colours, what type of encoding is used, the size of the anime file;
• the typesetting and presentation - do the fonts look nice, are the text aligned, is the timing correct;
• karaoke - do they bother translating the OP and EDs, do they adjust the translations once the music is officially released with lyrics.

To decide which fansub group to use, I usually do a quick check in anime forums for the highly recommended groups. Another method is to physically compare screenshots of the same anime that are subbed by different fansub groups. The following site has been created to help anime fans do exactly that. 

However, at the end of the day, all we want to do is just sit back, relax and enjoy our dose of animation. Don't forget, we need to be thankful to all fansub groups. After all, they are offering their time and sweat to us for free. So make sure you drop a 'thank you' on their websites for their hard work!

Louis Vuitton Designs Hatsune Miku's Costume for Opera

For THE END opera that will be held on December 1 and 2 at the Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media in Yamaguchi City, director Toshiki Okada and digital music artist Keiichirō Shibuya decided to collaborate with French fashion brand Louis Vuitton. Louis Vuitton artistic director Marc Jacobs is designing the outfits that Vocaloid idol character Hatsune Miku will wear onstage.

No humans will appear onstage during the opera, even to play the instruments. Instead, Vocaloids will take their place, taking over every aria and recitative. The "actors'" onstage images are designed by artist YKBX (also known as Masaki Yokobe), who is known for his video "amazarashi." Shohei Shigematsu, an architect and a partner of OMA New York, is designing the stage.

The clothes Hatsune Miku will wear are clothes based off of Mark Jacobs' spring/summer 2013 collection that were altered in order to fit the virtual singer's body type and unique style. As this is the very first time that outfits from Louis Vuitton will lack the label's signature monogram symbol, the outfits will instead be using a pattern similar to theLouis Vuitton's familiar diamond pattern. The purses have been altered from the standardLouis Vuitton bag into cubical and square shapes to accentuate to the geometric themes.

Tickets were available for pre-order for 3,000 yen (about US$37), but were sold out as of November 14.

Louis Vuitton also collaborated with modern artist Takashi Murakami on his Superflat Monogram and Superflat First Love anime.

Source: Natalie via 0takomu, ANN

Vocaloid x V-rock Collection

Earlier this year, around July, an album of Vocaloids covering popular Visual Kei songs, titled I LOVE Visualizm feat. Miku Hatsune, was released by Machigerita. The relationship between Vocaloids and Visual Kei music soon became a two-way relationship when an album of famous Visual Kei bands covering popular Vocaloid songs was released in September of the same year. This album is titled Vocaloid x V-rock Collection. You can try a sample of it here.

Let us know your thoughts about this album after you've sampled it. 

Overall, I enjoyed this album and I think the bands put in obvious effort to make the songs sound good. It's difficult to make a direct comparison of this adaptation to the original songs. The VK bands added some of their unique twists to the original songs which I thought was an interesting perspective. However, I still just as enjoy listening to the original versions sung by our beloved Vocaloids.

Pumpkin's Palette: Mayuri Shiina

Mayuri Shiina from Steins;Gate

A little project I attempted today. I need to find a hole puncher so I can turn it into a keychain.
(Disclaimer: I don't own the original chibi artwork design. This is my imitation.)

Pumpkin's Palette: Kise Ryouta

Kise Ryouta from Kuroko no Basuke.

Commissioned for Alexis Ng.

Time: 2 hours. 

The colour didn't come out too well, but I like the overall final product.

After learning how to use a drawing tablet, my control of lines using a pencil has improved.

Currently taking in fanart requests! 

Comment below or give a shout in the chat box of your desired character.

Don't Get Too Excited, But... First "Steins;Gate" Movie Promo!

The footage isn't too shockingly new, and the music is a bit familiar too, but hey, it's exciting just to get a first promo for Spring 2013's long promised Steins;Gate Fuka Ryoiki no déjà-vu.

Charms offered with ticket purchase starting this weekend...

Second set of charms, offered with purchase at New Year's

After a website launched, MAGES president Shikura Chiyomaru tweeted that the anime features an original story with a new conclusion to the time travel mystery. 

Storyboard artist Kanji Wakabayashi steps up to direct the feature, with Jukki Hanada returning to write. TV series directors Hiroshi Hamasaki and Takuya Sato are on board as chief directors.

Source: cruchyroll

PSotD - KINGS

Title: KINGS

Artist: angela
Year: 2012

Notes: OP for the anime K (or K-project).
One of my favourite opening songs from this seasons' animes. K got more exciting this week. We now know more about the bonds of the people in HOMRA. In particular, Tatsuka, the one murdered by the colourless king.  Ah Kaji Yuki (the seiyuu for Tasuka) has such a wonderful singing voice - he sang the ED this week.

DDL: here. 

PSotD - Pokemon Theme Song (First)

Title: Pokemon Theme Song (First)

Artist: Jason Paige
Year: 1998

Notes: A walk down memory lane. Such good times.

DDL: 

PSotD - Time to Rock and Roll

Title: Time to Rock and Roll

Artist: Taku Iwasaki
Year: 2012

Notes: Track 2 from the Jormungand OST.

DDL: here

Pumpkin's Palette: Tomoe chibi ver.

Tomoe chibi version from Kamisama Hajimemashita

One of my latest works with my tablet.
Estimated working time: roughly 4 hours.
Program used was Opencanvas Lite.
The downside of working with a tablet are two strained wrists and a painful neck.
I feel like getting back to traditional art for my next project.

Good Smile Company Reveals Weird Nendoroid "Miku Dayo"

After three months since introducing the prototype at Wonder Festival in August, Good Smile Company's Mika-tan blog finally revealed the finished model of Nendoroid Miku Dayo. Miku Dayo is originally the name of the human-sized character suit of Hatsune Miku modeled after the first Nendoroid Miku. The fans often affectionately called her "Dayo-san." Mika-tan's quick summary is;

(1) Sega made the ‘Project mirai’ game, featuring Nendoroid Vocaloids!

(2) A life-size Nendoroid Miku costume was made to promote the game!

(3) Everyone felt the costume didn’t quite feel like the real Miku!

(4) The costume Miku became her own character, Miku Dayo!

(5) Miku Dayo is made into a Nendoroid, completing the cycle!

Got it? The pre-order for the Miku Dayo Nendoroid will be opened soon.

Studio Ghibli Finally Finishing Long Rumored "Tale of the Bamboo Cutter?"

As far back as 2009, the talks was that Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata's (Grave of the Fireflies, Pomo Poko) first movie since his water color style adaptation of family comic strip My Neighbors the Yamadas would be a retelling of 10th century Japanese folktale Taketori Monogatari (The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter) - the story of moon princess Kaguya-hime, discovered as a baby inside the stalk of a glowing bamboo plant. The story figured into many other anime, from Oh! Edo Rocket to to Leiji Matsumoto's Queen Millennia to Sailor Moon.

In November 2011, Studio Ghibli's site posted job listings to recruit assistant directors and production assistants for an Isao Takahata directed movie, scheduled to be completed in summer 2013.

While there's been little hard news, the time frame and project seem to be lining up to suggest that a Bamboo Cutter from Ghibli movie might be happening soon.

This week, the studio's distributor, Toho registered the KAGUYAHIME-MONOGATARI.JP domain. 

Source: cruchyroll

Egoist 3rd Single: “Namae no nai Kaibutsu” out on December 5

Egoist composed of Producer: Ryo of supercell and vocalist Chelly (who provided the singing voice of Inori Yuzuriha) following their release of Extra terrestrial Biological Entities just this September 19, will be releasing their 3rd Single Namae no nai Kaibutsu (Monster with no name) on December 5 2012.

The CD+DVD set will retail for 1680 Yen while the CD only will be 1223 Yen (tax included for both). The single will be featuring a total of 7 songs, 2 new ones a with their instrumental and tv versions. The DVD bundle will include the music video of Namae no nai Kaibutsu plus the credit-less ending of PSYCHO-PASS.

【Disc1 / CD】

01．prelude

02．名前のない怪物 (Namae no nai Kaibutsu)

03．カナデナル (Kanadenaru)

04．名前のない怪物 (TV Edit 92s ver)

05．名前のない怪物 -Instrumental-

06．カナデナル -Instrumental-

07．名前のない怪物 (TV Edit 92s ver) -Instrumental-

【Disc2 / DVD】

01.「名前のない怪物」Music Video

02.「PSYCHO-PASS サイコパス」Ending ノンクレジットムービー

03.「PSYCHO-PASS サイコパス」Ending ノンクレジットムービー

pre-orders are up on sonymusic.co.jp

source: egoist-inori.jp

Source: sgcafe

Final Fantasy Type-0 scenario director Hajime Tabata: English release plans “a clean slate”

In an interview with GameSpot, Final Fantasy Type-0 (PSP) scenario director Hajime Tabata says that Square Enix has taken “a clean slate” in terms of localising the game for US and European gamers. Type-0 was released in Japan October 2011.

Will FF Type-0 be localized for North America and Europe? If so, when?

"Due to market reasons, we are taking a clean slate in terms of our plans. We feel strongly about bringing this title to the fans in North America and Europe, so if an opportunity arises that can become a conclusive factor, we are prepared to go into consideration right away."

Depending on your perspective, that localisation plans on the title are a clean slate for now could be a good or bad thing. On the positive side of things, it could mean that Square Enix may be considering to remaster the game for the PlayStation Vita (which would take a considerable amount of work given that the game in its released form used assets and graphical engines designed for the lower specs on the PSP).

On the other hand, you could also take the statement to mean that an English version of the game is not going to be announced any time soon. Certainly not before “an opportunity arises that can become a conclusive factor”, whatever that might mean.

In the meantime, the Japanese version of Type-0 can be purchased digitally via the Japanese and Asian PlayStation Store (it might just be Hong Kong for Asia; I’m not sure if it’s on the Singapore store) and played on your Vita through that route (if only Square Enix would localise and release the title for US and Europe directly through the PlayStation Store…).

Final Fantasy Type-0 first started life as a mobile phone game when it was announced way back in 2006, under the title “Final Fantasy Agito XIII”. The platform for the game was eventually shifted to the PSP, but the concept of Type-0 remained the same: it would be one of several games under Square Enix’s Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy project, which would tie all of the titles released under this series with a common mythos (although each game would have its own world and characters).

Final Fantasy XIII, XIII-2, Versus XIII, and Lightning Returns are the four other games in the Fabula Nova Crystallis series.

Source: sgcafe

Shonen Jump to Launch 3 New Manga Series in November

This year's 49th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine is announcing on Monday that three new series will debut in the magazine in its next three issues.

Yūki Tabata will debut the Hungry Joker manga series (pictured at right) in the magazine's 50th issue on November 12. The new manga's tagline is "The trump card to the future is... science!!"

Masahiro Hirakata will debut the Shinmai Fukei Kiruko-san "hilarious comedy" manga series in the magazine's 51st issue on November 19, and Shun Saeki and Yuuto Tsukuda will debut the Shokugeki no Souma cooking manga series in the magazine's 52nd issue on November 26.

Source: ANN

Reborn Spinoff Manga Vongola GP Kuru! Ends

Toshinori Takayama ended his Reborn! manga spinoff Vongola GP (Grand Prix) Kuru!in the December issue of Shueisha's Saikyō Jump magazine on Friday. The manga debuted in the inaugural issue of the magazine last December. Shueisha will publish the third compiled volume of the manga on December 4.

Source: ANN

SID unveils PV for new single “V.I.P”

Visual kei band SID has unveiled the PV for their upcoming single, "V.I.P"!

“V.I.P” currently serves as the theme song for the anime series, 'Magi'. It will be released on November 21st in 4 different versions.

Check out the PV below!

Source: tokyohive

GRANRODEO to release their 18th single

Rock band GRANRODEO will be releasing their 18th single, “DARK SHAME“, on November 7th.

The band just released their 5th album, “CRACK STAR FLASH“, on October 10th. Their upcoming single already serves as the ending theme for the tv anime, ‘Code: Breaker‘.

The single will be released in both regular and limited editions. The limited edition DVD will contain the video clip for “DARK SHAME”. Additionally, the first press editions will come with details on GRANRODEO’s first arena concerts which will be held on April 20th and 21st of next year.

Furthermore, GRANRODEO will be kicking off their nationwide tour ‘GRANRODEO LIVE TOUR 2012-2013: CRACK STAR TOURS‘ in December.

Source: tokyohive

UVERworld to release new album, “THE ONE”

It’s been revealed that UVERworld will be releasing a new album on November 28!

“THE ONE“ is UVERworld’s 7th original album. The members came up with the title because they feel that “our fans and people become ‘one’, and as a team, each and every person’s unique personalities become interwoven.” They also stated, “After being active for 12 years, we’ve finally arrived at stage 1.”

The album will contain “REVERSI“, which will serve as the theme song for the upcoming ‘Ao no Exorcist‘ movie (December 28th release) as well as “THE OVER“, which was used as the theme song for the drama series ‘Kuro no Onna Kyoshi‘.

The DVD for the limited edition will come with footage from ‘LIVE at Avaco Studio‘ and music videos. It will also enclose a 24-page special booklet.

Limited Edition

Regular Edition

Source: tokyohive

SID to launch 10th anniversary project

Visual kei band SID will be launching an anniversary project to commemorate their 10th year anniversary in 2013.

SID just wrapped up their nationwide tour, "TOUR 2012 ‘M&W’ no Saishu Kouen", on October 31st. For their anniversary project, the band has 10 things in store for their fans.

The first will be the release of SID’s 1st best-of album, "SID 10th Anniversary BEST", on January 16th, and also the release of “TOUR 2012 ‘M&W’” on DVD sometime in March. They have also announced that they will hold a 10th year anniversary tour in spring.

Source: tokyohive

PSotD - Hard drive music

Title: Hard drive music

Artist: Taku Iwasaki
Year: 2012

Notes: Track 5 from the Jormungand OST.
A catchy, electro, dub-style tune.

DDL: here