名前のない怪物 feat. 初音ミク and 結月ゆかり

Mash up one awesome Egoist (Supercell) song for an amazing anime (Psycho Pass) with Miku and you get:


How about trying mashing it up with Vocaloid3-Yuzuki Yukari:

Let Your Nails Sing With Vocaloid Colors

Apparently the Crypton vocaloids are now so identifiable that it just takes the right color to invoke an association. At least that's the implicit pitch. Piapro has unveiled a set of five nail polishes including Miku green, Rin and Len yellow, Luka pearl blue (as in her headphones), Meiko red and Kaito blue. They sell for 1,050 yen ($11).

Source: CR

Full Look at "Attack on Titan" Character Designs

The official site for Death Note/Highschool of the Dead director Tetsuro Araki and Production I.G subsidiary Studio Wit's adaptation of Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan manga has posted a full roster of Kyoji Asano's (Psycho-Pass) character designs. And, while the distinctive look is sure to turn off some, for many, it's going to reignite anticipation for the looming April anime. 

The anime begins airing on April 7th!
Source: CR

Ymir - Saki Fujita

Reiner - Yoshimasa Hosoya

Armin - Marina Inoue

Mikasa - Yui Ishikawa

Sasha - Yu Kobayashi

Annie -  Yu Shimamura

Marco - Ryota Ohsaka

Bertholdt - Tomohisa Hashizume

Jean - Kishô Taniyama

Eren - Yuuki Kaji

Christa - Shiori Mikami

Conny - Hiro Shimono

Watch Vocaloid Artist Yori Draw in Wacom's Live Painting Video

Wacom, a company that makes digital drawing tablets, has added a new video with artist Yori to its "Drawing with Wacom" series on Wednesday. The video features Yori using the Cintiq 13HD, Wacom's new drawing tablet with a compact 13.3-inch LCD display.

Yori is best known for illustrating the music videos for Mikito-P's "Yi Er Fan Club" (1,2 Fan Club) and other songs. With vocals by Vocaloid idols Gumi and Kagamine Rin, "Yi Er Fan Club" has garnered over 1.9 million views on Niconico.

Source: ANN

Pumpkin's Palette: Winter 2013 Anime Tribute~

Click for larger view.

Winter 2013 Anime Tribute~Part 1: Amnesia/Tamako Market/Zestuen no Tempest/Psycho Pass/AnoHana.

Ixion Saga DT tribute coming soon!

How to Make Ghost in the Shell Optical Camouflage Art: A Video

To promote the upcoming Ghost in the Shell Arise anime, the staff recreated the franchise's signature optical camouflage in real-life using some decidedly low-tech, high-concept performance art:

The artists installed the exhibit at the February 12 unveiling of Ghost in the Shell Arise. The "camouflage" was only effective in one spot in the room — a viewer had to stand on a bulls-eye marked on the floor to experience the full effect.

Production I.G offered an Optical Camouflage Camera app inspired by the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex anime in 2011. The Tachi Lab at the University of Tokyo attempted the effect for "real" in 2002.

Source: ANN

PSotD - secret base 〜君がくれたもの〜 (10 years after ver.)

Title: secrete base 〜君がくれたもの〜 (10 years after ver.)

Artist: Ai Kayano, Haruka Tomatsu, and Saori Hayami
Year: 2011

Notes: Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Boku-tachi wa Mada is an emotional anime that teaches us how to forgive, reflect and move on, especially if we have lost someone dear to us. 

This is the ED song. I find it very calming and sadness wells up when I listen to it, but it's not a gloomy kind of sadness, it's a happy reflection and reminds me I should treasure those that I have around me. The lyrics are beautifully written, describing all the fun memories that friends can have.

DDL: here

Piano ver.

Violin ver.

Spring 2013 Anime Trailer Compilation

With about a fortnight to go until the Winter 2012/2013 anime season to end, it's time to get excited about new series coming in the Spring 2013 anime season!
Check out a compilation of the anime trailers in the coming season here:

Or if you prefer the picture chart go here.

My list of animes that I'm looking forward to include:

• Aku no Hana
• Devil Survivor 2 The Animation
• Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko.
• Kakumeiki Valvrave
• Karneval
• Ketsukekigata-kun!
• RDG: Red Data Girl
• Shingeki no Kyojin
• Suisei no Gargantia
• Uta no Prince-sama Maji Love 1000% 2 (Sorry I had to put this in sparkles because I've been waiting for this for a very very long time!! *cue fangirl scream*)
• Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru.

[Tutorial] How To Download YouTube Videos with VLC Player

You come across this amazing Youtube video but how can you get it and watch it even when you're offline? We list a few simple steps for "downloading" Youtube videos. Credits from this youtube tutorial.

1. Copy the URL of the Youtube video.
2. Open VLC player, click on Media tab and click on Open Network Stream.
3. Select the Network tab and in the box paste the URL, then click Play.
4. Once the video starts loading, click on Tools tab and then Codec Information. 
5. At the bottom of the window should be a box labelled Location. Highlight and copy all the text inside the box (ctrl-a + ctrl-c).
6. Open a new tab in your web browser and paste all the text you copied into the URL bar and press enter.
7. Go to Options button of your web browser and select Save Page As.  Save the file as a .FLV file.
8. Enjoy your video again and again even when you're offline!

Hatsune Miku's 'Tell Your World' Song Gets English Release on iTunes

Apple's iTunes store is listing that an English version of Hatsune Miku's song "Tell Your World" will be released March 20. The listing currently features a 90-second preview of the song. The Japanese version of the song is already available on the U.S. iTunes store.

Composer kz wrote, scored, and arranged the original song — which was featured in a multi-award-winning Google Chrome commercial — under the unit name livetune.

The English version of "Tell Your World" will also be included on livetune's new Hatsune Miku album Re:Dial, which is also slated for release on March 20 in Japan. Re:Dial will include the song "Redial," which will feature a music video from contemporary artist Takashi Murakami.

Source: ANN

New PV from Kyary Pamyu Pamyu: Ninja ri Bang Bang

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has a brand new song and music video in the form of “Ninja ri ban ban” a colorful eye candy love letter to Japanese culture complete with ninja dance moves, laser battles, and catchy techno hooks composed by Yasutaka Nakata of capsule and Perfume. Enjoy it below!

Source: CR

English Version of Hatsune Miku VOCALOID Software Set for Summer Launch

Without much fanfare, the corporate entity behind the Hatsune Miku VOCALOID software has confirmed a Summer release timeframe for the long-awaited English version of the voice synthesis software that gave rise to an entire subculture around Hatsune Miku and the varied spinoffs. The software itself is a variant of the much more extensive VOCALOID2 software suite developed by Yamaha for use in the recording industry as a replacement for human vocalists.

The English version of the Hatsune Miku Vocaloid software has been in development since the US concert debut of Hatsune Miku in 2011 and was originally meant to be released shortly after, though the software was quietly delayed while Crypton continued to gauge the popularity of Vocaloid in the US.

Crypton Future Media will be hosting a panel during this week's South by Southwest Interactive conference where they will introduce Hatsune Miku to the tech-oriented crowd and press on Monday morning.

Source: CR

Hatsune Miku is now designed on Android tablets

If you’re a Hatsune Miku fan currently on a vacation in Japan, I’d bet you ordered Domino’s Pizza via the newly released iTunes app. Want more of the popular virtual diva from this era’s cutting-edge technology? Then you might want to stay in Japan a bit longer for RWC’s soon-to-be-released gadget: the “Hatsune Miku Tablet Navi starring Saki Fujita”.

This Hatsune Miku-themed Android tablet will go on sale starting April 15. The illustrations featured on the case as well the 50 pre-installed wallpapers (all are original illustrations) were drawn by Takumi Torigoe and other artists. A navigation app featuring the voice of Saki Fujita is also included.

Specs and other features of the Hatsune Miku Android Tablet:

• 7-inch touchscreen tablet – 800 x 480 liquid crystal screen
• OS: Android 4.0
• Memory: 512 MB
• Storage: 8 GB (up to 32 GB of expandable memory)
• Wireless connectivity
• Camera: 2 MP
• Slots: microSD card, Mini HDMI and USB
• FM transmitter
• Earphone jack
• FM transmitter

This tablet package includes an AC adapter, USB cable, SAGA cable, a stand and a pedestal. It has approximately 4.5 hours of battery life.

The Hatsune Miku Tablet Navi starring Saki Fujita is priced at 39,800 JPY (Approx. 405.83 AUD). Pre-orders for this gadget has commenced.

Sources: SGcafe, mon0r and RWC site

Wait!! What if... we make an anime about blood types!

Ketsuekigata-kun!, the manga about anthropomorphized blood types, is inspiring a television anime that will premiere on April 7. In Japan, some people believe that blood types are linked to personalities; to them, people with Type A blood are reliable, Type B blood signifies passionate people, Type O blood indicates those with an independent streak, and Type AB people are capricious.

A creator who goes by the pen name "Real Crazy Man" has been drawing manga that takes these blood-type personalities and turn them into characters. Popular voice actors Jun Fukuyama, Yūichi Nakamura, Akira Ishida, and Tetsuya Kakihara will play Types A, B, O, and AB, respectively, in the anime.

Yoshihisa Oyama (director of photography on Aku no Hana, Say "I love you".) is helming the anime at the studios Assez Finaud Fabric. and feel. Kenichi Yamashita (Ishida and Asakura, Yumeiro Pâtissière) is writing the scripts, and Dax Production is charge of sound. Earth Star Entertainment published three manga volumes by "Real Crazy Man" since last July.

Source: ANN

What if...we make an anime about swimming!

The current buzz of (female otakus in) anime forums is "What's that new swimming anime by KyoAni about?" - Who cares, there's 4 hot, half-naked guys splashing themselves with water, what more could fangirls ask for?

During the latest episode of Tamako Market, a short ad by KyoAni subsidiary Animation Do presented short promo ad featuring a bit of eye candy for the female viewers.

No doubt this will be another huge hit when it finally gets released. Also see here for how terrible wonderful the fandom has already been.

Pumpkin's Palette: Happy 1000 Posts!

I got a new white board, and it's time to celebrate another milestone.

PSotD - Try

It's been a while since I last posted a song and today I'm recommending not a Japanese song (!wow) but an English rock song. I find the lyrics of this song very inspirational and I respect the artist for all that's she's done in her career.

Title: Try

Artist: P!nk
Year: 2012

Notes: The interpretive dance is also amazing!
Favourite part of the lyrics:

Where there is desire
There is gonna be a flame,
Where there is a flame
Someone's bound to get burned,
But just because it burns
Doesn't mean you're gonna die.
You've gotta get up and try, and try, and try.

DDL: 

Lucky Star Spinoff Miyakawa-ke no Kūfuku's Staff, Singers Partly Revealed

The official website for the anime adaptation of Kagami Yoshimizu's Lucky Star spinoff manga Miyakawa-ke no Kuufuku (The Miyakawa Family's Hunger) announced the staff and theme song performers on Friday.

Yutaka Yamamoto or "Yamakan" (Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens, episodes of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Lucky Star) is directing the anime at his studio Ordet and Encourage Films. Takeshi Yasuda and Hiroaki Takeuchi planned and developed the project in collaboration with Touyou Ikeda. Touko Machida (Lucky Star, The IDOLM@STER) is overseeing the series scripts, and Mamoru Ikeya designed the characters.

Ken'ichi Maeyamada (songs in Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts , Nichijou - My Ordinary Life, Bodacious Space Pirates) is composing the music. While the cast has not been announced, the opening theme song "Kachigumi" is credited to the characters Konata Izumi and Kagami Hiiragi. Similarly, the ending theme song "Makegumi" is credited to Hinata and Hikage Miyakawa.

The original manga is based on the Lucky Star Moe Drill game series. It centers around big sister Hinata Miyakawa and little sister Hikage Miyakawa's impoverished daily life at home (due to Hinata's wasteful habits) and Hikage's life at elementary school.

The anime will stream on the Ustream service this spring. The anime's website previews the designs and the two sisters' profiles. It also presented the wooden ema prayer plaque, hung in offering at Washinomiya Shrine, that revealed the anime on New Year's Eve last year. The ema already listed Yamamoto next to Yoshimizu's sketch.

Source: ANN

ORANGE RANGE Announces First New Single In 4 Years

ORANGE RANGE has announced that they will releasing a new single, "Oboro na Ageha / Moshimo", on April 17th.

The band's upcoming single will be its first new single in nearly 4 years. Their last single, "Hitomi no Saki ni", was released on July 8th, 2009.

The single release announcement was made during the band's Tokyo performance of their nationwide tour in front of an audience of 2,700 people who immediately began screaming in excitement at their announcement.

"Oboro na Ageha" will be an upbeat song with quick, deep beats. The song was composed by the band's bassist, YOH. "Moshimo" will be a slower-paced love song composed by the band's guitarist, NAOTO.

The double A-side single will come in a regular edition and a limited edition. The limited edition version will include 3 extra tracks, all of which are live recordings from their tour "ORANGE RANGE LIVE TOUR 012 ~NEO POP STANDARD~".

Check out the single's track list and covers below:

Regular Edition

1. Oboro na Ageha

2. Moshimo

3. Tonari no Josephine

Limited Edition

1. Oboro na Ageha

2. Moshimo

3. Tonari no Josephine

4. Restart

5. Hello Sunshine Hello Future

6. Baby Baby

Source: jpopasia

ONE OK ROCK releases PV for “Clock Strikes”

ONE OK ROCK has released the PV for their new song, “Clock Strikes“, through their official YouTube channel.

“Clock Strikes” is one of the tracks off of ONE OK ROCK’s upcoming album, “Jinsei Kakete Boku wa“, that’s slated for release on March 6th. Check out the PV below!

Source: Tokyohive