Yuruppy is a word that may sound strange, but in the context of a toy, perhaps not so strange. If you know what Tamagochi then learning about another new word is not problem. Yuruppy is a virtual pet toy for the people who are allergic to real animals, but want to experience what it is like of taking care of a feline or furry companion. Unlike Tamagochi though, your Yuruppy friend won’t die, when you are away from it for hours. Read more…
From the company that brought the world Infinity Online, Rusty Hearts is a Korean translated MMORPG for gamers to consume. This online video game is currently available as a Closed Beta Phase 2 testing format, so interested players can sign up to test this game out.
Players get to complete dungeon crawling missions on racking up skills with killing monsters and fulfilling quests. This game is accomplished by brawling and long hours of grinding to achieve the statistics needed to beat the dungeons. Players can choose between a party of four characters as it is shown from the screencap above. However during the beta period, only three can be chosen to test.
Gameplay and dungeon crawling time can only level one character at a time. However you can earn items and accessories that is suitable for other characters not being played. It is still in development, but later in the game, there are options and missions to customize your characters in unique fashion or gears they have. The potential for lol moments in obtaining cardboard boxes is something to be seen and wait for.
This game is similar to other online MMO’s in terms of a having a typical village and then sites (dungeons) to complete missions. As the screencap indicates, dungeons are separated by stages and monsters. There has been some comparison made to Castlevania. The scenery, mood, monsters and background music make both game setting similar. What also makes Rusty Heart an appealing game to play is the familiar anime styled character design and intense graphics or fighting sequences that can be seen if executed correctly. Players can choose between using a gamers controller pad or a computer keyboard, options can allow for easy customization. There is an established community in the forum and Facebook.
If your eyes can handle it, there is a 3D option to experience. This is the norm in gaming, your eyes popping out due to the intense graphics. Though if your eyes can’t handle this excitement,there is the option to turn to 3D off just as a Nintendo 3DS has a switch. The screencap above shows a battle scene with 3D turned off. Imagine Rusty Hearts as a game to be experienced if you are a gamer who enjoys developing characters, and get involve a world where there is a larger community.
Posted by Linda Yau on Jul 25, 2011 in Comic Books
In the past one of the problems with ebook readers is that it’s difficult to read small text, and this has made it difficult to read graphic novels from the print world. However today with the iPad and similar devices new worlds have opened up for graphic novels fans. Many established companies like Viz and Dark Horse have jumped onto this bandwagon, but now outsider companies from abroad are joining these ranks. Read more…
Toward the last weekend in the month of June in New York City, the annual Origami USA convention took place. Occurring since 1962, Origami USA is a convention for paper folders and enthusiasts alike. This year’s guest of honor was Toshikazu Kawasaki who is world famous among paper folders for creating what is known as the Kawasaki Rose, a particular life like rose formed from a grid and a series of turns. The image above is from Herng Yi Cheung, a folder from Singapore while the image below is an example from Mr. Kawasaki himself. Read more…
A few years back when I began my first blog another blogger commented on a post I wrote. I followed back, and I became a reader of his own blog. Kitsune of Kitsune Thought’s, what I always appreciate are intelligent content, and comments, so to my knowledge Kitsune has been a great person to talk to via blog comments. Here’s my interview: Read more…
The first time I believe I heard about Ed Sizemore was on the Manga Movable Feast for Mushishi, then on Twitter, and subsequently on the con scene. Of course from those interactions, I started to pay attention to his activity on the internet, and he is pretty busy, involved with ComicsWorth Reading and other sites. As I was tapped to interview anime/manga bloggers on the web, I definitely wanted to included Ed in the schedule, so here via an email interview are his thoughts to my questions. Read more…
Fans can exist not just in the United States, but just about anywhere in the world. Take for instance this week’s blogger interview with Lissa Pattillo, our neighbor up north in friendly Canada! Okay corny geography jokes aside, Lissa runs a very nice guide to manga news and reviews via Kuriosity. She is involved in way more websites than Kuriosity, and I will leave it for you to read under the cut. So I have notice/lurked her site from her interaction with the defunct Boys on Boys on Film website. She provides the fact that irregardless of geography, reading and love for manga has no boarders! Read more…
With the many blogs that I have encounter searching for great graphic novel recommendations, one of them is Kate Dacey of The Manga Critic. To my knowledge she had became a fan of graphic novels as an adult, and therefore provides a pretty interesting perspective from her reviews. She provides insightful responses from her email interview, to which I am quite pleased to include under the cut. Read more…
Posted by Linda Yau on May 23, 2011 in Comic Books
Aside from the ocean, the outer space is considered to be one of the last frontiers to be explored. Neil Armstrong was quoted when he stepped on the moon: “This is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” The outer space is still a hope of many to be explored, and this is a theme for the series of Twin Spica. Read more…
Posted by Linda Yau on May 16, 2011 in Comic Books
In a life time, a quarter life is a milestone and put this in the context of Viz Media, who just so happens to be celebrating 25 years of being in business this upcoming year. Does it call for a celebration or what? The American manga industry has been having stormy weather recently, so for manga fans, knowing that Viz Media’s age is actually a positive one. Read more…
Above: Rica ‘tte Kanji!? really proved to an American audience that manga didn’t have to be about magical girls or robots, but could tell personal stories about the real world. Currently an Rica ‘tte Kanji!? Omnibus is being produced.
When you are around manga and graphic novels a lot, one voice or genre might pop up, and that is the alternative press of gay and lesbian that is quite popular among readers and fans. You don’t have to even be a fan for this genre, but be open minded to know that it is there. Within the past couple of weeks, there has been an issue of censorship in graphic novels on Amazon Kindle. So this week we are happy to have an email interview with ALC Publishing and Yuricon founder Erica Friedman. Erica’s blog is called Okazu which are the wonderful Japanese bread with savory fillings. Read more…
Recently I was at Anime Boston, and met an interesting cosplayer with a rich in potassium banana. I also definitely attended panels hosted by this person of interest. Meet Charles Dunbar aka Anime Antropologiest of Study of Anime. From the time I have met him to now, his panels at conventions will pack rooms. This is a scholar that has made my appreciation toward anime more interesting and academic in a sense that is away from the college environment. I hope to see more of this man speak, so I happened to be able to conduct an email interview with him. Read more…
The 80s were the age of ironic post-punk bands and Reagan conservatism — yet for a generation of young girls this was the decade of cartoon characters who really embraced the rainbow as their “true colors”. Of course many of these candy colored epics were in fact designed to sell toys, but all these years later that doesn’t remove the now seemingly innocent of these shows. So here’s our list of our favorite girl shows from the 80s: Read more…
The path to success for an American manga publishing company is to find the next big thing, license it and attract a readership. And since 2006 Yen Press has been doing this by continuing to experiment and cease the initiate to do innovative work. Now that Tokyopop has passed away, here are a few reasons why I think Yen is one of the leading lights for manga in America: Read more…
There are a lot of people that can call themselves an otaku, but branding, up to designing a personal mascot is definitely something that can be done if a person is quite serious about this niche hobby. Meet Otaku Dan, a blogger who I know who has one cool mascot, and interesting blog entries to share. Here are some of his opinions, and thoughts from an email interview. Read more…
Posted by Linda Yau on Apr 18, 2011 in Comic Books
In a time before the iPad, or the streaming wonders of the internet and back in the late 90’s, there was Mixxzine later to be known as Tokyopop. At the end of last week, news broke out regarding about Tokyopop closing shop on American soil. This probably is a shock to many fans, and there are still questions about what would inevitably happen to their unfinished licenses. Things have not been looking great for Tokoyopop this year, so take this closure with a grain of salt. Consider the good and the influence that this company had generated for the field of manga and graphic novels. Read more…
As you can see from all of the nin-dogs surrounding Kakashi, dogs are known as “man’s best friend” — and as such they’re very well represented in anime and manga from Japan. Here’s a list of some of our all time favorites: Read more…
Anime and Manga Fans have been recently, and still consistently aware of what has been happening over in Japan. So when the there was a 24-hour podcast marathon, Tony Yao was part of the line up. Recently I got the opportunity to conduct an e-mail interview with Tony Yao of Manga Therapy: Where Psychology & Manga Meet. He was upfront about his experiences, so this interview may or may not have been what you have experienced. He is a fan as well as a multi-site blogger to keep an eye out for. Read more…
Cats, cats, cats… you can be allergic to them in real life, but what about an animated or a drawn version cats, either in the form of mascots or characters? Take a look at this selection of cats, and be prepared to be a gooey puddle at the end. Shown above is Nekobus from My Neighbor Totoro — and here are a few of our other favorites: Read more…
Twitter as a social medium, is conversation or line of thoughts in 140 characters or less. It has taken the world by storm, since its inception in 2006. In this past year, it has made its availability to other countries, creating a global community. Twitter has become a valuable tool in communication for Japan crisis awareness to other parts of the world. When nearly all lines of normal communication became compromised, Twitter was useful with just a cell phone or a computer, and an internet connection. There currently is a #quakebook that has began, because of Twitter. Read more…
CLAMP as manga creators has had phenomenal success and a large following of anime and manga fans around the world. For some fans, their passion with the Japanese animation began with watching a CLAMP title. CLAMP works did have origins in manga though. As a team of female mangaka/creator, they began during the 1980’s as a doujinshi/comic group. They are still currently actively with creating more series that is bound to be picked up by American publishers. Dark Horse has been acquiring and re-publishing some of their works in omnibuses. Read more…
Whether it is cries of fear or sadness, or maybe even of laughter. Vampires have been a continuing viable market that ensnares people to follow the stories of these tormented immortal individuals. In graphic novels or manga, there are memorable vampires-type characters that left an impression with its fans and viewers. Read more…
Posted by Linda Yau on Mar 28, 2011 in Comic Books
Since 1909 Kodansha has been an influential publisher with titles that are beloved to Japanese fans for generations — however it’s only recently that they’ve set out to make their name in America. Their blockbuster titles include Akira, Oh My Goddess, Card Captor Sakura and Ghost in the Shell to just name a few. Up until this point Kodansha have released their titles through Random House’s imprint of Del Rey, but now they’re ready to make their own name. Here are nine Kodansha titles worth getting to know (some of which you may already know): Read more…
The image of a vampire licking their blood stain lips after feeding, or bearing their fangs may or may not send a shiver up your spine, but for viewers these are possibly a quintessential appearance of a vampire. Vampires was first mentioned in literature around the 1700’s, but until Bran Stroker’s Dracula was published around 1897, the other vampire works weren’t as definitive or influential. Now the usage of vampires is a very common tool. Viewers can easily see vampires in contemporary series like Twilight, True Blood, or The Vampire Diaries. But consider these vampires in three different categories, Movies; Television; Comics, and see if you want to be bitten, if they have their focuses on you. Read more…
