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[G-man] My friend Jimbo

post from Riuva : Research Institute for Unicultural Visual Arts on 13 April 2008 09:45:57 PM. © Riuva : Research Institute for Unicultural Visual Arts

Okay, what I’m about to tell you is a hundred percent true! I have a friend named Jimbo who exclusively dates pretty women. Now, if that wasn’t amazing enough, not only does he dates pretty women but he treats them like trash on a regular basis. Let me if you guys an example of what [...]

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Welcome Back, Lovely Hanazawa Kana!

post from Riuva : Research Institute for Unicultural Visual Arts on 13 April 2008 01:57:23 PM. © Riuva : Research Institute for Unicultural Visual Arts

Everyone knows the bestest best seiyuu in the whole wide world, including Mars and Venus, is the delectably cute Hanazawa "Kyoooorrrrr-chan" Kana right? If you were not aware of this fact, do take note right now. Also, if you fucking google her name, MY SITE COMES IN SECOND PLACE. This shows that Riuva is awesome.It [...]

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Toshokan Sensou (Library War) Episode 1 - My
Prince Is In The Library Force

post from Cinnamon Ass on 13 April 2008 12:15:00 PM. © Cinnamon Ass

OP - Watashi no Machi, Ashita no Machi (Hitomi Takahashi) - pleasantly acoustic song, fuzzy show footage visuals. ’salright, I guess.

ED - changes (Base Ball Bear) - what do you reckon a Base Ball Bear does? Is it some kind of mascot? Anyway, another pleasantly acoustic song, this time with running and flying - I wonder why the ED gets a proper animation and not the OP?

In the near future Japan has passed a Media Improvement Law to crack down on undesirable media materials such as gossip (and, it appears, the Japanese equivalent of Maxim). However, because the Japanese government are apparently complete idiots, libraries are free from these restrictions and can hold whatever they like - presumably they import all their porn from overseas or something. Regardless, this mildly ridiculous conflict has escalated over 30 years into all-out war between the two factions, with the Media Improvement Agency apparently deeming children’s fantasy stories to be worthy of censorship and stealing from small babies and thus they are EVIL.

(can you tell that I might have had a slight bit of difficulty suspending my disbelief about the premise of Toshokan Sensou?)

Anyway - when she was in high school Iku Kasahara was saved from nasty Media Improvement agents accusing her of shoplifting by a mysterious member of one of the Library groups. Now she aspires to join the Library Force (although without really telling her parents what she’s doing) and is training for warfare under her grouchy, short instructor Atsushi. A skilled martial artist, Iku lacks concentration as is seen when she tackles a horny otaku that tries to stab her in the toilet and Atsushi has to bail her out; after a crisis of confidence, Iku’s force of character when foolishly trying to protect a little girl’s picture book obviously somehow endears her to Atsushi as she finds out she is being transferred to the front line Library Force from training.

I don’t mean to sound quite so snippy, as there’s an awful lot to like about Toshokan Sensou. The character designs, particularly their bold linework, are attractive; the main characters are likeable, interesting and not overly exaggerated; the animation is solid and the music is rather nice in places. I just have great difficulty in buying the idea that such a ridiculous situation would arise in a show that is played (aside from the rather well done SD sequences) entirely naturalistically. The Media Information Agency are cardboard cut-out villains stealing harmless books from children for no apparent reason, and the desperation of one sweaty geek to cut out a centrefold from a magazine feels laughable rather than a sign of how desperate the times are. If the Media Information Agency were suppressing interesting information (and I suppose they may well be) it might be a more intriguing setup, but books about snails are hardly going to give rise to sedition from the masses, are they?

I don’t think it helps that I really, REALLY don’t like shows that deal with the military. I have some kind of mental block about the armed forces in entertainment; I suppose I had better turn in my man card now, but guns bore me senseless and the mere sight of someone dressed in camo is enough to put me to sleep. As it is, this show doesn’t have the “Noitamina feel” to it - apart from the relatively muted characterisation I can’t see why this would attract anyone that doesn’t normally watch anime to it.

I am willing to give this show the benefit of the doubt as I think the characters are interesting (although if the relationship between Iku and Atsushi ends up turning into the usual screaming-harpy-woman-and-dense-man situation I will claw my own face off to escape the pain) and the production is solid, and I think there is more to be done with the premise than has been hinted here, but at the moment I’m a little wary of Toshokan Sensou.

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http://www.ass-no-ryu.com/animeblog/?p=1099

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Anime Blog Awards Nominations: The Post

post from BasuGasuBakuhatsu Anime Blog on 13 April 2008 11:37:03 AM. © BasuGasuBakuhatsu Anime Blog

It's true that I had some initial misgivings about the Anime Blog Awards. But I think they're probably on the right track to doing something good for the community. So here's my me-too post about why I nominated the blogs that I nominated. Also, Impz, I think this is my official sponsorship announcement for BGB and Anime Nano for the ABA. I'm Hung Truong and I approve this message.

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http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Basugasubakuhatsu/~3/269490865/

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Code Geass R2 02

post from Kurogane's Anime Blog on 13 April 2008 11:22:25 AM. © Kurogane's Anime Blog

Bang! Bang! Boom! Boom!Flashy episode, many revelations.©2008 Kurogane's Anime Blog. All Rights Reserved..

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http://kurogane.animeblogger.net/2008/04/13/code-geass-r2-02/

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Kamen no Maid Guy 01

post from Sea Slugs! Anime Blog on 13 April 2008 09:00:10 AM. © Sea Slugs! Anime Blog

Summary:After Fujiwara Naeka defeats some poor scrub with a headshot in her kendo match, we see that her fat little brother Kousuke is in the newly constructed luxury box with her rich pudgy grandfather, Zenjuro. Zenjuro has hired two maids to come live with the siblings, as their house is absolutely filthy. Or, [...]

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Figure Review: Max Factorys
LOLFANGTANNYORONSMOKECHEESE TSURUYA

post from Riuva : Research Institute for Unicultural Visual Arts on 13 April 2008 04:58:54 AM. © Riuva : Research Institute for Unicultural Visual Arts

We have not missed in reviewing even a single figure from Max Factory’s Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi series, and the latest one released in February 2008, Tsuruya-san, is no exception. We just have to have this little beauty! For the first time, these review pics were taken by the on-loan D40. Tsuruya-san is an anomaly [...]

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http://www.riuva.com/?p=1056

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