June 2019 | Otaku No Culture |

Stay Awhile at Okko’s Inn, Everybody is Welcome!

Both versions of Okko’s Inn are based on a 20 volume series by Hiroko Reiji, and to say which is better isn’t fair.

Okko's Inn Blu-ray Case — Available for order on Amazon USA

Release Date: July 2, 2019
GKIDs & Shout! Factory

Plenty of memories exists in Okko’s Inn, the animated adaptation of the novel 若おかみは小学生！This anime offers a lot of interpersonal drama for the titular character and it often comes across in a slice of life style narrative than anything else.

She is an innkeeper in training. At a young age, she has a lot to deal with. After a car accident which killed her parents, to which she miraculously survived, she is off to live with grandma and play with ghosts. These spirits are friendly, if not a little mischievous.

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Men in Black International. Just how Bad Are They?

* Spoiler Alert

The Men in Black movies are a far cry from the comic books it takes inspiration from, and even then, it was a limited series. The folklore about them was far more sinister, and perhaps unintentionally, Men in Black International is a return to form. Bounty Hunters are sent to Earth to retrieve an item a visiting royal delegate has, and all heck breaks loose when this alien dies. Plus, a conspiracy is afoot!

Like Roswell Conspiracies, the animated series, not everyone wants to be part of the MiB organization. For those that are, they take the job either rather too seriously or not enough. It seems this film has taken a few cues from this cartoon, and unlike the MiB animated series set in a different universe altogether, the humour offered is a mixed bag.

As the film begins, Molly (Tessa Thompson) befriends an alien and never got neuralized. That is, she did not get her memories erased whereas her parents did. Flash forward ten or so years, she’s all grown up and is a bright but underappreciated tech support worker while on the hunt for them. Unfortunately, she doesn’t know what she’s getting into and the focus is on her than the cast of charming male leads.

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What’s Michael? Omnibus Collection is the Cat’s Meow!

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

In 1997, What’s Michael? arrived at Dark Horse Comics with its very first English translation. Now, the New York Library Award series returns to print with its first-ever English collection in What’s Michael? Fatcat Collection Volume 1!

Cat enthusiasts like me can do the mamba and rejoice at this edition. Finding the separate volumes which collected the original print runs in Super Manga Blast! are not too hard to find but the original pulp magazines are. Suffice to say, I loved this fat cat.

He is Japan’s answer to Garfield, Heathcliff, and Krazy Kat all rolled into one!

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Vancouver Retro Gaming Expo 2019 Report

There was lots to classic and collectable products to admire (or buy) at the Vancouver Retro Gaming Expo. But there’s more to find, for those willing to mine for it!

It’s very rare that I get to ply my video game handle at a show. When the days of Golden (and Silver Age) gaming meets modern arts at the Vancouver Retro Gaming Expo, I’m in the zone. This event was held on June 22, 2019. It’s now in its eighth year. Tournaments, music performances, and panels make up most of this one-day show. and its present location includes a New Media Gallery.

To have this exhibition in the middle of a sprawling metropolis, the municipality of New Westminster is the right spot to locate this show. The Anvil Center is the center of a nice hub where the Fraser River cuts through. Food and the arts are nearby. On a beautiful sunny day, this neighbourhood is a nice place to explore. Those wanting a history lesson of the area will get more than one since the area includes three nearby museums.

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Beware the Fists of ‘Furie’

Furie Blu-Ray + DVD Cover — Available to purchase on Amazon

Release Date: June 25, 2019
WELL GO USA

Spoiler Alert

When a young girl gets kidnapped and mom is nearby, hell hath no Furie than a woman scorned. This idiom gets an all new meaning in this movie starring Veronica Ngo. She appeared in The Tailor (2017) and had a supporting role in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. She shines as a tough as nails ex-gang member wanting a simple life in the countryside of Vietnam but has to be John Wick.

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Franchise Based Augmented Reality Games to Play or not…

Niantic's Pokémon GO still tops the list — Niantic’s Pokemon GO still tops the list

More tablet/smartphone-based Augmented Reality games based on popular franchise are being made every day for those fans to play. While the technology is still at its infancy (i.e. requiring you to stare at a screen than the world), smart glasses is still not a thing and neuro interfaces are not likely to arrive soon. They are fun diversions to pass the time with. Unless noted, these games are available for both iOS and Android.

In no particular order:

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