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Yoshikitty Wins #1 Spot Again in Sanrio’s Character Ranking

12 Jun

The results of the prestigious “2021 Sanrio Character Ranking Contest” were announced mid last week, and Yoshikitty has again captured the hearts of anime fans globally, claiming the number one spot in four countries: Italy, Germany, France, and Thailand. Inspired by the leader of the biggest rock band in Japanese history, X Japan, Yoshikitty not only has loyal anime fans, but also the passionate fan base of international icon Yoshiki backing them to the top.

The contest brings together the most popular Sanrio characters, with Yoshikitty having earned a top 10 ranking in the contest every year since 2015. This year, Yoshikitty placed 11th overall in a stiff competition against the likes of beloved anime characters Pom Pom Purin and Cinnamoroll. During the official event, which was broadcast online this year due to the ongoing pandemic, Yoshiki made a special guest appearance to express his gratitude to the fans who supported Yoshikitty.

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Where to Find Studio4°C’s Children of the Sea in the USA

10 Jun

Poster image for Children of the SeaPlease visit the official website to find a screening near you.

Children of the Sea is the latest feature from Japan’s STUDIO4°C (known for Tekkonkinkreet, MFKZ, Mind Game, Animatrix, Batman: Gotham Knight, and others) that’s now crossed the ocean and is screening in theatres across the United States. Screenings in other countries are coming, and it’s just a matter of patience.

This highly anticipated movie is directed by Ayumu Watanabe. Longtime Studio Ghibli collaborator Joe Hisaishi (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro) has composed the soundtrack. Children Of The Sea is adapted from the manga of the same name by author Daisuke Igarashi, which won the Excellence Prize at the Japan Media Arts Festival.

Plot Synopsis:

When Ruka was younger, she saw a ghost in the water at the aquarium where her dad works. Now she feels drawn toward the aquarium and the two mysterious boys she meets there, Umi and Sora. They were raised by dugongs and hear the same strange calls from the sea as she does. Ruka’s dad and the other adults who work at the aquarium are only distantly aware of what the children are experiencing as they get caught up in the mystery of the worldwide disappearance of the oceans’ fish.

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The Details on Zoop, A New Crowdfunding Platform for Comic Book Creators!

7 Jun

Zoop LogoBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Visit the website here.

There’s a new crowdfunding platform called Zoop which is specifically tailored for comic book creators to get their works published in a timely manner. This alternative is now live and one of the first books to be featured is Slow City Blues, an Indiana Jones-style action adventure with Who Framed Roger Rabbit-esque insanity to boot! This series will run for five issues and features the talents of Samuel Haine (creator), Shawn Moll (Black Panther), John Livesay (The Flash) and David Baron (JLA) with many cover artists contributing. This title has been years in the making and many fans, myself included, is excited to see this hit the stretch!

The people behind this platform plan to start with a curated site featuring notable creators with “original” ideas they want to get published. Sometimes the big names aren’t interested for one reason or another. I’m glad the independent scene have options. It used to be with the big two–Kickstarter and Indiegogo–but sometimes these entities don’t step in when problems arise and the fans are mad. They also take a considerable cut and the creators don’t earn the money they deserve. I’m more hesitant these days because of this fact and most have delivered despite personal health or other issues preventing delivery. Tech goods are a different beast altogether as sometimes these ideas and those people disappear, taking away the money of those supporters and there’s little recourse.

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Love Studio Laika? Details on the Studios Edition Rerelease for Fall/Winter 2021!

2 Jun

Studio Laika – Molding Life into Stop-Motion AnimationFans of Studio Laika’s movies will be facing a tough decision, whether to upgrade their current sets for the latest, which includes some new material for the budding animator to view.

Four films will receive new high-definition releases this fall when Coraline (LAIKA Studios Edition) and The Boxtrolls (LAIKA Studios Edition) are released on August 31, and ParaNorman (LAIKA Studios Edition) and Kubo and the Two Strings (LAIKA Studios Edition) are released on September 14 by lauded animation studio LAIKA and multi-platform entertainment distributor Shout! Factory.

The Blu-ray™+DVD combos are loaded with exciting new special features, including “Inside LAIKA interviews with the studio’s animation team”, Never-Before-Seen Animation Test Footage, and Feature-Length Storyboards for each of the films. All four films were nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Animated Film.

Along with digitally remastered editions of the films, new and existing bonus features, and new, collectible packaging, the LAIKA Studios Editions feature insightful, commemorative new essays by esteemed journalists Peter Debruge (Variety), Ramin Zahed (Animation Magazine), Bill Desowitz (Indiewire) and Charles Solomon (author and former Los Angeles Times critic).

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The Deets on Transformers the Movie 35th Anniversary 4K Edition

25 May

transformersmoviesteelShout! Factory and eOne

Release Dates:
Aug 3, 2021 (Limited Edition Steelbook)
Sept 28, 2021 (UHD+Blu-ray & Blu-ray+DVD combo)

Transformers The Movie is almost 35 years old, and unlike the video games which shows the warring Cybertronians looking dirty and with battle scars, the restoration of the film will be crisp and shiny.  This work has been meticulously re-restored from a cleaner-than-ever, brand-new 4K transfer of the original 35mm film elements and even better for this home video release is the choice of which edition to pick up!

Beloved by legions of fans, this full-length animated adventure boasts the voice talent of Orson Welles in his final voice acting role and an all-star voice cast that includes Peter Cullen, Eric Idle, Casey Kasem, Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Stack and Frank Welker.

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