Vampire Manga

Considering the rise of the vampire genre in fiction, here's some manga titles that might pique the interest of paranormal fans:

Rosario Vampire by Akihisa Ikeda

Chibi Vampire by Yuna Kagesaki

Petshop of Horrors by Matsuri Akino

Vampire Knight by Matsuri Hino

PHD: Phantasy Degree by Son Hee-Joon

Kanpai by Maki Murakami

Mass Effect 3 Teaser

Being the Mass Effect fan that I am, I thought I might share the teaser released for the final installment of the trilogy:





This trailer was shown along with the teasers for Mortal Kombat, Uncharted 3, Batman: Arkham City, Oblivion: Skyrim and other various goodies and previews at the Spike Video Game Awards.

It looks like 2011 was going to be a great year for video games.

All the best,

Jess

Every Anime Opening Ever

Melvin has once again sent me an awesome video he found here.
The following video is a collection of anime openings showcasing the repeated use of the same imagery.





Watching this video really does make one realize how many anime openings use the same images. It's quite hilarious actually. It's also fun so see how many anime openings you can identify through the short opening clips. Have fun.

All the best,

Jess

University of Toronto Anime and Manga Association

Since some people showed an interest in knowing more about university manga clubs, I thought I'd give you guys the link to the U of T club I am a member of: UTAMA.

This club is a great place to meet people and make friends. I've met some of my best friends through this club. They have monthly meetings, and a variety of group outings and events throughout the year. The forums are also a great place to interact. Even if you don't plan on going to U of T, I'd check out/join the forums if you want a good place to interact with fans and discuss a variety of topics (there's more then just manga and anime out there too).

All the best,

Jess

Wanted: Magical School Girl. Costume Change Required

For those of you who are fans of magical school girls and costume changes, here's some suggestions for you:

Magic Knight Rayearth by CLAMP

Zodiac P.I by Natsumi Ando

Kamizaki Kaito Jeanne by Arina Tanemura

Card Captor Sakura by CLAMP

Wedding Peach by Nao Yazawa

Pixie Pop by Ema Toyama

Revolutionary Girl Utena by Chiho Saito

Tokyo Mew Mew by Reiko Yoshida and Mia Ikumi


Enjoy,

Jess

The Japanese RPG Formula

Melivin has once again sent me a link made of pure win.
Follow this link to a highly hilarious flow chart following the standard battles and story arches that are prominent in every Japanese RPG. Just click on the link bellow the image to expand the chart.
Seriously, check it out. Any self respecting RPG fan wil LOL.

All the best,

Jess

Courtneypark After School Drop-in

Courtneypark will be starting an after school drop-in as of Wednesday, October 6th. The program will run Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 2:30-4:30p in the Coutneypark Program Room.
They will be organizing a Rockband Tournament for Thursday October 28th and there are some plans to prehaps have some guest speakers come in.
Check it out if you have the time or need a place to hang out after school between CAMC meetings.

All the best,

Jess

Elusive Shiny Ponyta Found

For those of you who may not know, 'shiny' pokemon are pokemon of an alternate colour that can be found in Gold/Silver onwards - though the chances of finding one are 1 in 1,892. I personally thought these pokemon were pretty much a myth until Melvin directed me to this link.
One player has manged to find a shiny Ponyta after only 25,968 encounters (and 133 hours of play)! I like Pokemon but I don't think I can put that much time into getting a shiny pokemon.
Check out the above link for details and video.

Have any of you folks ever found one of these rare pokemon?

All the best,

Jess

Sailor Moon Bento Box

Check out this link Melvin sent me! [link] OMG!

P.S. Is anyone else hungry?

All the best,

Jess

DmC:Reboot Trailer

So fans of Devil May Cry may or may not know there is a new game coming out for PS3 and X-Box. If not, here's the trailer for you.

Myself, I've never played any of the games. After watching the trailer, I find myself intrigued
However, I know fans of the game are quite upset over it. From what I can gather this is the first enstalment of an entire reboot of the series. This means an entire new look for Dante and a new direction for the series.

My advcie for fans is to wait to pass your judgment until once you actually play the game. You might find you'll like it.

Myself? I think I might take a whack at it.

All the best,
Jess

Dragon Age II

Dragon Age: Origins was the first Bioware game I'd ever played and I instantly fell in love with it. I have never seen such a seamless mix of storyline, characterization, and game play. Never have I been in so much control of the game I am playing. That, and it has excellent replay value.
So you can imagine I was quite excited to see Bioware release the trailer to sequel: Dragon Age II.



They have changed some things this time around.Dragon Age II centers around the main character named Hawke, a human known to be a survivor from the Blight and the Champion of Kirkwall, who rises to power throughout the story. The story takes place over a decade throughout the game and the player writes the history that will change the world forever. Unlike Dragon Age: Origins, the main character's race cannot be changed; however, the gender and class can be modified. Hawke will be fully voiced and a dialogue wheel will be introduced (fans of Mass Effect will be familiar with this). While you cannot play as your character from DA:O, the choices you made in the first game will effect the story line in DA2.

I'm a little sad I won't be able to play as my Warden from DA:O, but I understand that the Dragon Age series is more about the world your in, rather than the character (unlike ME).Part of me is also little apprehensive about implementing features form Mass Effect in Dragon Age, but I'll wait and see before I pass any judgment.

All the best,

Jess

Ultimate Otaku Challenge Pic

hitsukuya of deviantart has put forth an interesting challenge. Hidden in this picture is a little more than 50 items that correspond to an anime, manga or game. To prove that you are the Ultimate Otaku, it’s your job to identify 50 items and their corresponding anime/manga/game.

Here's the link to the original picture and here's the link to the answers.

I managed to get around 20 items correct from the top of my head; without the aid of Wiki and the like.

How well can you do?

Best of luck,

Jess

Michael Mirasol's Nausicaa Essay

Melvin has once again sent me an interesting link involving animator Hayao Miyazaki (creator of Studio Ghibli).
Head over here for an interesting essay and analysis (in both words and video) of Miyazaki's Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind.
As some of you may know, I'm a huge fan of Miyazaki, and anything singing his praises is more than welcome on this blog. The man is a story telling genius and he always advocates strong female heroines, as well as the importance of protecting the environment - two topics I find of great importance. I highly recommend any of his films - all of which we have in the library system. So go and check them out.

All the best,

Jess

Yen Plus Goes Online

For those of you who read the manga magazine Yen Plus, you might have (or not have) heard that it will be no longer be publishing in print. Instead, they will updating all their monthly manga chapters online exclusively. In simple terms, this means you will no longer be able to by a physically-printed-on-paper magazine starting September. In stead you will have to pay a small subscription fee to view the new chapters of manga, such as Maximum Rider and Pandora Hearts, online. Check out here for more info. Suffice to say, we will no longer have the magazine at the library.

I have mixed feelings about this whole affair. I like that they're being green, but I for one like have a physical magazine in my hands to read. Plus, a lot of people who bought the magazine are younger teens who don't have credit cards, and therefore can't pay the new subscription fee to view it online. Overall, I wish they hadn't decided to do this.

All the best,

Jess

Supper Effective: Pokemon Web Comic

Hey folks!

Vanessa just sent me the link to an awesome Pokemon web comic. From what I can gather of the few pages I've read, it cleverly makes fun of aspects of the game (such as the fact that Oak can't remember whether you're a boy or girl; or even his own grandson's name). It's quite funny and I suggest any fan or avid player of the game to go check it out.


All the best,

Jess

The Japanese Make Good Robots...

Are you a fan a mecha, cyborgs, or androids? If you are, you may finds the following manga titles an enticing read...


Mobile Suit Gundam 0079 by Kazuhisa Kondo

Neon Genisis Evangelion by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto

Chobits by CLAMP

Battle Angel Alita by Yukito Kishiro

Dr.Slump by Akira Toriyama

The Big O by Hitoshi Ariga

Absolute Boyfriend by Yu Watase

Astro Boy by Osamu Tezuka

Pimping Artists: River-bird

So after the epic failure that was The Last Airbender, I thought I would pimp put an artist that would but a smile on the faces of my fellow Avatards. River-bird is not only an avid Avatar fan, but she's also a dear friend of mine. She's actually the one who introduced me to the Gaang in the first place. The rest, as they say, is history.
If you're a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender, I highly suggest watching her, especially her epic fan comic Within the Circuit, an Avatar alternate reality where the story we know meshes with sci-fi and takes on a darker tone. I've been told what she's has in store for the characters, and it will blow away any Avatard's mind, so I suggest keeping an eye on the comic.
It's is fascinating to watch her art improve over the course of the comic, and it will only continue to get better.
So, please take a look and the links above.

Cheers,

Jess

Manga That Will Make Your Mouth Water...

Those of you who enjoy the hijinks and mayhem surrounding the culinary arts may find the following titles interesting:

Noodle Fighter Miki by Jun Sadogawa

Kitchen Princess by Natsumi Ando

Antique Bakery by Fumi Yoshinaga

Pixie Pop by Ema Toyama

Cafe Kichijouji de by Kyoko Negishi

Mixed Vegetables by Ayumi Komura


Cheers,

Jess

Ghibli Museum

Are any of you fans of Hayao Miyazaki ? You know, the mastermind behind Studio Ghibli, the animation studio that has produced classics such as Spirited Away, Ponyo, and Howl's Moving Castle?
Well, if you are, you might want to check out this BoingBoing article.

It seems that in a suburb of Tokyo you can find an entire museum dedicated to the works of Studio Ghibli. It is apperently very hands on (you can touch pretty much everything), and they have giant models and repilcas of props and characters.

They also appear to have English speaking tour guides, so if you ever find yourself in Tokyo, you may wish to head over and check it out!

Nintendo's 3DS

Now here's something you gamers might find interesting: Nintendo's newest handheld will come with 3D capabilities. And you won't even need any glasses! Check out this preview from E3 for some more info:

This new handheld will also have a 'background connectivity system', which can automatically seek and connect to wireless networks sending and downloading information in the background while in sleep mode or while playing a game. This connectivity system will also allow fellow 3DS owners to exchange and share content automatically in a 'Tag Mode' - similar to having a Pokewalker without having to wip it out each time you find someone else who has one.

Some of the games currently listed for release on the 3DS are:

Animal Crossing

Assasin's Creed: Lost Legacy

Kingdom Hearts 3D

Kid Icarus: Uprising

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

Paper Mario 3DS

Star Fox 64 3D

and many more. Just check out the 3DS page on Wiki.

Being an avid handheld gamer myself, the entire idea of this console is mind blowing. This is the future, people! Sony and Microsoft are going to have to bring their A-game if they want catch up to Nintendo at this season.

I don't know about you guys, but you'll proabaly find me lining up for the midnight release of this thing - and I don't do that unless I really want it.

Cheers,

Jess

Teen Read Awards

Here's something for those of you who read novels along side the usual heaping dose of manga.

Indigo is hosting the 1st annual Teen Read Awards, which allows teens to vote on the hottest characters, the dreamiest kisses, and even your fave read of the whole year. There are various categories to vote on and you can even win prizes along the way.

I highly suggest checking it out: not only for the chance at winning prizes, but you just might come across some interesting books you haven't read yet.

Check it out here.

The Last Airbender

For those of you who are fans of Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender, you might (or might not, in some cases) be happy to find out that the live action movie came out yesterday, July 1.

I have provided the trailer for those who are interested:




While I'm not trying to get my hopes up - due to the long running history of movie adaptions - the effects look amazing, and the kid playing Aang is adorable in my opinion. I guess I'll have to wait until I see the movie to lay down any judgement.

Edit: Okay, my verdict is in: not worth it. I found it painful to watch. It lacked humour, personality, and continuity. And that just an overall general verdict - I won't even get into fan mode and tell you what was done to my much beloved Nick series. The only thing I found good about this movie was the graphics and some of the action sequences. But overall, definitely not worth the $14 I paid to watch it in 3D. But if you have your heart set on watching it, I'm not stopping you. But really, do not watch it in 3D. The movie wasn't actually made for it; it's a waste of money.

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

I'm a fan of the Assassin's Creed game franchise, so I was quite excited to see the new trailer for the next game, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, released at the E3 conference the past week.
For those of you who are interested, here's the above-mentioned trailer.



The game is a direct-sequel to Assassin's Creed II and its story will take place shortly after the ending of the previous game, with Ezio returning as the main protagonist. It's the first game in the series to feature multiplayer mode. The game is set to be released on 16 November 2010.

Neighbours Night Out

Hey folks,

Join us for an evening full of fun, food, and friendship!
On Tuesday June 15th, 2010,6:30PM – 9:00PM, Courtneypark Branch Library will be holding a block party to promote crime prevention awareness through community building. Come on by for a variety of free events, including:
BBQ
Games and Activities (including video games)
Face Painting
Sketch Artist
Bouncing Castle
Crafts
DJ and Music
Balloon Animals
Animal Services will be bringing animals
Fire Men
Police Officers
And more!

I will be manning a table to promote CAMC, so come and visit if you stop by.

All the best,

Jess

Anime North Review

Hey folks,



I hope all of you who managed to make it to AN had a great time. I know I did. The costumes were awesome, and I'll be sure to show you guys some of the pictures I took at the next meeting. I didn't get to go to as many panels as I wished to but the ones I did went to were quite amazing.

If you ever manage to get a chance to go to a panel by Iris Gordon, I highly recommend you take it. I went to 3 panels conducted by her, and they were of university lecture material - I mean the good kind of lecture that keeps you engaged. One of her lectures concerned the Symbolism of Alchemy in Fullmetal Alchemist, another dealt with Symbols of Death in Bleach, and the last one was concerned with the psychological profiling of Death Note characters. It was all quite fascinating. If anyone wishes to know more about theses panels, feel free to ask me at the next meeting or email me. Oh, and there's a little blurb on Ms. Gordon here if you wish to find out a little bit more about her.

Feel free to bring anything you bought or took pictures of at AN to the next meeting.

All the best,

Jess

Anime North Programming

Seeing as Anime North is 7 days away, I thought I'd give you guys the link to the current program schedule:

http://www.animenorth.com/docs/2010sched.pdf

Fullmetal Alchemist Transmutation Circle Workshop! Tea Tasting! Vic Mignogna, people!

Though it appears they still have some of their panel time slots to fill up, all in all, it seems to shaping up to be an interesting com this year.

Make sure you check back closer to May 28th to see if they updated the schedule!

Oh, and check out this link if you wish to find more information on the programming:

http://www.animenorth.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71&Itemid=66

All the best,

Jess

Spotlight in Manga...

For those of you who enjoy a little Drama in your manga, I suggest the following titles:

Backstage Prince by Kanoko Sakurakoji

La Corda d'Oro by Yuki Kure

Forbidden Dance by Hinako Ashihara

Fullmoon o Sagashite by Arina Tanemura

Gravitation by Maki Murakami

Nana by Ai Yazawa

Skip Beat! by Yoshiki Nakamura

W Juliet by Emura

Swan by Kyoko Ariyoshi


All the best,

Jess

Transported to Another Dimension...

Imaginary realms play a key role in the fantasy genre, and many manga artists take great pains and delight in creating imaginary worlds of the past, or altogether new realms with their own histories, cities, and skewed reality.
A popular take on this fantasy element is the transportation of someone from our reality into that of another.
If you are a fan of this fantasy motif, here are some manga titles that might peak your interest:

Inuyasha by Rumiko Takahashi

Fushigi Yuugi by Yuu Watase

MAR: Marchen Awakens Romance by Nobuyuki Anzai

From Far Away by Kyoko Hikawa

Merupuri: Marchen Prince by Matsuri Hino

.hack// Legend of the Twilght by Tatsuya Hamazaki

Magic Knight Rayearth by CLAMP

All the best,

Jess

Raves & Faves

Locate near exit of the Courtneypark Branch Library you will find a shelf filled with sparkly new books. These books are part of our Raves & Faves, a collection of of critically-acclaimed, awarding-winning and, all together, well-reviewed books selected across all genres. This year, for the first time, two graphic novels have been selected.

The first one is one many of you may know:

Phoenix by Osamu Tezuka



The life's work of Japan's "God of Manga', this manga was first published in 1967, with installments appearing over the next 21 years. This story portrays both the triumph and frailty of humanity with a fantastic voyage through time and space.

This is a book any self-respecting manga fan will read at one point in their life - and believe me when I say it is worth it.



The next one is:





Skim by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki

Here is a story chronicling the life of Toronto teenager Kimberly Keiko Cameron, aka 'Skim',the not-slim, would-be Wiccan goth. Set in the 1990s this is a story of suicide, depression, love, being gay or not, crushes, cliques of popular, manipulative peers and all the other things that come with a tortured teen's life.

This is a story I myself have not read yet, but look forward to doing so.

Make sure you folks take a look at them next time your in the library.

All the best,

Jess

Spiderman Stops a Robbery

Once again, Melvin has directed me to rather interesting article on boingboing.net. Some of you may not have realized it, but this past weekend was International Free Comic Book Day, and many people around the world celebrated by visiting their favourite comic book shops dressed up as their favourite superheros. Kind of like a mini con. Well, it seems that someone at one of these many comic book shops attempted to shoplift a valuable item. He was, however, stopped by a man dressed in a Spider man costume while two Jedi and the Flash blocked the door.

Check out the article here:

http://www.boingboing.net/2010/05/04/free-comic-book-day-1.html

Am I the only one that finds this situation simple hilarious?

All the best,

Jess

Pimping Artists: Messa

Once again I come bearing artists that might peak your interest.
This time I bring you http://messa.deviantart.com/. I originally starting watching her for her fanart, specifically her Bleach fanart, but I now also take great delight in seeing her original works, perhaps even more than the fanart. Messa seems to have a skill creating riveting, whimsical illustrations. Fish swimming through flowing hair, hands reaching down from the sky, and fruit floating though the air - if you enjoy seeing the stuff of dreams and fantasies brought to life on the screen, I highly suggest checking this artist out.
Plus, she also has some really cool fanart.

All the best,

Jess

Sakura Wars:So Long, My Love at your Library...

Hey folks! Just thought some of you would like to know that the next tile in the Sakura Wars series has just been added to the Mississauga Library System! We currently have 20 copies of Sakura War: So Long, My Love in the system and only 5 holds on them at this moment in time. If you wish to put this Wii game on hold head to this page, select 'Search by Title' from the drop menu, type in 'sakura wars' in the search bar, and the game should be in the top search results. Click on the game you would like to request, and click on the 'Request first available Item' button. Log in by typing in the bar code on the back of you library card and the last four digits of you phone number, choose the location you would like to receive your item and click 'request'. You'll be notified by phone call or email (depending on what you have set up with us) when the item comes in. Please note there is $2 charge for items not picked up on time, so please be careful.
If you have any trouble with this process you could always just ask someone at the library to put it on hold for you.

All the best,

Jess

Roots in Manga...

Happy Earth Day folks!

In celebration of this holiday, Melvin has kindly directed me to a rather interesting article. It seems artist Koshi Kawachi uses old manga to grow plants! Head over to BoingBoing to checkout pictures and a link to the artist's site:

http://www.boingboing.net/2010/04/13/old-manga-used-to-gr.html


So, from now on, instead of throwing out your manga, grow some plants instead!

All the best,

Jess

Manga Magazines at Courtneypark Library...

Courtneypark Library subscribes to a number of magazines, two of which are monthly manga magazines. Each issue of Shonen Jump and Yen Plus contains a number of popular manga series, interviews, reviews, and articles I'm sure many of you would find interesting. These magazines are located in the lower level of the library, near the teen lounge.

Here's some information about the magazines:

Currently, Shonen Jump contains the following manga series:

Bleach by Tite Kubo
One Piece by Eiichiro Oda
Ultimo by Hiroyuki Takei
Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto

*Plus various monthly showcase manga such as D.Gray-man, Bakuman, etc.



Currently, Yen Plus contains the following manga series:

Soul Eater by Atsushi Ohkubo
Black Butler by Yana Toboso
Pandora Hearts by Jun Mochizuki
Hero Tales by Jin Zhou Huang & Hiromu Arakawa
Nabari No Ou by Yuhki Kamatani
Time and Again by Jiun Yun
Pig Pride by Kookhwa Huh & Sujin Kim
Gossip Girl by Hyekung Baek & Cecily von Ziegesar
One Fine Day by Siral
Nightschool by Svetlana Chmakova
Maximum Ride by James Patterson & Narae Lee
Jack Frost by Jinho Ko

*Please note that Yen Plus contains not only Japanese artists but also Korean, Chinese, and North American as well.

All the best,

Jess

Real Fans of Genius

You can say what you will about English dubs, but one thing you have to concede is that there are some voice actors out there that truly care about their craft and the fans. Vic Mignoga (who has dubbed characters such as Ed Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist and Dark from D.N.Angel) is one of them. He enjoys what he does, and has fun with it, which is apparent from his Real Fans of Genius series on Youtube, which gently pokes fun of all the stereotypical figures you will find at a con. And if you've been to a con, you will know exactly what the speak of in the above video.

Check out Vic's YouTube channel for more great videos.

Jess

Pimping Artists: Nimbusthedragon

One of the first artists I started following upon my discovery of fanart was http://nimbusthedragon.deviantart.com/. Initially I followed her for her Inuyasha fanart, but I soon started not only to appreciate her various other fanart, but also her orginal works and comics as well. Her Angst comics made my day on many occasions. I've loved watching her style change over the last 6 years, from her initial use of pencil crayons, to her use of copic markers, to her digital work. She is well worth taking a look at.

Jess

Final Fantasy XIII Trailer

For those of you who might have been wondering what game I was talking about last post...

Final Fantasy 13 at your library...

In case you didn't know, we have video games in the Mississauga Library System. Even better, we now have Final Fantasy XIII in the system. And funnily enough, I don't even think people realize this because we have 20 copies of both the PS3 and the 360 versions and barely any holds/requests for them.
So if you're feeling the itch to try the game out just head to this page, select 'Search by Title' from the drop menu, type in 'final fantasy xiii' in the search bar, and the game should be in the top two search results. Click on which version of the game you would like to request, and click on the 'Request first available Item' button. Log in by typing in the bar code on the back of you library card and the last four digits of you phone number, choose the location you would like to receive your item and click 'request'. You'll be notified by phone call or email (depending on what you have set up with us) when the item comes in. Please note there is $2 charge for items not picked up on time, so please be careful.
If you have any trouble with this process you could always just ask someone at the library to put it on hold for you.

I'm currently 5 hours into the game and loving it. The graphics are beautiful, the characters and story line are engaging, and I am simply love with the soundtrack (which I'm going to by as soon as the opportunity arises).

All the best,

Jess

Cosplay

For those of you who are interested in cosplay, http://cosplay.com/ is the site to check out. Not only can you get tips and ideas for creating your own cosplay but it is also quite fun to browse though the site. There are some really impressive costumes out there!

Fanimation

For Inuyasha/Code Geass fans.

Manga Review: D.Gray-man

D. Gray Man by Katsura Hoshino



Akumas, monsters born from dead souls mistakenly recalled by their loved ones to the living world, are the weapons of the Millenium Earl, who is intent on the destruction of the world. Allen Walker has been cursed with an anti-Akuma weapon as his left arm and an eye that sees the former soul of the Akuma since his youth. He is also one of the few who contain "Innocence", a substance that allows him to kill Akuma and fight the Earl. With these powers, he joins the secret Black Order Organization as an Exorcist and sets out with other Exorcists to stop the Earl's attempts to annihilate the human race.


I really enjoy reading this series. The plot is interesting, how it talks about the secrets of the world and its history. "There is more to it than it meets the eye" is what it's portraying. It's mostly a shonen adventure.... With a small romance at the side.

The art on the characters are really realistic (ex, how the character's hair gets longer as the series progresses). There are also a variety of different characters in the story; and I like how each character isn't made to be perfect. Each character has at least one.... Degrading characteristic. The battle scenes are really well made as well. Overall, I think Hoshino-san did a really good job on both the plot and art.

I give this manga an 8.5 out of 10 (10 being the best).

Vanessa

Pimping Artists: Meru-chan

Being the otaku that I am, I often find myself scouring the Internet for fan art. Having been doing this for years, I have amassed quite a collection of not only favourite art but artists as well. I think it would be fun to share the portfolios of some of my favourite artists with you guys. Might as well spread the love. Which is why you'll probably find posts from time to time with me pimping artists.

So, here's the first artist: http://meru-chan.deviantart.com/

This artist has some of the coolest/cutest Final Fantasy art I've every seen. I discovered them while searching for Dissidia fan art and came across their series of comics depicting character interaction. They had me hooked in matter of seconds. Check them out for your FF fix.

Jess

Anime North

For those of you who might not know, Anime North is THE convention to go to for all things japanese pop culture. And seeing how it is approaching in a couple of months, I thought I'd provide you with some information.

The convention will be happening May 28- May 30. You can pre-register at this time, just head to the home page: http://www.animenorth.com/main/ ,click Registration on the side bar, and follow the instructions. Please note that you can only pre-register if you get a weekend pass - meaning you plan to attend all weekend. If you only plan to go for one day, you have to pay for your ticket the day of - which means waiting in line. Though really, that isn't all bad. You get to see and meet interesting people in line.

However, if I could make a suggestion? If you have never been to AN, and plan on going for one day to check it out, I suggest either Friday if you want a less overwhelming experience, or Saturday, if you want to be at the core of the action. Don't go on Sunday. You just get the tail end of everything. Sunday's only good for last-minute panels and discounts on merchandise.

If you have any questions, comment or email me.

Jess

You know you're geek when...

...you know every anime, manga, and game reference they make in this video. But then again, I'm proud to be a geek.

Fanimations

For FF7/ Ouran fans.

Welcome Otaku!

Hello and welcome to the Courtneypark Anime and Manga Club's new blog.

Here you will find reviews, web clips, polls, and information about meetings and shennanigans the club will be up to.

There's a cupcake set a side for the first person who sends me a manga review and gets it successfully published.