Enraged otaku took the virtual streets this past weekend with pitchforks firmly in hand when it was discovered that anime distributer, FUNimation, had chosen to censor one of its newest releases for content that it deems too controversial. In a statement sent to Anime News Network, FUNimation had this to say about the matter:

FUNimation Entertainment is known for releasing the titles we license in their original, uncut form, as their creators intended. However, after viewing the unedited as well as the Japanese broadcast edit of the series Dance in the Vampire Bund, we have determined the series contains controversial elements which, when taken out of context, could be objectionable to some audiences.

With this in mind and with approval of the licensor, we will edit select scenes from the series in streaming and home entertainment release. These are scenes which are inappropriate for U.S. viewing and are not essential to the storyline.

Dance in the Vampire Bund is a complex and dark drama cited by press and fans as one of the best anime series out of Japan this season. Its strong story is what brought the series to our attention and why we are bringing it to the U.S.

Many of those who commented on FUNimation’s website and in various forums around the internet expressed frustration and concern over the decision to censor the anime series. Although there were some who claimed the censored material and cut scenes were only of interest to perverts and lolicon types, many of the comments actually reflected a greater concern that Vampire Bund would not be the last title to suffer under the heavy handed censorship techniques that FUNimation has chosen to employee. Additionally, more than a few posters have rightfully pointed out the double standard that FUNimation is employee since they have either previously released or will soon be releasing shows that featured underage girls in the nude or compromising situations. For example, the show Strike Witches is well known in Japan for its nude fan service and FUNimation continues to proudly proclaim that their upcoming DVD release will be uncut and uncensored.

As of this posting, FUNimation has released no additional statements concerning the matter. If you would like to contact them to air your concerns or show your support, you can reach them at feedback@funimation.com.

I had originally just been planning on adding a few of my favorite Portal related videos to the article I posted this past Saturday, but then I came across this awesome music video. After watching it, I just knew that I had to use it for this week’s installment of Monday Music. Both the video and the song work perfectly together capture the essence of what made Portal such a wonderful experiance. As an added bonus, you can download the MP3 for free from Tindeck if you follow the link at the bottom of this article. Enjoy!

More Info:
Last.fm Artist Profile
Free MP3 from Tindeck

Spotted this yesterday, but I was to busy playing Borderlands to take the time to post about it. Now that I’ve gotten my gaming fix (for the moment), I wanted to get this bit of awesome news out of the door in case you haven’t heard it yet. According to several posts around the ‘net, including GI’s official website naturally, the April issue of Game Informer will contain a twelve page article on Valve’s sequal to the 2007 game, Portal. The teaser article promises that the April issue will contain details about new gameplay mechanics and details on the new story. It also adds that Portal 2 will be a full-fledged sequal as opposed to the original’s bite-sized portions which left most players ravenous for more.

To see large versions of the spiffy cover art being used for the April issue, just head on over to the Game Informer website. It’s also worth noting that Game Informer has set up a Portal 2 hub page that promises to update with new articles through the month of March.

More info:
Offical Portal webpage
Portal wiki

Woah! Talk about something that totally makes my day. When I saw the announcement on my Facebook page and on the official FUNimation blog, my heart nearly exploded. Seriously, words fail to express how much I LOVE the Dance in the Vampire Bund manga. In the past, I’ve given the first two volumes of the manga glowing reviews. When I discovered that it was going to be turned into an anime a few months ago, I figured that it would NEVER see the light of day over here. Especially, when I read some of the articles on Sankaku Complex (complete with screen caps) the anime was continuing the manga’s long running endorsement of nude loli vampires and other rather taboo subject matters.

Dance in the Vampire Bund OP (NSFW)

According the announcement, FUNimation will begin streaming the first four episodes of the Vampire Bund series complete with english subtitles this Friday (March 5th) at 10 a.m. CST for FREE(!) with new episodes to follow each week there after. Fans will also have the option of downloading higher quality versions to own for $1.99.

In related news, FUNimation also acquired the rights to the comedy seriesBaka and Test – Summon the Beasts. Sure it looks cute, but I could care less right now because freaking DANCE IN THE VAMPIRE BUND is coming to the U.S. TODAY!!! WOOOOOOO!!!!

To be fair though, I’ve included a video for that series as well…

For more info:
FUNimation Blog – Baka and Test & Dance in the Vampire Bund
Baka and Test official website
Dance in the Vampire Bund offical website

Okay, maybe I’m a bit harsh. I must admit that I’ve known for a while about Funimation acquiring the rights to the Trigun TV series. Since mid-February to be exact. I saw a post about it on ICv2. No, I’m not bitter or anything about not being able to get on their press release list or anything. I mean, Lord knows that I haven’t got anything better to do with my time then stalk their blog on a daily basis just so I can stay abreast on whatever is going on with them. Not like an email would be nice or anything…

Oh wait, I remembered I did get an email. It showed up in my mail box this past weekend as part of their monthly newsletter. My bad. Hold on while I put my petty bitterness aside…

Okay, the long of the short of it is that Funimation has acquired the rights to the Trigun anime series. Hurray! Additionally, it will be receiving a DVD re-release as well as a Blu-ray release. Hurray, again. All info concerning pricing, packaging and release dates are still not available. Boo.

Okay, that’s all I have to say on this. To be honest, all of this was just a clever ruse for me to be able to run a rocking Trigun AMV today, so nyah

Yes, it’s true. The newest film from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli finally releases today here in the U.S. Known as “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea” in Japan, the American release has been shorted to just “Ponyo.” The film will be released simultanously on both DVD and Blu-ray, but sadly Disney has chosen to screw Blu-ray fans by denying them the chance at something similiar to the special deluxe DVD edition release that comes complete with a cute Ponyo plushie.

Anyway, the film looks to be awesome and set to be another classic. I suggest you run out and score yourself a copy today…even if it means pushing down that old woman in the video store who was just wanting a copy for her kids to watch tonight. Not that I’m saying I did anything like that. I’m just saying that old biddy was trying to keep me from my Ponyo and she got what was coming to her…

I realized the other day it’s been awhile since I last posted anything nerdcore related, so I decided to rectify that today with this delightfully awesome Super Mario rap song. Simply titled “Epic Super Mario Land Rap,” this video is collaborative work between Duane Zwuala (vocals and instruments) and someone named “The_A2A24″ (video and editing). I don’t have any other info on the duo other then what was posted at the beginning of the video and my google search didn’t turn up much of anything. It’s a shame really since I would have liked to have known if they have any other videos or songs out there…

*Update: 03/06/10*

I received a note earlier this week from gentleman by the name of Anthony Ruybalid informing me that the artist for this song operates under the handle of “Action Adventure World.” He was also kind enough to send me a link for their official YouTube page. Hurray!

It’s also worth mention that Anthony runs a pretty spiffy website that focus’ on game related music. Check it out for yourself over at gamemusic4all.com

The above pic really says it all. I’m been down for the count for the last two days and have been feeling ill most of the week. I finally broke down yesterday and admitted that I was going to have to go to the doctor. I hate going to the doctor. It costs me money. Money that could have been used toward the purchase of a new figma figure or a new videogame. This makes me angry. Unfortunately for me, my anger does not magically heal me like it does for the Hulk =T_T=

Anyway, expect nothing from me until next week. Hopefully, if I feel better this weekend, I’ll have some reviews for you to read next week along with whatever news happens to catch me interest. That is all for now. Carry on being nerdy without me, good citizens and know that soon I will be rejoining you!

Considering how much time I’ve spent lately talking up the Bokurano manga, I figured it was time I posted some video from the anime too. Not only is the anime awesome, but it has an awesome opening song as well. Titled “Uninstall,” this hauntingly beautiful song by Chiaki Ishikawa will be stuck in your head for days.

Your welcome. XP

I do apologize for the poor quality of the video, but I felt the opening made a better impact when the translated lyrics were included. Make sure to watch it in 480p if possible, it cuts down on the squinting =^_^;;= Anyway, if you’d like to hear the full version of the song and/or oggle the beautiful Japanese lady who sings it, check out the original PV from Japan that I’ve so thoughtfully posted after the jump. (Because I’m awesome like that =^_-=). Enjoy!

Full version with Chiaki Ishikawa

Last, but not least, I actually found a few good fan made covers. One was done on a violin and the other on the piano. Both are very well done. Probably because neither of them tried to sing. I had the misfortune to run across some “karaoke” style versions while hunting for suitable video for today’s post and let me just say that many, many, FAR TO MANY, of the wannabe fandub singers absolutely STINK! Seriously. Where’s Simon Cowell when you need him =^_^;;=

The Screamer’s violin cover

Beautiful piano cover

Nippon Ichi Software of America (NISA), a company better for known for its niche videogame titles in the U.S. than anything else, has announced that it will be entering the U.S. anime market later this year with the release of four different anime series later this year.

The four titles announced are:

1. Toradora!
2. PERSONA – trinity soul-
3. Pandora Hearts
4. Our Home’s Fox Deity

Exact release dates have yet to be announces as are any details concerning packaging, formats and pricing. Interested readers can find info about each of the titles after the jump.

Toradora!

Details:
The twenty-five episode romantic comedy premiered in October 2008 in Japan and is based on a series of light novels written by Yuyuko Takemiya. The series seems to have a lot of positive buzz about it in various otaku circles, so hopefully its impending stateside release will prove to be a boon to fans of romantic comedies.

Plot:
Female protagonist, Taiga, and male protagonist, Ryuji, both have the same problem: They secretly have a crush on the other person’s best friend. Unfortunately, they both have some major barriers they must overcome if they hope to obtain their heart’s desire. In Ryuji’s case, it’s his thug like appearance that keeps people for seeing what a gentle and kind person he is. Taiga on the other hand is the exact opposite, a tiny petite girl with a reputation for being meaner and more dangerous than the tiger she’s named after. Despite their general dislike for each other, the two characters form an unlikely bond as they agree to work together to win the hearts of the people they’re in love with.

Toradora! wiki

PERSONA -trinity soul-

Details:
Based on the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series of games for the Playstation. Trinity Soul picks up ten years after the events depicted in the Persona 3 game. Based on my personal viewing sessions with the first few episodes, it’s not required that viewers need to have played the game in order to follow the anime, but a working knowledge of the game and its plot does lend itself to providing a better understanding of the anime series. Personally, I’m really looking forward to finishing this series on DVD =^_^=

Plot:
Persona: Trinity Soul takes place ten years after the end of Persona 3. It is set in Ayanagi City, a city located near the Sea of Japan (East Sea), where the police force is investigating several cases involving a mysterious illness called the Apathy Syndrome, which causes its victims to fall into a near catatonic state and eventually die.

In the midst of the crisis, two brothers named Shin and Jun Kanzato move back to Ayanagi to see their elder brother Ryō, who is now the Superintendent of the Ayanagi City Police. It has been ten years since the three siblings last met with each other, but rather then receiving a warm welcome from their older brother, the two younger siblings are surprised to discover that their older brother wants them gone and as quickly as possible. To make matters worse, it soon becomes apparent that Ryō is somehow connected to whatever is causing the Apathy Syndrome in the first place…

PERSONA – trinity soul – wiki

Pandora Hearts

Details:
The gay shota anime “Loveless,” combine it with Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” series and this is probably what you end up with. Never heard of it before, but it definitely had me going “WTF?” and I was only half way through the opening.

Plot:
Wiki had this to say about the series:

Oz Vessalius, heir to one of the dukedom, has just turned fifteen. His life is rich and carefree, darkened only by the constant absence of his father. At his coming-of-age ceremony, however, everything changes. For no reason that he can discern, he is cast into the prison known as the “Abyss”, only to be saved by a “chain” known as Alice, the bloodstained black rabbit or B-rabbit for short. The mystery there begins as Oz unravels the mystery behind Alice, the Abyss and the strange organization known as Pandora

Pandora Hearts wiki

Our Home’s Fox Deity

Details:
I caught a little bit of this a few years ago. It was okay, but nothing special. I probably liked it more because I have a fox girl fetish more than anything else. Still, it ran for 24 episodes and it has gotten some above average ratings over at Anime News Network, so I’ll probably rent it on DVD when it’s released.

Plot:
Brothers Toru and Noboru are out visiting their grandparents when they discover that their family has a secret. Turns out that their family can channel the power of water and has been fighting demons for centuries (who knew!?) Even more amazing, younger sibling Toru, has inherited the gift and is now the target of a local demon. In order to save Toru, the grandparents take the kids to visit a mischievous fox deity that has been imprisoned by the family for generations to beg it to help them. The fox deity ultimately agrees, but only on the condition that they take her with them when they return home…

Our Home’s Fox Deity wiki
Anime News Network article