"Hollowing Out" of Japan's Anime Industry

Now Streaming: Heroic Age 1-4 dub, 1-13 sub
We have the first 4 episodes dubbed, but this mecha space opera show takes a while to get started. So here's the first half of the show subtitled. The second half will be along in a few days. [discuss] 2009-11-05

The Gallery - Vusc
Mana, also known as Vusc, drops in to talk about the art community in Japan vs. the USA, and what it means to "draw outside the lines" on a professional level. Plus: a reader question about anime-inspired fine art! 2009-11-07

Hey, Answerman!
This week, Hey Answerman embarrasses you at your cousin's wedding by dropping his pants during the ceremony. Questions abound for Japanese 5.1 audio tracks, something called "Get Tenka," and more hemming and hawing over western animation versus anime. Plus! Answerfans and a new Flake of the Week! 2009-11-06

ANNCast - Sargento Soma
Manga Entertainment's Steve Sargent joins us, who also handles Syfy's Ani-Monday programming and was instrumental in the anime dub bits on The Tonight Show. Also: film school nonsense and Ghost in the Shell 2.0! 2009-11-06

Evangelion 1.01 - Win It Before You Can Buy It
Win one of 5 DVD copies of Evangelion 1.01: You are (not) Alone. 2009-11-01

Rosario + Vampire GN 9
If this is the kind of stagnation and dullness that permeates the monster world, then we should all be thankful for being human.

Battle Angel Alita: Last Order GN 12
Alita is back and even more powerful than ever, but aside from a couple of fantastic scenes the story progression lacks the sense of excitement and anticipation commonly seen earlier in the series. Seeing one of the all-time-great sci fi action series in such a storytelling decline is saddening.

Legends of the Dark King Sub.DVD
Gory bottom-feeder entertainment with the IQ of a slimy and not particularly gifted mud puddle.

Popotan DVD
This license-rescued series about three sisters who travel across space and time to talk to dandelions uses fan service like a crutch, which may allow it to limp through the weaker early parts and hold viewer interest until the stronger later ones. If nudity is not your thing, though, then look elsewhere.

The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya (hardback)
How does one possibly write a sequel to The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya? For Nagaru Tanigawa, the answer was simple: do it all over again.

Beast Player Erin Episodes 1-25 Streaming
A well-thought-out children's fantasy centered around a pleasant and intelligent girl. Hardly spectacular, right? Wrong.

Andromeda Stories GN 1-3
Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away… Whoops. Wrong trilogy. Or not.

Ghost Hound Sub.DVD 1
Found anime titles to be too generic of late? Ghost Hound may be the series for you. This psychology-laden story about boys who learn to manipulate out-of-body experiences is wholly unlike anything else in its genre and can be impressively creepy.

Saki Episodes 1-25 Streaming
Saki takes two tired-out genres (Epic fighting tournament! Schoolgirls galore!) and freshens them up by putting them in an unlikely context.

Nana DVD Box Set 1
Leaves you feeling like a fool in love. And in love with someone you just know is going to break your heart.

School Rumble DVD 4
Laughs of every stripe still abound as the series turns its hand to slightly more serious material. Any missteps it makes along the way are easily forgiven blemishes in a comedy that, while silly, is neither stupid nor shallow.