Right Stuf Releases Anime Today Episode 19!
Posted on: Friday, July 21, 2006
Episode run down:
The hot days of summer are here and Chad’s back with the hot titles in anime and manga. Next we have a new mystery anime plot in Uso Deshou, followed an all new Anime and Gamer’s Guide with Kris and Judy telling us how to avoid offending our Japanese friends at the dinner table. This week kicks off some sweet summer savings from Geneon and Shawne’s here with his highlights. Judy-sensei returns with basic dinner terminology in her Mini Japanese 101 lesson and then Lisa Marie reviews the first season of Super GALS! from ADV. Next, our Q and A brings Kris and Judy back to discuss the differences in animation that may appear within the same series. It’s been a busy summer with Right Stuf’s many contests and Nick and Rich return with the latest run down. Rounding out this episode are Kris and Judy with where to find us at Otakon.
What's Hot?
On August 8th, fluffy American Lucy is going home. Will she blow Midori's cover before she leaves Japan? And does Midori still want to keep it secret anyway? With yet another new schoolgirl after Seiji, and after a run-in with Midori's old friends - who miss her terribly - Midori is beginning to question her life as an appendage and miss her past as a real girl. Maybe it's time for her to wake up - and finally move on in the 7th graphic novel of Midori Days.
Also on August 8th, a boy and girl continue to chase one another in a game of dog and cat. The Beeper friends grow fonder of one another without revealing who they really are. And love is all around when ordinary guys and the girls of their dreams walk the fine line between friends and something more in the 10th graphic novel of Boys Be….
Ever since a cosmic phone call brought the four literal young goddesses Belldandy, Urd, Skuld - and, like an occasional vowel, Peorth - to live in college student Keiichi's residence, his personal life has been turned upside down, sideways, and sometimes even into strange dimensions! On August 9th, cry "Roadtrip!" and let Chihiro's Mini Cooper slip into gear, as she, Bell, and Keiichi hit the highway to a hot springs. But the vacation from drama is brief, and readers of the 24th graphic novel of Oh My Goddess are advised to prepare for the advent of... the Fifth Goddess!
Get ready for a double-dose of Sana Kurata when FUNimation releases two full DVDs of Kodocha on August 22! Trying to fix a feud with a bunny-suit song and dance? Taking on a top-secret job? Marrying Aono's noisy chicken to Zenjiro so the neighborhood can sleep? Watch it all unravel in the hilariously unstoppable mayhem of Adult-Sized Secrets in DVD 7!
Then in DVD 8, Misako's mother stops by for an unexpected visit and thrusts the Kurata household into maximum mayhem. Adding fuel to the fire, a sneaky tabloid photographer is stalking Akito and Sana, and a shocking revelation unfolds that will shake things up like never before! Both DVDs, along with an ultra-adorable Babbit Plush, are included when you purchase the latest Premium Collector's Box designed to hold volumes 7 through 13.
And finally, on August 29, the original boy-robot with 100,000 horsepower of strength and courage is back in the second Limited Edition Ultra DVD Box Set of Astro Boy! This stunning second collector's edition contains the final 52 episodes of the original black and white series as seen in the US, restored to pristine detail. Also included is an entire DVD full of extra bonus material including deleted scenes, a “Behind the Scenes” featurette, part 2 of an interview with series producer Fred Ladd, and original Japanese episodes number 34, 56, AND 193, the final episode, never before seen in the US!
And remember you can save 25% on these great titles and more when pre-ordering from RightStuf.com at least 10 days before a title’s release. Receive an extra 10% off by joining the Got Anime purchasing club and gain access to special promotions only available at gotanime.com!
Anime and Gamer's Guide to Japan with Kris and Judy
Shawne's Specials
Another week has past, and we’re just now hearing the rumors of announcements from the San Diego Comic-con. What new and interesting things will be coming in the next year? Keep an eye on our home page for updates on new announcements. Coming soon will also be Otakon, where our production staff will be around, and we’ll also be doing a live remote for the podcast from there. Yours truly will be heading here in-state to Anime Iowa. See me if you’re there, I may have some goodies.
In the meantime, here's something to satisfy your sweet-tooth! This week, save big on titles from Geneon! Whether your in the mood for something infectiously cute like Strawberry Marshmallow or for something with slightly more kick like Gun X Sword, your summer will be infinitely sweeter!
From now until July 30th, 2006 - save at least 35% OFF the retail price on all Geneon DVDs, UMDs, and CDs! Just use the following reusable coupon code when you check out through our online store: SWEET. This coupon expires 7/30/06 at 11:59 PM CST.
Plus, if you're a Got Anime Member, you can apply your discount and make these savings even sweeter still! To make it easy for you, we’ve set up a link showing all of the items eligible for the sale. Just click on the small graphic reading "Sweet Summer Items" on the right-hand side of our main page to get started with your savings!
Something new this week, we’re carrying a small selection of high-quality import pvc figures. Check out some of the new offerings in the Figurines and Dolls category under collectibles. The Tsukuyomi Figure is especially cute.
Don’t forget to check this out this week’s product specials - there are some great box sets and other items in there at steep discounts. And I have some great plans over the next couple of months that I think you’ll find to be quite... Interesting.
See all of Shawne's Weekly Specials!
Check out the Bargain Bin!
Marie's DVD Review: Super GALS! Season 1
When I heard the news that the company I work for (a.k.a. The Right Stuf International) had picked up Super Gals 2, I was excited not only at the prospect of seeing a great show finally completed (for the first time anywhere on DVD!), but also because it meant I had an absolutely great excuse to review ADV’s thinpak of the first season. Super Gals is the kind of anime you watch and instantly want to tell other people about because it’s really just that good and, besides, someone needs to get the joke when you insist sleeping in is an “ironclad rule” for Gals.
Ran Kotobuki is the teenage daughter of a family with a long tradition of serving in Japan’s law enforcement branches, but rather than study hard and become an officer, she decides to throw away her heritage in favor of being Shibuya’s best-known “Gal.”
Wait, what was that last word?
A Gal is one of many social subsets in teenage Japan, and they spend their days obsessing over their hair, their clothes, and their cel phones while trying to have absolutely as much fun as possible. A close equivalent would be the California Valley Girl - which ADV has like, totally used to their advantage in the dub - and if a Valley Girl’s life centers around Beverly Hills, a Gal lives and breathes Shibuya, one of Tokyo’s most fashionable districts and the Gal center of Japan. Shibuya also happens to be Ran’s domain, and she fiercely defends her turf with a platformed heel.
But what’s a Gal without her friends? The number-one Gal in Shibuya, Ran has friends all over the district, but the two closest to her are fellow Gals Miyu and Aya. Miyu is a cheery blond with a dark past who’s dating Ran’s older brother, much to Ran’s disgust, and Aya serves as the group’s brains, proving you really can be smart and have fun at the same time. Between the three of them they’ve got all of the fashion bases covered, and when you mess with one, you had better look out for the others.
Of course, Ran also needs a couple of guy-friends to hang out with, and so enter local GL (that’s Gal for “good looking”) teen idols Rei and Yuya, who placed first and second respectively in a recent magazine popularity poll. Unfortunately for Yuya, this results in Ran giving him the nickname Nii (Japanese for 2) for the rest of the show, but since he’s got a major crush on Ran, he puts up with it with surprisingly good grace.
I won’t even go into Ran’s many rivals, classmates, and family members, but trust me, each one is given their own vibrant personality and stands out in their own right. This is a good thing because, in case you hadn’t yet guessed, this is a show that revolves around its characters. Even better, it focuses not only on the relationships of the characters with Ran, but also on how everyone relates to each other, which very conveniently leads into one of my many favorite things about Super Gals: the way it handles relationships.
While some of these relationships do naturally lean towards the boyfriend/girlfriend side, they aren’t limited to just romantic involvement. Instead, they range from close friendships and bitter rivalries to the sometimes annoying yet always loving family bonds. Every character has distinct feelings about every other character, and there’s never the group mentality of “Ran thinks so and so is bad, so everyone else must think exactly the same way.” It’s a measure of realism that’s rare in many anime, and fiction in general these days.
Speaking of stereotypes, taking a more realistic tack also keeps Super Gals away from some of the more implausible but stereotypical dramas common to the shojo genre. Here, characters who constantly fight aren’t secretly in love; crushes don’t suddenly turn into full-blown affairs; and Ran’s family members are neither dead nor evil, but instead just regular human beings who are only slightly crazy. Ran even treats her parents like any regular teenager would: begging for more allowance in-between bouts of acting generally unattached in public. And while her little sister Sayo constantly playing “Junior Detective” can be a drag, Ran will still race all over town searching for her if she thinks Sayo’s been kidnapped.
But don’t think this means Super Gals is just non-stop drama. In-between the extensive slang, impromptu dancing, and Ran’s tendency to slug anyone she feels is hurting anyone else, the gags fly fast and furious. In fact, the mix of comedy and character drama is similar to that in Kodocha or His and Her Circumstances. Super Gals is determined to put a smile on your face, and every episode succeeds.
As you may have noticed from this review alone, Super Gals is heavy on the Japanese culture references. But if you don’t know any hip Shibuya slang, don’t worry. Whenever Ran and her friends use a new word or talk about anything likely to be considered obscure, a banner with a written clarification will fly by, or the scene will even be halted while one of the show’s Ganguros explains what it is on a chalk board. To take your cultural immersion ever further, Super Gals has also faithfully depicted Shibuya, from the statue of the faithful dog Hachiko in the square to the many shops lining the streets.
While the show is technically aimed at girls, Super Gals is shojo like Inuyasha is shonen: despite the label, there’s plenty in it for both genders to enjoy. And don’t let the fashion scare you off; this is not a show about Ran choosing what to wear each day or her daily shopping excursions – we hardly ever see her do either activity. This is a show about Ran having fun with her friends, kicking butt, and looking stylish while doing so.
Super Gals features a lot of laughs backed up by a whole lot of heart, and about the only reason to skip this show is if you’re a die-hard cynic. It exudes energy from every pore with bold character designs, a poppy para para soundtrack, and bright colors everywhere. The pacing is quick, and it’s easy to pop in disc one only to suddenly discover it’s three in the morning and you’ve watched half of the first season without realizing it. And once you’ve finished that last episode and are dying to know what happens next, you can join me in putting a big red circle around December 1st for the release of season two. Which reminds me: I should really put in that pre-order. :)
Anime Today Q & A
If you have a question for us, call 1-800-338-6827, extension 7424. Also, you may send us e-mail at animetoday@rightstuf.com. If your question is selected, you will receive a $10 gift certificate to Right Stuf’s online store!
Right Stuf Contests and Updates
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