Denkyu: Anime Webzine

By Andromeda

Yuichi Aizawa has moved in with his cousin Nayuki and his Aunt Akiko to finish school. Within days he meets a couple of girl’s that remember him from when he used to be a boy of ten years. The memories though are vague all around. Yuichi can’t remember what happened seven years ago and one girl can’t even remember who she is but she knows she hates Yuichi. As more girls accumulate, more memories seem to surface for everyone. Even amnesia girl remembers her name.

Kanon is based on a hentai dating-sim game so I expected it to be a bit ecchi, but was pleasantly surprised when I found that it wasn’t. The story is based more on real relationships between friends and family. It has a humor entwined within the sadness of the story that will have you giggling from time to time.

At first I thought it was going to be another Love Hina, harem, type of anime but there seems to be no physical attraction so far between Yuichi and any of the girls. They form honest friendships. Talking with a friend of mine he said it is similar to the series Air TV. I haven’t watched it yet but others have compared it to that series as well.

Despite all I’ve read, I found Kanon’s first volume to be a bit slow. Dramas, particularly sad ones, aren’t really my thing, so I found the first two episodes to be a bit boring. With the start of the fourth episode some memories of Yuichi’s are shown which intrigued me a bit. But it was at the end of that episode that a scene has encouraged me to watch the next volume. It was a mysterious little cliffhanger that begs for you to find the answer to.

The anime itself is quite nice to look at. The colors are fresh and true and the drawing is clean with just enough detail used in the background to add to the visual experience. The characters are cute, drawn with those big anime eyes that we all adore. The dubbing is great and the voices are equalized perfectly unlike the last two DVDs from ADV I watched. The soundtrack isn’t anything that particularly stands out, but I do love the opening.

I do suggest watching the full volume before you decide whether or not this anime is for you. You may be surprised.

Extras include: Clean Opening & Closing Animation. Kanon: A Close Look At An Anime Production House Part 1

Licenser: ADV
Studio: Toei Animation
Length: 100 min
Retail: $29.98
Availability: 01.01.08

We had a lot of delays, but our website has finally gone through the first phase of updates.  Thanks for your patience!

Check them out on MomoCon.com, also a sneakpeak at a few of our returning guests that are confirmed but haven’t hit the site at this time:

We would like to welcome SithVixen and VaderPainter back to share their amazing costuming knowledge and skill.
www.vaderpainter.com
www.sithvixen.com

Daniel Brown returns for an encore performance of Final Phantom
http://danielbrown.vgpiano.com/

and John Pardus comes back to host our J-Rock/J-Pop panel.

Hitting Anime South? Well MomoCon’s resident Guest Liaison will be there as well.  Look for the badge TechieCL, he’s also bound to be in cosplay as Roger Smith (Big O) or as a Wild Geese Mercenary (Hellsing).  Go ahead chat him up about Momo.

And we’re bringing a crew to the second year of Atlanta’s newest convention: Atlanta Comic Expo.  Not only will be manning a table and bringing you the latest inside scoop on the workings of our humble little convention, we’re hosting several panels, and hoping to hold a few raffles and sell some merch!  More details as they are confirmed.

Here’s your chance to see your face in print! TOKYOPOP is looking for photo submissions for our newest endeavor, an English version of the Gothic & Lolita Bible from Japan. The editors at TOKYOPOP will choose a handful of their fave photos for each new issue of the magazine. If you want your pics included, all you have to do is send them their way!

Email submissions to GLBsubmissions@tokyopop.com

Please also include your:

• Name
• Hometown
• Age
• Brief description of what you’re wearing (the designers, your inspiration, or whatever else you’d like to share!)

Don’t have a photo to share? Drop TOKYOPOP a line with your thoughts on Gothic & Lolita or send in your Gothic & Lolita fan art. They’ll be choosing some of those to print as well!

So, don’t delay…send in your submission today!

Rules:
Please only submit photos of yourself. If it’s a professional photo, you must have the photographer’s permission to submit it. If your photo is selected for printing, you will need to sign a photo release.

Minimum image size is 300 dpi at full size.  Please click here to view TOKYOPOP’s basic submission policy which applies to photos, as well.

Email submissions to GLBsubmissions@tokyopop.com

Prizes:
Get printed in an issue of the Gothic & Lolita Magazine!

Calling all cosplayers or those ready for their first time!! It’s time to showcase that creativity and report for duty for the…

Sgt. Frog Cosplay Contest!

MISSION: Show us your Sgt. Frog style! This is the cosplay of champions!

Will you be a red-hot Private Tamama or a spiral-eyed Sgt. Major Kururu? Fuyuki? Or perhaps you’ll be the fearless, green leader himself… Sgt. Keroro!

Never cosplayed before? Here’s some helpful tips!

1. If you aren’t familiar with the fearless froggy fighters and their human friends… it’s time to get schooled!

• Click here to review the Sgt. Frog character intro!
• Click here to be connected to the Sgt. Frog product page.
  From there, view covers from the released volumes and choose which character you’d like to portray!

2. This contest is all about showcasing your froggy style. Start with a colored hooded sweater, face paint, and leap-frog your creativity from there!

3. Explore the wonders of paper mache! Create a mask… or possibly even a whole headpiece! Click here to be linked to a site that instructs you how to make paper mache.

4. TOKYOPOP’s Jr. Editor & cosplayer, Stephanie Duchin suggests checking out websites on making costumes. “I may not follow exactly what they say, but it always springs an idea in my head that I can go off of,” she says.

Rules:
Click here to view official rules.

Prizes:
The first-place winner will capture an autographed Sgt. Frog Bind-up (Vols 1-3) by its famous creator Mine Yoshizaki, along with $100 worth of Sgt. Frog merchandise straight from Japan!

Runner-up will also receive an autographed Sgt. Frog Bind-up, along with $50 worth of Sgt. Frog merchandise.

Terms and Conditions:
Upload a jpg below or email us a photo of you as a character from Sgt. Frog manga. Hit us with your best shot! Use any materials you can find. Be creative and bold!

Email us at fancontent@tokyopop.com

Submissions must be received by February 3, 2008!

TOKYOPOP staff will judge entries and the winners will be featured on our site!

So… HOP to it! Get those frog legs in gear!