Haruhi season 2 is coming!

The latest issue of Newtype has the exclusive… It’s supposed to go onsale on the 10th but apparently the scans have been leaked… Not much details, though. Thanks to Kyon for informing me.

Oh great, another S$400 worth of DVDs coming my way soon. Hail Haruhi!

Remember how Konata was being so proud of the fact that her fanart submission was published in Newtype? Well I browsed through the latest issue in Kinokuniya today and indeed it was there! I took a picture of it secretly with my compact digital camera when no one was looking. Just like downloading fansubs and jaywalking, it’s okay as long as you don’t get caught.

By the way it’s the drawing on the right depicting Akira. Apparently Konata is an Akira fan. So cool. The accompanying text basically says that this submission is a message of support of Akira-sama and also, as a side note, includes a small plead for Shirashi-kun to be given better treatment.

Kyo-ani are cool people.

Either no one has bothered to blog about it or I didn’t look hard enough. So anyway, the latest issue of Newtype has a whole bunch of juicy titbits on the new Evangelion movies starting next year.

Click on to find out…

If you haven’t heard about the new Evangelion project before this, basically it’s a total of four new movies, with the first movie coming out next year.

I’ll just listen them out in the order they are mentioned in the magazine.

Itâ€s going to be crazy. Crazy like the Eva that we love and hate. Apparently, Mr. Anno is working full steam. Heâ€s happy that he can finally recreate Eva “as he wanted it to be”, because heâ€s no longer limited by the technology of 12 years ago, ergo lots of 3D CG this time. In fact, it’s so crazy that you will need to watch the first movie at least 3 times to “get” it. (Or so they say.)

The planning for the first movie has already been completed and it has entered the drawing phase and Mr. Hideaki Anno is working on the script for the second movie. The staff remains more or less the same as the TV series.

The first movie will revolve around the events covered in episode 6 of the TV series, basically Operation Yashima where Eva-01 takes down the angel with a positron rifle. That episode did not turn out the way Mr. Anno wanted it to, due to last-decade technical limitations, and he wants to make it right this time. Operation Yashima will be the climax of the first movie. Mr. Shinji Higuchi, the director of Sinking of Japan, will be in-charge of the Yashima portions of the movie.

NEW characters will be appearing in the second movie. (Please let it be Mana Kirishima!!!)

Although the uniform designs will remain unchanged, the NERV and SEELE logos will be changed. The NERV logo will be based on a bitten apple, while the new SEELE logo will be an apple with a serpent coiled around it. The new logos are references to the original sin as told by the Bible. Apparently, this reference may be paralleled by the movies’ story at some point.

It sounds to me that the first movie will be at least a partial remake and the second movie will branch off to a new story with new characters. I guess you can call it a parallel Eva universe?

As a fanboy, I can’t wait to see Eva with modern graphics. :3

P.S. Mana is the hawtest Eva girl. She deserves screen time!!!

MANA!!!

Let me tell you a story.

/me walks past the new releases.
Me: “ZOMG Honey & Clover final volume!”
*Honey & Clover Vol.10 get*
/me walks past the magazine shelf.
*Newtype October get*
/me walks to Japanese counter to place order.
Staff member A is busy attending to another customer (who, coincidentally, is from my school).
/me waits.
Staff member B: “Excuse me, are you Mr. (my name)?”
/me goes wtf?
Me: “Ermmm… yeah.”
Staff member B: “The book you ordered has arrived. Do you wish to collect it today?”
/me looks at the book. It’s Genshiken Vol.8.
Me: “Okay, sure.”
/me takes a few minutes to fish out the correct order slip from my wallet.
*Genshiken Vol.8 get*
Staff member A is done and I finally get to place my order.

You know you spend too much on manga when you have six Kinokuniya order slips in your wallet and the counter person knows you by name.

Anyway, I’m somewhat disappointed with Honey & Clover‘s ending. Somehow it lacked the impact that I expected. The ending is… unfulfilling-ly realstic. That’s how I would put it. The unrelated short story 「星のオペラ」 (The Stars’ Opera) that was included as the last chapter is quite good, though.

Fresh off the press! From Moon Phase Zakki:

ニュータイプ10月号早売り情報。

WOWOWのディレクターズカット版、総集編仕立て＋完全新作？「SHUFFLE！MEMORIES」が今冬放送とか。

De-moon-ified:

News from early copies of Newtype October.
WOWOW’s director’s cut version, summary episode + a completely new work? “Shuffle! Memories” airing this winter.

I shall confirm this when I get my hands on a copy of Newtype in about 4 days or so. But basically it sounds like this “Shuffle! Memories” thing will contain new content, though it’s not clear what it’s exactly relationship to the first TV series will be. Half summary half new content, maybe? Anyway there will be a new OP and ED to look forward to, at the very least.

Based on the game, I think there’s really not much left to cover, so maybe it’s completely original side stories? Or maybe, Haruhi forbids, an alternate Kaede ending? (I am so not watching that!)

I, for one, am rooting for a Kareha ending! (Let a guy have his dream, okay?)

I also picked up the latest issues of Newtype and Comptiq. Newtype came from a Fate/stay night booklet while Comptiq came with a Da Capo II pencil board. Ah, less than two weeks left till D.C. II… 楽しみ～

Apparently Comptiq has all the scoop on this new game and because I have yet to pick up my April issue, here’s a picture of its cover from the latest issue of Newtype instead.

*Stabs Kaede*

I wonder what the new game will be called.

I bought most of the stuff I had been waiting for this month over the course of last week. (Three trips to Kinokuniya and one trip to Sunshine Plaza) This should more or less cover my spendings for this month… I hope. (Goddammit, I so want the new Sony Network Walkman)

• Comptiq Feb
• Newtype Feb
• Negima Vol.13
• Kare Kano Vol.21 End
• Maburaho Vol.2 End

Negima wasn’t very good. But I did take a peak at the latest issue of Shounen Magazine for the current story arc. Although I had no idea wtf was going on based on that single chapter, I can say that the next two volumes will be great.

Kare Kano Vol.21 had the PERFECT ending. I have absolutely no bad things to say about the entire series. Well worth the wait, which by the way was a LOT longer than usual.

In terms of anime, I haven’t been watching much. Fate/Stay Night is still good, Kashimashi is cute and wtf at the same time and Wings of Rean is just ZOMGWTFBBQ period. (You can really see the Yoshiyuki Tomino in it)

Anyway, I’ve been reading quite a bit recently (times otherwise wasted doing nothing of importance at school). Some English titles I’ve recently read or still am reading:

• The Singapore Story: Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew
• 69 by Ryu Murakami
• Japan: Profile of A Nation from Kodansha International
• The SAS Fighting Techniques Handbook by Terry White

Yes, I can see many people going WTF at the first item, but I assure you that it is a very enjoyable and intelligent book and that I am looking forward to reading the second volume. No, I am not lying for the benefit of those fine agents from Internal Security who no doubt scrutinize my anti-establishment blog on a regular basis. Fight the power!

Another 180-degree change of topic: I love “WILL” by Chihiro Yonekura!!!

1. Tenjou Tenge – Maya Natsume (New Colour)
2. Newtype January
3. Ghost in the Shell – 1/24 Tachikoma Model Kit (that I’ll never get to build)
4. School Rumble Vol.11 (running out of characters for the covers?)
5. Da Capo Second Graduation Vol.2 Limited Edition (I want Kotori instead…)
6. Maaya Sakamoto “I.D.” Photo Essay

Newtype December has spoilers for D.C.S.S. up to episode 23. Episode 20 to 22 are basically about Aisia and Sakura (one entire month worth of things I don’t care for). However, it seems that Kotori finally gets back into the race in episode 23. Woohoo!

沈é»ã®å¤

これまでことりや美春たちは、純一と音夢の恋人としての関係を祝福し、応援しようとしてきた。しかし、彼女たちの気持ちに、少しずつ変化が現れる。

Quick and crappy translation.

Silent Summer

Kotori, Miharu and the others have been giving their blessings and support to Jun’ichi and Nemu’s relationship as lovers. However, changes are slowly taking place in the hearts of these girls.

Sounds like the story climax that I’ve been talking about. Now there are only two paths left for the producers: follow the predictable ending used by the first season, thus disappointing Kotori fanboys like me for the second time, and risk having your little studio burned down to the ground, or go with Kotori and be able to sleep without having to worry for your lives.

Bah, it’s hopeless. Looks like I have to start saving up for a plane ticket and a copy of the Anarchist Guidebook…