Archive for September, 2007

Full Metal Panic Fumoffu thinpak set DVD!

Posted in Uncategorized with tags on September 30, 2007 by mdjasrie

Another package also arrived that i ordered from Tower.com. I was impressed with Tower.com’s swift delivery despite its cheap shipping rates on DVDs. The best part is that no matter how many dvds are there in a set, the shipping rate is calculated on a flat rate of 1 set and not on the number of DVDs in the set.

And thus Full Metal Panic Fumoffu thinpak arrived.

Title: Full Metal Panic Fumoffu

Licensed by: Funimation
Region: 1 (NTSC)
Resolution: 640X480 (4:3)
Subtitle: English
Dub: English 5.1, Japanese 2.0
Episodes: 1 to 12

Number of discs: 3

ADV released a more economical version of the title, in a complete thinpak collection with the box to keep all the casings together. It is totally devoid of extras, save for the usual textless openings and closings and some previews on other animes released by ADV. At just SGD 59 for a region 1 DVD, with the box, plastic casings for individual DVDs, this is quite a bargain.

Front and back of the box:

Inside the box you’ll see 3 thin sized dvd casings, holding a DVD each.

The thinpak cases features different pair ups of the girls in the anime.

The menus in the dvd are quite bare and doesnt feature any animated features as you browse through the menu and submenus.

Here are some screenies of the video itself. The picture looks bright and colourful, but i think ADV has kinda messed up with the transfer of the video to the DVD. Interlacing problems are quite evident throughout the series. But other than that, its quite crisp. The interlacing problem could be repaired if you enable FFDshow to process the picture.

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Mushishi DVD box set arrived!

Posted in Uncategorized with tags on September 30, 2007 by mdjasrie

It came in good timing after my 2 weeks in confinement in BMT. My wildly anticipated package has arrive safe and sound. Now my experience from ebaying has been a positive one indeed and i hope it will continue to do so for future purchases.

Title: Mushishi
Licensed by: Funimation
Region: 1 (NTSC)
Resolution: 720×480 (16:9)
Subtitle: English
Dub: English 2.0, Japanese 2.0
Episodes: 1 to 5

Number of discs: 1

So i got Mushishi Volume 1 DVD with the starter set imported and it was amazing! Everything from the packaging to the anime itself was brimming with goodness.

Lets start with the packaging.

I bought the first volume DVD with the starter box so that you keep the future dvds in one neat package. The box comes with a jacket with the title of anime prominently display against a brown background, with ‘wooden grains’ making it feel textured.

Upon opening the jacket, the cardboard box is laden with
more illustration of Ginko, and there you will see the first DVD volume 1.

The remaining space in the box is filled with an empty but illustrated filler box. This box can be removed for future DVDs.

Now going into the DVD itself, the dvd casing is also wrapped with a cardboard jacket with Ginko in the illustration. The dvd box reflects what is on the cardboard jacket.

At the back of the cardboard jacket is filled with episode synopsis, details of the anime, DVD region etc.

Within the DVD casing comes with the dvd itself as well as a 12 page booklet, featuring excerpts about the anime from the director, background information of Mushishi and the characters. It also comes with a nifty little postcard with a gorgeous art of Ginko walking through snow.

Now onto the DVD itself. After the usual warnings and some advertisements on other animes by funimation, you are greeting with a beautiful menu with the background soundtrack running. Though nothing spectacular, the choice of static images for the menu is consistent with the DVD cover.

It has the “play” button, that lets you play all the 5 episodes in order, the “episode” button, that allows you to choose which episode to play, complete with episode title. The “settings” button allows you choose subtitles and language tracks. The “extras” buttons has alot of extras.

Each submenu is greeted with a different set of static images that reflects the episodes contained within. Here we have the “episode” menu.

The extras contain interview session of the original Ginko
Voice actor as well as the director. Both interview is 20 minutes each, longer than i would expect for extra content within Volume 1.
It offers great insights on the challenges met by the voice actor in pinning down the essence of Ginko.
On the director, he gave great insights on his direction in adapting the manga into an anime and the steps taken to ensure that it remains faithful to the manga as well being unique as an anime itself.
He also touched upon some of the little details that make mushishi unique from the majority of other animes out there.

Here are some screens from the DVD:

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Fate/Zero figure pair [Gorgeouslicious]

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , on September 13, 2007 by mdjasrie

[This would be my last post before heading to Tekong, but anyways ill be back in 3 weeks time.]

Ive seen the Saber model donning in black suit under the Fate/Zero franchise and i thought it looked cool. Though the anime is really interesting, it wasnt good enough to really capture my attention. Sure i did enjoy the entire series and have looked into the visual novels like Fate/Zero and was thoroughly entertained, but thats just it. It doesnt leave a lasting impact on me.

When i first looked at the model, its really detailed, sleek with a black finish and a great simplistic pose of saber. It wasnt until i saw the other half that made up a pair that really swayed me into really considering getting the models for myself. Up to now, i think ive come to realised that im kinda attracted to models pairing up each other. Just like how i was attracted to Hagi and Saya that compels me to get the figure. I might getting this one over the Kino model (Gomen kino!)

The Saber model would most likely come out in December. I havent preordered it yet and its kinda too late for me right now, since im very preoccupied with my NS preparations. Nonetheless im still mulling over whether i should get it. I think KKnM might still accept preorders, but what i wanna make sure is the second half to the set Kiritsugu Emiya figure.

If im not wrong it should come out in January of next year, ive already sent a note seeking KKnM confirmation whether preorder status for Emiya is up, then i might get both at the same time. Man.. thats gonna blow my anime/manga budget at the end of the year. Last price check ive seen for Saber was around 65 bucks, but thats just an estimation i guess. The Emiya figure would be more expensive. Hmm hmm hmm…. decision decisions….

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Utada Megane KAWAIIIIII!!!!!!!!

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , on September 12, 2007 by mdjasrie

Stumbled upon this really really but wonderful clip of Utada wearing glasses. At first, the moment she puts on the glasses, the audience gaze in wonder while shouting “Kawaiiiii….” But as soon as she started posing, the crowd goes wild!! I couldnt help it but laugh at the way she poses.

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Where is my package!?

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , on September 10, 2007 by mdjasrie

Gargh! I ordered the Suzumiya Haruhi Kyon Character CD and my Mushishi anime DVD starter set and they have yet to arrive! I’m going to NS on friday and i was hoping to recieve them before i enlist, but those 2 packages are nowhere on sight. Its been a little more than 2 weeks already and i pray real hard that i would get them by then.

Tomorrow is the day where i will march down to the office to demand my pay. Im getting sick and tired of waiting for them to pay me, despite the fact that I already given them 3 weeks in advance to prepare my pay, before I enlist. Seriously, and if I’m not paid fully by then, ill write a formal complain to Ministry of Manpower, without hesitation. Close to a thousand dollars is at stake here and i dont want to use my precious book out time during the weekends to hunt them down. Furthermore, i want them to take action now and not just forget about this whole issue. Tomorrow… we shall see……

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L’Arc~en~Ciel latest single out! Utada latest single debut at No. 3

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , on September 6, 2007 by mdjasrie

Its been an interesting week for Oricon, with , L’Arc~en~Ciel, and Utada Hiakru releasing their latest single all at the same week. Mika Nakashima debuted on number 3 last week, before dropping to number 5.

Coming at number 1 is L’Arc~en~Ciel, with My Heart Draws A Dream. I managed to preview it and it sounds interesting, but it takes some time for me to really like it. I dont find any interesting tunes or melodies coming out from the latest single, but as always, Hyde’s voice is certainly the trademark that makes L’Arc~en~Ciel so unique. Blast the music out loud and you might find their music appealing.

The single sold about 112 000 physical albums on its first week.

You can preview the song here.

Coming up Next is my all time favourite, Utada Hikaru. However, taking a step back, i think Utada Hikaru would be my all time favourite female artiste while L’Arc~en~Ciel would be my all time favourite male artiste, or band for that matter. So thank god for that, or I would be so pissed as to why Utada’s latest single did not reach number 1 on the Oricon Charts.

Selling at a healthy 94 000 copies, im still quite puzzled as to why it sold lower than expected though. Maybe it did better through online music sales? Given the hype that Utada’s latest song, Beautiful World happened to be one of the theme song to one of the greatest anime remake, Neon Genesis Evangelion, it still fails to hit the top of the charts.

Ive posted the music sample in my previous post. Just look up under Utada Hikaru under the categories section.

Trailing at number 5 on its second week of release is Mika Nakashima’s latest, LIFE. Though im not a big fan of Mika Nakashima, but some of her songs are exceptional, and no doubt her smoky, blues, jazz voice really adds flavour to her songs. This one is an example of that. LIFE was release in the normal and ballad version. I prefer the ballad version. Its slower, more vocal and more soulful.

You can preview the normal version here.

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Heroes In Singapore!

Posted in Uncategorized with tags on September 4, 2007 by mdjasrie

They were here last friday, it was an awesome but short experience. Hiro Nakamura, Nicky Sanders, Mohinder, and Greg were here in Singapore for the last stop of the Asia Tour and i had a glimpse of them in action!

Their appearance took place at Vivocity, 3pm. I was there around 2pm and there were already scores of people crowding close to the stage, eagerly waiting for their grand, red carpet arrival. Some of them were carrying signs and placards, saying stuff like “MARRY ME MOHINDER” or “YATTA”! It was hilarious. I didnt know that Heroes had a really large influence in Singapore.

The whole event ended in less than 30 minutes. After waiting for more than an hour for their red carpet arrival, they came, they talked, they cheered and drove hardcore fans to madness, they were gone just like that.

I managed to hold on to a spot on the second level of the mall, overlooking to the entire open space where the stage were. I managed to take some crappy photos on my crappy camera. Im no cameraman so pardon me if the quality is really bad.  Meanwhile click on the images to view larger.

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