Season 2 Episode 6: An interview with Ai Kawashima!

It's May in NYC and you know what that means (No not Golden Week that's Japan)! Sakura Matsuri at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and JAPAN DAY 2009 in NYC! Which brings Team あ!PoN to welcome our second J-POP sensation Ai Kawashima! Known in Japan for having an "Angelic Voice" which brings hope and peace with her music. Team あ!PoN was able to catch up with her at Kinokuniya's Flagship store in NYC to have a very fun one on one. So sit back and enjoy both the music and talk with this young and very talented singer named Ai Kawashima~

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So as you can see at the age of twenty-three Ai Kawashima has already accomplished so much! Her dreams of world peace has lead her to write books and help established schools for poor countries outside of Japan. Now we know why she has an angelic voice. To learn more about Kawashima Ai visit her website:

• Kawashima Ai: My Room Website

And as we heard some of Ai's songs have been used as theme songs for anime and videogames those songs are.

• "Zetsubou to Kibou" (絶望と希) is the theme song of Shining Force Neo.
• "Compass" was is the theme song of the eighth One Piece movie Episode of Alabasta: The Desert Princess and the Pirates.
• "Kimi No Koe" (きみのこえ) is the ending theme song of The Place Promised in Our Early Days.
• "Door Crawl", is the theme song of Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon.

If you want to hear more of Ai Kawashima's music before she went solo check out her albums when she was part of the group "I WiSH"!

• http://www.sonymusic.co.jp/Music/Info/IWiSH/

Now if you missed her at the Sakura Matsuri Festival on May 2nd, fear not! You can catch her at JAPAN DAY 2009 May 31st in Central Park NYC! For more information on JAPAN DAY 2009 go to there website:

• http://japandaynyc.org/

And that wraps up our show notes for あ!PoN Season 2 Episode 6! So come back and check up with us soon cause we'll have plenty more to bring you, it's been a good summer so don't forget to check out also our "TOKYO MIRROR" segments from the "Angry Otaku" bringing us what's hot in Japan for you to hear! Get ready it's gonna be a blast!

Oh yea and if you guys were wondering about "Ainori" here is the link you can check out! Just click on the pink bus!

THIS JUST IN! We just received links from the folks at "SAMURAI BEAT RADIO" who help set up our interview with Ai Kawashima. You can catch their radio interviews in the links below!

• ♪PODCAST: AI KAWASHIMA DAY ON MAY 1 @ KINOKUNIYA BOOKSTORE PT.1
• ♪PODCAST: AI KAWASHIMA DAY ON MAY 1 @ KINOKUNIYA BOOKSTORE PT.2

• ♪PODCAST: MAY 2ND SAKURA MATSURI BROADCAST (PART III - AI KAWASHIMA)

  
  

Enjoy!!

Tokyo Mirror Episode 1: Tokyo Anime Fair 2009

あ!PoN presents the new series Tokyo Mirror, with our inaugural episode covering the Tokyo Anime Fair of 2009. While not the first TAF that あ!PoN has been to, this time we bring you an overall look at some of the exhibitors and activities at the show itself.


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Show notes and other things we couldn't mention on camera:

• Production IG is rolling out 3 OVA series based on popular Japanese historical figures, two of which are Miyamoto Musashi and to coincide with the live action movie, Goemon.
• The Mame Shiba "Bean Puppies" will be airing an animated series in Japan this October.
• SONY and Aniplex own one third of the world.
• There are at least 3 reputable universities in the Tokyo area that offer degrees in illustration and animation.
• Patrick Macias likes old school Kung Fu.
• Ed Chavez of the Mangacast knows what to order at Okinawan eateries.
• One half of the Ninja Consultants was the camera operator when the Angry Otaku was on cam.
  
• The ending segment of this piece was cut off due to noise from helicopters. It was also filmed from the Angry Otaku's apartment balcony.
  

Musical Notes: あ!PoN Tokyo Mirror's opening theme is "COCOLOGAME" and is graciously provided by Okayama’s own hip-hop artist Youth, from label Karass Castle.

(It's the 2nd song of 2 in the whole vid. Starts at 3:48).

Youth, along with artists from High Life Records are worth checking out, and we’ll be bringing you more later on.

あ!PoN gives props where props are due, to the Planet Japan Podcast and Gomyo of the Hoodie Monks for helping us find such talented musical artists.

あ!PoN Tokyo Mirror is a new series of episodes where we take advantage of our prolonged presence in Tokyo and other areas of Japan. Get ready for more interviews, anime news, and video you won't see anywhere else.

In the Hopper:

Interview: Ai Kawashima
Interview: Satoshi Kon
Interview: Rie Tanaka
Interview: Yoshitaka Amano

Special: Life Size Gundam (it's not even up yet, but we'll be there, when it's up!)

Death Note: L, Change the WorLd - Theatrical Release

Anime inspired film once again comes to the big screen with the VIZ Pictures theatrical release of Death Note: L, Change the WorLd.

Opening here in New York on April 29, we checked out the first showing of Death Note: L, Change the WorLd at Regal Cinemas in Union Square. The film is both subbed and dubbed in English.

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For more information about the Death Note live films, here’s the official site. Also, you can check or interview with Shusuke Kaneko, the director of this film in our archives here.

We’d like to thank VIZ Pictures, Fathom and Regal Cinemas for their help in our coverage of this event!

Death Note: L, Change the WorLd NEWS

By popular demand ...Viz Pictures and NCM Fathom partner again to present Death Note: L, change the WorLd Wednesday, April 29 and Thursday, April 30 at 7:30PM local time in a movie theatre near you.

Death Note: L, change the WorLd is the third live action event based on the Death Note Manga franchise. The follow up to Death Note and Death Note II, Death Note: L, change the WorLd will feature Fathom’s first ever subtitled event. The event (in Japanese with English subtitles) will feature exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and interviews of Kenichi Matsuyama (L), Alessandro Juliani (L's English voice actor), and Hideo Nakata (the director).

Tickets go on sale Monday, March 23. Limited availability - buy your tickets early!

Participating Theatres

CLICK HERE to view a list of participating theatres and purchase tickets to the SUBTITLED event on 4/29 (in Japanese with English subtitles.)

CLICK HERE to view a list of participating theatres and purchase tickets to the OVERDUBBED event on 4/30 (overdubbed in English.)

Event Overview

Inspired by the best-selling Manga Death Note, Death Note: L, change the WorLd reveals how the legendary detective "L" spends the final days of his life. Directed by master J-horror filmmaker Hideo Nakata, Kenichi Matsuyama once again stars as L. L has finally solved the "Kira" case in which countless criminals had died under mysterious circumstances, but sacrificed his own life in order to stop Kira, leaving himself with only 23 days left to live. For his final case L goes up against a bio-terrorist group trying to wipe out humanity with a deadly mutated virus ten times more fatal than Ebola. As L tries to formulate an antidote with a scientist, he must also save the lives of two children who have no one else to turn to. Will L be able to save the world before it's too late? Witness the last 23 days of L.

Don't miss your chance to see Death Note: L, change the WorLd larger-than-life on the big screen!

This event is not officially rated but should be treated as equivalent to an "R" rating.

And remember if you see Team あ!PoN there be ready to come and have a chat with us like always! And you never know if we may have any surprises waiting for you! Check out our video past screening events for Deathnote 1 here and Deathnote 2 here.

Season 2 Episode 5: An interview with Corinne Orr!

In this episode あ!PoN, we bring you an interview with the talented Corinne Orr, done during her appearance at the New York Anime Festival. Responsible for some of the earliest English voices of anime characters Corrine Orr has been kicking butt in the recording booth and on stage since before most American otaku were ever born (yeah we're talking about you).


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Originally Canadian, Corinne was able to further her early career in New York City, the original capital of anime dubbing. In addition to her celebrated work in Speed Racer, she has also provided voice roles for Fujiko Mine in Lupan III Mystery or Mamo, and of course everyone's fave laundry product spokes-puppet, the Snuggle Bear.

We'd like to thank Corinne for hanging around the press room and talking with us while Peter Fernandez pulled the most ninja of ninja moves and managed to sneak out for a quick nosh on the west side, avoiding our cameras. Our thanks also go out to the New York Anime Festival and Reed Exhibitions for putting on the event, and of course you the viewer, for watching this.

In a bid to maintain our hyperspeed of episode releases, we'll be coming out with 3 more interviews here at あ!PoN Video Magazine. So stay tuned for in-depth talks with:
Rie Tanaka (Actress)
Yoshitaka Amano (Artist)
Satoshi Kon (Director)

And a bonus episode of Tokyo Anime Fair which starts our new series "Tokyo Mirror"!

Season 2 Episode 4: An interview with T.M.Revolution!

The long awaited あ!Pon interview with Takanori Makes Revolution, better known to American otaku as T.M.R.! We were granted this interview courtesy of the fine people at SONY Music, The New York Comic Con, and of course Takanori-san himself. This interview took place in March of 2008, and was delayed because of the long drawn-out move our very own Angry Otaku had to make from New York to Tokyo.

Due to the terms set up by the people involved, this will be our first episode that contains an audio only interview, but that doesn’t mean we couldn’t have fun, so make sure you watch the end!

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T.M.R. seems to have quite the affinity for Broadway Musicals including Wicked (which is now playing in Japan!), as well as Guitar Hero and Rock Band of all things. He also lists some of his musical tastes and the story of how the name of T.M.Revolution was chosen.

For more information on T.M.R. and his albums go to his official website "HERE"

The good news is that a new episode is coming up, and we'll be gutsy and actually give a date this time. Look for another interview from an Anime Voice Actress coming here on the 2nd!!

The 2009 New York Comic Con

It looks like this year’s New York Comic Con is going to be one for the record books. This con is a definite “something for everyone” kind of place with ample gaming demos, over 100 artists in artist’s alley, panels ranging from Diamond Distribution to Guitar Hero, premiere screenings of Wonder Woman and Yatterman, singing catgirls, cosplayers of all sorts, lightsaber demonstrations, exclusive and limited edition figures, the most expensive comic ever, your own picture next to a Marvel Superhero, and an entire galleria section where every bean bag chair in the City of New York has come to die.



Stop by the Marvel booth to get your own picture taken with a Marvel hero for free! Check out our host TT, swingin it with Spider Man.


It would be impossible to list all the things going on here, so check out the NYCC website for some detailed info. The Con book also has an advert for the Bangkok Toy & Comic Convention coming up next year in January... make those reservations now kids.

Anyone in the NYC Area should come down and check the show out for the day. But it looks like most of the badges are sold out!

Production IG's "Abunai Sisters" Footage Released

あ!Pon has been kindly provided with the title sequence and a few minutes of footage from the CG animated series "Abunai Sisters" from the studio Production IG. The series is a direct to DVD release featuring 10 short episodes lasting about 3 minutes each. ANN Article here.

The main characters of the series are based on the Kano Sisters Koko and Mika, while the title is being distributed in the U.S.A. by the company Netprice. More information is available (in English) at the official website for the series linked here.

Death Note II: The Last Name - Theatrical Release

Anime inspired film once again comes to the big screen with the VIZ Pictures theatrical release of Death Note II, The Last Name.

Opening here in New York on October 15, we checked out the first showing of Death Note II at Regal Cinemas in Union Square. The film is dubbed in English.

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For more information about the Death Note live films, here’s the official site. Also, you can check or interview with Shusuke Kaneko, the director of this film in our archives here.

We’d like to thank VIZ and Regal Cinemas for their help in our coverage of this event.

あ!PoN at New York Anime Festival 2008

Another year has almost gone by and it’s time for us to bring you the New York Anime Festival once again!

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This year there may be some question marks as to the state of the industry, but with the amount of attendees willing and able to make it to the show (in the rain) has grown considerably, which seems to indicate that the fandom itself is going strong.

The NYAF seems to have everything an anime con usually has, video rooms, panels, the press, dealers, industry, and cosplayers up the ying-yang. But in addition to that, NYC has shown its continuing desire not to be outdone by anyone and is hosting some non-traditional guests such as Iron Chef Morimoto, Gaijin Japanese musical act Happy Fun Smile, and the well known Japanese fashion entity Baby the Stars Shine Bright. There were also those Jedi cosplayers, manga artist Rica Takashima made a very incognito appearance on the con floor, and we’re not sure but we can almost swear we saw the lead singer of Jackyl wandering around (you know, that guy who plays the chainsaw as a musical instrument?).

Why does あ!PoN go to these things? Well aside from adding more convention badges to our collection, we show up to interview anime luminaries, and this show does not disappoint. We’ve been able to sit down with:
Artist and designer Yoshitaka Amano, and the Creator of Vampire Hunter D Hideyuki Kikuchi (you’ll be able to listen to them banter together about who’s version of D is the best).
Voice talent Corinne Orr of original Speed Racer fame.

And only our second Japanese female Seiyuu in our interview series, Rie Tanaka.

Look for all these and more coming from the anime video podcast that all the other podcasters watch: あ!PoN. (well most of them anyway).

ANNOUNCEMENT:

Calling all Japanese speakers: You think you can translate spoken Japanese words into English subtitles on the fly like we make the Angry Otaku do for all of these interviews? Think you can help us out in exchange for some free swag, e-points, and the possibility of being an あ!PoN correspondent at upcoming conventions (read: you’ll get in for free)… Then for the love of all things holy contact us and let us know. We’re looking for a few good translators that can help us out with our backlog of interviews that won’t be seen anywhere else.

FYI: robot girl Aiko lives here.