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I would like to see them try… LOL.

The live drama is going to be epic if it can actually be successful. According to Anime News Network, a Taiwan Television Station will be adapting the Romance Comedy manga Hayate no Gotoku by Kenjiro Hata into a Life Action drama, staring the Korean actress, age 20, Pak Shin-Hye as Nagi and Taiwanese Actor, 28 ,George Hu as Hayate.

Pak Shin Hye as Nagi

George Hu as Hayate

Both are understandedly good looking, but they might be a bit out of the age range… If the director wants to follow the script loyally, which they will not. After all, the Taiwan stations are known to loosely base their production on the actual manga.

For example previous Manga inspired dramas like Meteorite Garden based on Hana Yori Dango and Itazaru na Kiss. While Skip Beat! the Taiwanese Live Drama named Extravagant Challenge is still in limbo about it’s production process…

Btw it now features the boys from Super Junior as Ren and Sho… Not sure about their acting thou…

Source: ANN

I’ll be eagerly awaiting the product… lol

Popularity: 14% [?]

Screen Cap from Oxford dictionary online

Hikikomori is originally Japanese, meaning for the people who are detached from the society and stays home most of the time.

It’s now officially in the Queen’s dictionary… well Oxford’s to be exact. The definition of the word remains the same and it’s a noun.

The word found it’s way into the dictionary in the latest revision which also sees the inclusion of words like Vuvuzela, Frenemy and bromance… as part of the 2000 words added to the list.

So to upcoming ‘O’ Level and ‘A’ Level students, here are a few mores words you can use in your composition. LOL

Source: Japanese Times

Website: Oxford Dictionary Online

PS: did you know Otaku is also in the dictionary?

Popularity: 4% [?]

The Tokyo city have released an anime to encourage visitors to go visit the city. It comes with a map and the anime that features the many place in Tokyo.

The 11 minutes long anime is about a girl from the future, coming to the present to look for/take Happiness from the city of Tokyo. She even got(kidnapped) a guide to bring her around the places that made Tokyo such a wonderful city. In the end, she found out how true happiness is obtain and released all that she has taken.

Her life is greatly improved by the trip to Tokyo and you can follow her route based on the Google map embedded on the site.

It’s really a very interesting and eye opening anime short to look at. It even comes with 7 languages to choose from. It’s also great to note that, the studio behind the animation is STUDIO4℃.

What I don’t get is why did the anime used 40 million yen to make… Either way, it’s a really good production and it really make me wish I can goto Tokyo again… soon…

Website: Welcome to Tokyo: Honey Tokyo

Popularity: 5% [?]

The real deal is here! The original Saimoe have kicked off for it’s 2010 edition, in football terms if International Saimoe is the Italian La-liga , then the Japanese Saimoe will be the WORLD CUP!

It’s a lot shorter then the International League, but it will be more updated and the voting will be open and more transparent, since it’s on the 2ch forum using a special text recognition software.

In this competition, new characters like Celty from Durarara!! and less well known characters stands a chance. As the Japanese and the tech-savy foreigners fights for their respective character and it’s VAs.

The voting for the group matches starts tomorrow with the following match-ups. Miki-Noda and Kiyama Sensei, I'm rooting for you!

This is going to be a lot more interesting!

The list of all the characters taking part in the competition is below, saw anyone you are rooting for?

PS: It would be interesting to see how far Himeko Tachibana goes… being a calefare in the hit series K-On!! And for the record, I’ll be supporting all the characters voiced by Hirano Aya. And the girls from the following series, K-On!!, A Certain Scientific Railgun, Angel Beats!, Durarara!!!, G.A and a few more!

This is going to be a cruel match-up and many(3/4 of the contestants) are going to be retired by the end of the month… But…

Ultimately thou, Biri Biri should be crowned the queen, this year!

Oh so interesting!!!

Website: Saimoe 2010 English Fansite | Saimoe 2010 Japanese Official Site

Popularity: 8% [?]

Want to grow your money?!

Do it now with the Figurine Investment Fund(FIF) where the you can just put in a fix amount of money everyone and be repaid with the figurines that you wanted or not. The investment fund will turn those money into more plastic for you, locking in the value of your acquisitions.

But why invest in figurines?

Why? Because collectors are looking for the figurines. For the beauty of it, the cuteness and most importantly the rarity  of the figures. Some just don’t get a re-issue regardless of how popular they are.

These can be view as a chance to make that extra bucks as collectors race to find and to keep the available stock in the market.

And now for the last song!

How does it works?

By putting a sum of money with the credit management firm, we will be pre-ordering the most sought after releases and calculating the possibility of either a re-issue or a limited edition.

Some of the recent examples that can be found in the market today,

Azusa Nendoroid, the first run’s market value rose from 3500 yen(54 SG$) to over SG$90. Before the 2nd release reduce the price back down to SG$59.90. Our assessment is to buy the 2nd run as there might not be a third run.

Who removed my Neko mimi? T_T

But who will be managing the fund?

The Figurine Investment Fund is managed by both  Ani-culture.net Money & Credits and KK&M Credit Investment & Assessment Company. We both have plenty of experience in the figurine market.

To sign up, please fill in the following non-existences form and submit it to the Comment box below. Then you can wait for the approval from us to join the program. Either that you can sign-up at the participating non-existences outlets.

After that may you have fun collecting the figures and playing with them!

Disclaimer: I know it’s not April Fools, but this is just a Joke… It’s not real. Why so Serious?

This is just a joke that was thought off when I was at KKnM today, watching a fellow mate tearing his hair out whether to buy the Azusa Nendoroid, me and Sharon(owner of KKnM) created the Figurine Investment Fund(FIF) to offer him a second option in return for his month allowance… Naturally he didn’t take it up, LOL!

And just a note, you won’t be able to make big bucks trying to do resell to collectors.

Lower your weapons!!

P.S: Do you like my new Nendoroid Azusa? She is just so Kawaii don’t you think?

As for the example above about the Azusa Nendoroid, it really quite true, since at some places which still do have stock of the Nendoroid is indeed retailing it at SG$90.

Of cos, the 2nd run have already been released, but most of it, are either already been reserved or pre-ordered. Thou you can still find 1 or 2 left at KKnM(as of today, 29th July 2010) selling at SG$59.90. They also have 1  or 2 Nendoroid Francesca Lucchini in the shop… going at SG$64.90. So better make you way there ASAP… @_@

Not again?! TT-TT

Popularity: 4% [?]

From the picture, you should have been enlighten as to why this post is here… The school above is Toyosato Elementary, or atleast used to be. It’s now a library and open for visitor to visit.

If you still haven’t figure it out… It’s the school that Sakuragaoka Girls’ Highschool is based on, yup the school that the K-On! girls goto. Gigazine recently went on an anime pilgrimage and they went to visit the school.

Here are some of the photos from their trip.

This is Mr. Tetsujiro Furukawa, the person who donated the school.

The rabit and the Tortise found on the way up to the music room.

Yui's test result in the first season... 12/100 ouch...

The table filled with Tsumugi goodness~

Did you know most of the stuff are left behind by the visitors?

Yes including the cakes, poster and …

Tea set

For more picture you should really visit gigazine, this is after all their visit.

To see more of the school read this post, to see more of the music room, go here. Oh so nice~

Toyosato Elementary School is located in the Shiga Prefecture and is just 5 minutes from the Toyosato Station. So you might really want to visit it when you are there… Ah another to the list of sites to visit in Japan, how wonderful.

Source: Gigazine via Zone Otaku.

Website: Toyosato Elementary School

Popularity: 6% [?]

So here are the results for Diamond round 1 of Saimoe 2010. Misaka defeated Haruhi in a close match, Yuki beated Kagami by a long shot, Shana trashed Nagi, K-On!! trashed Nanoha and Saki got kicked Upside down generally.

That is the summery I can give you with regards to the result. Oh the results can be such a cruel thing…

Now for the Diamond 2 preview.

Nothing really interesting, but will Nanoha finally regain some pride against Ui? or will the mother finally admit that she’s old and no longer moe enough… hmm…

As for Haruhi-sama, will she win against the ever lost Isumi? And my Onee-sama is going against that maho user, Louise… hmm, still she will win, no doubt about it.

So standard, the voting started at 11pm Singapore time(1500 GMT). You got 1 day.

Website: International Saimoe League 2010 | ISML Voting page

Popularity: 2% [?]

If you like Chaos;Head last year, you will most likely like this up and coming anime from the same creator and animator. Stein;Gate, see even the naming convention is the same, is about time traveling made based on a XB360 and PC game of the same title.

According to a Tweet from the president of .5Pb, Chiyomaru Shikura, it’s confirms that there will be an anime adaptation of the game.

The anime is expected to be featuring the same storyline used in the Graphic Novel like game, which happens in Akihabara in Japan on the 28th of July, 2010. It’s about 1 year since the events of Chao;Head and the main character is a Crazy inventor.

Stein;Gate being a game making use of the Time Traveling theme, thus will also be invoking the Butterfly effect, and very heavily too, to the extend of either creating a WWIII or a peaceful future.

Here is a general preview based on the Wikipedia:

The story of Steins;Gate begins on July 28, 2010, in Akihabara, with Rintarō Okabe and Mayuri Shiina heading towards the Radio Kaikan building. Inside the building, Rintarō finds the body of Kurisu Makise with a pool of blood in a room. He leaves the building with Mayuri in a panic and sends a text message to Hashida Itaru about the incident when all the people around him suddenly vanish. They reappear moments later but no one around him seems to have experienced the same phenomena that he did.

Does it sounds like something from Chao;Head, why afterall they are from the same creator .5Pb(Publisher) and .Nitroplus(Developer).

But being in Akihabara instead of the boring Shinjuku has it’s advantages, like maids, cosplayers and a gender blender…

Oh so looking forward to it~

PS: The PC port of the game is slated for release on the 26th of August almost 1 year after it’s XB360 release.

Source: moetron | Wikipedia | ANN

Popularity: 9% [?]

And it’s a hard battle… I myself spend some time trying to figure out, to whom I am loyal to… Especially when you have matches like these…

How in the world am I going to choose between them? I did in the end… but…

This is the featured match write-up provided by Momento10 for the Misaki Vs Haruhi match-up

Diamond Period is the final stretch before the postseason. At this point, the Top 8 have enough points to advance, but they still battle for the highest seed in the rankings. Misaka Mikoto has made the most of her second appearance in ISML by spending the majority of the season in the top 5. Only a difference in SDO is keeping her outside the top 5 coming into today’s match. She has managed to keep a low profile despite a high ranking throughout the season, but her winning the Ruby Necklace through skill and luck has brought her to everyone’s attention. If Mikoto wants to continue her good fortune in Diamond and finish the season in the top 5, she will have to contend with a challenger who won two consecutive necklaces in 2009. Suzumiya Haruhi has finished the past two seasons in the top 3 and, at worst, lost only four matches in a single season. Despite her success in the regular season, she has come short in the postseason by winning only one match in both 2008 and 2009 before being eliminated. Necklaces have eluded Haruhi this year, as her six losses have all come in Round 1 of every Period so far. The trend puts her at a disadvantage today against Mikoto, but she hopes to break that streak before the end and build some important momentum for the postseason. Can the goddess dispose of her opponent and have a chance at winning a second Diamond necklace, or will the railgun electrocute her opponent and make a statement that she will be in the running for the Tiara as well?

For the rest of the matches, there really isn’t much to contemplate about. So have fun!

You should have 12 more hours to vote.

Here is how I have vote…

I’m very sorry Haruhi, Yuki, Nagi and Kushieda… God help me if I am to be condemned…

Website: International Saimoe League 2010 | ISML Voting page

Popularity: 3% [?]

In the recent time since the completion of the Gundam in Odaiba city, there seems to be a trend to built models as big as the anime or movies. In Japan, the 1:1 scale Gundam RX-78-02 is moved from Odaiba to Shizoka city, completed with a new upgrade, carrying a Beam Saber.

I’ll be sure to go visit the monument when I visit Japan next year. But that is not all that Japan can offer.

Updated(25th July): I didn’t know but the 1:1 scale model of the RX-78-2, opens yesterday. Above is a video of the opening ceremony, the model will be taken apart on the 31st of March, so if you are going, go quick.

Source: Danny Choo | Zone Otaku | Ngee Khiong(Video)

In a theme park some where in the area(see the mountain behind, yup that’s mount fuji), Fuji-Q Highland theme park, will be playing host to the first 1:1 EVA-01. It’s really only the upper body but it will be quite big and you will be close to it, practically staring it in the eyes…

It had only recently been open to public(23 July 2010) and the launch is even broadcasted on Ustream. What pity I missed it… Hmm no matter… Not that I will travel up to the theme park just to see it… That would really depend on my schedule, yah?

Source: Zone Otaku

Of cos, not to be beaten the Chinese have made a stunning work of art, the Optimus Prime!

Lets Roll out!

Made for a environment awareness event, the model is made completely out of scrapes and should really be appluaded for it’s rather good looking model.

Ain’t it good looking, don’t be so choosy lar, after all it’s really made from car scraps. The project is not on display next to the Bird Nest Stadium, in Beijing. So, if you are there, go take a look at it and be awwed by the 10 meter tall metal work. Just don’t stand too close, incase the win blows, yah?

Source: Gizmodo

Popularity: 4% [?]

Good Smile Company have recently noticed that there are cases of a Pirated Version of the Snow Miku Nendroid and have issued an advisory via it’s Japanese website.

Pirate on the left; Original on the right

The pirated version was caught laughing instead of smiling and have quite a few noticeable flaws and/or defects, maybe due to it’s bluer nature…

These are pointed out clearly on a few comparison pictures provided by Good Smile Company. It’s also a list to help determine the authenticity of your Snow Miku.

Left is fake; Right is original

The fakes used cheap printing on the box for the snow flakes, while the Original used embossing printing with reflective material, giving it the glittering look. This should be a dead giveaway for the Fakes, provided you didn’t notice the laughing at you…

Left is fake; Right is original

Obvious. Very. The fake do not have the promotional CR code printed on the sleeves of the box. It’s also shorter in this case… duh… But chances of you noticing it, is not high, after all it’s covered…

Left is fake; Right is original

The base of the Snow Miku can also be used to differential the two products. The original will have been printed with a copyright from “Cryton Future Media, Inc.”  followed by the blah blah, made in China… while the fake just, you know says “Made in China”.

You can use this method(looking at the base), most likely only after you have bought it so too bad…

And sorry, no one is going to be compensating you for buying the fake Miku. Hence, please support the artist, BUY ORIGINAL!

Source: GSC Info

Popularity: 11% [?]

And so the Ruby round has ended with the conclusion of the 7th round. And here are the results of the round.

Mio unfortunately lost to Taiga in the last round, thus loosing the Ruby necklace to Misaka, which is also good. Too bad is what I would like to be said for Mio losing only by a mere 23 votes… Btw, Shana is runner up, losing due to some other statistics.

Past winners: Haruhi Suzumiya(2008) and Hinagiku(2009)

Well Misaka don’t really have an easy time too, after all she is in the vote with Saber.  Other interesting matches includes the Sanzenin Fraction massacring their opponents and how Haruhi Suzumiya proves herself to be the ever popular queen of the empire.

Now you should be curious to who are the other holders of the Jewels, before the last Diamond and finally the Elimination.

Past winners: Shana(2008) and Tomoyo(2009)

Past winners: Setsuna Sakurazaki(2008) and Yuki Nagato(2009)

Past winners: Kagami(2008) and Suigintou(2009)

Past winners: Kyou Fujibayashi(2008) and Shana(2009)

Past winners: Kagami(2008) and Suiseiseki(2009)

So these are the Jewel Holders, with Shana almost wining 3 times in a row, guaranteeing her a position in the next International Saimoe League. The grand master confirmed her participation for next year.

But now, who will make it into the double elimination match?

The top 8 of the board is more or less confirmed, but the Double Elimination will only work with 16. So a fight to be in the top 16 is brewing in the final Diamond Necklace season. Is your favorite character safe?

If she is not, you better vote for her in the next match up on the 25th of July. Have fun!

Website: International Saimoe League 2010

Popularity: 3% [?]

First the result for round 6 of Ruby. Looks like I was spot on for most of the matches…

But it does seems like the world is not a fan of the Sci-fi theme… Looking at the exhibition round, Echo vs Lafiel, haiz… Have you not heard of Lafiel? She is the princess in Banner of the Stars, and the future queen of the universe.Yet she lost the round very badly… .. haiz…

In other news, C.C lost to Taiga, Ami lost to Isumi, Nanoha lost to Hinagiku. Looks like lolis have a bigger pull then for sexy mature women on the internet. BFC FTW!

Now don’t you think that it’s a bit of a bore just to see the stats… A bunch of fanwriters have even incorporate a fiction using the stats to make things slightly more interesting. And thus the space opera was born, the goal of the story is to link the events and the match statistics to make a meaningful story or an epic tale.

Following the end of the 2009 Saimoe competition, the Universe is in ruins and the faction is rebuilding to retake the outer worlds. These are factions in the 3rd Great Moe War.

KyoAni Empire (Kyoto Animation)

• Non-Key Forces
  • The God Empress’ Sector of Suzerainty (Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu)
    
    • God Empress Haruhi
    • Intelligence Officer St. Nagato-chi – Yuki
    • Moe Marines of Mikuru
  • The Stars of Fortune (Lucky Star)
    
    • The Elder Twin World of Hiiragi – the Legendary Kagamin
    • The Younger Twin World of Hiiragi – Balsamic Fleet Commander Tsukasa
    • Trade World of Izumi – Legendary Girl A
  • K-onsonance (K-On!)
    
    • Untan – “The Castinet Hero”/Squadron Leader Yui
    • Azunyan’s World – Flight Lt. Asuza
    • Bass World – Wing Commander Mio “the Shy”
    • UI – Support Chief Ui
• Key Forces
  • Clannad Republic (CLANNAD)
    
    • Key Advisor Kyou
    • President Tomoyo
    • Nagisa the Bold
    • Key Intelligence Officer Ichinose – Kotomi-chan
    • Starfish Warriors of Fuko
    • Representative Ryou
    • Loli World of Mei
    • The Sacred Ushio

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Grand Systems of the Joint Council of Stars (J.C. Staff)

• Dragon Dominion (Toradora!)
  
  • Kugimiya Master Taiga (Guardian of the Dragons/The Fourth Knight/Master of the Twin Saimoe Crowns)
  • Diet Warriors of the Red Dragon – Minori
  • Shining Blue Dragons of Ami
• Techno-Magi of Index (To Aru Majutsu no Railgun)
  
  • Techno-Commander Misaka
  • Techno-Lieutenant, Saten
• Crimson Realm Authority (Shakugan no Shana)
  
  • Kugimiya Grand Master Shana (The First Knight/The Flame Haze)
• The Great Void (Zero no Tsukaima)
  
  • Kugimiya Knight Louise of the Void (The Third Knight/Master of the Void)
• HnG Combine (Hayate no Gotoku!)
  
  • President de æquitate Hinagiku
  • Legendary Maria of the Sanzen’in Corperation
  • Spiritualist Isumi
  • Kugimiya Master Nagi (The Second Knight/The Six Trillion Yen Woman)

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DEEN Directorate (Studio DEEN)

• Kingdom of Night (Fate/stay night)
  
  • Rin, the Red Mage
  • Saber, Sovereign of the Realm
  • Illya, Clone Lolis of the Realm

• Discretionary Council (Seitokai no Ichizon)
  
  • President of the Council – President Kurimu
  • Director of the Ministry of Truth – Director Mafuyu
  • Director of the Ministry of Peace – Director Minatsu
  • The Council’s Judge – Magistrate Chizuru

• Cult of Oyashiro-sama (fomerly the Fifth Column of Hinamizawa) (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni)
  
  • The World of Rika-chama
  • Mysterious World of Hanyuu (Oyashiro-sama)

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Time-Space Administration Bureau (Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha)

• Nanoha (The White Devil)
• Fate (Lightning Commander)

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League of Extraordinary Gamers (Saki)

• Nodoka “The Chest” Haramura
• Mihoko “The Eye” Fukuji

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Ghosts of the Nebula (Bakemonogatari)

• Hitagi the Crab
• Nadeko the Snake

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The Angels (Sora no Otoshimono)

• Angel Ikaros
• Angel Nymph

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Regency of Geass (Code Geass)

• The Witch-Regent/Consort – C.C.

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The Outer Rim

• Horo Enterprises (“the Spice must flow”) (Spice and Wolf)
  
• Minami Mafia (Chikai-hime) (Minami-ke)
  
• Nebula of the Golden Darkness – Yami (To Love-ru)
  

So to whom does your loyalty lies?

You can read the fan fiction on the forum under the Space Opera category.

Now for a preview of the oncoming Ruby 7.

There will be a very close fight between Saber and Misaka alright… As both have been winning their last 6 matches… and have around the same votes… they have an overlapping audiences, so who will be getting the votes?!

Polls will be opened tonight(18th July) at 11pm Singapore Time, and for 24 hours.

And with the end of Ruby 7, it will also be the end of the round. The winner of the ruby clown will also be announced, for now Mio seems to the one leading with a rather big difference… over Nagi…

Website: International Saimoe 10| The Space Opera|  Voting Arena|

My vote for Ruby 7

Popularity: 3% [?]