Shakugan no Shana also known simply as Shana, is a series of Japanese light novels and related media works written by Japanese novelist Yashichiro Ta  

Wednesday, October 21, 2009































































































Shakugan no Shana (灼眼のシャナ, lit. Burning-Eyed Shana), also known simply as Shana, is a series of Japanese light novels and related media works written by Japanese novelist Yashichiro Takahashi and illustrated by Noizi Ito centering around Yuji Sakai, an ordinary Japanese high school boy who inadvertently becomes involved in a perpetual war between forces of balance and imbalance in existence. In the process, he befriends the title character: a fighter for the balancing force, whom he takes to calling "Shana". The series incorporates science fiction, fantasy, and slice-of-life "school days" elements into its tale.
Shakugan no Shana began as a light novel series first serialized under the seinen label Dengeki Bunko published by MediaWorks with the first complete novel released on November 10, 2002 in Japan. In time, a manga series was created with art by Ayato Sasakura first serialized in the manga magazine Dengeki Daioh, in February 2005. Both the light novel and manga are currently being released in Japan. So far, there have been eighteen light novels and five manga volumes. The most recent light novel, book SII, was released in Japan on June 10, 2008. A twenty-four episode anime series was adapted by J.C.Staff and it aired between October 2005 and March 2006. An original video animation episode and animated film were also produced in December 2006 and April 2007, respectively. A second anime series entitled Shakugan no Shana Second aired in Japan between October 2007 and March 2008.A third anime series will be produced. A PlayStation 2 video game released in March 2006 followed and a second video game for the Nintendo DS was released in March 2007.
Viz Media announced at Comic-Con 2006 that they have licensed the right to release the English translations of both the Shakugan no Shana light novels and the manga series. Additionally, Geneon Entertainment licensed the first anime TV series in America and the first DVD was released on September 5, 2006. The DVDs were out of print indefinitely until July 3, 2008, as Geneon withdrew from the American market. On July 3, 2008, Geneon and Funimation Entertainment announced an agreement to distribute select titles in North America. While Geneon will still retain the license, Funimation will assume exclusive rights to the manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution of select titles. Shakugan no Shana was one of several titles involved in the deal










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Sekirei (セキレイ lit. Wagtail) is a Japanese manga series by Sakurako Gokurakuin.  

Monday, October 19, 2009


























































































































Sekirei (セキレイ lit. Wagtail) is a Japanese manga series by Sakurako Gokurakuin. Originally starting serialization in the seinen magazine Young Gangan published by Square Enix in June 2005, Sekirei is an ecchi manga aimed at young men. An anime adaptation produced by Seven Arcs and directed by Keizō Kusakawa was aired in Japan between July and September 2008. The central character of the series is Minato Sahashi, a ronin who failed college examinations twice. His life changes, however, when he meets a girl named Musubi.
In Tokyo in the year 2020, Minato Sahashi has failed the college entrance exam twice, is awkward around women, and unemployed. Growing up, he could never stand up to his mother or little sister, a trend that continues to this day. In reality, Minato is extremely intelligent, yet his inability to cope under pressure results in his constant failure. As a result he has been branded an idiot and loser by many. One day, Minato meets a girl named Musubi, who literally falls from the sky. Minato soon learns that she is one of 'Sekirei' and he is her 'Ashikabi', human with special genes that allows them to "wing" (ie. form a contract with) Sekirei. This binds the Sekirei to him and allows them to use their full power in the elimination battle with other Sekirei. Made up of cute girls, buxom women, and bishōnen, the Sekirei fight in a dangerous and sometimes deadly competition (also known as "The Game" or "Sekirei plan") organized by Minaka Hiroto, chairman and founder of the mysterious and powerful MBI Corporation. Minato soon learns that being the partner of a beautiful girl is not all fun and games, especially when he discovers that an Ashikabi can have more than one Sekirei partner - and that's where the real trouble starts.













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Sengoku Basara 2 is the sequel to Sengoku Basara (known in English as Devil Kings), released in Japan on July 27, 2006 for the PlayStation 2  




























































































Sengoku Basara 2 is the sequel to Sengoku Basara (known in English as Devil Kings), released in Japan on July 27, 2006 for the PlayStation 2. A revision with additional features named Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes was released in November 29, 2007. The game is also on Nintendo's console, Wii.


Playable characters
Maeda Keiji
Voiced by Masakazu Morita
His element is wind
Adopted nephew of Maeda Toshiie and Matsu. Keiji is what people call a happy-go-lucky man. He enjoys festivals, as well as pulling pranks at Toshiie. Despite his demeanor towards his step-family, he loves them though shows resentment at them due to their objection to his lifestyle. Accompanying him is a small monkey named Yumekichi. His weapon is a ludicrously oversized nodachi. Despite its length, he can use it one-handed. He also uses its sheath, but rather than carry it around he throws it in to the sky, having it come down just when he needs to use it. He receives a three stage gaiden in Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes, where he used to be friends with Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but loses him due to Hideyoshi's lust for power.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Voiced by Ryōtarō Okiayu
His element is light.
Second of the Three Unifiers. Unlike his real and Samurai Warriors counterparts, he is depicted as a giant man, whose ambition is to rule all of Japan and form it into a formidable, prospering nation, which causes him to declare Nobunaga as a source of chaos that must be annihilated. Even though he has good intentions, he is drunk with power and will use any means, no matter how ruthless, to achieve it (though he is still charismatic and caring to his subordinates, unlike Motonari). With just his bare hands, he can destroy an entire platoon in just seconds. His weapons are his hands, which can be strengthened with magical arm guards.
Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes reveals that he used to be friends with Keiji and was sane (joining Keiji in making pranks here and there), before the hunger for power (fueled by being humiliated by Matsunaga Hisahide) corrupted him into the man he is in Sengoku Basara 2. It's even hinted that he killed his historical wife in Keiji's story to achieve more power.
Takenaka Hanbē
Voiced by Akira Ishida
His element is darkness.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi's strategist. He is intelligent and extremely loyal to Hideyoshi. Around his enemies, he is narcissistic, cold and very cruel. Given the chance, he can wipe them all out by swinging his weapon. His favorite methods of assassination are back-stabbing his opponents at his weapon's reach and snaring his opponents when they are not looking. Despite his physique, he suffers from tuberculosis. He is somewhat similar to Zorro in style and look (the face mask). His weapon is a whipsword.
Miyamoto Musashi
Voiced by Daisuke Namikawa
He is elementless.
A master swordsman who is portrayed as a wild man itching for a fight to prove that he is the strongest man in Japan. Players can encounter him at random on Unification mode. Earning 50+ points in Unification mode unlocks Musashi as playable in Unification, Free and Arena modes only. He however is limited to only two moves. Wields an Eku and a wooden sword. During battle, he constantly taunts the opponent, calling them "Baka" (or "stupid"), which does damage when his spit touches his enemy.
Katakura Kojūrō
Voiced by Toshiyuki Morikawa
His element is lightning.
Date Masamune's strategist and bodyguard in battle. He seems to agree with Masamune at some points in battle. Wields a katana and wakizashi set. He is also noted to be the only left-handed character in the game. He is playable in Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes, where he gains a 'super' mode by charging his power and revamps his moveset to resemble more into a yakuza swordsman.
His story revolves around him chasing Matsunaga Hisahide after the latter took the majority of Date retainers captive, and sapped Masamune's will to fight by stealing his six swords. Eventually during his adventure, his power exceeds causing him to awaken his 'super' mode.
Azai Nagamasa
Voiced by Kōji Tsujitani
His element is light.
A former ally of Oda Nobunaga, now rebelling against him. He is a man fighting for justice and vows to destroy anybody who creates chaos, namely Nobunaga. Wields a long sword and a folding buckler. His fighting style and mannerism are similar to that of a typical superhero, preferably the Metal Hero Series. He's also often seen roughly telling Oichi to shut up or stop crying, only to shyly declare his love (sometimes with flowers), making him a male tsundere. He is playable in Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes.
His story revolves around ridding Japan of the chaos, preferably Nobunaga, and his relationship with Oichi which started out with love, then turn to hatred and eventually leads back to loving her again. Nagamasa's story can be looked at a tokusatsu point-of-view due to certain elements of the genre present.
Oichi
Voiced by Mamiko Noto
Her element is darkness.
The wife of Azai Nagamasa and sister of Oda Nobunaga. She is depicted as a depressed woman who worries about Nagamasa and the friction between him and Nobunaga. While considered innocent looking, she also has a dark side which can become dangerous once she snaps. She wields a double bladed naginata, which she can separate and chainlink to its bar. She is playable in Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes.
Her story, considered to be the most tragic, revolves around her witnessing Nagamasa being killed by Nobunaga in Anegawa and was forced to fight on Nobunaga's name, slowly losing her sanity due to her the loss of her husband and her brother's ruthless methods. In the end, she succumbs to her own dark powers, which leads her to kill his retainers (Nōhime and Ranmaru) and eventually Nobunaga himself. After killing her brother in Honnō-ji, Oichi regains her sanity for a little while, broke down in tears for her atrocity to her family and clan, before the temple collapses; she's presumed dead afterwards. Oichi is the only character with a unique ending sequence; her image song, "Nemure Hi no Hana" sung by Mamiko Noto, her own seiyuu.
Fūma Kotarō
(He has no voice actor due to being portrayed as a silent man who never talks)
His element is wind.
A ninja serving Hōjō Ujimasa. He is depicted as a man who never talks, but takes action immediately. Like Kasuga and Sarutobi Sasuke, he can create duplicates of himself. His weapons are giant shuriken. He is playable in Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes, where he uses a pair of ninjatō instead. Unlike Kasuga and Sasuke who need bird familiars to glide down, Kotarō can glide straightforward with just his body and can further glide when paired with his air attack.
His gaiden in Heroes revolves around his elimination of Hideyoshi and Hanbē, with little help from Kasuga and Sasuke. After killing Hideyoshi, Kotarō has no use for the two anymore and so ends up defeating them.
Honganji Kennyo
Voiced by Shinpachi Tsuji
His element is light.
The Chief Abbot of the Ikkō sect. He is depicted as a greedy man who thinks of nothing but money; in fact he believes that everything can be bought with money, especially victory. His fortress is surrounded with chests and pots full of gold coins. In order to win battles, he resorts to bribing his enemies in order to join him. Wields a monk's staff in Takeda Shingen's style. He is playable in Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes where additionally he thinks he's a macho man due to his moveset.













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School Rumble is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Jin Kobayashi  

Saturday, October 17, 2009

























School Rumble (スクールランブル, Sukūru Ramburu) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Jin Kobayashi and serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine. The final chapter was released on July 23, 2008, and the 283 chapters were collected in 22 bound volumes by Kodansha. The sequel, School Rumble Z, is published in the monthly Shōnen Magazine Special. The series ended in May 2009. School Rumble is a romance comedy that focuses mostly on the Japanese high school students' relationships with each other; the main focus being a love triangle involving the two protagonists. The series often discards reality in favor of exaggerated comical elements.
School Rumble has made the transition into other media. A twenty-six episode anime adaptation was broadcast on TV Tokyo between October 2004 and April 2005. In December 2005, a two-part original video animation (OVA) titled School Rumble: Extra Class was released. Between April and September 2006 a second season titled School Rumble: The Second Semester was broadcast on TV Tokyo. Finally, two more episodes, titled School Rumble: 3rd Semester were released bundled with the Japanese manga volumes twenty-one and twenty-two. Three video games have been produced; two were released for the PlayStation 2 (PS2) in July 2005 and July 2006 one for the PlayStation Portable (PSP) in 2005. Two light novels written by Hiroko Tokita and illustrated by Jin Kobayashi were published in April 2004 and December 2007. Four official guidebooks, written and illustrated by Jin Kobayashi, have also been released.
School Rumble is published in English by Del Rey Manga. Unlike other Del Rey releases, the manga uses the original Japanese naming order to preserve the puns in the manga. Funimation Entertainment has published the first and second seasons as well as the Extra Class OVAs. School Rumble has been adapted into other languages around the world. The final two episodes, the video games and guidebooks have yet to be released outside Japan.
School Rumble is a romantic comedy that depicts the daily lives of the students attending Class 2-C of the fictional Yagami High School, as well as their friends and families. The manga uses exaggeration for comedic purposes, often disregarding reality or indulging in a prolonged build-up to deliver a joke.[citation needed]
The main female protagonist is Tenma Tsukamoto, an unremarkable second-year high school student who secretly admires her eccentric, enigmatic, nice-guy classmate, Oji Karasuma. She struggles to confess her feelings, about which Karasuma appears to be oblivious, preferring instead to find contentment in a plate of curry. Complicating the narrative is the main male protagonist, the delinquent Kenji Harima, whose desire for Tenma has developed to the point where he attends school solely to be near her. Like Tenma, Harima has difficulty declaring his love, and whenever he summons the courage to do so, circumstances conspire against him. The misfiring attempts of the two to make the objects of their affection aware of their feelings are a running comedic theme throughout the series.
The love triangle evolves through mistakes made by Harima and misunderstandings by Tenma and their classmates. Harima becomes involved with Tenma's close friend, Eri Sawachika, because the pair are thrown together in mutually-embarrassing situations. Later in the series he develops a relationship with Tenma's younger sister, Yakumo Tsukamoto, who becomes Harima's assistant while working on his manga. The basic plots of these manga put Harima-like character as a hero fighting to save a Tenma-like damsel usually in a battle against Kurasama. These settings can be based on manga events or fantasical situations. After the Harima-like hero saves her, she falls in love with him. The misinterpriation over Yakumo's relationship with Harima causes problems with Class 2-C's student representative, Haruki Hanai, who has a crush on Yakumo. The sisters' shared surname causes Harima and Hanai to misinterpret each others' infatuations. Despite the romantic situations Harima manages to engineer with Tenma, her relationship with Karasuma progresses while Harima's bonds with Eri and Yakumo grow stronger. Eventually Tenma musters the courage to confess her love, but shortly thereafter Karasuma loses his memory. His amnesia gives a purpose to Tenma's life; she concentrates on her studies in order to become a doctor and help Karasuma.
Although the focus of School Rumble is on Harima and Tenma, a number of supporting characters are developed. These include Tenma's friends Mikoto Suo, who runs a kenpō dojo where her childhood friend Hanai, trains, and Akira Takano, a mysterious and uncannily perceptive girl with who leads a double-life. As the story progresses, more major characters are introduced into the relationship web.
The series ends with Class 2-C's graduation ceremony. While most of the plot-lines have been settled by this point, there is no clear resolution for the main protagonists. Karasuma still suffers from memory loss, and although Harima attends the ceremony with Eri, the status of his relationship with Yakumo is uncertain


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Samurai Deeper Kyo is a manga series written and illustrated by Akimine Kamijyo.  

Friday, October 16, 2009
















































































Samurai Deeper Kyo (サムライ ディーパー キョウ, Samurai Dīpā Kyō) is a manga series written and illustrated by Akimine Kamijyo. The manga was serialized from October 15, 1999 to May 10, 2006 in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine, and collected over 38 volumes.
Samurai Deeper Kyo follows the story of Demon Eyes Kyo (鬼目の狂, Oni Me no Kyō) as he seeks to regain his body after his soul was sealed inside the body of his rival, Mibu Kyoshiro. Kyo is joined in his search by the bounty-hunter Shiina Yuya, the heir to the Tokugawa shogunate Benitora, and Sanada Yukimura, a known rival of the Tokugawa.
The manga was adapted into an animated television series in 2002. The Studio Deen production aired on TV Tokyo from July 2, 2002 until December 23, 2002, for a total of 26 episodes.
As of April 2009[update], 34 volumes had been released in the United States and Canada by Tokyopop, at which point Tokyopop dropped the series; it was picked up by Del Rey, who have announced plans to release the remaining volumes. The series has also been released in Denmark, England, France, Germany, Indonesia, Singapore and Spain. It has also been adapted as a Game Boy Advance video game, released in Japan in late 2002. It was later released in North America in February 2008, as the last title for the system.











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