ACF 439: GHOST HOUND and TO LOVE RU anime DVDs now on sale

Section23 Films has announced two new anime DVDs from Sentai Filmworks: the first installment of the interplanetary romantic comedy To Love Ru and the final volume of the supernatural thriller Ghost Hound. Both new releases are available now.

Ghost Hound Collection 2 concludes Production IG’s 20th Anniversary Project, a haunting series about three friends who learn to project their consciousness into a parallel world – just as that spirit world threatens to collide with our own! Created by anime legend Masamune Shirow (Ghost in the Shell, Appleseed), this lavish production is a fitting tribute to Prodution IG’s twenty years of anime excellence.

SYNOPSIS: Teenager Taro Komori and his friends are getting used to the experience of soul traveling – leaving their bodies to travel in spirit form unseen by others. But something sinister is brewing in the Hidden Realm. The spirits are restless and a malevolent ghost is appearing with increasing frequency. In the “real” world, an out of favor religious cult is finding dozens of new converts, especially among high ranking politicians. And just what the scientists at Dai Nippon Bio are up to is a question in need of an answer. Can Taro and his friends find the answers they need in time to save their friends and family? Find out in the dramatic conclusion to Masamune Shirow’s psychology masterpiece Ghost Hound!

Title: GHOST HOUND COLLECTION 2
Running Time: 275 min.
Age Rating: TV 14
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Format: DVD
SRP: $59.98

To Love Ru Collection 1 is an interstellar romantic comedy that reminds us just seriously how close encounters with aliens can wreck your social life. With 13 episodes on two discs, this collection is loaded with laffs!

SYNOPSIS: One should always understand other people’s customs before making commitments. Unfortunately, Rito Yuki had no idea the planet Develuke even existed when their Princess Lala teleported naked into his bathtub, let alone that touching a girl’s breasts is how they propose marriage! Given that he was IN the tub when she appeared, and slippery soap suds being what they are, Rito’s now engaged to a beautiful girl with a pointed tail. Worse, various aliens are showing up on missions of varying hostile intent; the girl that Rito REALLY loves is still completely unaware of his feelings; and all of the new customs he’s got to learn seem to involve touching a girl’s chest! (Okay, maybe he’ll get used to that last one, but he’s still in high school and a bit intimidated.) Can a nice boy from Japan become the next King of Galaxy A or will he just end up feeling like a boob? Keep abreast of further developments in To Love Ru Collection 1!

Title: TO LOVE RU COLLECTION 1
Running Time: 325 min.
Age Rating: TV 14
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Format: DVD
SRP: $39.98

ACF 438: "Oishinbo a la Carte, Vol 7 - Izakaya: Pub Food" due out January 2010

FINAL VOLUME OF THE ULIMATE FOOD MANGA
OISHINBO A LA CARTE Vol. 7
RELEASING JANUARY 19TH!

Izakaya: Pub Food, The Last Hand-Selected Volume

Out Of A 100+ Volume Hit Series

Exploring Essential Elements Of Japanese Cuisine

Will Soon Be Here!

In my December 10th review of Oishinbo Vol. 6: The Joy of Rice, I mentioned that the seventh and final volume would be coming out in January, 2010. Well, VIZ Media has announced the planned release of the final volume of the mega hit food manga for January 19th. Volume 7, Izayaya: Pub Food is rated ‘T’ for Teens and carries an estimated retail price of $12.99 US and $16.99 CAN.

Izakaya occupies the same vital space in the Japanese culinary landscape as tapas bars in Spain or tavernas in Greece. Unpretentious and frequently boisterous, they're places to meet with friends or business partners to unwind over drinks and small dishes that range from hearty standards to refined innovations. In this volume of OISHINBO, Yamaoka and Kurita investigate classic Izakaya foods such as edamame and yakitori, devise new dishes to add to the menu of an old shop, and discover how the concept of "play" is essential to the enjoyment of food.

OISHINBO creator Tetsu Kariya, writer and essayist extraordinaire graduated from prestigious Tokyo University. Kariya was employed with a major advertising agency before making his debut as a manga writer in 1974 when he teamed up with legendary manga artist Ryoichi Ikegami to create Otoko Gumi (Male Gang). The worlds of food and manga were forever changed in 1983 when Kariya, together with artist Akira Hanasaki, created the immensely popular and critically acclaimed OISHINBO.

“Fans of Japanese cuisine and culture have been delighted with every volume of the critically acclaimed OISHINBO series and we are excited to bring them this final volume that covers the excitement of izakaya,” says Evelyn Dubocq, Sr. Director of Public Relations, VIZ Media.

OISHINBO (or “The Gourmet") depicts the adventures of journalist Shiro Yamaoka, who writes for the fictional newspaper Tozai News. When the paper’s top executives decide to create “The Ultimate Menu” to celebrate the paper’s 100th anniversary, Yamaoka, known for his reputation as a foodie with culinary skills to match, is given the daunting assignment. With the help of his coworker Kurita, Yamaoka begins an epic saga to find unique and tasty dishes that will compose this ultimate bill of fare. Each volume of OISHINBO focuses on specific foods and culinary trends such as sake, sushi, vegetables, rice dishes, ramen, and Izakaya (pub food). VIZ Media has served up selected highlights from this epic 100+ volume series and compiled them into seven a la carte editions that can be enjoyed individually or as a series. OISINBO has further inspired a 136-episode anime series, a live-action film and TV dramas, video games, recipe collections, and TV shows in Japan.

For more information on OISHINBO and other VIZ Media titles please visit www.Viz.com.

ACF 437: "Ear To The Ground: Tokyo" - Free, Legal 18 Track Music Download

LimeWire Store and New York – Tokyo Present:

EAR TO THE GROUND: TOKYO

I learned about this in an email from New York-Tokyo. It's not only a free, legal download of 18 tracks, but a damn fine one. A terrific offer you should take advantage of.

Here's the basic info:

Ear To The Ground: Tokyo is an exclusive collaboration between LimeWire Store and New York – Tokyo. LimeWire Store’s Ear To The Ground series of FREE digital music compilations spotlights a different city for each release, and Ear To The Ground: Tokyo is the series’ 15th installment! New York – Tokyo has selected a group of artists that represent the current progressive music scenes of Tokyo. They are the tastemakers within their scenes: from their fashions to the artwork on their album covers, these creative artists are making an effort to stand out in the crowded urban setting of Tokyo.

And here's the link to the LimeWire website for Ear To The Ground: Tokyo.

ACF 436: Natsume Ono's manga "not simple" from VIZ Media

NOT SIMPLE © 2006 Natsume ONO/Shogakukan)

Emotional Slice-of-Life Story About A Man’s Search For Family, Love And His Place In The World Engages Fans Of Both Manga And U.S. Indie Comics

Preview On SigIKKI.com after December 17th, 2009

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media) kicks off 2010 with the release on January 19th of Natsume Ono’s manga, not simple. The story, contained in a single volume, is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens, will be published by the VIZ Signature imprint and carries an MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $19.99 CAN.

To celebrate this launch, a preview of the prologue of not simple will be available on SigIKKI.com, VIZ Media’s premiere website for presenting a diverse collection of titles which include the most inventive, bold, and compelling titles in the world of contemporary manga.

not simple follows Ian, a young man with a fractured family history, as he travels from Australia to England and on to America in the hope of realizing his dreams and reuniting with his beloved sister. His story unfolds backwards through the framing narrative of Jim, a reporter driven to capture Ian's experiences in a novel titled not simple.

“This new release will captivate readers with its unconventional story and artwork,” says Gonzalo Ferreyra, Vice President Sales & Marketing, VIZ Media. “Natsume Ono’s art blends manga aesthetics with a graphic style reminiscent of many western indie and alternative comics, and fans of both genres will enjoy this title. We also welcome not simple as the newest addition to SigIKKI.com, the hottest outlet for online manga. Fans can check out the prologue chapter after December 17th at www.SigIKKI.com!”

Another of Ono’s manga series, HOUSE OF FIVE LEAVES, is an action drama about samurai during the height of the shogun's rule in Edo-era Japan and is also currently serialized on SigIKKI.com.

Natsume Ono is one of today's top creators of seinen manga – designed for adult readers of mature and more sophisticated stories. She made her professional debut in 2003 with the web comic LA QUINTA CAMERA and subsequent works not simple, Ristorante Paradiso, and GENTE (a continuation of Ristorante Paradiso) have met with both critical and popular acclaim. In 2009 Ristorante Paradiso was adapted into an animated TV series. Her manga drama HOUSE OF FIVE LEAVES (Saraiya Goyou) is currently published in Japan in IKKI magazine.

For more information on this title please visit http://www.sigikki.com/. For information on all other VIZ Media titles please visit http://www.viz.com/.

ACF 435: Korean Talismans of Protection at The Korea Society through January 29, 2010

Key Charm with a Medallion and Commemorative Coins

A rare collection of locks, latches, and key charms from the Choson Dynasty (1392-1910) are on view at The Korea Society through January 29, 2010. The objects are on loan from the Lock Museum in Seoul and are being shown in the U.S. for the first time.

Fish-Shaped Lock

These beautifully designed metal and wood objects come in myriad shapes and reveal the richly symbolic and exquisitely decorative dimensions of the traditional Korean aesthetic.

Clockwise from top right: Drum-shaped lock; Lock with silver inlay; Embroidered key charm

And here's a suggestion: If you're going to see tomorrow night's screening of Korean Ghost Stories, which starts at 6:30 PM, arrive a bit early and check out this interesting and intimate exhibit.

For further info and gallery hours, click here.

The Korea Society
950 Third Avenue @ 57th Street, 8th Floor
(Building entrance on SW corner of 3rd Ave. and 57th St.)