Ani-Father's Day (Okay, Not Really) But The Contest Isn't a Lie.

I didn't have time to think out a good fun list of anime fathers like I did for Mother's Day so instead, for Father's Day, here's two things that make fun of Suzaku Kururugi from Code Geass.

As your Navigator, I apologize for failing to put together an awesome list of Ani-Dads but I got distracted by the addiction of being able to play The Sims 2 without it crashing. (Ooh, Apartment Life rocks my socks!)

First, a personal favorite scene ever:


And here's what may be the funniest damn fansubber error of all time! (My they are really so professional ;) )


You can't imagine how much laughter that one generated.

Now, since I failed to come up with a great list of Ani-Dads, how about you, my readers, tell me who I missed?

I'll even reward one lucky person! Yes, this will be the first minor prize giveaway! Yah! Banzai!

Rules: You must give me the name and series of the Ani-Daddy you think is a great father in his series. You must write at least a decent four sentence paragraph explaining why you think he's a good daddy.

I'll pick a winner at the end of the month. (I want maximum time for entries.) The Prize will be a copy of Afro Samurai Uncut on DVD.

Don't forget that Funimation themselves are doing an awesome giveaway with HipHopDX. Go here for details.

That's it for me this time folks. Go tell everyone you know about the contest please!

Bye-ni!

Lucky Star Not So Lucky.

Hello my few and faithful blog readers. It looks like I must report some very unfortunate news to those who may not have heard it yet. As your Navigator, sometimes I must do these things.

I have just learned that the Lucky Star OVA, something I personally was looking forward to very much, will be sub-only. Here is an excerpt from Robert of the Anime Corner Store's news letter addressing this harsh reality:

as well as getting a firm date for the Lucky Star OVA (though the release will be subtitled only, which has caused a bit of consternation among fans)

As an English dub fan, I am appalled by this turn of events. Recently I have become increasingly certain that English dubbing is about to become a thing of the past with Bandai, with the possible exception of very high profile series. (Even there this may not happen as recent economic conditions, which I fear will grow only worse as predictions of even greater loss of jobs are made, dictate ever weaker productions to attempt to maximize profits.)

So, I am afraid that rather than charge a little more and put out a truly worthy release, Bandai will release the Lucky Star OVA sub-only. As a fan who waited patiently for the dub and the DVD rather than watch a fansub, I feel cheated. No, more than that, I feel betrayed. Bandai shot themselves in the foot by saturating stores with multiple versions of the same series, poor replicators and production issues and now they punish fans again after reversing their plans for Hayate the Combat Butler and other series.

I personally will not buy this title now. I require an English dub to truly enjoy my anime.

Well, sorry for the bad news friends. Hopefully this trend will not engulf Funimation as well but I fear that too shall come to pass.

Sad to say bye-ni this time and, apparently, for the last time.

If I do add regular reviews, it appears that they will increasingly be only from Funimation until the end of dubs themselves.

New Blog Features: Blog Needs Input Badly!

Greetings and maulings my few and frisky readers! It is I, your Navigator Richard J. (I never get tired of the Lucky Star homage opening and closing of this blog!) I've decided, in an effort to hopefully expand my readership, to ask you what you want to see here and if you could please go bug someone with extra time to come by and get eye strain reading my rambling.

By the by, executive summary of recent licensing activities: Funimation nabbed Spice and Wolf. (Yah for wolf goddesses and trade economics!)

Read about the show here!

Sentai/ADV did some license rescue work and added Daphne in the Brilliant Blue, Kannazuki no Miko (They're re-titling the series Destiny of Shrine Maiden), Dokkoida?! and Darkside Blues.

Why the re-title for the Yuri mecha title? It may have to do with Geneon's past sales being a little poor or just that people like having a title they can understand. Probably a good move though I'd prefer a straight title translation. (Tell me having an anime with "Godless" in it's name wouldn't spark some discussions?)

We can only hope the re-licenses and re-releases will get ADV back to being profitable enough to start doing English dubs again. There are some rumbles about that being a possibility so consider writing to them about it!

The other companies are still alive. That's good news.

Anyway, here's the real point of this paticular blog entry! (You were wondering when I'd get to the point, I know, I know, say no more.)

In terms of providing content and a reason for people to actually read this blog, I'm a bit lost. You see, I really have no idea how to do this. I suck at interpersonal stuff normally so it's not a surprise I'm a little off here.

So, I ask you, my readers for input! Tell me what you think might help me in terms of regular features. (Eventually I plan to add video reviews but I currently lack a camera for doing it the way I really want to do it.)

Things I'm contemplating: Contemplation 1) A monthly series review (new, old and maybe even a legally subbed one every now and then for the fun of it.) Doing a weekly review would mean dedicating myself more than I have so far and also would require me to start trying to actually pass judgement on a series. I tend to be easy to please though so I'm unsure my review skills will pass muster. However, I think I can be very unbiased in terms of genre. I'm not easily offended and I really don't care if something is formulaic or radically original. I only care if it entertains me.

Contemplation 2 the Sequel) A monthly anime giveaway contest! This would obviously require some money to make it happen and while I'm not a broke man without anything, I'm not rich either. (Oh to have the income of HyugaHinata of ANN's user base! I mean, just look at this order!) Contests would consist of me asking readers and others to do random things, could be drawing fan art, could be making a promotional YouTube video, could be fan fic and it could be lottery. The main limit here is my wallet and my refusual to put sub-only DVDs in the prize pool.

Contemplation 3.75 on a disc) Personal rant time. (Yes, I know, you're wondering why that would be appealing to anyone right?) Basically, under this feature I'd rant once a month about whatever is bugging me in the anime fan community, the industry or just life in general. This might be fun since I'd take off all self-restraint and just go nuts with it.

Contemplation 4 score and seven years ago) I join forces with someone who volunteers to do the drawing to put up a monthly (possibly bi-weekly if things go smoothly) web comic. If this option happens, things will depend on who I can work with for the art. The two ideas in my head are a strip following a cat girl's life as she deals with life in a not-so-sweet life or a strip featuring humans with the powers of monsters battling to be the only one left alive at the end. (One would be more shojo-ish and the other more shonen-ish. I'm sure you can guess which would be which.)

So, that's the options and that's what I'm thinking of right now. Let me know what you think and please, I beg you, pester some of your friends to come here and give me their opinion too. I'd love to see the readership of this blog become high enough to justify my self-delusional belief in my own worth.

Well, that's it for this addition of Blog of the Heretical Dub Lover. I can only hope that one day I'll have the money and power to get some dubs made.

Bye-ni!