reviews. previews. podcast. and more...

Join sisters NinJaSistah and Pandalicious and the rest of the ESH Crew each day as they discuss video games, tech gadgets, anime, manga... pretty much everything within the geek chic lifestyle.

From Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, and PC game reviews, previews, news, and gushings to audience questions and rumor mill seeding galore you'll find it here at ESH!
First Nerdgasm of 2010: ESH@CES Las Vegas!
 

Goings On



Search through the goodness that is ESH. Want to see if we are writing and chit chatting about the crap you're interested in.

Twitterings

     

    Advertisements



    Archives

    CES Coverage

    We went to CES and here's what we saw and molested.

    E3 Coverages

    One stop shopping for all of the ESH E3 goodness.

    Xbox 360 Stuffs

    Check out crew rantings on the XB360 platform.

    PS3 Things

    Yeah, we've talked about Sony stuff too, check em out!

    Wii Little Bits

    Get your Nintendo bits and bobbles here.

    Oh Hai! Anime-niacs

    Peep the stuff we've written about on the anime tip.

    Manga Love

    We less than three manga as well, so peep the manga reviews.

    ESH Photo Galleries

    Check out the snapshots we've taken at events and more here...


    ESH Exclusive: Miley Cyrus Suffering from Rare Malady

    posted @ 4/29/2008 03:46:00 PM by evermore
    While the tabloids are having a field day about the recent travails of actress Miley Cyrus (aka Hannah Montana), a renowned scientist has revealed that Miss Cyrus is suffering from a rare, misunderstood malady.

    The condition Cyrus suffers from is called Diladexsilo (pronounced duh-lad-EX-suh-low), which comes from the Latin phrase dilectoris ad existere similis lohanum, and is generally acknowledged to be mediated by T cell responses to proteins contained in clothing which differ from those found in the human wearing the clothing. Unlike antibody-mediated hyperacute rejection found in organ transplant patients, development of T-cell responses occurs when the patient is in the presence of camera equipment. Acute rejection episodes can destroy the reputation of the patient, as recorded in the scholarly pages of People Magazine and TMZ.com, if it is not recognized and treated appropriately.

    Mr. P. Body, chief scientist of the Kansas-Longfellow Maternal and Natal Organization (KLMNO) and a well-known expert on Diladexsilo, said, "It is obvious in examining Miss Cyrus' condition that her body is literally rejecting her clothing when in the presence of camera equipment. From the photos I have examined very closely, it is evident that Miss Cyrus' condition is very acute indeed."

    Mr. P. Body's boy Sherman offered a solution. "Gee, Mr. P. Body, couldn't she just use staples to help hold her clothes together?" Sherman inquired. Although Sherman's questions are normally answered with a witty pun, under the grave situation of Cyrus' fate, the question went unanswered.

    It is unknown what kind of treatment Cyrus might be getting to cope with her illness, although it is all but certain that management at her employer, the Walt Disney Company, will most assuredly try to keep her away from unsupervised users of camera equipment in the near future.


    Labels:

    Finish what you start...

    Addiction has a name and it is.....

    posted @ 4/29/2008 09:48:00 AM by Pandalicious
    My Addiction has a first name...it's W-O-R-L-D...
    As the masses here in ESH land know that I suffer from an addiction...It is one that I discuss freely and openly. I am a WoW addict. [I feel no shame in it. In fact I embrace as part of my being now.] However even I can see the see the dangers of my addiction....and so can these select few.


    Because of things like this I spend my time away from the game keeping innocence away from the horrible life draining effect this game can have on people...
    Don't Do Drugs
    Don't Drink and Drive
    Don't World of Warcraft!


    Labels: , ,

    Finish what you start...

    Funny Time with Panda

    posted @ 4/29/2008 09:16:00 AM by Pandalicious
    Panda...I'm a panda bear and I laugh laugh laugh and I laugh laugh laugh....

    Hello All! Panda here...and while I sit at ESH U [LOL I gave ESH land a university!] I thought I would share with you guys some groundbreaking provocative and above all else innovative movements in commedy...

    Yeah Right! This is just funny and thats why I'm showing it to you guys!
    Enjoy!


    Labels: , ,

    Finish what you start...

    New Podcast Day: Episode 95

    posted @ 4/28/2008 12:00:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    You say you want a revolution, well, you know... we aren't here to change the world. Monday still equals new podcast episode day, and I don't see that changing anytime too soon.

    In this episode of the podcast, the girls cover the popular creative peoples website, "Deviant Art" as well as the anime series "Vampire Knight" and examine the possible effect GTA IV may have on the national release of the "Iron Man" film. We are chock full of something on this episode people, and I think it just may possibly be caffeine. Don't quote me on that one though, just check out the titles we didn't use for this episode and draw your own conclusions:
    • OC BC Does Not Equal AC/DC
    • Everyone Is Social On Da InterWebs
    • He Wasn't Worth Remembering
    • I Heart Vampiress (And They Heart, Hearts
    • We Have Angst With A Little More Angst On The Side
    • A T-Rex Mobster? ow Does He Tie A Windsor Knot?
    • I'm More Isolated Than Ever ON The InterWebs
    • Don't Trust Mean People...That's What They WANT You To Do!
    • and
    • It's Hay Fever Season, But YOu Shouldn't Sneeze Sparkles


    Yeah, we go up and down the spectrum this week, trying our best to remind you that time is running out to try and win that custom GTA IV Xbox 360 Elite and bring you some fun insights on the realms of geek, game, and anime... so sit back and enjoy podcast episode number 95: Batman Doesn't Eat Babies.

    Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    Stray Little Devil

    posted @ 4/27/2008 09:28:00 PM by MagicMystic
    Pam grew up on stories her grandmother told, stories of a kind devil she'd fallen in love with. So, one day after school Pam uses a summoning square her grandmother taught her in the hopes of summoning a kind demon of her own. Unfortunately, she's pulled into the square and sent to another world.



    Pam has accidentally landed in the land of the spirits. Almost immediately she is attacked by an angel, Linfa, who looks identical to her best friend back home, but is rescued by a mysterious man by the name of Remi. He tells Pam that there are no humans in the Spirit World, including her. Looking in a mirror, Pam sees that she's grown horns and a tail. Chaos ensues and somehow Pam ends up in a school for devils where everyone thinks she's a bit crazy and a lot dense. Pam doesn't know even the basics about the Spirit World, doesn't have a familiar and is willing to help anybody out, all in all she's a very strange stray devil. In this world where karmic consequences are enforced on devils and angels that work together, Pam works to become a full fledged demon, and to build a relationship with the angel that looks so very much like her best friend. Unfortunately for everyone in the spirit world, Pam also seems to have been summoned for a reason and may hold the key to saving them all from destruction.



    This series is something I picked up a while ago in a bookstore, but I finally got my hands on all 5 volumes at AB this year. This is in no way a serious manga. Pam is stupid, klutzy and very socially awkward. She regularly helps Linfa out, only to be hospitalized later for the karmic consequences. Pam is one of those stupid nice girls so common to shoujo manga, and true to form she eventually ends up melting everyone's hearts. I personally hate characters like that, and suspect the real reason I like this manga so much is the abuse that she goes through due to her personality. (Also, the guy she eventually gets as a familiar is hawt) She is regularly dropped off cliffs, has giant rocks dropped on her, kicked with soccer-balls, attacked by animals, dropped out of trees, electrocuted etc. She even falls for a banana peel/ankle rope/water bucket combo trick. The not-so-little sadist in me *Squee*s with glee everytime she does something nice for Linfa, because I know the inevitable follow-up is coming.

    If you actually like characters like Pam, or if you enjoy seeing them bite the dirt like I do, I recommend you check this one out. It's only 5 volumes and is a very quick read. Stray Little Devil is by Kotaro Mori and is published by DrMaster.


    Labels: , , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    King Baby Duck's Anime Calamity: Rosario + Vampire

    posted @ 4/26/2008 05:59:00 PM by FreeLoader
    I am just about ready to give another J-VOLUTION in the next week or so. Until then, here's another Anime Calamity for you all to read. This week we look at GONZO's "Rosario + Vampire."

    Tsukune is your average student. He’s so average that there is nothing special about him. After failing to get into any private schools due to poor grades Tsukune just about gives up; until he finds an acceptance letter to Youkai Academy, which he’s never heard of. Without hesitation Tsukune goes to his new high school, only to find that he has entered a high school for monsters (youkai meaning monster). Tsukune has to keep his humanity a secret, for if a human finds out about the school he/she must automatically be executed.

    At Youkai, Tsukune meets Moka, a sweet high school girl with a very short skirt. She is a vampire who prefers the taste of Tsukune’s blood, but is always kind and gentle. Almost immediately Tsukune falls in love with her. Around Moka’s neck is a rosary, which if taken off reveals Moka’s true vampire nature; one of coldness and arrogance. Also at the school is Kurumu the succubus, who always tries to seduce Tsukune into making him her slave, and Yukari, the 11-year old witch prodigy. A love-square for Tsukune’s love becomes imminent.

    There are a few humorous moments and such; but it feels like the same jokes are repeated over and over again (and not in a good way like “Umisho” did it). The fan-service gets tiresome, as well. You cannot go ten seconds without seeing Moka’s or Kurumu’s panties; and when a straight guy like me says it’s getting tedious then it’s seriously getting dull. The characters are very uninteresting, and when the "heroes" are in danger I just wished they would be killed off so I wouldn't have to watch another episode of this crap! In fact the only good character in this show is Nazo, the narrating bat. He is quite funny as he is adorable; going around school covering naughty pictures and giving the exact time of the previous battle with his charm and cuteness. However watching “Rosario + Vampire” just for an animal character is kind of pointless (like watching the loli-con anime “Moetan” just for Ah-kun the Duck). The action scenes -- well-animated as they were -- were too quick for their own good; and it feels that Gonzo and the writers did this so they can satisfy the need to add more and more panty-shots without seeing these dimwitted female monsters and stupid human being in so much peril.

    The only reason why I kept watching this show was because there was nothing good on American TV; and now I regret wasting my time watching this series. In fact I’d rather watch a marathon of really bad tentacle-filled hentai than this drivel! And here's the worst part: another season is now in the works. Make another "Afro Samurai" series instead of this sore excuse for fan-service, humor, and action!

    This series gets a D-average. It wears out its welcome by episode 4; and although it ends a little bit better, "Rosario + Vampire" should be ignored by even the biggest fan-service lovers.

    Usually this is where I'd say, "This is King Baby Duck saying, 'If it ain't made in Japan, it's usually crap!'" However, since this was quite the awful show I am going to leave my quote this week as this: "Even Japan produces a stinker or two once in awhile!"

    Labels: , , , , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    Koei On Your PC

    posted @ 4/25/2008 11:52:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    No, that's not any kind of euphemism, Koei is bringing it's Romance of the Three Kingdoms franchise to the PC this summer ya silly!

    From Koei's press release:
    “Following KOEI’s successful launch of Warriors Orochi for Windows-based PC earlier this year, the response to bringing more of KOEI’s popular franchises to the platform has been overwhelming,”
    said Amos Ip, Senior Vice President at KOEI Corporation.

    If you have never played a RTK
    title, you are the ruler of a kingdom completely controlling your land. You have base commands that let you govern cities and manage people. It's kinda like Sim:City in a way.

    You have some military stuff to get through, but not on the level of a Dynasty Warriors title, and some political stuff... do you sign a treaty with these folks over here and piss off the dudes down the road or what?

    Produced by Kou Shibusawa and developed by KOEI Co., Ltd, Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI is coming to a PC near you [possibly] July 29th for abou S$19.99.

    Labels: , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    The Early Bird Gets GTA IV

    posted @ 4/24/2008 10:57:00 PM by Douceswild
    I’ll keep this short and sweet. Grand Theft Auto IV will be released to the public when the sun comes up on April 29th, but you could be jacking cars and committing armed robberies (in-game, of course) hours before then.

    No one should be surprised to know that Gamestop and EB will have a midnight opening Tuesday morning to allow anyone who reserved GTA IV to pick it up when the clock strikes twelve. (Check your local game stores for participation info.) My copy is already reserved and I’ll be in line with bags under my eyes to pick it up. I’ll be twittering the event so if you have a Twitter account, then you can get updates of my early morning journey by following “Douceswild”. If you have the “Twinkle” app. installed on your iPhone then you’ll be able to view some pictures as well.

    Try not to get jacked or pimped out ‘til then!

    Labels: , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    Colliding Worlds

    posted @ 4/22/2008 10:05:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Yeah... if I hadn't seen the press release myself, I would have thought this was a late April Fools day joke. It's not. Midway is going to release Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe in the fall.

    Well, they plan to release it in the fall. I can't tell much from the trailer, but that is definitely SubZero fighting Batman. From the release:
    "When a cataclysmic force merges conquerors from two universes, conflict is inevitable. Kombat forces friends to fight, worlds to collide, and unlikely alliances to be forged. In order to save all they know, the heroes and villains of Mortal Kombat must wage war against the combined might of the DC Universe."
    Um, okay? The release then goes on to say,
    "...Scorpion, Sub Zero and the warriors from Midway's billion-dollar fighting franchise face off against Batman, Superman and other iconic and powerful DC Super Heroes, featuring signature attacks for both sides and a unique and intertwining storyline, written as a collaboration between the Mortal Kombat creative team and top comic scribes Jimmy Palmiotti (Painkiller Jane, Marvel Nights, Jonah Hex, 21 Down) and Justin Gray"
    Um, okay again?

    I don't know about this one. The last Mortal Kombattitle left a bad taste in my mouth, so I don't know how I feel about this cross over. I should be crazy excited as I am a MASSIVE DC Comic fan, but my opinion is shaky on this one. You take a look at the trailer and tell me what you think.

    Labels: , , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    GTAIV Giveaway: XBox 360 Elite

    posted @ 4/21/2008 09:09:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    In case you missed it, we are giving away an XBox 360 to a lucky [and clever] viewer. It could be you, you lucky bastard!

    If you are one of the poor unfortunate souls to yet listen to the ESH podcast, we've recently become part of the All Games Radio Network and have partnered with the rest of the clan on the network to give one of our collective awesome fans a GTAIV Limited Edition Xbox 360 Elite. This is not one of the completely pimped out deals with the briefcase full of peripherals, but is a free XB360 nonetheless. Wanna know how you can win it?

    Here's the deal: One of the cornerstones of the GTA series is the in-game radio stations, complete with spoof ads and spoof segments. Now's the time for you to step up and create your own... for ESH.

    Submit a sound clip no longer than 120 seconds in the style of a GTA4 Radio Station commercial for ESH. It can be a spoof ad, segment, song, whatever. While we prefer you submit only an ad for ESH to this site, you can create ads for all of the participants from the All Games Radio Network, which include the following:

    • All Games Interactive
    • Dead Pixel Live
    • The Bobby Blackwolf Show
    • Orange Lounge Radio
    • Superhappyfuntimeshow
    • ElectricSistaHood
    • MediSpective
    • ChatterBox Video Game Radio
    • Video Game Outsiders
    • Ultimate Quest
    • The Video Games Show
    • Platform Nation

    THE RULES
    1. The entry can be in the form of an MP3 emailed to the affiliate show OR as a voicemail left on that show's voicemail line.
    2. Only one entry per affiliate show, however multiple affiliate shows can be entered with unique audio clips. (No sending the same audio to multiple shows.)
    3. Submissions will either be played on the affiliate show or put up on
      the show's website (or forums.allgames.com) and will be voted on via the community in a poll with the results hidden. Winners of these votes advance to the final round.
    4. If one person wins multiple affiliate contests, a coin flip will determine which show he/she wins, the other show chooses the runner-up as their finalist.
    5. The contest is only open to North American residents, as it is an NTSC console.
    6. No copywritten materials are permitted in the entry - parody is okay, just don't use the original.
    7. All submissions become the property of the affiliate show they are submitted to, as they will be used in promotion of that show.
    8. Cast and crew of the participating affiliate shows are not eligible.
    9. The decisions of the judges (affiliate show hosts at the affiliate level, All Games Radio at the final level) is final.

    THE SCHEDULE
    • Sunday, April 20th: Submission period opens
    • Sunday, May 4th: Submission deadline at midnight PT, 3am EST


    You got that? You could win a FREAKING XBox Elite MAN!!!! All you got to do is create a GTAIV style radio ad for ESH or any of the All Games Radio Affiliates and submit it [via email] to us as an MP3 with your contact info to this address.

    Get crackin' homies! Free XBox 360 Elite... who's got game?

    Labels: , , , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    New Podcast Day: Episode 94

    posted @ 4/21/2008 12:32:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    Being Monday and all, far be it from us to keep a new episode of the ESH podcast from you.

    In this episode of the podcast NinJasistah kicks off her editorial piece on the good, the hrm, and the wickedly awesome tip for video game franchises with her take on Super Smash Brothers. Pandalicious jumps in the mix to talk about the anime series Soul Eater a weird and dark tale that Panda swears can be liked to the bastard child of Bleach and One Piece. [Yeah, try to get that image out of your head.] But don't think we don't have some randomness for you. We work a little Paranoia Agent, Death Note,and even a couple of references to Neon Genesis Evangelion. Don't trust me? Check out the titles we didn't use:
    • Panda Likes It Random
    • That Death Scythe Would Be handy Around Plants & Shrubs
    • 11-Year-Old Girls Shouldn't Spend time Around Ham
    • The Chicks Got Pregnant And Their Babies Had Horns
    • Hooray For Incest
    • Shinigami School For The Who?
    • Here We Go Again With The Angsty Crap
    • Papa Wassa Manslut Scythe
    • and
    • Mmm! Catwitch


    And, we want to take this opportunity to let you know that you could win something KRAZY cool. We have joined forces with the All Games Radio Network fam and will be giving away one of eight GTAIVlimited edition Xbox 360 Elites to one lucky listener. Wanna know how you can win it? Well here's the lowdown. One of the cornerstones of the GTA series is the in-game radio stations, complete with spoof ads and spoof segments. It's time for you to do that.

    Submit a sound clip no longer than 120 seconds in the style of a GTA4 Radio Station commercial for ESH. It can be a spoof ad, segment, song, whatever.

    It is up to each affiliate if they wish to force the content to pertain directly to their show, be it an ad for the show or something regarding an inside joke from the show, or to allow the submission to just be about gaming in general.

    • THE PARTICIPANTS
    • All Games Interactive
    • Dead Pixel Live
    • The Bobby Blackwolf Show
    • Orange Lounge Radio
    • Superhappyfuntimeshow
    • ElectricSistaHood
    • MediSpective
    • ChatterBox Video Game Radio
    • Video Game Outsiders
    • Ultimate Quest
    • The Video Games Show
    • Platform Nation



    THE RULES

    1. The entry can be in the form of an MP3 emailed to the affiliate show OR as a voicemail left on that show's voicemail line.
    2. Only one entry per affiliate show, however multiple affiliate shows can be entered with unique audio clips. (No sending the same audio to multiple shows.)
    3. Submissions will either be played on the affiliate show or put up on
      the show's website (or forums.allgames.com) and will be voted on via the community in a poll with the results hidden. Winners of these votes advance to the final round.
    4. If one person wins multiple affiliate contests, a coin flip will determine which show he/she wins, the other show chooses the runner-up as their finalist.
    5. The contest is only open to North American residents, as it is an NTSC console.
    6. No copywritten materials are permitted in the entry - parody is okay, just don't use the original.
    7. All submissions become the property of the affiliate show they are submitted to, as they will be used in promotion of that show.
    8. Cast and crew of the participating affiliate shows are not eligible.
    9. The decisions of the judges (affiliate show hosts at the affiliate level, All Games Radio at the final level) is final.


    THE SCHEDULE
    • Sunday, April 20th: Submission period opens
    • Sunday, May 4th: Submission deadline at midnight PT, 3am EST


    You got that? You could win a FREAKING XBox Elite MAN!!!! All you got to do is create a GTAIV style radio ad for ESH or any of the All Games Radio Affiliates and submit it to us as an MP3 with your contact info to this address.


    So fill up yo' cup friends and enjoy ESH podcast episode number 94: NinJa's Dangling Chad Just Lost Her The Game

    Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    ESH: The Search Continues

    posted @ 4/20/2008 12:29:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    Hello folks, guess what? I've been working on fixing the site again... this time it's worked out pretty well.

    You know how before, our search was based on Technorati which didn't always crawl the site on the regular? [yeah, I know it sucked ass as a search for podcast page.] But I've worked out a new search, using Google [just like everyone else on the interweb] and it works pretty damn well.

    Give it a shot.

    Labels: ,

    Finish what you start...

    Future Not So Haze-y

    posted @ 4/18/2008 03:02:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Hey y'all, guess what? That game that looked freakin' sweet at E3 for the PS3, Haze... yeah, there's going to be a playable demo available on the PSN in early May.

    Haze is a FPS set in a post-apocalyptic future "...where war is never quite what it seems." You play the character of Shane Carpenter, a newbie to the PMC.

    Haze is exclusively to the PS3, and the demo will include fully functional single-player campaign as well as allow four-player drop-in drop-out co-op play online. So I've given you a reason to jump on to the PSN in May, and a damn good reason to head over to your local GameStop on May 20th.

    Happy fraggin!

    Labels: , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    Regulators: Mount Up

    posted @ 4/17/2008 11:24:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    In case you don't listen to our podcast [you bastards] we have some big news!

    ESH has become part of the All Games Radio Network! AllGames is a great gaming geek community on the web and we are CRAZY honored to be part of the AGR fam.

    The ESH podcast will air every Monday night on the AllGames Radio Network at 9pm EST [6pm PST] in addition to all the other great places you can grab our show. ESH is available over there on the left, on iTunes, Pandalicious' favorite Podcast Pickle... we're freaking everywhere dude.

    And now, we's rolling with the thunda!

    That is all.

    Labels: , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    The Time For W.A.R. Draws Near

    posted @ 4/17/2008 09:58:00 PM by Douceswild

    World of Warcraft has held the mmorpg throne for years, but I think Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning will challenge WoW’s right to rule.

    Many people are anticipating W.A.R., which has a tentative release date of October 7th, 2008, and I will definitely pick up a copy. I’ve never purchased the collector’s addition of any game, but this past weekend, I dropped a fiver on the C.E. because those that preorder get into the open beta when it begins and also get early access to the full the game before everyone else as well as some awesome in-game items, depending on where you preorder from.

    Order from Gamestop or EB Games (online or in-store) and receive the:
    Sentinel's Amber Band Enhance your stats and cast "Touch of Earth," increasing your chance of doing additional corporeal damage with each hit. (Usable in PvE combat only.)

    Order from Amazon.com, GoGamer.com, GameCrazy or EAStore.com and receive the:
    Guardian's Iolite Band Enhance your stats and cast "Touch of Spirit," increasing your chance of doing additional damage with each hit. (Usable in PvE combat only.)

    Order from Best Buy or BestBuy.com and receive the:
    Champion's Sapphire Band Enhance your stats and cast "Touch of Frost," increasing your chance of doing additional elemental damage with each hit.

    If you’re into mmorpgs and looking for the next big one, then you’ll definitely want to check out Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. This one is going to be HUGE. Mark my words.

    You can find out more about the game at the official site here.

    Labels: , ,

    Finish what you start...

    King Baby Duck's Anime Calamity: "Soul Eater"

    posted @ 4/17/2008 09:11:00 AM by FreeLoader
    Before you begin, I must let you know that I've only seen the first episode. Usually I wait until I see at least two episodes before I review a series, but this show needs to get its word out.


    “Soul Eater,” based off the manga by Atsushi Okubo, takes place at a Shinigami technical school for weapon Meisters in a “Nightmare Before Christmas”-like world. The two main characters, Maka the Meister and Soul Eater, are near to getting their 100th spirit (an evil witch one), making Soul Eater a “Death Scythe.” Yes, boys and girls, Soul Eater is Maka’s weapon that can transform into a human when not in use. They meet Blair, who Maka and Soul Eater see as a witch; and proceed to defeat and eat her soul. As it turns out Blair is just a powerful magical catgirl with nine lives (which means Blair comes back after being eaten by Soul Eater). Because of this mistake Maka and Soul Eater have to start from scratch, and their journey for Soul Eater to become a Death Scythe begins anew.

    Now that I’ve gone over the synopsis of the first episode, my thoughts: it’s got action, it’s got comedy, and it’s got excellent characters. Maka and Soul Eater are the best partner team since Edward and Alphonse Elric in “Fullmetal Alchemist,” and it should come as no surprise that Bones Studio made both these series. There’s also Maka’s father Spirit, who is a total crybaby and can’t even go pick up a couple of cabaret girls without hearing someone talking about his pending divorce from his wife. He reminds me a bit of Tamaki from “Ouran High School Host Club,” what with his style of fatherly instincts. Finally there is the grim reaper himself: Shinigami-sama. He’s like Grim from “Billy & Mandy,” Ryuk from “Death Note,” and Tingle from Zelda all rolled into one being. Plus his finishing move, the Direct Noggin Shinigami Chop, is so damn funny! One whack over the head and you’re out like a light; and he tends to do that a lot to Spirit.

    The action sequences are to drool for, and seeing Soul Eater transform into Maka’s weapon is probably one of the coolest visual effects I’ve ever seen. And the animation is simply marvelous. It’s like a blend of Tim Burton, Gorillaz (Soul Eater looks like the bastard child of 2D and Murdoc), and Takeshi Murakami. Plus, as mentioned, the jokes are great. Soul Eater always talks about being cool, but he’s just a giant womanizing idiot looking for a good pair of melons. There are also awesome music-inspired tributes. One of Blair’s fighting moves is called “Smashing Pumpkins,” and there’s an upcoming zombie character named Sid Barrett (named for the former Pink Floyd guitarist).

    Now you must be thinking, “Well if you’ve only seen the first episode of this series how can you make a good judge of a show?” Well normally if I watch the first episode of a series, and then see if it’s worth following. I’ve done it with everything I watch, and have actually stopped watching a couple after the first episode (such as “Blue Gender” and “Reign: The Conqueror”) because it was so terrible. However this is the first time, probably not since watching “Furi Kuri,” that a series has grabbed my attention so wonderfully. I do not see “Soul Eater” becoming a dull show anytime soon. It’s fresh, wild, imaginative, and will probably pave way towards a new genre of anime. It’s already the first series to air in two versions: one for kids Monday evenings and one for adults late on Thursday nights. By doing this TV Tokyo has made the smart initiative to market a series for both the young and old to enjoy. There is no way in Hell that an American company isn’t going to license this show. It’s too damn good for the Japanese audience to keep to themselves! (Also, early reports say the second episode of "Soul Eater" is actually better!)

    After saying that, I’ve already made my prediction: “Soul Eater” will be the anime series of 2008. It’s got everything that I, personally, look for in an anime: great fights, hilarious gags, and characters that are easy to fall in love for. Oh yeah, and its end theme is by STANCE PUNKS: the greatest punk band this day and age; and it’s the first time since I was a kid that I actually started singing along to a cartoon theme song. My grade: A+.

    This is King Baby Duck saying, "If it ain't made in Japan, it's usually crap!"

    Labels: , ,

    Finish what you start...

    Prototype Comic

    posted @ 4/16/2008 09:58:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Sierra Entertainment and DC Comics have decided to partner up and create a comic book based on the upcoming Sierra/Vivendi title Prototype which looks FREAKIN' PHENOMENAL!

    In the game Prototype, the gamer controls the PC of Alex Mercer. Alex is a special boy. He's genetically altered [more like turned into a mutant of X-Men proportion] and now is shape-shifter of sorts. [a la Mystique] Alex has no memory of his past [a la Wolverine] and is,
    hell bent on solving the mystery of his existence...
    Yes, Alex is a special boy.

    The game is set in NYC and is developed as an open world game by the folks from Radical, so you know it will be good. But the fact that they are going to make it a comic series really has me intrigued. It's obvious from the video trailers for the game that Alex is not a complete good good, and may be more charcoal than grey, and I think that the comic and graphic novel genres lend themselves well to telling the story of these kinds of characters. When done correctly, a great comic will emotionally align you with the character, good or evil, which in turn can make you uncomfortable.

    I make no bones about the fact that I absolutely love the Cassandra Cain Batgirl series of comics. I have nothing against Barbara Gordon, I never knew the woman personally, but it was the darkness that Cassandra came out of that really made me like her. Strike that, I loved her. I loved the fact that she didn't come from a good home. I loved the fact that she had to struggle with learning mercy. Cassandra was trained to be an assassin from the time she was born. I imagine it will be a similar case with Mr. Mercer and I doubt that an open world game [no matter how open it is] will be able to deliver the same type of depth as a graphic novel could.

    I love BioShock, and bet I would be a huge fan of the tale being told as a 7 or 8 volume novel even more. I was interested in this game after I first heard about it, now I'm excited.

    Labels: , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    Is This the Future of Blockbuster/Circuit City?

    posted @ 4/15/2008 01:01:00 PM by evermore

    Blockbuster is putting out a cool billion for Circuit City -- and they say they want to turn the whole shebang into an Apple Store-like concept. Just in case you can't imagine what that might look like, we present our vision here.

    Of course, having been a customer of both stores, I have my doubts that they really appreciate what the Apple Store concept really is. I mean, you can't just tart up your store with some blonde wood and expect people to flock to it as they do the Apple Store.

    Here's a list of stuff you see in a typical Blockbuster or a Circuit City that you never see in an Apple Store.

    • Anything used
    • Dell computers
    • Microwave popcorn
    • Grey cash registers
    • Monster cables
    • King-Size Snickers bars
    • Vinyl banners
    • Electronic security sniffers
    • Jujy Fruits
    • Going-Out-of-Business sales
    And what do you see in an Apple Store that you don't see in Blockbuster or Circuit City? Customers.


    Labels: , ,

    Finish what you start...

    New Podcast Day: Episode 93

    posted @ 4/14/2008 12:27:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    Another Monday bears forth another new episode of the ESH podcast, and this one is as entertaining as all the rest.

    Today, Pandalicious takes you through the anime series Bus Gamer based on the short series manga of the same name while NinJaSistah [slow on the update, admittedly] talks about her new Portal/OrangeBox experience. Even though MagicMystic was MIA for this recording, the girls were still able to find a way to off on some interesting tangents.

    Don't believe me? Here are the rejected episode titles:
    • Sitting In The Ooze, Waiting To Respawn
    • The Office Was Empty, But It Wasn't The Weekend
    • My Companion Cube Was Alone On Valentines Day
    • Nobody Ate Anybody In Staying Alive Either
    • Somebody Ought To Put That Morality Chip Into Dick Chaney
    • That Dude In Portal? He's A Chick
    • Dat Cube Gotta Go!
    • Hot Man Candy Has A Gooey Center
    • Walk Softly and Carry A Big Lead Pipe
    • Muppets Singin About Killing Me Scares Me
    • I'm Not Comfortable With A Man Having A Baby
    • It's An Animated World, And I'm An Animated Girl
    • The World Wildlife Fund Has Nothing On Them
    • and
    • I'd Tell You About The Third Episode, But I've Slept Since Then


    So grab another cup o' joe and take a listen to ESH podcast episode 93: You Can't Have Your Cake And Cheat It Too!

    Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    King Baby Duck Presents: Things I'll Never Look At the Same Way Again Thanks to Hentai Dubbings

    posted @ 4/12/2008 08:04:00 PM by FreeLoader
    I think the title says it all, but just in case. Do not read on if you are too goody-two shoed!

    This year's Anime Boston Hentai Dubbings '08 was filled to the brim with dirty humor, shocking video footage, and just plain ole nastiness from start to finish. For this first timer I was quite, um, at awe at some of the things I heard, which leads us to the following list. I will never look at the following things the same way again because of hentai dubbings:

    1. Queen - The guys played "Fat Bottomed Girls" before the event began; but I would've rather seen them screen the music video for "Bicycle Race." Nothing makes a good mix like anime porn and naked girls riding bikes ^_^.
    2. System of a Down - The guys also played "Violent Pornography" before it began, and we all stood on our seats and sang along. All that was missing was the whimsical bouncing ball!
    3. PoKeMoN - Hentai Dubbing host Dick Tripwire said he was an expect at hentai and PoKeMoN; which begs the question: what's the difference?
    4. Ham and Cheese Sub Sandwiches - Can you say "phallus symbol?"
    5. Tuna Casserole - The video Tripwire showed us had a woman making sex sounds using this delicious treat. Does anyone else here who went get kind of randy eating casserole now?
    6. Cottage Cheese - Same as #5, only worse -_-;.
    7. Future Demon Tentacled Hell Beasts - Now I am friends with many Future Demon Tentacled Hell Beasts, and they are quite nice creatures. They like ice cream and listening to jazz music; and many of them have wonderful families. I fear that if too many people look at these Future Demon Tentacled Hell Beasts in the wrong light, this species might be considered a danger; when, in fact, they really aren't. I'm just saying...
    8. Green Rooms - And I thought just the Green Door was bad enough.
    9. Masquerade Hosts - This year's Masquerade host went up onstage and said some C-words that I don't think the Sistas would like me to print.
    10. Puppies - From now on "puppies" will be referred to mean "going toilet." Let's practice: "Would you excuse me for a moment? I have to let the puppies out of the kennel." Try it at your next dinner party.
    11. Kittens - SURPRISEBUTTSEX!
    12. Snickers Candy - They call it "Snickers" 'cause it laughs at your tiny penis.
    13. Hard Candy - You can insert your own joke here.
    14. Necco Wafers - I don't know what they are, but when I do I'll surely remember this night!
    15. Arnold Schwarzenegger - This just in: Schwarzenegger started out as a porn director! I was also going to put what he was filming, but some of you are probably eating right now.
    16. Chiyo-chan’s Father from “Azumanga Daioh” - You oughta be ashamed of yourself, Mr. Chiyo-chan's Dad!!!!!
    Oh, how can I stay mad at that cute face?
    17. Yeah Dudes! - Now whenever we see these human creatures at the bar, we can all laugh and say, "They're gettin' ready for some tazing!" And speaking of that...
    18. The “Don’t Taze Me, Bro!” guy - Now whenever we take part in the mating ritual, we can forever call it "Tazing."
    19. Anime Boston Pre-Registration - Although we will never forget the Great Wait of '08, those two gals doing the yuri hentai scene will make us never forget all the "groaning" and "moaning" of having to wait in any sort of line.
    20. Flowers - They say some flowers look like a woman's ladyparts. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

    21. Doctors - Nobody really likes going to the doctors, especially those that like to stick their finger in, well, I should probably stop myself here.
    22. The people that I do anime screenings with; a couple, of which, are also ESH members!!! - We are naughty, and we're proud of it!

    But these dubbings are a lot of fun, and they allow even the most pure of people to be just a wee bit perverted. It’s all in the spirit of fun, so don’t take it too seriously.

    This is King Baby Duck saying "If it ain't made in Japan, it's usually crap!"

    Labels: , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    King Baby Duck's Anime Calamity: Kenko Zenrakei Suieibu Umisho

    posted @ 4/12/2008 07:32:00 PM by FreeLoader
    As I am currently scrounging for some J-POP I can review, I would like to tell all my little duckies and kawaii kitties out there about an anime series that's got me going quackers! (Okay, I think I should stop with the duck puns before the Sistas beat me senseless!) The name of the anime is called "Kenko Zenrakei Suieibu Umisho," or "Umisho" for short.


    When Kaname was a small boy he almost drowned when he was pulled down by what appeared to be a mermaid. Since then he has never been able to swim. That hasn’t stopped him from being the swim team manager at Umisho, which is short for a high school with an extremely long name that I’m not even going to try to write. Unfortunately the swim team sucks, having won no tournaments since its inception three years before. One day a girl on a houseboat appears on the shores. Her name is Amuro, and boy can she swim. Without hesitation Kaname and vice-captain Momoko ask her to join the swim team. In no time at all the swim team gets better and better, while a seemingly lovely relationship between Kaname and Amuro begins to blossom; even though Kaname is always quick to deny it.

    This is a show where the characters shine as bright as the sun. Amuro is probably one of the funniest, optimistic leading ladies in recent anime memory; and the chemistry between her and the other members of the swim team is truly memorable. The show-stealer, though, has to be the team captain Ikamasa. Not a single moment goes by where he isn’t bringing in the biggest laughs on the show. Plus with all the fan-service that goes into a show involving swimming you can bet on plenty of boob and butt jokes, as well as some below-the-belt humor that any high school and college kid can enjoy. What’s great about the series is that these usually-tiresome jokes do not wear out their welcome. It’s got that sort of Benny Hill lucky charm. It can be the same joke a thousand times, but it’s still just as funny as before.

    “Umisho” aired in Japan last July, and its manga is currently still running. However neither has been licensed, so it could be a year or two before it comes to these shores. But be patient: for it’ll be worth the wait when “Umisho” gets released here. Funny, heartfelt, and wonderful plotlines that will have you screaming for more. “Umisho” gets an A- in my book.

    This is King Baby Duck saying "If it ain't made in Japan, it's usually crap!"

    Labels: , ,

    Finish what you start...

    Here is a Panda Present for all her favorite People

    posted @ 4/12/2008 07:42:00 AM by Pandalicious
    Surprise Present!

    The one thing that was brought to our attention at this year's Anime Boston 2K8 was that talent has reached OVER 9000! [But no seriously] Not only were the costumes insane and the energy is off the hook but animation took place but that is not all. Music has been written and that is not all...They were put together and this is what it made...Enjoy [As a disclaimer this awesomeness isn't something that I myself made. [[I WISH I HAD HALF THIS TALENT]] However I figured all facets of the geekdom would love this!
    Brought from the interwebs of cyberspace....from the hot new band...L33tStr33t Boys!! "YURI THE ONLY ONE FOR ME!"


    Labels: , , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    King Baby Duck's Live Review: the pillows – ANIME BOSTON 2008

    posted @ 4/10/2008 06:19:00 PM by FreeLoader


    For the first time in its history, Anime Boston’s Main Events Room was filled head-to-toe with people young and old; and for good reason. Making their Bay State area debut were the kings of Japanese rock: the pillows! Known to anime fans thanks in part to the shows “FLCL,” “BECK,” and “Moonlight Mile,” the pillows have toured the States three times; and because of their notoriety having this band play at AB was a big deal to many.

    Before they came on, though, were the good, but very “wrong to open for a band like the pillows” Luv and Response. Mixing R&B with dance and fashion the group was able to perfectly make music that was both audibly and visually glamorous. Despite being a good band I wished that the opening act for the pillows' club stops, noodles, had performed; since both bands share a Pixies-ish style.

    After a fifteen-minute break the main event marched onto the stage, the crowd roaring with excitement.

    “DO YOU KNOW ME?!” screamed vocalist/guitarist Sawao Yamanaka. “Our name is the pillows! OK?!”

    the pillows broke into the first song: “I think I can”: a perfect opening track. If it weren’t for the chairs in the way a mosh pit would’ve emerged. Next up were “Rock ‘n’ Roll Sinners” and “Carnival”; and then broke into “Wake up! dodo” and “Blues Drive Monster.”

    “I believe,” Sawao began, “that good music is good music, no matter how new or old it is!” The crowd went wild, as the band went into their lighter-waving track “One Life.” This was the track that made this Duck a fan of the pillows in the first place. To hear it live again (since I saw them in ’05 at the Knitting Factory) was a real treat.

    After playing “Crazy Sunshine” and “Last Dinosaur” Sawao announced that they were currently recording, and played two new tracks: “NEW ANIMAL” and “Mr. Droopy.” The former had an epic opening, with awesome riffs from guitarist Yoshiaki Manabe; the latter had wonderfully broken English that will surely be fun and catchy to sing along to once the new single is released.

    “Do you guys know ‘Furi Kuri’?” asked Sawao, which the crowd responded by going insane. “Speaking of ‘Furi Kuri’ this is the song! RIDE ON SHOOTING STAR!” Although I’m kind of tired of this song, hearing it live reminded me why this band excites me so much. Next came the two sing-along songs: the blur-like “Little Busters” and the R.E.M.-ish “Hybrid Rainbow”: their most beautiful track. Finally bassist Jun Suzuki was able to shine with “Sleepy Head”: the track with the best non-QOTSA bass line.

    After a five-minute break the pillows emerged again, and chaos almost emerged; as a few droves of otaku almost rushed the front of the stage to form a mosh pit. Sadly security had to act like party-poopers and bring the people back to their seats. the pillows finished with “Funny Bunny,” ending with the hardcore “Advice.” Had this been the Knitting Factory again Sawao would’ve stage-dived at the end, but this wasn’t the case.

    Waiting two-and-a-half hours in line was worth this; but I have to say AB needs to work on seating arrangements. When I was there I sat on the far right, unable to see Shinichiro Sato and his drum set. I was very disappointed with this, and I hope AB will fix this problem in the near-future. Other than this setback this was the highlight of Anime Boston, and perhaps will pave the way for other acts to come and perform not just at AB, but also other clubs in Boston.

    PLAYLIST:
    I think I can
    Rock 'n' Roll Sinners
    Carnival
    Wake up! dodo
    Blues Drive Monster
    One Life
    Crazy Sunshine
    Last Dinosaur
    New Animal (new song!!!)
    Mr. Droopy (another new song!!!)
    Ride on shooting star
    Little Busters
    Hybrid Rainbow
    Sleepy Head

    ENCORE:
    Funny Bunny
    Advice


    This is King Baby Duck saying "If it ain't made in Japan, it's usually crap!"

    Finish what you start...

    Parody Is Beautiful

    posted @ 4/09/2008 10:57:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Bob Dylan: He's crazy prolific man! Did you know that he wrote every popular song ever released? I know I didn't.

    Turns out that he did, and here's a video to prove it:


    At least he's not responsible for WannaBe

    Labels: , , , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    Microsoft Copiers Strike Again

    posted @ 4/09/2008 09:09:00 AM by evermore
    It's bad enough that Microsoft copies everything that Apple does and calls it its own, but now it appears that the company is trying to strike gold by Wii-ifying the Xbox.

    Normally, I wouldn't consider MTV News to be a venerable source of hard-hitting journalism, but they did manage quite a scoop this week -- a sketch of a new Xbox controller that looks remarkably like a Wiimote.

    I don't want to hear all that guff about Microsoft being the great innovators. They had a decent marketing department, but the real innovation was from companies like Apple and Sun. I could go on all day about Microsoft innovations that were either bought or stolen, like DOS (bought), Windows Media Player (stolen) and the Aero Glass interface (stolen).

    In fact, I defy you to point out a Microsoft innovation that didn't appear earlier in Unix, Linux, the Amiga or the Macintosh. If you don't believe me, just Google the phrase "Microsoft steals."

    Oh, and if you haven't seen it for a while, here's a representative scene from Pirates of Silicon Valley.

    And now here's something that's gotta be really embarassing. It's from the January 2007 launch of Vista Office. Mike Sievert, the corporate vice president of Microsoft, shows off the online gaming capabilities of Vista, as he challenges his son, who is at home on his Xbox 360, playing (wait for it) UNO!

    "And, of course, this is my Games Explorer. This is what Windows Vista does to make my gaming experience easier than it's ever been, because all of my games are here in one place where I can manage them the same way.

    "I'm going to step into an upcoming release of Uno for Windows Vista, and I'm going to use my Xbox 360 controller plugged right into my Windows Vista machine, and I'm going to pull up a multiplayer game. Because what Uno for Windows Vista can do is something that games before have never been able to do, and that's cross-platform play. You're going to see the familiar Xbox 360 set of settings, and I'm going to use the Microsoft Live gaming platform to see if I can find my 10-year old son Jonathan at home in Seattle, Washington on his Xbox.

    "Now, he goes by the alias, Ice Monkey, and you can see that he's online. That's good because I'm on stage, and this would be important at this point. (Laughter.) And I'm going to go ahead and select him and invite him to play this game of Uno with me.

    "Now, you know, I travel quite a bit, and maybe I'm in a hotel room in Tokyo with my Windows Vista laptop, and it's really important that I'm able to have connections with my family when I'm gone. And this scenario is fantastic because it allows me to steal away a few minutes to play a game with Jonathan across thousands of miles, eight time zones, and two gaming platforms.

    "Take a look at this as I press Start. We launch into a game together and in just a moment across all those times we'll be playing cross-platform game play.

    "There it is. Now you need to applaud that, because I had to wait a minute. All right. (Applause.) And there it is, we're all in this game playing across the thousands of miles, me on my Windows Vista machine, and Jonathan on his Xbox."

    The guy even has to beg for applause.

    Sievert left Microsoft in February of this year. I guess you can take only so much UNO.


    Labels: , , , , , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    Dreadlines

    posted @ 4/08/2008 09:03:00 AM by evermore
    If you've read my stuff for very long, you know just how much I hate public relations people. So when I bumped into some particularly inane headlines recently, I just couldn't resist adding my own editorial comments. Like these:

    Headline: Callers to National Runaway Switchboard are Getting Younger

    Translators were necessary to understand the goo-goos and gaa-gaas.

    Headline: Amazon.com Intros Service Allowing Purchases Via Text Message

    Next they'll be hooking us up to electrodes and we'll be purchasing just by thinking.

    Headline: USA TODAY Hollywood Hero Award Honors Earvin 'Magic' Johnson for His Work With the Magic Johnson Foundation

    Imagine that. Magic Johnson being feted for working with his own foundation.

    Headline: Wendy's Blames Snow, Easter For Poor Q1 Performance

    Didn't it snow and easter on McDonalds and Burger King, too?

    Headline: Electrolux Taps Kelly Ripa For Line Launch

    What's their tag line? "Nothing Sucks Like Kelly Ripa"?

    Headline: RBC Centura Bank Celebrates Name Change to RBC Bank

    And if that doesn't work, they're changing it to just "Bank."

    Headline: Werner Ladder Co. Becomes Official Ladder of the NCAA Basketball Championships

    Because you gotta change the net somehow.

    Headline: BP Announces Gulf of Mexico Discovery

    I understand Christopher Columbus discovered the Gulf of Mexico way back in 1492.

    Headline: Movie Gallery/Hollywood Video Closing Another 160 Stores

    The only thing moving at Movie Gallery is its employees -- to the unemployment office.

    Headline: America's Favorite Celebrity Siblings, Donny & Marie, to Host Teleflora's Mother's Day NBC Special

    What, they couldn't get the Menendez brothers?

    Headline: Dunkin' Donuts Makes Tax Day a Little Sweeter With Free Donuts

    Nothin' funny about this headline. You deserve it. Go getcha some coffee and a donut on Monday.

    Headline: La-Z-Boy Announces Moves to Strengthen Its North American Operations

    Aw, why be in a hurry? Just sit down in that easy chair. Lean back. Relax. Now isn't that zzzzzzzzzzzzz.


    Labels: , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    New Podcast Day: Episode 92

    posted @ 4/06/2008 12:00:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    Monday rears it's ugly face area again and so the ESH Crew gives you a new episode of the podcast to hide behind.

    In this episode of the podcast, the regular trio is back at it to talk about the anime series Paranoia Agent the manga Dazzle and the disconnect with animes optioned from manga with a smattering of Fushigi Yugi and a few other things.

    To give you an idea of the places we go, here are the titles we didn't use for this episode:

    • Dance Moves To Die For
    • Then Anime Boston Turned Into The Shining
    • No One Told Me About the NinJa Rape
    • It's Like The Lion King, Without The Lions
    • The Old Lady Pulled a Geraldo
    • It's Not Like We've Ever Shied Away From Spoilers Before
    • Twisted, Dark and Perverse - That's Entertainment!
    • They Don't Sell Kool-Aid At Suicide.com
    • We Haven't Talk About Incest In a Long Time
    • They Should Have Called Him HeckBoy
    • Bitch! Listen To Bruce Willis!
    • Coming Next Week: Whatever NinJa Wanted to Talk About
    • and
    • Inside Joke of The Week: You Just Lost The Game


    Yeah, it's going to be that kind of episode. So sit back, relax and enjoy podcast Episode 92: Anime, It's Not Me, It's You!

    Labels: , , , , , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    Record Stores Going Away? Good Riddance

    posted @ 4/03/2008 11:16:00 AM by evermore
    Word came out yesterday that the Apple Store has passed Wal-Mart as the top music retailer in the U.S. And it wasn't even close. In January, the Apple Store sold 19 percent, compared with Wal-Mart's 15 percent.

    As I see it, this ends the dominance of the physical music format. From Edison's cylinders to 78 RPM wax platters to vinyl to 8 tracks to cassettes to compact discs, music got successively more portable until the physical media went away. Now the physical stores are going away as well.

    And I couldn't be happier.

    Sure, I used to love record stores. As a kid, I had always shopped the record bins in supermarkets, drug stores and dime stores. But when I went to college in the mid-1970s, I discovered standalone record stores. My favorite was a place called Discount Records, a narrow store that had long aisles of U.S. and import records, along with free copies of music and humor magazines they couldn't sell.

    The great part about Discount Records was, of course, the discounts. At the time, vinyl albums went for $5.99 apiece, but at Discount Records, new releases went for only $3.99. It was like hitting a treasure trove.

    A few years later, the megastore came along. The first one in my city was Peaches, an Atlanta-based retailer. They opened an unbelievably large place, with giant hand-painted album covers displayed on the walls outside (if you've ever seen the movie Xanadu, you'll know what I mean).

    Peaches had everything -- in huge quantity. The classical music room was separate, with its own door to keep rock from mixing with Rachmaninoff. One day they installed a big-screen projection TV and I saw my first music video: Meatloaf's "Paradise by the Dashboard Light." Unfortunately, Peaches put the little guys at Discount Records out of business.

    The mall stores hung on by moving quickly to CDs after the format was introduced in the early '80s. Since they didn't have much space (certainly not as much as Peaches), the CD format was a godsend.

    I wasn't a big fan of the CD, however. I stuck with vinyl until it gave out in 1989, and after that, moved to cassettes until the artists I was interested in moved completely to CD.

    The record companies cleaned up on CDs. They were perceived as a "superior" format and priced accordingly. The problem was that the prices never really went down. Music that I purchased at Discount Records for $3.99 in 1975 was getting $19.99 in CD format. That's a 5X increase within about 15 years. I no longer had the cash reserves necessary to replenish my vinyl/cassette collection with the new-fangled CDs, so, as did most people of my generation, I just gave up on buying music.

    The record stores didn't notice I was MIA. In fact, they seemed glad to get rid of me. Buying music at a record store was a terrible experience. The joke at the time was that the record store employees thought they were the rock stars.

    I learned not to ask questions in a record store. They always seemed miffed that someone my age could actually require assistance. I wasn't someone they could try to impress. And they didn't have a clue as to why I could be interested in someone named Jethro Tull.

    Actual conversation:

    Salesboy: "I don't know who he is."

    Me: "Who?"

    Salesboy: "Jethro Tull."

    Me: "He's not a he, he's an it."

    Salesboy: "Who?"

    Me: "Jethro Tull. It's a band, not a person."

    Salesboy: "Like Van Halen?"

    Me: "No. Van Halen's a he and an it."

    Salesboy: "Huh?"

    Me: "Van Halen's the last name of a couple of guys in the band and the name of the band."

    Salesboy: "Like Camper Van Beethoven?"

    Me: "Oh, forget it."

    They were too busy selling CDs to the kiddies. So when the kids got on their computers and discovered Napster, the record labels lost them, too.

    Now the record stores in the malls -- if you can still find an FYE, that is -- are all empty. Maybe there's someone looking at a DVD in the bargain rack, but nobody's there poring over the music. The CD aisles at Best Buy are barren. Same at Target and Borders and Barnes & Noble. At Circuit City... well, does anybody shop at Circuit City anymore?

    At Wal-Mart, people still go in, finding sanitized versions of music they heard on a commercial or something. And even Wal-Mart's tiring of that business. For years Wal-Mart has directed the record labels to reduce the price of their CDs. And if the labels don't comply? Well, Wal-Mart infers that one of these days it just might go out of the CD-selling business entirely.

    And if Wal-Mart goes, there goes the whole business of selling physical discs. The music labels surely can see the writing on the wall. It would be in their best interests to convert to companies similar in nature to BMI and ASCAP. Those companies control the publishing rights to music. The four music labels should convert to companies that control the performance rights to recorded music.

    When that happens, there will be no need to keep the RIAA in business, so the lawsuits against stay-at-home-moms and college students will end. The giant corporations will spin off the record labels into tiny holding companies who will likely make deals with content amalgamators like Apple, the phone companies, the cable companies and the networks to distribute large chunks of their music catalogs for a fee.

    And in 20 years, some kid will be asking why you have a closet full of little silver Frisbees.


    Labels: , ,

    Finish what you start...

    ESH Land @ Minicity

    posted @ 4/01/2008 09:59:00 PM by MagicMystic
    I've created our ESH city on Minicity.com.

    Come visit ESH Land. It's now officially a real place. Each click will increase the population of ESH Land and once the population is big enough we can build and improve our city.

    Visit ESH Land


    Labels: , ,

    Finish what you start...

    XBLive Wednesday: Mr. Driller

    posted @ 4/01/2008 09:58:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    He's coming to an XB360 near you tomorrow. Namco Bandai is releasing this Mr. Driller on the XBLive arcade April 2nd [tomorrow] and you know you know what that means: time to get you some more Marketplace points.

    Mr. Driller is a crazy addictive puzzle game that will have you avoiding falling blocks whilst trying to keep your air supply from running out. And not this Air Supply

    So make sure you have at least 800 MS points saved up on the XBLive, because Mr. Driller is coming!

    Labels: , , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    Final GTA Trailer...And Now We Wait

    posted @ 4/01/2008 08:59:00 PM by Douceswild
    I’m sure you all know that the official release date of Grand Theft Auto IV is set for April 29th. I’ve played and completed every installment of the series and I plan on adding this one to the pile as well.

    I’m not going to waste time trying to convince you of how good GTA is. You’ve heard of it and at this point you’ve probably made up your mind if you’re into the controversial video game by now or not. A few days ago the final official trailer was released and now we sit and wait. The problem is…I CAN’T WAIT!



    Labels: , , , ,

    Finish what you start...

    Dealers' Room Follies [Anime Boston2008]

    posted @ 4/01/2008 07:34:00 PM by Pandalicious
    From the creators of As the school bus turns and The Real World Outland comes....

    For all those who are new to the convention world I have one piece of advice for you. MAKE LOTS OF MONEY! I do not say this because you need money for food and your hotel room and your registration. I say this with one place in mind, and that [ladies and gentlemen] is the dealers room.

    This room is LARGE and IN CHARGE. It is glittered in rows of merchants selling anime, manga, memorabilia, collectables and things that may relate to the japanese culture but not exactly on anime tip [if you know what I mean] However as excited as Pandalicious was to throw herself into the massive human ocean that was the Dealers Room, she was overcome with confusion and fear. Why? you might ask yourself would our beloved Panda would be confused about and for once... Panda sought out order.

    This year the Dealers' room had no real structure to it. Anime DvDs were being sold next to some Catgirl Loli costume table that was paralell to a hentai table. In all honesty [not that i'm never honest about all things anime related] DvD sellers should be with DvD sellers, Manga sellers w/ Manga sellers...Costumes with Costumes and etc [you get the idea] This uncontrolled room made me feel as a buyer that I would walk out with barely anything. [I did buy a cat tail, ears, bell collar and the anime Paranoia Agent [which i will review in the next coming show!]

    Maybe next time Anime Boston will better organize the room that avid anime loves through away money on product. We shall see.

    Labels: , , , ,

    Finish what you start...