At the release of the anime Rave Master back in 2001, people have raved about this anime. The story might have been draggy but it sure is very interesting and unique. Our minds race as the story progresses but we are a hit by a concrete wall in the end. The anime stops even though the story has not yet concluded.What now?

Good news Rave fanatics, the continuation you longed for is actually in the manga. Moreover, there are tons of sites out there who let you read it for FREE! Discover the unknown facts in the manga and continue to enjoy the Rave Master anime.

Truly, reading is very much different from watching. Just the absence of mere sounds causes you to lack interest in a particular story. That's why they created the anime. To attract the attention of you, and me! For us fans, it is already a privilege to be able to move on with the story.

Mandara then explains to Sasuke that Itachi implanted the Mangekyou sharingan through the fingertap as Itachi fell. Mandara then reveals that Itachi also transfered all of his jutsus to him, when he tapped him at their family's massacre. Mandara also explain's to Sasuke that it was in order to protect him. Sasuke then becomes angered and threatens to kill Mandara. Mandara then tries to comfort him, and apologizes. Finally, he shockingly reveals that he help Itachi with the massacre of their family.

Sasuke then screams in anger, "Get away from me! I don't want to ever see you again!" Mandara then replies, "I am here to teach you all i know, and I do know everything, about your brother.. Uchiha Itachi."

Thursday, April 17th of the year 2008, I will review the 398th chapter. Any questions, contact me on here.

Thanks'

God X Ninja

One of the things that I love about books is that you can actually get into the heads of the characters. That is exactly what this book lets you do. It's as if you know the characters on a personal level. Another thin I love about books is the details. I love the fact that I am not being projected an image, but an image is being projected from my mind.

That is probably why I love science fiction books so much. (That and the fact that I inherited my dads love for sci-fi) This book is very intriguing it is also very sad. When Setsuna's, the main character, sister, Sara, is brutally murdered I almost cried. It is amazing how much emotion can be put into words. I am not even close to finishing the series, even though I have already read five books, and I still have ten left to read!

During the same period, animated film making began in Europe and then the United States. As it made its appearance in Japan, it became a huge phenomenon. In fact, after 1940 more than 40% of all domestic films in Japan were found to be animated films based on manga. Because of its integral role in Japanese society, manga appealing to all age groups were routinely published and the scope of animated films also covered all ages. On the contrary, animation was perceived as primarily a medium for children in the West. It was so because there were not enough animated films aimed at older viewers and classic cartoons flooded the market in the decades both before and after the Second World War.

As television became a popular entertainment medium in Japan, animation became a large part of the programming schedule. Even though other shows preceded it, the first really successful animated series in terms of popularity was Osamu Tezuka's Tetsuwan Atom in 1963. The show became so popular that it caught the attention of NBC in 1964 and 104 episodes were syndicated in the U.S. as Astro Boy and became the highest rated syndicated show on television, live action or otherwise. Thanks to this development, other shows shortly found their way on to American television, including Tetsujin 28 (Gigantor), Eight Man (TOBOR, the Eighth Man), Kaitei Shonen Marin (Marine Boy), Jungle Taitei [Jungle Emperor] (Kimba, the White Lion), and Mach Go-Go-Go! (Speed Racer). Although these shows were edited to fit American standards (often with numerous episodes not even being released in the U.S.), broadcasters and pressure groups still complained about the violence present in these shows.

These protests forced a lull in bringing anime to American television for a number of years, although series and features were still being released in Japan and were wildly successful. The American viewers didn't get another look at anime until the late 1970's, when 1972's Kagaku Ninja Tai Gatchaman was adapted for American audiences as Battle of the Planets.

Global audiences are now enjoying a growing influx of popular anime. Pokemon, Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball have delighted children in all parts of the world. Most significant is the deal that Disney Studios and Studio Ghibli signed to bring all of Miyazaki's filmed masterpieces to American audiences. Anime's success owes a lot to the unswerving dedication of many Japanese artists to fully exploit the possibilities of animation as a creative medium. They realized that they could do more with moving pictures than just entertain children. They could explore the boundaries of space and probe the complexities of the human condition. This is what has made anime so dynamic and appealing.

As the familiar strains of the upbeat opening song wafted into my tiny living room, I was once again reminded why I (and thousands of others) like his films so much.

Among Miyazaki's animated films, I've always found My Neighbor Totoro (Tonari no Totoro; 1988) the easiest to relate to because, notwithstanding the supernatural element of old forest spirits, the story is essentially grounded in reality (with subtle autobiographical brush strokes) and takes place in a sleepy rural setting.

The movie has no overt violent scenes, which should make this animated feature fairly suitable even to young children, although it does deal with the threat of loss and pain as only a child can sense it. The film teems with childlike wonder, discovery and ready acceptance of extraordinary incidents. Basically, it's one anime title that I'd be pleased to recommend to anyone regardless of his/her age.

The animation, as expected for a Studio Ghibli (founded by H.M.) offering, is top-notch, and the characters are well delineated. The story focuses on two young girls who, along with their father (a college professor), move into an old country house – a quaint, rustic structure complete with cobwebs, rotting posts and rattling windows – in order to be near a hospital where their mother is being treated. In one of her rambles, 4-year-old Mei (and later, along with the her older sister Satsuki) stumbles into the slumbering guardian spirit of the forest – a huge, cuddly, bear-like creature called Totoro, who's apparently only visible to young children…

Without giving away the rest of the story (I really don't want to spoil the experience for those who still haven't seen it), there are several items in this film that should be fairly obvious to a Miyazaki enthusiast. The main protagonist is a young girl (or in the case, girls) who's learning to grapple with the complexities of life (a recurring theme in many Studio Ghibli films such as Spirited Away , Kiki's Delivery Service , Laputa Castle , Porco Rossi , etc.). There's also an endearingly clumsy young boy, Kanta, who shows an abiding interest in planes/aviation ( Kiki's Delivery Service , Laputa Castle ), a trait that Miyazaki shared as a child. This movie likewise highlights, in unobtrusive but touching instances, the way the Japanese show respect for their old and the ‘natural' spirits around them.

I don't know how much of what is shown in My Neighbor Totoro actually reflects Miyazaki's childhood, but I've read somewhere that he was quite close to his grandmother and that his mother had also suffered from a serious ailment (TB) which required a lengthy hospital treatment. He's known to care deeply for his female relations and I think it shows in the way he presents his female characters, even those who are initially perceived as the villain of the piece.

too caught up in my search, i mumbled distractedly about a misplaced DVD that i particularly wanted to watch that day. casting a glance at some of the titles, she said "Oh," which spoke volumes, and shook her head. "i see you still haven't outgrown your 'phase.'"

grinning, i replied, "Darn right... ah-hah here it is, my precious Slayers disk (vol. 2, ssn 1)." without any further ado, i popped the offending disk to my player and turned back to her. "want a coke? this could take some time."

she sighed, "can't stay long. honestly though, don't you ever get sick and tired of watching these things? you must have watched this series twice already."

it was my fourth viewing actually, but this time i was watching the japanese version (with english subtitles), which as far as i was concerned made a huge difference (because it featured megumi hayashibara as the mercurial and cute sorceress Lina Inverse). not that i bothered to explain though. i doubt if she'd have appreciated my explanations anyway. to a non-anime fan, any explanation or justification would have sounded lame.

which brings me to this interesting question: what makes anime so appealing to some of us?

normally, this sort of behavior is indulged (and half-expected) among children and adolescents. as you move on to your late teens, it's still somewhat tolerated; in your 20s, the raised eyebrows and the head scratching begin ("what? you're still into anime? how do you find the time to watch 'em? boy, you must have spent a lot on these suckers!"). as you grow older, it gets worse... not that it has ever bothered me though.

frankly, i can't explain it myself. i just know that i like them and i'm sure that 5 years from now, i'd still be watching japanese anime features. after that, who knows? still, i believe that this inexplicable fascination can be traced to a few things:

• anime connects to the child within us
• it deals with universal themes
• it offers a relatively simple and inexpensive way for us to indulge our "what-ifs" in colorful 2D and 3D formats
• ready tie-ups with the video gaming community as well as manga and music industry;
• it's visually appealing!
• it uhm... offers excellent opportunities for viewers to pick up some nifty nippongo phrases
• and because its technology-friendly, it has become even more accessible and continues to find a ready supply of converts (thanks to dedicated fandoms, forums and bit torrent sites)...

this is all i can think of right now. i'm sure the list goes on for many anime fiends who have been in this roller coaster far longer than i have... (i'm open to suggestions in case you'd like to expand this list.)

it's easy to dismiss anime as a simplistic, escapist fare. in a way, i suppose it's true, but it's much more than that though. some features have surprising depth, complexity and impact -- far more that the genre's detractors would allow. a few have even managed to achieve commercial and critical success internationally -- here, hayao miyazaki's excellent body of work (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Grave of the Fireflies, etc.) screams to the fore, a fact that has spurred Disney to cash in on this particular niche by producing, releasing and distributing an english version of some of his best works.