PRESS RELEASE: CALVARY

Calvary

Calvary is a wickedly dark comedy drama starring some of Ireland’s most exceptional actors including Brendan Gleeson, Chris O’Dowd, Aidan Gillen and Dylan Moran. Kelly Reilly rounds off the cast in this 5 star masterpiece from John Michael McDonagh.

PRESS RELEASE: THE RAID 2

The Raid 2

THE RAID 2 brings all out action to the streets of Jakarta with fast paced, relentless action and a labyrinthine story of dark thrills that demands to be watched time and again. Introducing new kick ass characters and mesmerising locations that will take your breath away, The Raid 2 expands on the unbelievable action from the first film and ramps it up to the max.

PRESS RELEASE: WWE LIVE IN THE UK

WWE Live In The UK

 

On DVD from Monday 11th Aug. 2014

With the WWE Universe still reeling from the events of WrestleMania and Extreme Rules, the WWE arrives in London for RAW and SmackDown Live in the UK! Hulkamania is back and running wild in London as Hulk Hogan returns to England’s capital for SmackDown.

PRESS RELEASE: ROBOTICS;NOTES PART 1

Robotics;Notes Part 1 (episodes 1-11) 

On DVD & Blu-Ray from Monday 25th Aug. 2014

Kai and Aki dream of building a giant fighting robot based on a super-popular anime, but that's going to be impossible if they don't get more members into their school's Robot Research Club.

ANIME PRESS RELEASE: GHOST IN THE SHELL 25TH ANNIVERSARY!

Ghost in the Shell 25th Anniversary!

If you were lucky enough to attend San Diego Comic Con at the weekend, you might have heard by now that limited edition prints of Kilian Eng's beautiful Ghost in the Shell poster were sold on the Mondo booth. May we just say, that it is amazing!

YAOI REVIEW: BIG DEAL VOL 1: A PACK OFJOKERS

 
Big Deal Vol 1: A Pack of Jokers

Released By: Seishin Ink

Writer and Artist: Katsura and Yuramei

Cover Art: Katsura and Yuramei

Release Date: Out now!

Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

"How did it come to this my friend?"

Blurb: There is nothing more dangerous than a man with nothing to lose. In a small Scottish town, near the gateway to the Highlands, a bunch of reprobates are trying to come to terms with the return of their brutal boss. Out of the nick, and straight into the arms of a brothel keeper, Fergus Campbell is a man with a mission: To get back at the bastard who got him locked up the first place.

JAPAN ART PROFILE: YASUJI MASUDA

Japan Art Profile: Yasuji Masuda (Yagatama)
Username: Yagatama
Website: yagatama.deviantart.com
Email: yagatama@msn.com
Art Software: Photoshop CS2

Yagatama started out as a traditional artist before his art teacher turned him onto digital art software. With his new-found knowledge of computer software he has created many pieces of artwork you can find on his website.

ARTICLE: NET COMICS: BOYS LOVE WITH A TWIST

 
Net Comics: Boys Love With a Twist

Manga, or manwha as it is called in Korea has been published for a while by Net Comics. They have  manga for every taste and genre including an array of titles for the shonen-ai or boys love market.

ARTICLE: YOSHITAKA AMANO - FROM GATCHAMAN TO FINAL FANTASY

 
Yoshitaka Amano - From Gatchaman to Final Fantasy.

Everyone has big ideas when they're growing up but they usually change with age as maybe their ideas were too large for them to make into reality. Yoshitaka Amano was the opposite, he had no big ideas as a child, but drew until he got a job doing what he enjoyed the most.

SHORT REVIEW: KOHITSUJI TO OOKAMI (A LAMB AND A WOLF)

 
Kohitsuji to Ookami (A Lamb and a Wolf)
Author: Sakurai Reiko
Released: 2009
Genre: Yaoi
Book Type: Novel
ISBN: 9784778107154

Koide Yuu is devastated when his apartment gets burned down in an incident. Lucky for him, he has a rich friend who lets him stay at his huge mansion, but when his friends brother comes to the mansion unannounced, he instantly becomes his sex toy.

SHORT ANIME REVIEW: BE-BOY KIDNAPP'N IDOL (OVA)

Be-Boy Kidnapp'n Idol (OVA)
Episodes: 1 OVA
Released: 1989
Genre: Shonen-ai

This OVA looks like it was released the same time as FAKE and Tokyo Babylon, but as this is only twenty minutes long, it would be easy to forget if  it wasn't for its cuteness and infectious characters.

MOVIE REVIEW: ASHENS AND THE QUEST FOR THE GAME CHILD

Ashens and the Quest for the Game Child
Released By: Anchor Bay Entertainment
Rating: PG
Running Time: 88 Mins
Audio: English TBA
Release Date: 14/7/2014
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

Ashens takes the journey of his life to get the GameChild, a long lost item he has always wanted. As everyone has something they always wanted in their lives, Ashens sees the fact that if he didn't obtain this console, it would be the worst outcome ever!

REVIEW FOR NARUTO SHIPPUDEN BOX SET 18

Naruto Shippuden Box Set 18
Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: 12
Running Time: 250 Mins
Audio: English & Japanese: DD 2.0
Release Date: 21/7/2014
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

Now that Danzo is dead, the leaf have to think of who they are going to appoint as the next Hokage. The elders have a good idea of who they want, yet he might not be ready for it. Everyone in the village is startled to hear that Sasuke Uchiha single handedly took Danzo down in battle, and even Naruto realises Sasuke has got much darker since their last meeting, but now that they have captured Karin they might be able to interrogate her enough to get the intel they need.

BOOK REVIEW: BINU AND THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA BY SU TONG

Title: Binu and The Great Wall of China by Su Tong
Pages: 291 pages
Publisher: Canon Gate Books Ltd
Available: Amazon, Kindle
Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Binu-Great-Wall-Myths-Tong/dp/1847670628
Rating: 4/5  

Translated by Howard Goldblatt

When we think of fairy tales we tend to think of the popular English, French and German ones that have become as famous as their authors, but China has its own history of fairy storytelling and it goes back further than people may think. Binu and the Great Wall of China is one such story.

PRESS RELEASE FOR JORMUNGAND: PERFECT ORDER SEASON 2

Jormungand: Perfect Order (Season 2) 

 

On DVD & Blu-Ray from Monday 25th Aug. 2014

The child soldier Jonah continues to protect Koko while she brings the boom to cities across the globe. When the international arms dealer ramps up sales, her hired guns are targeted by government agencies, warmongers, and assassins - leading to some devastating betrayals and losses.

PRESS RELEASE FOR DIVERGENT

Divergent

On DVD, Blu-Ray, VOD and for download from Monday 11th Aug. 2014

Fast sell:

DIVERGENT is the action-packed adventure starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James and British icon Kate Winslet based on the No.1 Bestseller from Veronica Roth.

PRESS RELEASE FOR ROBOTICS;NOTES PART 1

Robotics;Notes Part 1 

 

On DVD & Blu-Ray from Monday 25th Aug. 2014

Kai and Aki dream of building a giant fighting robot based on a super-popular anime, but that's going to be impossible if they don't get more members into their school's Robot Research Club.

PRESS RELEASE FOR: BLACK SAILS VOLUME 1

Black Sails 

 

On DVD & Blu-Ray from Monday 29th Sept. 2014

Fast sell:

Move over “Game of Thrones”, it’s time to raise the anchor and set sail with this gritty, stylised look at life on the high seas. Violent and dramatic, “Black Sails” is one epic TV series not to be missed!

BOOK REVIEW: DREAMING IN CHINESE BY DEBORAH FALLOWS

 
Title: Dreaming In Chinese by Deborah Fallows
Pages: 205 p
Publisher: Short Books
Available: Amazon, Kindle
Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dreaming-Chinese-Deborah-Fallows/dp/1780720858
Rating: 5/5  

If anyone has ever struggled with the Mandarin Chinese language, they might enjoy this book as it is a window into Chinese culture we might never have known if it wasn't for Deborah Fallows, a Harvard linguist who had lived and worked in China for three years. With an introduction designed to give you an idea of how much Fallows has  researched to be able to bring us these points of note.

ARTICLE: THE ALTERNATIVE, DARK AND MOODY WORLD OF JASMINE BECKET-GRIFFITH

The Alternative, Dark and Moody World of Jasmine Becket-Griffith

Dark, big-eyed and brooding - this is the general look of Jasmine Becket-Griffith's work. Her girls have piercing eyes, vibrant colour and bold, black outlines to bring out that colour. One of the things that will shock the reader at once is the fact Jasmine has bright backgrounds or has a dark background establishing the character at the forefront of the piece; In Pinot Noir, a moody redhead holds a glass of wine while the Green Man waits in the background. The Green Man is a classic character of the woodland in Celtic myth.

ARTICLE: TREASURE CHESTS AND MEAN LOOKS: THE PIRATE FAIRY BY JASMINE BECKET-GRIFFITH

Treasure Chests and Mean Looks: The Pirate Fairy by Jasmine Becket -Griffith

I remember seeing Jasmine Becket-Griffith's art on the internet before I saw it in the Big-Eye Artbook by Blonde Blythe. As a special gift, my boyfriend got me a beautiful enamel pendant of her "Pirate Fairy," painting.

ARTICLE: DRAGON'S DISCIPLE TRILOGY AND BLOOD BROTHERS SERIES BY BARBARA SHERIDAN AND ANNE CAIN

Dragon's Disciple Trilogy & Blood Brothers series by Barbara Sheridan & Anne Cain

Just as yaoi is usually graphic novels for adults to enjoy, Barbara Sheridan & Anne Cain have written their own brand of yaoi text novels featuring Japanese and other Asian characters in a romance.

They have had their novels published by Loose ID and Ellora's Cave. You can find out more of their titles at :

http://www.dragonsdisciple.com/books.html

BOOK REVIEW: MOON OVER TOKYO BY SIRI L MITCHELL

Title:  Moon Over Tokyo by Siri L. Mitchell
Pages: 289
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
Available: Amazon, Kindle
Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Moon-over-Tokyo-Siri-Mitchell/dp/B005SN14ZO
Rating: 5/5  

It is obscured, blocked.
Still, I knew there must be a
moon over Tokyo.

When Allie O' Connor prays to God for a friend in Japan, she thinks he's making fun of her when he has her bump into her arch-nemesis from high school while out with her friend, Yoshi. She wished for a friend who speaks English, but never thought it would be him.

REVIEW FOR MARDOCK SCRAMBLE: THE THIRD EXHAUST

Mardock Scramble: The Third Exhaust
Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: 15
Running Time: 250 Mins
Audio: English & Japanese: DD 2.0
Release Date: 16/6/2014
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

Rune Balot and her partner are out at a casino playing Blackjack where she is being told how the others will inevitably lose the game and leave as they are being led to win a few games, then will lose. The owner of the casino is the same man who tried to kill and then burn to death Rune when she was younger. He can see Rune and her friend are doing well, and don't like it, advising his men to "burn them."

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF CAT ART: CARRIE HAWKS INTERVIEW

Carrie Hawks Interview
Conducted by Sandra Scholes

Carrie Hawks has been drawing since she was old enough to grab a pencil and paper, but her favourite medium is still acrylic, and it shows in her wonderful artwork which represents cats in just about every setting she could think of. Here Carrie has taken a break from her work to give us an idea of what makes her tick and what projects she has in the pipeline for her fans.

Sandra: What made you want to be a cat artist?
Carrie: I have been painting and drawing ever since I can remember. I have always been very artistic and fell in love with cats at an early age. I have always felt a special connection to cats because of their unique personalities. This helped make them a natural subject choice for me. My own cats are my inspiration and models for much of my work.

REVIEW FOR PLEASE LOOK AFTER MOTHER BY KYUNG-SOOK SHIN

Title: Please Look After Mother by Kyung-Sook Shin
Pages: 288
Publisher: Phoenix
Available: Amazon, Kindle
Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Please-Look-After-Mother-Kyung-Sook/dp/0753828189
Rating: 3/5 

Translated from the Korean by Chi-Young Kim

All her life So-riyo acts as wife and mother to her five children without thanks nor asking for any gratitude, supporting them whenever needed. One day though, a tragedy happens, So-riyo leavers and her family are left to look for her in the hope they can find her.

REVIEW FOR NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN SERIES 2 PART 2

Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan Series 2 Part 2
Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: 15
Running Time: 270 Mins
Audio: English & Japanese: DD 2.0
Release Date: 7/7/2014
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

Rokuo and his team of Yokai go into the Torii labyrinth in search of Fushime-Inari, the site of the spiral Seal. The man who told him about its location didn't seem to be the lying type to him, so Rikuo accepted his words in turn. There may be some truth to think it could be to do with Hagaromo-Gitsune, though he can't be sure. All of them are in their usual guises when as yokai, Arashima is in his female mode though and this might get him into some trouble along the way .

REVIEW FOR DRAGON BALL SEASON 2

Dragon Ball Season 2
Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: 12
Running Time: 250 Mins
Audio: English & Japanese: DD 2.0
Release Date: 7/7/2014
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

We've seen prequels of popular Western movies before, so it's not unusual to have a prequel anime series with Goku searching for the Four Star Dragon Ball his grandfather used to have. After a dangerous stint at the World Martial Arts Tournament, he doesn't think that things could get worse for him - but they can.