‘More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers’ also known as ‘Fukomi’ is a romantic comedy manga created by Yūki Kanamaru and published by Kadokawa Shoten. The Japanese animation company Studio Mother picked it for an anime adaption in which Crunchyroll will develop an English dub.
“Third-year high school student Jirou Yakuin hoped to partner with Shiori Sakurazaka of the same class in the mandatory “Couple Practical” course. In this practical, students must demonstrate that they have the necessary skillset to live with a partner of the opposite sex while presenting a certain level of harmony to the video surveillance that grades them.
Unfortunately, random chance put his slightly subdued self into the practical with the person polar opposite to him, the gyaru Akari Watanabe. Akari on the other hand hoped to be paired with her crush Minami Tenjin.
Their hopes are doubly dashed when they find out that Shiori and Minami are assigned together. Thus, they reluctantly decide to cooperate to reach the top ten, which would give them the right to exchange partners if both couples agree. To that end, Jirou steals Akari’s first kiss without realizing what he’d done, while giving a hurried good-bye kiss…”
The television show is directed by Takao Kato and Junichi Yamamoto with Chizuru Kobayashi designing the characters.
Sentai Filmworks has announced its Blu-Ray DVDs release slate. The production company says that will release over eight titles for home video with some being English dubbed and others subtitled with the original Japanese audio.
Sentai Filmworks announced the releases on their website:
Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei Herz
“Magical girls don’t get time off, so even though Illya and Miyu have just saved the world (see FATE/KALEID LINER PRISMA ILLYA,) it’s now their job to clean up the resulting mess! Unfortunately, there’s no established system for disposing of hazardous magical materials and sealing the Class Cards has caused some serious side effects… one of which is that Illya now has a duplicate doppelganger who is being a very bad girl! Can Illya get “herself” under control in a conflict of split personalities? And even once she’s comfortable with her dark self, is it wise to take her on a trip to the beach while preparing for her next mission? Not unless you’re ready for the demons, alternate dimensions, and all the other Magical Girl stuff that ensues…”
Kinmoza!
“Speaking another language is wonderful, but simply knowing the words doesn’t mean that you always understand everything they mean. That’s a lesson that Shinobu Omiya started to learn when she studied as an exchange student in England. Now that her host family’s daughter is coming to study in Japan, Shinobu is right to worry about whether Alice will fit in well with her Japanese friends Yoko and Aya. As it turns out, though, that’s the least of Shinobu’s problems, as the arrival of an old rival, who’s half-English and half-Japanese, throws everything into chaos! With Karen and Alice both making landfall at the same time, will the relationships that were shared in another language continue?”
Kinmoza: Pretty Days
One of the best parts about being in a group of friends is that you usually have a couple of guardian angels watching over you. So, when Shinobu has to both write a script as well as make costumes for a play for the school festival, it doesn’t take long for her classmates to realize that someone might have bitten off more than she can chew. Or write and sew, in this case. Fortunately for Shinobu’s theatrical future, Alice, Yoko, and Aya are glad to pitch in, and that allows for a chance to reflect on their experiences in the days before Alice arrived. Will everything be finished in time, or will the audience be in stitches because of the ones coming apart onstage?
Konmoza: The Movie
“Time flies when you’re having fun, and it seems like only yesterday that Shinobu Omiya was nervously waiting for her friend Alice Cartelet to arrive from England to study at Shinobu’s school in Japan. Now, in their third and final year, Alice, Shinobu, Aya, and Yoko have truly become the best of friends and even Karen, Honoka, and Kana are part of the gang as well. But since it’s their last year, that means their time will be split between preparing for the big senior trip to Nara and Kyoto, and trying to make plans for whatever is to come next in their lives… and in Shinobu’s case, that may mean something so amazing that she’d never even dared to dream it!”
Sakura Trick
“After sitting next to each other all through junior high, Haruka and Yuu were really upset to find that the seating plan in high school had them on opposite sides of the class! So, to show that they were still the very best of friends, they decided it would be cute to kiss. It had seemed so cute and innocent… until, maybe, it wasn’t. Because suddenly everything they thought they knew about their feelings for each other felt… different. But since they’ve kissed once, what’s the harm in doing it again? And learning that some of their classmates are similarly occupied only increases the inclination! Are they still just girls who are friends, or are they becoming girlfriends? They really don’t know. Not yet.”
Princess Principal Crown Handler Movie 2
“The problem with assassinations is that bullets are cheap, fanatics are fanatical, and even when an attempt fails, there’s always a chance for follow-ups. So even if the attack on Prince Richard by a supposed foreign sniper fails to put his royal highness six feet under, it soon becomes clear that it’s open hunting season for Royals when assassins strike again. Now Team White Pigeon’s priorities must be split between locating the deadly Cavorite bombs smuggled into the country and protecting Princess Charlotte’s sister Mary, the next in line… which, given that Charlotte herself is also a target and currently posing as White Pigeon’s Ange, only redoubles the peril she’s already found herself in!”
Listen To Me, Girls. I Am Your Father!
“Yuta Segawa’s sister raised him by herself, so when Yuri and her husband go missing, how can Yuta not take in their three daughters? Unfortunately, just because they’re family doesn’t mean that things will go easy, and there’s the question of how the girl Yuta likes, Raika, will react to his unplanned triple paternity. Even more troubling, however, is the fact that only the youngest, Hina, is Yuri’s by birth, while the stepdaughters, 14-year-old Sora and 10-year-old Miu, are both hitting phases where boys are on their radar. Of course, when you’re a dad and you’ve got daughters, EVERY phase is an awkward one, but with Yuta being only 19 himself, this new family dynamic will mean navigating a potential minefield filled with epic disaster…”
‘Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise’ is getting a special release with a 4K remastered edition in a “Memorial Box” for its DVD.
“The Royal Space Force is established in Honnêamise – a fictional kingdom on a fictional planet. Although the force boasts 30 years of history, they haven’t been able to achieve solid results; people and the government have given up on them, seeing the force as a burden. Shirotsugh Lhadatt, the protagonist, is a member of the Royal Space Force, which far from their dreams have gone into idleness. One day, Shirotsugh meets Riqunni, a girl who preaches God’s word, and his destiny drastically changes, leading him to volunteer to be a space pilot…” Prepare to witness the legendary film that revolutionized the anime industry, launched the careers of dozens of today’s animation superstars such as Hideaki Anno and Yoshiyuki Sadamoto of “Evangelion” and put Studio GAINAX forever on the map as one of Japan’s premiere production houses.”
From sci-fi to fantasy to comedy, there is a wide variety with these releases.
Marvel Comics is relaunching two of their popular titles with ‘X-Treme X-Men’ returning for the first time since 2013 and ‘Avengers Assemble’ which has been on hiatus since 2014 with the subtitle ‘Alpha.’
“The X-Treme X-Men are back in business,” Marvel said on their website. “In X-TREME X-MEN (2022) #1 by Chris Claremont and Salvador Larroca, a powerful psychic attack on Kitty Pryde will bring the team back together. Even so, the combined might of Bishop, Sage, Gambit, Rogue, Rachel Summers, Storm, and Wolverine may not be enough to stop Ogun and his insidious new plan. After this, the X-Men may never be the same!”
‘Avengers Assemble Alpha’ will see Iron Man, Ghost Rider, Wasp, Captain America, Thor, and several other members of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes assembling together to battle Mephisto and the Masters of Evil.
“The greatest army of heroes ever assembled go to war against the deadliest group of villains who’ve ever lived in an epic story so monumental it can only come from the mind of super hero visionary Jason Aaron,” Marvel explained. “AVENGERS ASSEMBLE will close out Aaron’s nearly five-year run on Avengers with a breathtaking crossover between Aaron’s two current Avengers titles, AVENGERS and AVENGERS FOREVER. The saga will officially kick off in next month’s AVENGERS ASSEMBLE ALPHA #1, where Aaron will be joined by superstar artist Bryan Hitch, and fans will witness the start of a conflict beyond all imagination—a grand battle that stretches from the dawn of time, when Earth was protected by the Avengers of 1,000,000 BC to the twilight of all reality and everything in between!”
J. Scott Campbell is doing a special variant cover to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Avengers.
‘Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai’ is an anime that premiered in 2020 based on the fantasy manga written by Riku Sanjo, illustrated by Koji Inada, and published by Jump Comics. The show is produced by Toei Animation, directed by Kazuya Karasawa, and written by Katsuhiko Chiba.
Anime News Network announced that Ocean Media is developing an English dub that will be air in the UK on BBC and in North America on Crunchyroll and Hulu. Alexis Flamant has been tapped to be the ADR director for the project.
Anime News Network revealed the cast on their website:
Sabrina Pitre as Dai
Alec Willows as Brass
Alex Zahara as Mystvearn
Brian Drummond as Flazzard/Hadlar
Cole Howard as Popp
Dean Redman as Baran
Diana Kaarina as Maam
Hiro Kanagawa as Matoriv
Ian Hanlin as Apollo/Killvearn
Jason Simpson as Crocodine
Kazumi Evans as Amy
Kelly Sheridan as Leona
Lee Tockar as Galdandy/Zaboera
Lili Beaudoin as Marin/Merle
Michelle Molineux as Gomechan
Paul Dobson as Dark King Vearn
Ruth Alexander as Nabara
Scott Roberts as Larhart
Steve Olson as Borahorn
Vincent Tong as Avan/Hyunckel
Allysha Nolasco as Mina
Brian Drummond as Heroh Heroh/Varon
Catherine Gell as Leira
Declan O’Reilly as Baduck
Ian Hanlin as Horkins/Piroro
Kelly Sheridan as Zulbon
Ken Kramer as Masopho
Matt Ellis as Deroline
Michael Shepherd as Bartos
Nikki Rae Hallow as Dragon Crystal
Ron Halder as King Romos/Moruge Temjin
Vincent Tong as Narrator
Toei also released a dub teaser that you can watch below:
“After the defeat of the demon lord Hadlar, all of the monsters were unleashed from his evil will and moved to the island of Delmurin to live in peace. Dai is the only human living on the island. Having been raised by the kindly monster Brass, Dai’s dream is to grow up to be a hero. He gets to become one when Hadlar is resurrected and the previous hero, Avan, comes to train Dai to help in the battle. But Hadlar, announcing that he now works for an even more powerful demon lord, comes to kill Avan. To save his students, Avan uses a Self-Sacrifice spell to attack, but is unable to defeat Hadlar. When it seems that Dai and Avan’s other student Pop are doomed, a mark appears on Dai’s forehead and he suddenly gains super powers and is able to fend off Hadlar. The two students then go off on a journey to avenge Avan and bring peace back to the world.”
‘Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai’ was previously adapted by Toei Animation into a TV film trilogy and later an animated television show that ran for forty-six between 1991 and 1992.
‘Blue Lock’ is a sports thriller manga written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Yusuke Nomura. The ongoing series has been published by Kodansha since 2018. The Japanese animation studio Eight Bit picked it up for an anime in the Fall of 2022. Crunchyroll picked it up for release in the United States and will produce an English dub.
“After reflecting on the current state of Japanese soccer, the Japanese Football Association decides to hire the enigmatic and eccentric coach Jinpachi Ego to achieve their dream of winning the World Cup. Believing that Japan has lacked an egoistic striker hungry for goals, Jinpachi initiates the Blue Lock—a prison-like facility where three hundred talented strikers from high schools all over Japan are isolated and pitted against each other. The sole survivor of Blue Lock will earn the right to become the national team’s striker, and those who are defeated shall be banned from joining the team forever.
Selected to join this risky project is Yoichi Isagi, a striker who failed to bring his high school soccer team to the national tournament. After choosing to pass to a teammate who missed instead of scoring on his own, he could not help but wonder if the results would have been different had he been more selfish. Using this golden opportunity given by the Blue Lock Project, Yoichi aims to clear his doubts and chase his ultimate desire—to become the greatest striker in the world and lead Japan to World Cup glory.”
The manga has a spin-off titled ‘Blue Lock: Episode Nagi’ written and illustrated by Kōta Sannomiya.
Mondo just announced a bunch of new and re-issued vinyl albums. The batch includes some old faces and surprising additions. Let’s take a look.
First up, if you missed out on the GBII soundtrack before, Mondo is teaming with Sony Music to re-issue the elusive orchestral score of the divisive sequel. The album features art by Paul Mann, and the score is by Randy Edelman (The Mask, Osmosis Jones, Dragonheart). The vinyl is made of translucent pink, imitating the negatively-charged pink slime that runs under New York City. Not a bad deal for $30.
Randy Edelman’s score for Ghostbusters II isn’t quite up to par with Elmer Bernstein’s work, but it gets the job done. It’s hard to improve on the original, but GBII’s OST still has its charm, notably Vigo’s Last Stand and Order in the Courtroom. The overall score comes off as way more heroic than to be expected.
Mondo
Mondo
Mondo
While we’re on the topic of ’80s soundtracks, who’s up for a game ofClue?
The soundtrack for Paramount’s surprisingly good comedy adaptation of the “who dun’it” board game looks like a surprisingly displayable LP. The $30 album has a cover and double-sided vinyl that makes for interesting display pieces.
Mondo
Mondo
Mondo
The music was composed by John Morris, who also gave us the amazing soundtracks for Spaceballs and Blazing Saddles. I tried to dig up a preview of the album but could only find the playlist. Check it out below:
Side A:
Main Title / Trees To Dogs
Mrs. White
Miss Scarlet / Car In Progress
May I Present Mr. Boddy
I Suggest We All Leave / Fight, You Bastard / Hallway Screaming Next Door
Bag In Hall
The Cook Chase / Boddy’s Fall / We’ll Throw It Away
Stranger At Front Door / Match Cutting / People In Hall
Mrs. Peacock And Plum / Death Bridge / Bridge, White & Wadsworth / Billiard Cue Grab / Go Together
I’ll Search The Kitchen / Desk, Fire, Weapons / Let’s Try The Conservatory / I’ve Had A Good Life
Door Pounding To Chandelier Fall
Gun, Cupboard, Doorbell / Cop Panics
Yvette Upstairs To Bell
Side B:
Step By Step – Intro / Step By Step
Remember What Happened Next – Part I, II, III / Don’t You See? Look! – Part I, II, III
I’ll Get To That / Beatnik
Ending A: Your Fatal Mistake / I Shot Her / Cavalry
Ending B: Yvette To We All Ran To Her / To Check That Mr. Boddy Was Dead / Who, Who, Who / Cavalry1
Ending C: Top To You Were / Peacock At Door
End Title
Bonus Cues
Main Title (alternate 1)
Miss Scarlet / Car In Progress (alternate)
Main Title (alternate 2)
Peacock At Door (alternate)
Main Title (alternate 3)
End Title (shorter version)
Main Title (alternate 4)
Featuring original poster artwork on the cover, Clue The Movie is housed in a 400gsm jacket with black poly-lined inner sleeves and includes a 16-page booklet with stills from the film, track-by-track liner notes, and more. This release has a perforated polybag in lieu of shrink wrap as well.
Turbo Kid is back! Not only is the Wasteland warrior getting a new video game, but his soundtrack is being released on glow-in-the-dark vinyl!
Mondo
Mondo
Mondo
Mondo
The least interesting of the mix has to be the Black Adam 3XLP. Having not heard the soundtrack, I can’t comment, but the overall artwork and color choices for the pieces of vinyl are lacking. If you’re a fan of composer Lorne Balfe’s film score, it’s not a terrible pickup for $50, but I’d wait to see if it’s re-released with better cover art. The three LPs cover 43 tracks, and the entire soundtrack can be previewed over at YouTube.
Mondo
Mondo
Which record are you looking at scooping up? Let us know below.
I think Willem Dafoe had the hardest job on the Spider-Man: No Way Home set. Not only did he have to revisit a character he’d not played for almost two decades, but he also had to switch between the well-meaning Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin persona. His only tool for the job? His acting skills and amazingly agile facial features. From pitiful to poetically evil, Willem could switch personalities with just the right lip curve and brow wrinkling.
If you’re a fan of the all-out evil Green Goblin, then Hot Toys has captured his evil grin and wild eyes in this latest 1/6th scale action figure. Every modification to Goblin’s suit is here, including the changes to his glider. Those artists at Hot Toys nailed this one right. As this is one of Hot Toys’ more detailed and accessory-heavy figures, expect to pay a premium. Sideshow Collectibles is offering up the Green Goblin for $395. And yet, even for that price, you’re not getting an optional helmeted version of the Goblin. Tisk, tisk.
If the price is an issue, don’t worry. Sideshow’s layaway will give you enough time to get the funds together because this guy isn’t due out until sometime between October 2023 and March 2024.
Hot Toys
Hot Toys
Hot Toys
Hot Toys
Hot Toys
Hot Toys
Hot Toys
A spell from Doctor Strange goes horribly awry and releases the most powerful villains who’ve ever fought a Spider-Man in any universe. Outside of his Goblin mask, Norman Osborn wears a poncho over the suit in signature green with upgraded gear. This cunning and dangerous villain who poses significant threats to the world is attempting to push Peter Parker to his moral limits.
Mr. Glenn Gorblin will come with all the following in the box:
Authentic and detailed likeness of Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn/ Green Goblin wearing his final suit in Spider-Man: No Way Home
One (1) newly developed head sculpt with separate rolling eyeballs features
Movie-accurate facial features with detailed wrinkles and skin texture
Body with over 30 points of articulation
Approximately 30cm tall
Six (6) pieces of interchangeable gloved hands including:
One (1) pair of fists
One (1) pair of open hands
One (1) pair of hands for holding pumpkin bomb
Each head sculpt is specially hand-painted
Costume:
One (1) newly crafted metallic green colored armored suit with battle damage effects
One (1) pair of metallic green colored armored boots
One (1) purple poncho with distress effects
One (1) brown-colored crossbody utility belt with pouches
Weapons:
Two (2) pumpkin bombs
One (1) blade (interchangeable onto left forearm)
Accessories:
One (1) pair of goggle
One (1) sixth scaled Goblin Glider featuring articulated function and LED light-up function (battery operated; approximately 33cm L x 21cm W)
Specially designed dynamic figure stand with movie logo and character nameplate
* Battery included for accessory, button cells are required
If you’ve ever wanted to own a full-size, screen-used Johnny Five from Steve Guttenberg’s best film, here’s your chance. The catch? The event is happening in London, and Johnny’s opening bit starts at £60,000. If you’re serious about bidding on Short Circuit‘s Johnny Five, here’s what you can expect for your money. This was not a fully RC-controlled, fully puppeteered prop. This guy was more for shots when the character was stationary, like when he’s inside a vehicle or tight location that would have been a pain to move the heavier prop into place. The amount of functionality that may still be available is unknown. It appears that Johnny’s red eyes, along with the shoulder laser, still function thanks to a few modifications, including adding a rechargeable battery.
The PropStore
The PropStore
The PropStore
This Johnny 5 is largely static, with lights in the eyes and servo motors in some of the shoulder and arm components that may have been functional at one time. These lighter-weight static robots were built for use where a heavier piece with additional mechanisms was not necessary, such as action shots of Johnny 5 falling. This Johnny 5 prop retains its original first-film color scheme and detailing, and was not updated for the sequel; it has been intact as a unit since production on the first film. The full-size prop features a blue and grey body made primarily of vacuum-formed plastic and metal with simulated buttons and tech panels on the front and back of the torso. Beneath this outer covering are mechanical and electronic elements, the majority of which are cosmetic though designed to appear practical, including cables and wiring to the mechanisms in his torso and arms, with major connections covered by black rubber bellow-like inserts. His lower body features two plated tread belts in triangular configurations on his left and right sides complemented by two small rear wheels with black rubber tires. Mounted over his left shoulder is a wood and resin laser weapon with a red decal strip on the front to simulate the emitter. The head features orange neck pistons; coloured wires and cables; a blue and grey plasting shell matching the body; black metal flaps that serve as upper and lower eyelids; and eyes with gold-colour rings, blue irises reminiscent of camera apertures, and clear lenses that glow red via a small switch in the base of the back of the head. The head has undergone some restoration, specifically to the eyes and their electronics, allowing them to glow with the aid of a rechargeable internal battery that charges through a labelled connector accessible on the back of the head. Also included are original red eye lenses attached to pieces of yellow foam, additional wiring, and a wall-plug charger. Johnny 5 exhibits some wear from production and age, including scuffing, paint chipping, staining, and some loose components. Dimensions: 147.5 cm x 76.25 cm x 178 cm (58″ x 30″ x 70″)
The Propstore’s Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction will kick off on November 3rd and run through November 6th. Over 1,500 items from TV, movies, and more will be available for bid during that time.
Here’s a breakdown of which lots will go up on which day:
Day 1: Lots 1 through 448
Day 2: Lots 449 through 623
Day 3: Lots 624 through 1083
Day 4: Lots 1084 through 1536
For fans of the ALIENS franchise, several items from ALIENS (’86) are already taking absentee bids. These include the Bug Stomper Dropship miniature, a Pulse Rifle, Hicks’s shotgun (for close encounters), a Facehugger, a lots more.
He’s not here as a ghoul, a tortured wax sculpturer, or the last man on Earth. This is just Vincent Price. The legendary actor whose career spanned from 1938 until the early 1990s. Super7 is honoring the Master of Mayhem with his own 3.75″ ReAction figure. Sadly, the estimated shipping time is not until November. So, the $20 Price won’t be joining your Halloween decorations, but regardless, Price was so much more than just a staple of creature features and fright flicks.
Interestingly, Super7 lists this as the “Ascot” version of Price, which leads me to believe we may see more variations in the future. For example, maybe Super7 can team up with Disney, and we’ll get a Muppet Show version with vampire Kermit? Or an Edward Scissorhands appearance?
Super7
Super7
Super7
What, I feel, people didn’t know about Price was his love of food and art. Aside from being a horror genre icon, the man was a very kind and eloquent soul. If you’ve ever perused his cookbook, A Treasury of Great Recipes, you’ll see that the well-traveled Vicent and Mary Price look at food and its preparation as an art form of its own. I was lucky enough to find an original copy from 1965. It’s full of not only recipes but stories and anecdotes from the Prices’ travels worldwide.
To be fair, the dishes are often not very appetizing to the modern palate, but a select few are quite amazing. Over the years, I’ve made the apricot mousse many times for my house guests. While it is heavy on sugar, today, we luckily have adequate substitutes that found our varying dietary needs. Another favorite was the mustard-glazed cornish game hen. Vegetables are as rare as ghosts in this tome. So, you’re dealing with many sauces and simmering meats in pans. For those used to today’s cuisines, you’ll need to add your own side dishes to fill out the other necessary vitamins.
Tell us what you think about the Vincent Price action figure below.
If you missed out on the previous release of Hiya Toys’ version of 2000 AD’s Judge Anderson, you’re in luck. The upcoming PX Previews Exclusive figure is a re-release of the PSI judge, and she’s also coming with a lawmaster! Over at the Big Bad Toy Store, you can pre-order the heroic psychic and her ride for $69.99.
From what I can tell, there’s no difference between this Anderson and the one we previously wrote about. The lawmaster is also identical to the one that appeared not too long ago. However, I wish that Hiya Toys would give us a class ’80s lawmaster – the bigger, beefier bike with the huge laser drill at the front. Regardless, I’ll take what they’re selling.
The 1/18″ scale (3.75″) tall figure will be available in May 2023. Many of the other figures can still be pre-ordered at the BBTS. These include all the evil Judges, Judge Cal, Judge Hershey, Mean Machine, and some black & white variants.
Hiya Toys
Hiya Toys
Hiya Toys
Hiya Toys
Hiya Toys
Hiya Toys
Who might be next in the 2000 AD universe to end up as a Hiya Toys figure? I’m hoping for Judge Hershey in the Chief Judge uniform. Maybe more of the Angel gang? We also need more army-builder villains like Rico, the fatties, zombies, or the Sisters of Death. Or, if the company wanted to get really wild, they’d give us versions of Dredd that may or may not be canon.
What would be even cooler is if Hiya Toys did the entire Cursed Earth line, which would be a rights nightmare. If you don’t recall this epic story from decades ago, Dredd goes deep into the Cursed Earth and finds things stranger than mutants. The Burger Wars are still raging on as an active war between Mcdonalds and Burger King. A mad scientist has created living versions of mid-20th Century company mascots like the Jolly Green Giant. It’s mayhem, but my god, it was a great read. Unfortunately, the series was so controversial that it got censored for a while due to all the companies shown in the arc. At least now you can get the whole story uncensored through Amazon.
