Rin's World - February 2009 - 2.1

Volume 2, Issue 1 February 2009

Otaku World Konnichiwa!!!

Welcome to the Rin-Taki Anime Club. We are announcing that regular membership is free for all!!! (see page 3 for details) We want to welcome everyone to the club, young and old…we love to give news about Points Distribution As of March 1, 2009 all previous members who did not renew or put their membership on hold will lose their membership as well as current points. So instead of letting all those points go to waste anyone that is a member as of March 1, 2009 will receive a portion of the points from previous members. I will count all points together and then disburse them evenly among current members as of March 1, 2009.

Barnes & Noble Currently we are working on for Merced, California residents to get points when they purchase graphic novels or anime from Barnes & Noble.

We will inform you when something has changed. Thanks.

Member Updates We would like for every member to please check the website for updates on points and any other member related update. Also, all members are required

to have an email and to register on the club site.

Inside this Issue:

Journalist Wanted We would like to let everyone know that the newsletter will continue, however it would be a lot easier with help from members. We will add this incentive: any member that contributes as a regular journalist will be given 50points a month including any points for articles included in the newsletter.

With that said, break out the pen and paper and join the newsletter team!

New Editions We will be adding a new section to the newsletter for advertising. It will allow members and local businesses to advertise with our club.

Introduction Announcements In the Spotlight Code Geass Versus Anime Selections Series Summaries The Book Room Series Summaries Press Room Licensed Anime New Manga Members Area Brain Games Mystery of the Month Fun & Games Anime Word Search

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CODE GEASS: LELOUCH OF THE REBELLION Review by Josh I’m going to have to stray from the masses in regards to my opinion on this series.

Code Geass is not good, it’s not bad, it’s just really really average. I find the popularity of this series similar to the likes of Full Metal Panic, Chobits and Fullmetal Alchemist. I greatly enjoyed those series, however they all suffered the same “downfall” if you will; they appealed to the masses, were extremely popular for 1-2 years, and then simply died off. Few people talk about them anymore, the popularity and available information regarding this type of anime dwindles as they fail to become “classics.”

Alas, I am not here to predict the future for Code Geass, I can only comment on the past and the present. The Empire of Britannia has dominated a third of the world and has overthrown the last remaining opposition, Japan, with high-tech giant piloted machines called Knightmares. In gradually increasing controversy, Britannia renames Japan to Area 11 - taking over the land, they build new cities for Britannia citizens, segregating “elevens” into poverty. They will stop at nothing to accomplish their view of “peace,” few are brave enough to see differently.

In comes our hero, Lelouch, a young prince of Brittania, stripped of his title, hidden for years. Lelouch randomly stumbles across a naked women in a capsule within a stolen government vehicle. Don’t worry about this little detail, it never sees explanation.

From this women, Lelouch gains a mysterious power, Geass, with the ability to control any human simply by looking them in the eyes and speaking his commands. He has always had negative thoughts towards Brittania, and has planned since childhood to single handedly overthrow the economic and military giant; this new power will simply speed that up.

Lelouch becomes “Zero,” a hero to the Japanese, a terrorist to the Britannia Empire.Ok, I’m sorry, I’m going to have to stop there. It pains me to discuss this utterly cliche anime. Lelouch battles Britannia. He gains Japanese support. He loses supporters. He gains supporters. He accidently kills thousands of his supporters. He twists this to gain more supporters. His childhood best friend, an eleven, is sided with Britannia. They want the same thing. They go about their goals in two different ways.

This of course makes them bitter enemies. Cliffhanger. War. Oh noes, Lelouch is finally revealed as Zero. More cliffhanger.

The animation is top-notch average, meaning it’s up to the standards of 2007, but it looks just like every other anime. The character designs are done by CLAMP, so they’re excellent (if you like that anorexic and elongated look, not to mention the character’s arms, which have the uncanny ability to stretch an extra three feet) Code Geass seeks to be a thought-provoking, imaginative anime with one side always one-upping or being in the way of the other. It fails at this. It’s bland and slow. I don’t feel anything for the characters, which is mainly what I look for. Multiple characters die, succeed, or are thwarted, yet I just don’t care what happens in the end. I will admit that the last few episodes picked up my interest, but it was too little, too late. I’ll give the second season a chance, but I’m not expecting much.

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VERSUS Author: Keiko Yamada Reiji is a gifted violinist who’s trying to escape an abusive past. He only plays the violin to make his little sister smile, and to save her from the clutches of their cruel father. He’s been chosen to represent his school at the national music contest for the 3rd time, and to prevent the embarrassment of his previous efforts, a new teacher has been hired for him. Hane Mistuko was a prodigy until an accident robbed her of her music career. Now she’s determined to help Reiji win in spite of himself.

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Akane Iro Ni Somaru Saka Plot Summary: In order to protect the girl Yuuhi Katagiri, a new transfer student, from danger, Junichi Nagase is forced to kiss her.

Not understanding what happend, she screams at him, not knowing that her father has arranged for her to marry him One day Junichi Nagase comes across two boys tormenting Yuuhi Katagiri. When he steps in to help they run off calling him "Geno Killer". He then walks off without introducing himself or allowing the girl to either. The next day to both of their surprise she is introduced as a new transfer student to his class. The following day due to a misunderstanding he kisses her which greatly upsets her. That evening to his surprise and dismay she shows up to his door saying she is his fiancĂŠe and that she has come to live with him to evaluate him to see if he is worthy of her. Much hi-jinx ensues as the days go by. One day Junichi Nagase, once a savage delinquent known as the "Geno Killer", saves Yuuhi Katagiri from danger. Later Junichi finds out that Yuuhi is a transfer student who has come to evaluate him as her fiance in an arranged marriage, and begins living with him and his sister, Minato.

Bokura Ga Ita Plot Summary: Nanami Takahashi, a 15 year old high school student, falls in love with and begins dating the most popular guy in school, Yano Motoharu. However, their relationship is not easily maintainable. Yano's past, as well as the complex emotions they bring up, make it difficult to be completely honest about how he feels. Caught in the middle are Yuri Yamamoto, the younger sister of Yano's now dead ex-girlfriend, and Takeuchi Masafumi, Yano's best friend. Yuri's past with Yano goes deeper than one might suspect and her feelings run deeper than she portrays in public. Takeuchi cherishes Yano's friendship, but at the same time, he may lose it for someone dear to him. Nanami must search deep inside herself and find her true feelings for Yano while being able to trust and accept Yano's feelings for her as well, deciding if Yano is indeed the one for her or if someone else can provide better solace. Along the way Nanami will get tips from her love infatuated friends, Mizu and Taka.

Itazura na Kiss Plot Summary: In the romantic comedy story, a high school girl named Kotoko finally tells a fellow senior named Naoki that she has loved him from afar since she saw him on their first day of high school. However, Naoki, a haughty "super-ikemen" (handsome male) with smarts and sports talent, rejects her offhand. Fate intervenes when a mild earthquake ruins Kotoko's family house. While the house gets rebuilt, Kotoko and her dad stay at the home of her dad's childhood friend...whose son is Naoki.

Special A Plot Summary: Hikari Hanazono, the main character, has always been second to Kei Takishima. While Hikari considers Kei a rival and somewhat of a friend, Kei loves Hikari. Everyone knows this, but she is too dense to notice. Their wrestling loving fathers first introduced them to one another when they were 6 years old. Assuming that she was the best in wrestling, young Hikari challenged Kei to a wrestling match only to be thoroughly defeated by him. Ever since that fateful incident, Hikari swore to beat Kei in school grades, a sporting event - anything. To do this she has enrolled in the same school as Kei since elementary. Now she attends Hakusenkan, an ultra elite school, that costs her carpenter father a lot of money. Hikari and Kei are the top two students in the school, with Kei holding firmly to that number one position.

Tytania Plot Summary: The capital of the empire of Euria is attacked by the empire of Titania, a much more powerful enemy that controls a large part of the galaxy. The story follows a soldier who flees the Titania empire and seeks refuge with the rebellion force, that rose up since the battle.

Check Us on the Web PAGE 3

Website: http://www.rintaki.org Email: rintaki.animeclub@yahoo.com VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1

Aegis Vol. 1 – 6 Plot Summary: Friends Jino and Izare are orphans who have had the bad luck to be "adopted" by a military organization that places them in a harsh training camp with cruel conditions. Jino is a crybaby with low chances of survival, however, Izare has promised Maria that he will care for Jino.

Cipher Vol. 1 -5 Plot Summary: This is a book about two twins named Siva and Cipher, who since entering high school have taken turns going to school and work as a model/actor under the name "Siva." When a girl at school finds this out she is not given a reason, but instead a two week basis in which she lives with them to try and be able to tell them apart without asking. At the end of the two weeks if able to tell the brothers apart, they have agreed to tell her the reason why they switch off.

Crimson Hero Vol. 1-2 Plot Summary: All Nobara ever wanted to do was to play volleyball. However, since she's the eldest daughter of her family's establishment, her family wants her to inherit the role of the young mistress. And when she enters a new school, she finds out that her mother went as far as to cancel the girls' volleyball team. Out of anger, Nobara ran away from home, and went for her aunt's help. Her aunt ended up taking her to the boys' dorm for the boy volleyball players, and had her get the role of the dorm mom. Now, Nobara has to deal with finding a way to get the girls' volleyball team back, and, for the first time, learn how to clean and do all the housework.

I Hate You More Than Anyone Vol. 1 Plot Summary: Kazuha Akiyoshi is the responsible oldest daughter in a large family. She attends an all-girls high school with her best friend Senko and has a crush on her little brother's kindergarten teacher. During her high school festival, she is shocked when a handsome hairstylist, Maki Sugimoto, who's helping at the festival, makes it obvious that he's interested in her. Complicating matters are Senko's infatuation with Maki, which makes Kazuha feel guilty about her developing feelings. The story also deals with several other relationships in Kazuha and Maki's group of friends.

Othello Vol. 1-7 Plot Summary: Yaya has a problem. Her high school friends use her and are complete backstabbers, but with her shy and timid demeanor she just can’t do anything about it. Hard-rocking, butt-kicking Nana is just the girl to grad hold of Yaya's timid demeanor and turn it upside down. Can there be anything that shy Yaya and confident Nana have in common, for one thing, they're the same person...

Skip Beat Vol. 1 – 15 Plot Summary: Kyoko has devoted her life to Shotaro. When Shotaro came to Tokyo to debut as a singer, she followed him and worked to provide for him. But one day, Kyoko overhears Shota telling his manager that Kyoko means nothing to him. She's just convenient, a housekeeper. This makes Kyoko furious, and she vows revenge on Shotaro. But Shotaro just laughs at her, saying she won't be able to touch him because he's now a popular singer and she's a nobody. So Kyoko decides to get into showbiz and become even more popular than Shotaro to humiliate him. Unfortunately, Shotaro has destroyed Kyoko's ability to love, and she discovers that it is a prerequisite for her to debut from her chosen company, LME. The president of LME puts her into a new section made for those who caught his eye but have something missing. It's name...

Section Love Me.

Versus (VS) Vol. 1-7 Plot Summary: Reiji is a talented violinist. He is trying to earn success with his music so he can rescue his younger sister Miruka from their abusive father. Mitsuko, who was a genius violin prodigy until an accident stopped her from playing, becomes Reiji's personal tutor and helps him attain his goal.

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VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1

OVA series in 2001; a thirteen-episode animated TV series in 2002; a sequel TV series, called Happy Lesson Advance, in 2003; and a second OVA series, Happy Lesson: The Final, in 2004. The series has also been adapted into a series of drama CDs and a Dreamcast game.

FUNimation just launched free episodes from four series on YouTube.

Every week, FUNimation will be adding fresh new episodes for you to enjoy. Be sure to visit http://www.youtube.com/funimation to see what's new every week. Also, be sure to subscribe to find out when we add new episodes.

The first volume of the manga was licensed and released by A.D. Vision's ADV Manga label in the United States; the first three episodes of the OVA and the first TV series were licensed by the ADV Films label for Region 1 distribution.

The anime adaptation of Yoshiki Nakamura's Skip Beat! shōjo manga has been licensed by Top-Insight International Co., Ltd. to run on Taiwanese television simultaneously or nearly simultaneously with the Japanese broadcast in October. In Taiwan, the series will run on Chunghwa Telecom's Multimedia on Demand (MOD) pay-per-view television service. The arrangement was revealed at the 9th Comic Exhibition, which is running from August 13 to August 18 at the Taiwanese capital of Taipei.

Director Kiyoko Sayama (Angel Sanctuary, Pretear, Princess Tutu, Vampire Knight) is working with the studio Hal Film Maker (Angel Sanctuary, Pretear, Princess Tutu) on this project. The story centers on a teenager named Kyōko who followed her childhood friend Shō to Tokyo as he pursues his show business dreams. Despite playing housekeeper for Shō, Kyōko overhears Shō dismissing her as a boring nobody. Furious, Kyōko vows to also become a singer and defeat Shō.

Gonzo has been streaming three anime titles on the YouTube, Crunchyoll, and BOST websites on the same day as their Japanese broadcast. Still other anime such as Afro Samurai ran on overseas television before their Japanese broadcasts, since they were primarily intended for the foreign markets. However, Skip Beat! will be the first anime in recent memory to run on television nearly simultaneously in both Japan and another country.

New Edition to the Library Happy Lesson Happy Lesson is a comedy manga, written by Mutsumi Sasaki and illustrated by Shinnosuke Mori, serialized in Dengeki G's Magazine from April 1999 to September 2002, featuring a high school student who is adopted by five of his teachers. It was adapted into a five-part

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Trips/Conventions Cherry Blossom Festival

We will be attending the Sakura Festival in San Francisco on April 18, 2009. If you would like to go, please attend the club meeting or visit the website for more details.

Anime Expo 2009

We are planning to attend the Anime Expo held in Anaheim, details are currently not available. But there will be a discount for current club members and travel arrangements to and from the Convention. The convention will be held from Thursday, July 2 to Monday, July 6.

Other Conventions

We will also be planning to attend other conventions and festivals, such as the Comic Con, and many more. Please visit the club site under Trips/Conventions for more details or please attend the next club meeting. Thanks!

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Goodies

Anime Screening February 28, 2009

So, we have new stuff for members to get with their points. This includes extra member t-shirts and postage stamps. No more white t-shirts folks! We now have black, navy, hunter green and more…for a peek, just check out our club website and see what you can get with your points. If you want a points update, just email us and you’ll get an email with your current points, total points spent and total points earned (There are sample images on page 4 of stamps & shirts).

Website – http://www.rintaki.org Email – rintaki.animeclub@yahoo.com

Membership Data Hello, welcome to the membership info box. This is where you will get all member updates and packages info regarding the club. Right now we are offering free membership to anyone that signs up online through our website (www.rintaki.org). Regular membership is free.

Library Usage Hello all!

The library is now open for rentals. Remember that you must be a current active member, have paid the library fee, signed the library usage contract and have a minimum of 500 points.

DVD, 75 pts each.

Manga, 50pts each CD, 25pts each..

Series Previews Some of the series we want to show are: English Dubbed • Glass Fleet • Peach Girl • Beck • School Rumble • Strawberry Marshmallow Japanese w/English Subtitles (Fansubbed) • Tytania • Macross Frontier

Goodie Bags The goodie bags will contain candy and various anime freebies given to us by the companies of course.

Prizes No information at this time, updates will be released on the website.

Food/Drinks We will have popcorn, candy and drinks for free.

Member Awards We will be giving awards at the upcoming meeting before the screening so please be on time. Thanks.

5:00pm

Please remember to check with the librarian on rental limitations.

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Step up and take the "Anime Survey"

Anime Series Word Search

Favorite Anime:

J R W D L B S A L C N R C S E

P E A D L E R N E I P U O A L

O I R Y A C E G G N C R M M B

B T G T B K W E N A A O I U M

E N E E N E O L A P S U C R U

B O N E O U L I T L E N P A R

Y R T L G R F C S A C I A I L

O F O F A E R L R T L K R C O

B S S S R K E A U E O E T H O

W S O S D A V Y B M S N Y A H

O O M A E S O E Y L E S L M C

C R A L X E S R L L D H O P S

G C C G C V Y B O U X I O L A

S A G A E E O U O F W N F O I

K M B W L N B H C E T O B O R

Disliked Anime: Favorite anime boy: Favorite anime girl: Favorite anime song: Favorite weapon: Anime name you like to go by: Character you feel sympathy for: Character that acts like you: Character that looks like you: Character that would make a good brother:

ANGELIC LAYER ARGENTOSOMA BECK BOYS OVER FLOWERS BURST ANGEL CASE CLOSED COMIC PARTY COWBOY BEBOP DRAGONBALL EUREKA SEVEN FULL METAL PANIC GLASS FLEET MACROSS FRONTIER ROBOTECH RUROUNI KENSHIN SAMURAI CHAMPLOO SCHOOL RUMBLE

Character that would make a good sister: Character that would make a good father: Character that would make a good mother: If you could be a anime chara who would it be?

Character you wish to kill: Which language would you speak in: Where would you live: Favorite Mini Chi character: Favorite anime toy character: Sum up one personalility word for yourself: Favorite evil anime character:

Answer will be in next issue

Collect Anime posters(y/n): Collect anime CD's(y/n): Collect anime toys(y/n): What do you like(Slapstick/Comedy, Science Fiction , Drama, Romance, Action/Adventure , Giant Mecha ,Swords and Samurai , Cute and Cuddly , Historical , Anime based on Video Games ) Choose one or two: indicate if you prefer lots of blood and violence or not(y/n):

Submit this survey and get 25 points

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