Max Engel - the 8BitKid » anime

Neon Genesis Evangelion Racing Team

8BitKid — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:27:15 +0000

So Neon Genesis Evangelion, the seminal anime series, continues to permeate into every facet of Japanese culture. Check out the new Eva-inspired racing team here. You can see some race photos here as well.

Anime Expo 2010

8BitKid — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:26:27 +0000

Last weekend was Anime Expo, a gathering of the fans for the fans. While the event may have smelled a bit like someone who hasn’t left a dank basement nearly enough (most likely because some attendees haven’t), I always have a blast. I was amazed by the dedication of the cosplayers, and some of the outfits this year were unbelievably good. I usually have a tough time not shelling out for some of the awesome toys and cels, but I managed to escape with my bank account intact. Also, the “Artists Alley” section had some really talented individuals.

Check out the photo gallery for some highlights, and be sure to watch the videos to see the “Caramelldansen” 4chan meme in full effect.

Uniqlo’s Evangelion T-Shirts

8BitKid — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:30:51 +0000

Neon Genesis Evangelion was the anime series that cemented my love of the genre and showed me the power and potential of the medium. My college roommates and I watched all of the episodes in an epic marathon we still talk about with nostalgia to this day. As a result, I tend to be a sucker for all things Eva.

To coincide with the releases of the new films in Japan, Uniqlo is releasing some special themed t-shirts. I haven’t heard if these will be available at their New York City store, so if not, it may be time for a trip to Japan. You can find the product page here.

Nausicaa and Her Glider in Lego

8BitKid — Fri, 28 May 2010 18:30:51 +0000

My favorite Miyazaki film is the classic “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind”. If you haven’t seen it, you should put the computer down and watch it now. So you can imagine my excitement when I found this amazing Lego undertaking inspired by the film on Brothers Brick. You can check out the entire Flickr set here.

Life-Size Evangelion Being Built at Mt. Fuji

8BitKid — Fri, 14 May 2010 17:57:14 +0000

It seems that an enterprising amusement park is building a life-size Evangelion Unit 01 near the base of Mt. Fuji in a recreation of the scene where Shinji Ikari first encounters his Eva. It is projects like this that make me realize why I desperately need to take a trip to Japan. You can read more about it here.

Gainax’s New Anime Series: “Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt”

8BitKid — Wed, 12 May 2010 18:00:16 +0000

Gainax always makes crazy series. Be it FLCL, Neon Genesis Evangelion, or Gurren Lagann, they certainly aren’t afraid to make something very different. However, the title of their new series, “Pansuto” (which roughly translates to “Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt”), seems completely out there. The show will focus on two female angels who come to earth to fight ghosts. While the name might make me skeptical, Gainax has never disappointed before, so I’m hoping that this delivers as well. You can read more about it here.

Hollywood’s Next Anime Remake: “Paprika”

8BitKid — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:19:13 +0000

So the next victim of Hollywood’s compulsion to remake Hollywood movies is Satoshi Kon’s amazing film, “Paprika”. You can read about it here. It seems that the super hero and graphic novel phase is waning, and the new popular bucket to dip into for ideas is anime. With Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell, Ninja Scroll, Akira, and more all getting the live-action treatment, it will be interesting to see how Western audiences respond to the influx of Hollywood anime adaptations.

New Astroboy Trailer

8BitKid — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:46:13 +0000

While the film industry has been busy ruining much that I love with remakes of “Cowboy Bebop”, “Akira”, “Ghost in the Shell”, and “Ninja Scroll”, this new “Astroboy Film” actually looks good!

A Real-Life Tachikoma Surfaces in the UK

8BitKid — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 22:04:08 +0000

Came across this story on the intertubes. It looks just like a tachikoma from “Ghost in the Shell”!

Voltron Goes Live Action: and Another One Bites the Dust

8BitKid — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 04:01:16 +0000

Okay, so there is a trend here: studios are systematically trying to ruin my childhood. Transformers, Ghost in the Shell, Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Akira, the list goes on. So the next defenseless piece of prey is Voltron, the original one-become-many mecha show. Apparently the man at the helm worked on “Queer Eye” and “The Today Show”, so of course he is well qualified to steer this film in the right direction. Where are the defenders of the universe to protect me from this remake?

- story courtesy of Anime News Network