Our British friends, the SOS Brigade Seitenkan, have updated their Youtube with a video showing the construction of their greenscreen. (Note: the video is a bit choppy at the beginning)
For those of you who wish to participate in the Brigade’s activities, there’s still a week left on our greenscreen challenge!
K-On!’s most recent release, Hōkago Teatime, has become the first character album ever to top the Japanese charts, selling 67,000 copies since its release last Wednesday. With Maddy Caddy set to release in a few weeks and hype at an all-time high, K-On! looks set to fill the void left in otakus’ hearts by Endless Eight…
–From ANN
According to Japanator, the game Lucky Star: Net Idol Meister has been announced for the PSP, and is slated for a December 24th release in Japan. The game challenges the player to raise a Lucky Star girl to become a popular net idol, via a series of minigames. In this respect, it seems to be either an homage or a parody of the Idolmaster series. Your girl will be able to visit Akihabara, Bukuro, their own hometown and (naturally) the internet.
–Via Japanator
Kyoto Animation has posted a somewhat tongue-in-cheek interview concerning Endless Eight, which appears to acknowledge the fan frustration caused by the infamous arc. The interview is conducted between “Kuroneko-man” and an unnamed animator.
Today sees the seventh episode of Haruhi’s second season newest series. It also marks the sixth episode of the Endless Eight arc, with no ending in sight. It seems the rumor that it was going to end with the sixth repetition was, in fact, nothing more than a rumor. The arc is set to continue above and beyond six episodes… the likeliest result being eight. While it has been speculated for some time, many of us have been been hoping otherwise.
Originally discovered via 2chan, confirmed at Random Curiosity.
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A new milestone for our favorite anime series The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya was reached after the release of Aya Hirano’s new single Super Driver on Wednesday. Since the release of the first single Bouken de-show de-show? in 2006 the franchise has officially sold over 1 million CD’s across 25 releases. This includes the most popular release of the lot, Suzumiya Haruhi no Tsumeawase, which to date has sold over 200,000 copies and includes personal favorites such as Aya’s God Knows! and Lost My Music.
The latest offering, Super Driver, is certainly catchy in OP form but until I hear it in full length without an animated sequence I cannot judge. This CD should also contain the full length version of Tomare!, the theme to the ED containing the voices of Minori Chihara and Yuko Goto alongside Aya.
–From ANN
Yutaka Yamamoto’s thoughts on Endless Eight, which found there way onto Youtube last weekend, have elicited a response from Kyoto Animation. Essentially, they deny that Yamakan ever had anything to do with Endless Eight. Their attitude can best be summed up in this quote.
This person has absolutely nothing to do with our company.
Kyoani is also claiming that Kadokawa is the primary influence behind the current E8 arc. I’m guessing this is just the beginning of the finger pointing…
Originally posted on J-CAST via Sankaku Complex (NSFW)
Yutaka Yamamoto, the director of the first season of Haruhi who left Kyoani in 2007, voiced his thoughts on the current Endless Eight arc during an Otakon panel.
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To tell you the truth… I knew this was gonna happen a year ago.
Not to make self-excuses or anything… the concept of this idea was floating around when I was still at Kyoto Animation, and I was against it. I said, “Two episodes is the most you can do.” But, as a person who left Kyoto Animation of his own volition, I can’t help but feel somewhat responsible for the way Haruhi is now. So, I’d like to say, as a member of the SOS Brigade Committee, I apologize.
Our British Haruhi friends, the SOS Brigade Seitenkan, have given us a taste of what they have planned in the near future. This first video is their rendition of Bouken Desho Desho, done in a style that brings to mind “The Adventures of Mikuru Asahina Episode 00”. Also included is a nicely choreographed Hare Hare Yukai.
ANN recently interviewed Kurt Hassler, one of the founders of Yen Press (the company that is releasing the Haruhi light novels in English). During their interview, they turned to the subject of Haruhi. That portion of the interview can be read below.