Fullmetal Alchemist - Brotherhood

You probably have not seen the first collection or read the manga, haven't any fear. Brotherhood goes all the best way back to the start and retells the story of the two brothers, Ed and Al Elric and their journey into alchemy, the tragic loss of their mom, and their subsequent breaking of taboo in making an attempt to deliver her back. The story is heart-warming, funny, and speaks quantity about human behavior. However greater than something, this can be a coming of age story about two brothers who make a variety of dumb mistakes along the best way but at all times handle to carry on.
Although the setting for Brotherhood is fantastical, there are lots of elements relatable to everyday life and one can't assist however love the characters. Not like the first anime sequence, Brotherhood follows the storyline as written by Hiromu Arakawa all the way down to the precise kanji. The motion sequences are nicely scripted and this model doesn't shy away from bloody scenes. The emotions illustrated on every of the characters faces are a real testament to the ability of Ms. Arakawa and the sequence animators.
Whereas as a collection it's fulfilling to watch, it does probably not work as a remake. The unique sequence gives a better rendition of the brothers' compelling again story. Whereas the director of the original Fullmetal Alchemist, Seiji Mizushima, had to give you an explanation totally different from the manga, as Hiromu Arakawa had not finished her story at the time of the primary collection' launch, Brotherhood suffers from no such setback. Yasuhiro Irie, the director of Brotherhood, gives a more complete account that flows higher with what has already been provided. Fans of the manga will love this new Fullmetal Alchemist.
That said there are variations between the unique Fullmetal Alchemist and Brotherhood. The first series begins out much darker in tone, displaying in detail the sin the brothers dedicated to warrant the heavy worth they finally paid. The soundtrack for that series is phenomenal, perfectly accenting the temper and drama of the brothers setting off from their hometown, significantly the music Bratya by Michiru Oshima. Whereas the soundtrack of Brotherhood adds nothing to the story and is at times, nonexistent.
In addition, the remake only summarizes the early occasions, showing quick flashes and clips of the occasions that transpired. The brand new collection does provide up new particulars, however as for the actual deed itself, not a lot is shown. Brotherhood can be lighter in mood and in tone. While it showcases the wide range of emotions Hiromu Arakawa is able to seize and illustrate, at times, this tends to make the collection a bit choppy. One scene can be completely foolish and melodramatic and the following, dark and brooding. This often leaves the viewer uncertain of what to feel.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4334995

Blood+ - An Unusual Tale of Gore and Vampirism

Blood+ is an adapted Japanese animated series inspired by the 2000 film Blood: the Last Vampire. Now, unlike the usual vampire tales of blood romance between two individuals, this anime centers around the quest of its protagonist in eradicating the world of its human-chiropteran hybrids created by an ambitious pharmaceutical company called Cinq Fleches Group.
The protagonist, Saya Otonashi, is living in Okinawa with her adopted family: her father, George Miyagusuku, and her two brothers: Kai and Riku. The series had started during the second year of her "awakening". Saya has spent a year studying in a local high school, under the watch of her current handler, David. She has never understood why she cannot remember anything from her past and why she is anemic. Everyday her brother, Kai, would always bring her to a private clinic for her daily dose of blood transfusion.
Then one day, she chanced upon a mysterious cello player performing on one of the streets in Okinawa. The sound of the cello triggers a memory of an abandoned 18th century tower, an old corridor filled with unusually bright blue flowers and a locked wooden door. Saya was then caught in the middle of attacks by horrible monsters with a penchant for blood. She was forced to fight one and she instinctively knew how to defeat them.
A series of events happened one after another, and she soon found herself traveling with her Chevalier, Haji, her handler, David, and some of the Red Shield members who were descendants of the man who first discovered her during the 1800s. They were on a quest to find Diva, the mother of all the chiropteran hybrids. Saya's journey takes her to Vietnam, Russia, France, United Kingdom and the United States. Along the way she meets all of Diva's Chevaliers who are divided whether they should destroy her or convince her to go to their side. After all, she is Diva's twin sister.
Saya is an unusual vampire. She and Diva are the most perfect example of the chiropteran species. They feed on blood, but they also eat human food, at least Saya does. They don't display any other powers except above average movement skills. They were born from a cocoon taken from their mother's preserved body. And as soon as they grew up in roughly the age of 15-16 years, they stopped aging. After a period of 2-3 years of awakening, they will go back again to sleeping for 30 years. Once their hibernation time draws near, they experience fainting spells, and slower regenerative ability.
The twin sisters are referred to as "Queens", the most powerful species that ever existed. Their kind is always born in pairs, and always as twin females. Their blood is most potent when they have not yet reproduced. And even though they were born from the same cocoon, their blood is a powerful poison to one another. Each has the capacity to destroy one another. Their Chevaliers sport the same unique blood characteristic. Diva's chevaliers can directly reproduce with Saya, while Saya's chevaliers can directly reproduce with Diva.
Another thing that distinguishes Diva from Saya is that, Diva has been indulged with a diet of human blood, hence she is a bit more powerful than her sister. Plus her unusually beautiful voice triggers the transformation of other contaminated humans into new chiropterans. Thus, Diva is the sole origin of the chiropteran monsters.
With one more year remaining before her next hibernation period, Saya is more determined to end Diva's rule. More lives are now at stake, now that the company behind the experimentation on chiropterans has now declared their goals have reached fruition. Will Saya make it in time?
Blood+ runs for 50 episodes. The animation is superb, thanks to the team who was also behind Patlabor, Blue Seed, Ghost in the Shell and Sakura Wars. Lots of blood, guns and sword fighting. Actions sequences are not recommended for children. So better not introduce this series to youngsters.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4270939

Blood+ - An Unusual Tale of Gore and Vampirism Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4270939

Blood+ is an adapted Japanese animated series inspired by the 2000 film Blood: the Last Vampire. Now, unlike the usual vampire tales of blood romance between two individuals, this anime centers around the quest of its protagonist in eradicating the world of its human-chiropteran hybrids created by an ambitious pharmaceutical company called Cinq Fleches Group.
The protagonist, Saya Otonashi, is living in Okinawa with her adopted family: her father, George Miyagusuku, and her two brothers: Kai and Riku. The series had started during the second year of her "awakening". Saya has spent a year studying in a local high school, under the watch of her current handler, David. She has never understood why she cannot remember anything from her past and why she is anemic. Everyday her brother, Kai, would always bring her to a private clinic for her daily dose of blood transfusion.
Then one day, she chanced upon a mysterious cello player performing on one of the streets in Okinawa. The sound of the cello triggers a memory of an abandoned 18th century tower, an old corridor filled with unusually bright blue flowers and a locked wooden door. Saya was then caught in the middle of attacks by horrible monsters with a penchant for blood. She was forced to fight one and she instinctively knew how to defeat them.
A series of events happened one after another, and she soon found herself traveling with her Chevalier, Haji, her handler, David, and some of the Red Shield members who were descendants of the man who first discovered her during the 1800s. They were on a quest to find Diva, the mother of all the chiropteran hybrids. Saya's journey takes her to Vietnam, Russia, France, United Kingdom and the United States. Along the way she meets all of Diva's Chevaliers who are divided whether they should destroy her or convince her to go to their side. After all, she is Diva's twin sister.
Saya is an unusual vampire. She and Diva are the most perfect example of the chiropteran species. They feed on blood, but they also eat human food, at least Saya does. They don't display any other powers except above average movement skills. They were born from a cocoon taken from their mother's preserved body. And as soon as they grew up in roughly the age of 15-16 years, they stopped aging. After a period of 2-3 years of awakening, they will go back again to sleeping for 30 years. Once their hibernation time draws near, they experience fainting spells, and slower regenerative ability.
The twin sisters are referred to as "Queens", the most powerful species that ever existed. Their kind is always born in pairs, and always as twin females. Their blood is most potent when they have not yet reproduced. And even though they were born from the same cocoon, their blood is a powerful poison to one another. Each has the capacity to destroy one another. Their Chevaliers sport the same unique blood characteristic. Diva's chevaliers can directly reproduce with Saya, while Saya's chevaliers can directly reproduce with Diva.
Another thing that distinguishes Diva from Saya is that, Diva has been indulged with a diet of human blood, hence she is a bit more powerful than her sister. Plus her unusually beautiful voice triggers the transformation of other contaminated humans into new chiropterans. Thus, Diva is the sole origin of the chiropteran monsters.
With one more year remaining before her next hibernation period, Saya is more determined to end Diva's rule. More lives are now at stake, now that the company behind the experimentation on chiropterans has now declared their goals have reached fruition. Will Saya make it in time?
Blood+ runs for 50 episodes. The animation is superb, thanks to the team who was also behind Patlabor, Blue Seed, Ghost in the Shell and Sakura Wars. Lots of blood, guns and sword fighting. Actions sequences are not recommended for children. So better not introduce this series to youngsters.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4270939

Japanese Anime Films

Anime is a term for cartoons originating from Japan. A different word is used so it wouldn't be confused with Western animated shows. Unlike in the West, where cartoons are mainly made for children, Japanese anime can target any age group; furthermore, some shows are intended for adults only.

Anime is a visual medium that gives a lot of freedom for artists to express themselves. Some animes may be heavily stylized, while others take more realistic approaches. They are also known to mix CG effects with traditional hand-drawn animation successfully.

Now that we've established that anime can be a medium for any kind of story - not only shows for kids - let's talk about anime movies. Much like Western producers of animated movies, such as Toy Story or Finding Nemo, Japan has its own anime film industry. However, even though Japanese animation is becoming more popular overseas, not many people are familiar with the more impressive anime works. It's mostly commercialized and overhyped shows like Digimon or Naruto that are the most popular.

So if you've got your first impression of anime through low-quality dubbed kid shows you saw on TV, that's not enough of a reason to decide that all anime is bad. You should watch some of the best anime movies instead - such as "Spirited Away" by the Japanese anime genius Hayao Miyazaki. This animated movie has won an Oscar, and is also the first (and so far, also the only) non-English animated work to win an Academy award.

Movies by Hayao Miyazaki (such as Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, and so on) are always a good bet when looking for great anime films to watch. There also are other classics like Grave of the Fireflies, Ghost in the Shell or Akira. Most of these movies are translated and dubbed so you will have no trouble acquiring the DVDs and enjoying the fantastic journey.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4837521

The Meiji Era is Over

The Meiji Era of Japan occurred countless years ago. That era is long gone, and now most of us live in a democratic society. A world that talks about free will. During the Meiji Era, the popularity of swords went down. I feel that it has never recovered. Today, there are sword smiths and weapon shops that ship their artfully crafted swords worldwide. Isn't it time to bring back the sword?
In the cold war, the world was split into two: The East and the West. Now, its the pro-swords and the anti-swords. Today, there are people still sparring with swords, through legal and registered organisations. Real swords, although they are blunt. And, on the other side, there are people who say "Swords? In this age? Have you watch too much dramas and animes? Are you crazy?"
Some people link "swords" to "blood". This is clearly not the case in our world. Our world is governed by legal systems. People on our side respect swords, and see it as arts and sports. It is the dream of some of us to expand this sports, this love for swords, to the rest of the world, and gain as much supporters as possible. People who would say," Swords? That sounds awesome. Go ahead with it."
The love for swords take maturity and passion. Don't let people put you down when they say things like "that's ridiculous/funny/impossible" or "please wake up, the last samurais are gone." Yes, samurais have gone,but sword-owners are still very much alive and slashing. Maturity as in, you recognise the sword as a weapon, and respect it. You know that the sword today is not meant to injure, be it humans or animals or plants or trees.
I want to start a revolution. A revolution in this new century, possible in a democratic world. Where people will start seeing the sword as what it should be, and take up sword martial arts. I want to see the popularity of swords skyrocket, to even surpass that of the pre-Meiji times.
Sounds crazy? Remember, as history has taught us, people who are deemed "crazy" ended up changing the world, with nothing less than a will of steel. After all, "reality" is "what is", and "future" is "what can be."
If you share my thoughts, hold on to your dreams, and start to change what you don't like, through education and a flaming passion.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2074922

Avatar - The Legend of Aang

Avatar: The Last Airbender (a.k.a Avatar the Legend of Aang) is a digitally animated cartoon that aired for almost three years (i.e., 2005 to 2008) on the Nickelodeon channel. The show itself was originally written and produced by Michael Dante DiMartino and Brian Konietzko. The show takes place in an Asian setting, with a character named "Aang" serving as the hero. Aang and all of the friends whom he meets on his journey must find the "firelord", defeat him, and bring the battle against the Fire Nation to a halt.
Astoundingly, on average, more than five million people tuned in to watch the show each time it aired- it was not only popular with young viewers, but aged critics, parents, young adults, and older teenagers, too. Having been nominated for a variety of awards, Nickelodeon has recently opted to have the creators produce more seasons, and because the show has garnished so much popularity, they are asking for movies to be made based on the show, also. Toys, such as video games, magazines, collectible figures and models, cards, and blocks have emerged from the story's huge success. Thus, the incredible power of this epic tale is influencing the lives of many individuals worldwide, not just young teenagers, and it is paramount to recognize that the Avatar series has been going strongly for over four years.
With such a wide reverence of this series, a small synopsis of the story is important. As briefly discussed above, Aang, a twelve-year old, learns that he is the new "avatar", which he cannot readily accept. Upon hearing that he is the new avatar, Aang runs away on his pet bison (i.e., Appa), and, unfortunately, he gets trapped inside of an iceberg. While he is detained inside of the iceberg, the Fire Lord (i.e., the leader of the Fire Nations) causes havoc on the rest of the world, and he wants to make sure that the newest Avatar (i.e., Aang) does not ruin his chances of ruling the world. Eventually, though, Aang and Appa are broken out of the iceberg about one-hundred years later, and the two bond with other people. They begin a journey and stop all attempts of the Fire Nation trying to contaminate the planet (e.g., ships trying to take over the North Pole). Aang then becomes a master "waterboarder", is injured badly by a Fire Nation commander (i.e., Azula), and is thought to be dead. Aang, however, does not die, and he and his comrades manage to destroy the Fire Lord and get a new Fire Lord established that promises to bring peace and harmony to the world. Avatar The Legend of Aang is a great show for people of all ages.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3890697

Popular New Japanese Anime Series

Japanese anime has become a popular entertainment import into the North American television circuit. Many of the shows have developed cult followings containing both adult and youth fans. Some of the most well-known anime television series were Pokemon, Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon. All three shows became household names, first starting out as imports and then later developing into full-blown commercial successes. While they can still be viewed as re-runs on television, there is a new generation of anime shows that has taken over where the originals started. Each was somewhat of a success in Japan, however they have become even bigger in the North American market.
Bakugan
The Bakugan series was originally a failure in Japan as far as television shows goes. It was not until it was brought to North America that it developed a popular following. The anime is about a card game known as "Bakugan" and follows an adolescent named "Dan" as he and his friends' battle through the card game to save another universe known as "Vestroia". The game contains marbles that transform into monsters when they land on different cards. Presently, 48 different marble monsters exist in the first series.
The card game that is introduced in the anime has also been commercially made for purchase at toy stores. Children or adults can buy the cards along with the marble figures to play against friends in their own time.
Beyblades
Beyblades is another anime import from Japan. Unlike its counterpart above, the show was a huge success in Japan and is the reason that it was imported to North America. The plot follows an adolescent named "Tyson Granger", who is described as a strong willed kid that participates in competitions featuring Beyblades. The Beyblades are metal tops that compete against each other in a circular or square ring to see who can knock the other one out. Tyson leads a group of called the BBA revolution through a series of challenges with the ultimate goal being the world tournament. At the tender age of 16, he is already a world champion, but the real goal is to maintain his status and fend off challenges from other characters.
Similar to the Bakugan series, kids can buy their own Beyblades to battle against one another and hold their own tournaments. There is a variety of differently styled Beyblades that you can purchase. Kids can also buy their own launchers, which equip their blades with different spinning techniques.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6074860

Anime Review - Naruto and Naruto Shippuden

What do you get when you mix Dragonball Z and Ninjas together? You get Naruto. Naruto is an very long, but entertaining anime. The first series running about 220 episodes and the second series, Shippuden, running about 150 episodes, yet it is big even today. It has some of the most interesting story arcs you can find, and the animation is top notch. But with an anime this large there doesn't seem to be an end in sight yet. So how much longer can this anime go on before losing the attention of Otakus?
Now the first place any reviewer should start for this anime is the characters. This anime has a lot of characters. In every story arc they create new good and bad guys, go into there back stories, and by the end of the arc you grow to love them. This here is the reason why most fanfic writers love this anime. When you get so many characters, you can have a lot of material to write. But Characters are not enough to create a great anime, you need a story.
The story is amazing. It is moved along completely by the characters, with very little out side force. Story arcs are all different and entertaining, with the exceptions of the fillers, the story is really good. But as I said, there are a few things dragging down the story, and you can't talk about Naruto with out talking about them.
First, it is long. If you have a low attention span, then some of the longer story arcs feel like a task getting through. The last story arch lasted 20 episodes! Then there is the evil every Naruto fan knows all about: fillers. Filler arcs are used when an anime that is based off of a manga, like Naruto, catches up with the manga. They are used to kill time till the manga is far enough out that they can continue on with the story without problems. Now I will be honest, I haven't watched every filler episode, for a reason. Naruto has 3 years worth of fillers, and by the time I got to them Shippuden came out. Now Shippuden creators have made some interesting fillers as of late, fitting them into the story by filling some holes that the manga didn't, so hopefully this means they are trying a little more to make quality fillers.
Naruto is really good, for the most part it is fun and entertaining, the characters are good and the story is interesting, and if they keep up what they are doing, then I think this anime would be worth watching till the end. You can check out Naruto on Hulu.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2534687

Akatsuki Guide

Introduction
The Akatsuki kanji translates to daybreak. By most standards, it's a small organization. They have 7-10 members at the most and they are all S-class criminals who have left their village after causing death and destruction (also known as missing-nins). The requirements to join akatsuki are unknown; however strong abilities and slaying seem to be prerequisites. In contrast, Deidaras case tells us that some members are forcibly recruited.
Akatsuki members are usually seen in teams of two. The teams are each built to compliment each others abilities. However, in some cases, team members display animosity towards one another, but do not let it interfere with the task at hand.
We rarely see the Akatsuki meeting in person, instead, we see them using telepathy or some form of astral projection when needed. We were introduced to the group as a whole near the end of the first part of the series in the form of astral projection. One member even stated that it had been 7 years since they had regrouped in such a fashion. The Akatsuki only group together because they have have a common goal with each other.
Appearance & Apparel
Members wear a bamboo hat(traditional style) to hide their appearance when traveling. The hat can be taken off when entering battle. Each member of Akatsuki wears a forehead protector from their former villages. It has a scratch across the symbol of their village. This means that they are no longer in alliance with that village. All members of akatsuki appear to wear a long, dark cloak. The interior is red in color and matches the red clouds that are displayed on the exterior of the cloak. The members of Akatsuki have light colored finger nails and toe nails.
The ring placement on the finger represents their position on the summoned statue. Each member has their own unique ring placed on a different finger. The members appear to value the rings as Deidara was looking desperately for his, and Orochimaru took his with him when he left the group, allowing him to be un replaced. When Sasori passed, Tobi was anxious to take Sasori's ring, but needed to get through the a few test first.
Rings worn by Members
Rei Zero (Tobi), Seiryu Azure Dragon (Deidara), Byakko White Tiger Unnamed Member, Suzaku Vermilion Bird Itachi Uchiha, Genbu Black Tortoise Zetsu, Kuchin Void Formerly worn by Orochimaru, and still in his possession. Nanju Sagittarius Kisame, Hokuto Big Dipper Kakuzu, Santai Three Levels Hidan, Gyokunyo Virgin Tobi, and formerly worn by Sasori.
Goal
The goal of Akatsuki is to control the world. To achieve this goal, the leader has broken the process into three steps:

1. The group must collect money. With a lot of money, they plan to support their organization. 2. They plan to form their own mercenary group. Once they do this, they will build reputation and start accepting missions for less than the usual price. The excess is covered by the funds obtained in step 1. It's been a while since there have been wars, so the shinobi villages would be unable to charge such low prices. In effect, this would lead smaller countries to hire Akatsuki over the more expensive shinobi villages. Using the Bijuu (tailed beasts), they can create new wars and battles to dominate the market. From this, they plan to control all the wars and even take down the shinobi villages of the larger countries, forcing them to rely on Akatsuki as well. Without any money from business, the shinobi villages will eventually fall due to lack of funds. This will make Akatsuki the only major force, allowing them to proceed to step 3. 3. If step 2 is achieved, then the goal of Akatsuki is complete: to control the world.

The MembersDeidara
Hidden Village: Rock
First Manga Appearance: Ch. 247
First Anime Appearance: Shippuden Ep. 2
Deidara is a missing-nin from Iwagakure. Deidara's palms have mouths that are able to create exploding clay. By combining the clay with chakra and molding it, he is able to create live explosives that are mobile. Deidaras clay can even create
explosives that range from a microscopic level, to a gigantic size. Deidara is also able to use the clay for less-violent creations as he can be seen using the clay to create birds for transportation.
Deidara wears a scope on his left eye for long-ranged observation. He lost both of his arms in battle. One was ripped off by Kakashi, and the other was crushed by Gaara. He later had his arm reattached by Kakuzu. He was formerly teamed with sasori, but after his slain, Tobi took his spot.
Uchiha Itachi
Hidden Village: Leaf
First Manga Appearance: Ch. 139
First Anime Appearance: Ep. 80
Itachi Uchiha is a missing-nin from konohagakure as well as the first member of Akatsuki to be introduced to us. Itachi and his brother are the only remaining survivors of the Uchiha Clan. In the past, Itachi killed every member of his family, and shortly joined Akatsuki. He has complete mastery of the Sharingan and the Mangekyo Sharingnan. He is also a master of ninjutsu and genjutsu. Kisame is his partner.
Kisame Hoshigaki
Hidden Village: Mist
First Manga Appearance: Ch. 139
First Anime Appearance: Ep. 80
Kisame is a missing-nin from Kirigakure. Unlike some of the Akatsuki members, Kisame and his partner, Itachi, seem to get along pretty well. Kisame has a shark-like appearance, with blue skin and small white eyes. He has gill-like facial structures, and edgy sharp teeth. His name, Kisame, translates to "Demon Shark".
Despite his grungy and edgy look, Kisame speaks in a calm and civil manner compared to most of his fellow org members. But do not be fooled by this. In the past, Kisame was also one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. From that, he adapted the name Scourage of the Hidden Mist. He enjoys fighting and the idea of ripping ones body apart.
Tobi
Untitled-1Hidden Village: Unknown
First Manga Appearance: Ch. 280
First Anime Appearance: Shippuden Ep. 32
Tobi is the former subordinate of Zetsu. After Sasori's death, Tobi takes his ring, position, and partner. While many of the other members in Akatsuki appear to be more serious, Tobi seems to be much more comical and carefree. After Deidara's final attack against Sasuke, Pain is shown reporting orders to Tobi who them claims to possess the Sharingan and be Uchiha Madara himself. When 'claiming' to be Madari, Tobi's carefree personality turns more serious and he appears much more sinister. His exact abilities are yet unknown other than the fact that physical and usually fatal blows are ablve to pass right through him.
Zetsu
Hidden Village: Grass
First Manga Appearance: Ch. 234
First Anime Appearance: Episode 134
Zetsu is also a missing-nin. Not much is known about him, but from what we have seen he functions as a spy for Akatsuki. His eyes are yellow and pupil-less, and his body seems to be divided into two halves. The two halves, one colored white and the other colored black, can communicate with each other. Both surrounded by a structure similar to a Venus flytrap. Very little of zetsu has been seen, but each time, he is seen alone.
Orochimaru (Former Member, Un replaced)
Hidden Village: Sound
First Manga Appearance: Ch. 49
First Anime Appearance: Ep. 27
Orochimaru was a former member of Akatsuki where he worked as Sasori's partner. After he was not chosen to be the Fourth hokage, Orochimaru began to practice forbidden jutsu. He then fled the leaf village where he joined Akatsuki. Six years prior to the series started, Orochimaru attempted to use his Living Corpse Reincarnation jutsu to steal Itachi's body. Unfortunately, Orochimaru failed and as a result, Itachi responded by effortlessly paralyzing him.
Shortly after this incident, Orochimaru left Akatsuki and took the ring with him. This made him un replaceable in the organization. Such acts has made Orochimaru the target of several Akatsuki plots. Orochimaru holds a very strong grudge towards Akatsuki and has plans of eliminating them, however, he us currently presumed to be dead.
Kakuzu
Hidden Village: Waterfall
First Manga Appearance: Ch. 312
First Anime Appearance: Ep. 135
Kakuzu is a missing-nin from Takigakure. Kakuzu is seen as a greedy person who prioritizes things in terms of how much they are worth, finding money to be the only thing he can depend on. So much, most of his money comes from completed bounty mission rewards.
Kakuzu's body structure is very unique. It consists largely of black threads(veins?) running throughout his body. They allow him to detach parts of his body for long-ranged attacks. The threads or veins themselves can also be used for attacking, allowing him to pierce bodies and some surfaces with ease. The threads appear to be limitless as they can be used to change his physical form also. He is able to merge foreign organs into his system, allowing him to extend his life by taking the healthier parts of others. This has been used many times to increase his life span. In addition to merging foreign organs, he is also able to use the abilities of his opponents. With his own natural water abilities, he also has access to Wind, Fire, Earth, and lightning abilities.
Hidan
Hidden Village: Unknown
First Manga Appearance: Ch. 312
First Anime Appearance: Ep. 135
Hidan is a missing-nin from an unknown village and he's the second-newest member of akatsuki (Tobi being the newest). He has a large rope scythe and even himself stated that he's the slowest attacker of the group. He practices Jashin, which is a evil god cult religion. This religion loves chaos and death, and Hidan, who survived after being decapitated, considers himself near immortal.
Sasori
Hidden Village: Sand
First Manga Appearance: Ch. 247
First Anime Appearance: Shippuuden Ep. 2
Sasori is a missing-nin from the Sunagakure. He is a powerful ninja puppeteer. His name means Scorpion, and travels with Deidara. Sasori converted portions of his body into puppet parts, retaining the flesh and blood portion of his original self in a chest container. He even had a jutsu, Hitokugutsu, which was used to turn living people into puppets. This allowed him to use their jutsu long after death.
Pain
Hidden Village: Unknown
First Manga Appearance: Ch. 238
First Anime Appearance: 135
Pain is the leader of Akatsuki, but both he and Konan secretly report to Tobi. Pain exists through six different beings which share the same mind and vision known as the Six Paths of Pain. The common physical similarities amongst them are their hair color, numerous peircings, and the highly noticable Rinnegan which gives the user access to all six types of elemntal chakra. All the members in the org respect him highly except for Hidan. He is also the one directing their actions as well as the jutsu that forcibly brings the Bijuu out of it's host. Using his human sacrifices, he is also able to use a Shape shifting Technique for creating exact replica's. When it is necessary to speak with his subordinates, he can communicate with them all via telepathy from very long distances.
Konan
Hidden Village: Unknown
First Manga Appearance: Ch. 238
First Anime Appearance: 135
Konan is the only female ninja in Akatsuki. When Konan was younger, Yahiko, Nagato and herself were orphaned by one of Amegakure's many wars, leaving them to support themselves alone. The trio eventually ran into Jiraiya, who took care of them for a short period and taught them basic ninjutsu. From what we have seen, Konan has a strong association with paper due to her strong natural talent for origami. She is able to divide her body into smaller, countless pieces of paper. Some of the sheets of paper can be manipulated and controlled individually for specific purposes such as scouting or as weapons.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4770562

Naruto Flash Games You've Never Played Before

Naruto is now one of the most popular anime's in the world and because of this, hundreds of online flash games have spouted up like mushrooms all over the internet. If you think you've played all Naruto games, here are new ones that will probably entertain you.

Neji's Katen Krusher is a simple yet addicting reflex game where you play as Neji, and the goal is to deflect the kunais that Kakashi throws at you by performing Kaiten. It might seem easy at first, but scores are based on your timing. Activating Kaiten too early would allow the Kunai to hit you, and doing it too late would kill you too.

Naruto vs. Sasuke Shippuuden Puzzle is a short game that you can play with a friend. What you have to do is to arrange the puzzle pieces to get a picture of Sasuke and Naruto from Shippuuden. You can try and beat your own score or even have a contest with friends.

If you would rather play Naruto games with action, try Gaara vs. Deidara 0.7! You will play as Gaara in this game. Try to beat Deidara with different fighting styles. This game is perfect if you want to relax for a few minutes bit in between whatever work you are doing. It doesn't last long but that's the good point - it won't leave you bored!

There are lots of new Naruto games out there, like Sasuke vs. Itachi 07, Naruto Meatball Tank and Naruto Dress Up so make sure you check them out!

Four Anime Classics Currently Being Adapted As Live Action Movies

Four projects are currently underway to remake classic anime into live action movies. For each movie included here, you'll find a brief plot summary, followed by the latest news on their development.

AKIRA - originally released July 16, 1988 - Written and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo based on his own hit manga.

The story is set thirty-one years after the destruction of Tokyo and World War III, in 2019, in Neo-Tokyo, a huge city built on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay. A secret military project turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychopath with psionic powers and only two kids and a group of other psionics can stop him.

NY Magazine recently announced Warner Brothers is in negotiations with the Hughes Brothers to direct. On June 17, 2010, producer Andrew Lazar said that a new writer had been hired and that the movie is being fast tracked. He also said the first movie would be based on volumes 1-3 with a second movie covering volumes 4-6.

GHOST IN THE SHELL - released in 1995 - Directed by Mamoru Oshii. Adapted from the original manga by Masamune Shirow.

It's 2029 and the world has become interconnected by a network that permeates every aspect of life. Tokyo's Section 9 network security force must catch a hacker known as the Puppet Master who can hack human minds and leaves behind fake memories. Motoko Kusanagi is a cyborg officer leading the investigation and begins to question her own existence. The Puppet Master may have answers to all her questions...and strangely enough, he's been looking for her.

In early March 2010, Screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis said she would be submitting a draft of the script in the coming weeks. She says to "cross your fingers" because getting a movie made with a female lead is a bit hard in Hollywood at the moment. She was also once attached to write a script for James Cameron's adaptation of Battle Angel Alita. This information comes from an article by Son Goshin at LiveActionAnime.org.

NINJA SCROLL - June 5, 1993 - Western release December 6, 1995 - Written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri. The film is an homage to the Ninpocho series of ninja novels by Futaro Yamada.

Jubei Kibagami, a wandering sword-for-hire and ninja is led into a plot by the Shogun of the Dark to overthrow the Shogun and conquer Japan. Pursued by demons, Jubei joins forces with a deadly female ninja to fight many super strong inhuman opponents on their way to the truth behind this conspiracy.

In late February 2010, The Hollywood Reporter announced that writer Alex Tse (Watchmen) has written a script for the Warner Brothers live action adaptation. Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way production company has held the live action adaptation rights since 2008.

BATTLE ANGEL - manga written by Yukito Kishiro, called "Battle Angel Alita" - Anime adaptation of the first few books, called "Battle Angel" was released as "original video animation", consisting of 2 episodes, Rusty Angel and Tears Sign. Released in Japan as "Gunnm".

In the 26th century, a floating city, called Tiphares, dumps its trash onto the world below. In this bleak landscape, called the Scrapyard, Doc Ido, a cyborg physician, finds the head and torso of a young cyborg girl. Only Alita's brain is human and she has lost her memory. Doc Ido rebuilds her and later they discover that she has been programmed with an ancient cyborg fighting style. Alita soon finds out that Doc Ido works as a bounty hunter for the Factory, (the support organization for the floating city). Together, they take on many deadly foes as they try to unlock Alita's true power and potential.

On February 19, 2010 Avatar producer Jon Landau hinted on MTV Splash that the film, now being called Alita, may be filmed after Avatar 2, which is currently in development. James Cameron will direct the live-action adaption of the first three volumes of the manga series. More movies would cover the rest of the series if the first was successful. In later news it was reported that the film would focus on Alita's early development as she learns she's a deadly machine. Both Landau and Cameron are drawn to scenes involving Motorball, the gladitor-style racing battle for cyborgs in which Alita participates.

If you're a big fan of anime, or just movies in general, don't miss these four new live action films.

Japanese Animation

Japan Animation has a long history of animation, that in fact, it dates back as early as cartoon animation. It's even presumed that Japan animation may actually predate american cartoon animation. In July 2005 several Japanese newspapers reported a discovery of a small film stock of animation film in a private residence in Kyoto, Japan.

The aged film was approximately fifty frames long which accounts for a little more than three seconds of screen time. The film shows a boy in a sailor uniform drawing characters for a movie picture on a blackboard.

Unfortunately, a lot is unknown by this great Japanese Animation. Discoverers were unable to pin down the artist responsible for this great discovery and they are also unable to accurately date the exact age of the film. However, it's speculated that the film may date around 1907, which would predate the first Japanese animation by ten years and the first american cartoon animation by seven years.

Though, since the film cannot be accurately dated, the jury is still out on declaring the small Kyoto film as the world's first animation.

But even without the discovery of the Kyoto film, Japanese anime still has a very long history. In January of 1917 the first five-minute anime short was screened publicly and created by Oten Shimokawa, Mukuzo Imokawa the Doorman (Imokawa Mukuzo Genkanban no Maki).

To produce the Japanese anime Mukuzo Imokawa the Doorman, Oten Shimokawa used a similar technique that was used in first animated short called Humorous Phases of Funny Faces, produced by J. Stuart Blackton in 1906.

To produce the animation, both artists used stop-motion techniques that virtually applied to the same principles that makes static images in a flip-book to appear as if the animation were moving at thumb speed. The essential method was drawing separate images on a blackboard in chalk, film them for a frame or two and alter them slightly and film it again.

As Japan Animation moves into the 1920′s, like cartoon animation, there were many great films produced as theatrical-shorts. A few of the earliest and still viewable today are: The Mountain Where Old Women are Abandoned (Obasuteyama) 1924 and The Tortoise and the Hare (Usagi to Kane) 1924.

One of the most remarkable anime films in the twenties was The Whale (Kujira) 1927 as it is the first anime to feature sound. The Whale (Kujira) anime feature was only a simple silhouette, animated to move in time with the William Tell Overture instrumental song.

But none the less, Japanese animation has a long thorough history that goes back as far as the ever-expanding history of animation. And while many of these anime animations are now forgotten, Japanese anime still continues to invent and re-inventing new styles of animation for the world-wide audience.

Code Geass

This show has 2 seasons and it's best to watch both seasons. This is about one of the best anime I ever watched and you'll find it the same. It is about a young boy who has been abandoned by his father. He is a noble and his dad is the King of Britannia. And he wants to get revenge on what happens. After being abandoned like that, he wants to take over the world.

He wants to take over Britannia, which took over Japan. So right now, Japanese people want freedom from the hardship they are going through. So he sees this and then allies with the Japanese. It's more like he controls them with their lack of power and their huge ambition. So watch how he uses his smarts and manipulates the people under him.

He learns this new ability that lets him mind control people. But he only can do it once, so he learns how to wield it to become even more powerful. Season 1 can be seen as how he learns how to control his powers through unexpected terms. Then when he's growing, many things starts to happen and he needs to figure out a way to take over the world. But he finds out that there are deeper and darker secrets that no one knew about and he is the only person to solve it.

This story revolves around Lelouch also known as Zero. He is considered the savior and fighter for the Japanese and goes against the empire. Little did they know that he was using them to look after his sister, get revenge and take over it himself. These two seasons are something you absolutely cannot miss. It's great to see how to character builds and what happens. And of course, there are machines like Gundam. Go watch it and figure out what happens, the story is just superb.