Books: Fragrant Orchid
By Jasper Sharp.
People often assume that the animated muse in Satoshi Kon’s celebration of Japan’s cinematic heritage, Millennium Actress (2001), was based on Setsuko Hara, the film star who anchored Yasujiro Ozu classics like Tokyo Story, and who retired from the screen for fifty years of self-imposed exile. There is, however, at least one other candidate contributing to Kon’s composite character. Yoshiko Yamaguchi played a controversial role in Imperial Japan’s colony of Manchuria (Manchukuo) in China, and also bowed out from the limelight at the tail end of Japanese cinema’s Golden Age, with her final film, Tokyo Holidays, released in 1958.
First published in Japan in 1987 as Ri Koran: Watashi no hansei (or ‘Half My Life as Li Xianglan”), her memoir Fragrant Orchid: The Story of My Early Life chronicles the intersection between national, cultural, political, domestic and personal life in Imperial Japan and its annexed territory on the Asian mainland during the war years.
[Unboxing] Snow White with the Red Hair Season 1 & 2 Collection. Check out this Ltd Collector's Edition Blu-ray set exclusive to AllTheAnime.com.
From the studio that brought you Fullmetal Alchemist, Eureka Seven and Wolf's Rain to name a few, came the series Snow White with the Red Hair. A visually gorgeous series with a wonderful cast of characters determined to protect the main protagonist, Shirayuki, from a danger that forced to leave her home and help her achieve her dream.
The series has dazzled fans since it aired back in the summer of 2015 (yes, it's been that long) and now we're delighted to bring you a set that combines both seasons of the series into one collection that's currently available to purchase exclusively at our AllTheAnime.com online shop right now!
Read on below for the details on what to expect with this set that is shipping now.
ABOUT SNOW WHITE WITH THE RED HAIR
Season 1 & 2 synopsis: Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Tanbarun, there lived an independent young woman with beautiful red hair. A skilled herbalist by trade, Shirayuki used her knowledge of plants and medicine to heal the people of her city. But when her apple-red hair drew the unwanted attention of the devious Prince Raj, she was left with two options become his unwilling concubine, or leave her home forever. In the dead of night, she cut her hair and escaped to the neighboring kingdom of Clarines where she was found by a kind young man named Zen. The mysterious stranger turned out to be none other than the dashing prince of her newfound kingdom. And with his protection, Shirayuki was finally free to chase her dreams.
Now, she's set her sights on becoming a royal court herbalist and it will take a lot more than poisoned apples, scheming lords, and challenging exams to stand in her way.
You can watch trailers for both seasons, originally published ahead of their respective individual releases, below.
ADDITIONIAL INFORMATION
- Want to know more about the series? Have a read of the piece written at our blog by Andrew Osmond HERE.
WHAT'S INSIDE? WHAT'S ON THE DISCS?
This AllTheAnime.com exclusive set comes packed in a beautiful rigid case. Inside that you'll find two amaray cases that store the series and a 30-page booklet showcasing various key art of the series.
Across the four Blu-ray discs included you get both seasons of the series (24 episodes) with options to watch them with in either English or Japanese with English subtitles. Extras wise you get Episode commentaries, Promotional videos, Commercial collection and Textless Opening & Closing themes.
WHERE CAN I BUY THIS?
We've said it a couple of times but to confirm, this is currently exclusive to our AllTheAnime.com online shop. The product is in stock and shipping now! You can order it in the link below
Also worth noting that this will likely be available to purchase at events we exhibit at too.
PHOTOS OF THE FINISHED PRODUCT
And now it's time for photos of what we've been talking about. You can click on the photos to enlarge them too. Continue Reading
[Unboxing] Assassination Classroom Season 1 & 2 Blu-ray Collection. Check out this limited edition set exclusive to the AllTheAnime.com online shop.
If you're looking for a series that's sure to provide a whole bunch of laughs then Assassination Classroom is a sure to be right up your alley. With all sorts of emotion, and featuring a unique and diverse cast of characters - a cast who have an alien as a their teacher, who is planning to destroy the world before the school year is up - there's plenty to enjoy here.
Back in December we revealed that we would release a special Blu-ray set (that's currently exclusive to our AllTheAnime.com online shop) collecting both seasons of the series. With this set now in stock and shipping, it's the perfect time to bring you a full unboxing of this! If you're not familiar with the series, we'll give you a quick primer into the bargain.
Read on below for all the info.
ABOUT ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM
© Yusei Matsui/SHUEISHA,ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM Committee
Season 1 Synopsis: At Kunugigaoka Junior High School, class 3-E is the lowest of the low. With abysmal test scores and no future prospects, they’ve been given up on and hidden away from the main campus at the top of a deserted mountain. But when a super-powered tentacled creature with a thirst for destruction becomes their new teacher, they’ve got a brand new assignment to get them inspired about school: take him out.
In addition to reading, writing, and arithmetic, the murderous monster behind the lectern will teach his students everything he knows about the assassination game. Should some eager beaver prove to be a Grade-A assassin, he or she will save Earth from extinction – and collect a hefty reward. But they’d better study up, because their saboteur sensei has already taken out most of the moon, and our planet is next on his list!
You can watch trailers for the series (originally published when individual Blu-ray volumes were first being released) below -
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- Want to read more about the series? You can read a piece at our blog about Season 1 HERE and another piece about Season 2 HERE.
WHAT'S INSIDE? WHAT'S ON THE DISCS?
This AllTheAnime.com Exclusive release brings both seasons of the series together into one collection. It's presented inside a rigid case, and inside that you'll find an Amaray case containing the first season (22 episodes) over four Blu-ray discs, and another case containing another four Blu-ray discs with the second season (25 episodes). In addition to that you'll also find a 30-page booklet containing character art and key visuals from across both seasons of the series.
On the discs themselves you'll find the following -
Season 1 Discs
- All 22 episodes of Season 1 with English and original Japanese with English subtitles audio options over 4 Blu-ray discs.
- On-disc extras (spread over the four discs) include: Episode commentaries, OVA episode 0 "Meeting Time", Interview with the cast, Clean Opening and Closing title sequences, Top 10 Moments featurette, Textless Opening Song “Jiriki Hongan Revolution” Version 1, Textless Opening Song “Jiriki Hongan Revolution” Version 2, Textless Closing Song “Hello, shooting-star”, Previews for each episode in season 1.
Season 2 Discs
- All 25 episodes of the second season spread over four discs with both English and original Japanese with English subtitles audio options.
- On-discs extras across these discs are: Episode commentaries, "The Many Faces of Koro Sensei", Textless Opening and Endings, Top Ten Moments: Assassination Classroom Season 2, Textless Opening Song: “QUESTION”, Textless Opening Song “Bye-Bye, Yesterday”, Textless Closing Song “Waning Moon”, Textless Closing Song “This Day I Can See You Again”, Previews.
WHERE CAN I ORDER THIS?
We've mentioned it a few times, but to reiterate: this product is currently exclusive to our AllTheAnime.com online shop. You can order it at the link below
It's also worth noting that should you attend an event we are exhibiting at in the future, we'll likely have some units available at those too.
PHOTOS OF THE FINISHED PRODUCT
And now for some photos of the finished product for you. Worth mentioning that you can click on them to enlarge them too. Continue Reading
Invention for Destruction
By Andrew Osmond.
Invention for Destruction, now available on Blu-ray and DVD from the Second Run label, is a Czech film; yet this wondrous retro-fantasy, lovingly restored, should be of interest to any fan of Laputa, Steamboy, Nadia, Gankutsuou and Howl’s Moving Castle. Invention is a steampunk film, but it’s also deeply, magically surreal; it’s a fusion of live-action and animation that’s practically unique in the world. Continue Reading
Books: Living Colour
By Motoko Tamamuro.
Yasuko Shibaguchi’s book, The Colour Artisan of Animation, is one of the (currently) untranslated gems of anime history, an account of the career of Michiyo Yasuda (1939-2016), described by Hayao Miyazaki as “three times sharper and more particular than me,” and a mainstay of Studio Ghibli. This biography throws light on the overlooked world of animation finishing, a real backstage job, usually undertaken by a group of girls in a factory-like environment, a vital part of the animation process, but often overlooked by observers focussing on the more glamorous work of animation itself. Yasuda was a major influence in the elevation of finish animators in industry understanding, and without her input, the fantastic worlds of Ghibli’s films would have been very difficult. It can hence be read as the biography of a particular Japanese woman, but also as a history of women, and of animation. Continue Reading