When real life just isn’t cutting it, break out them crayons and draw some cartoons. Well, I guess these days you’d bust out that Wacom Cintiq tablet and model yourself some CG monstrocity. Whatever the format (CG, hand drawn, or a combination of), I lurv me some animation.
Here’s some special effects test footage of Optimus Prime that Michael Bay used to help Hasbro envision what a live-action Transformers movie might look like. Somewhere along the way between this test and the final film, the production design went through a few changes. A bit of a shame, really, because I feel that this little snippet is actually superior to the effect work we saw in the movie.
Kamina’s introduction from Gurren Lagann has to be one of the greatest character intros in anime!
Gurren Lagann is on my long list of anime series that I have to catch up on. All you have to say is “giant freaking robots” and “Gainax” and I’m fucking there. Reader Kevin Bahrt sent me all sorts of Gurren Lagann goodies to temp me including this screen shot that demonstrates Gainax’s tendency to sneak cameos of some of their previous shows.
I think Bandai has acquired the U.S. license to release this on DVD which means you’ll get three episode discs for $50. Yikes! Way to buzz kill Bandai. Still, looks like a lot of fun.
Anyway, here’s an English language trailer when ADV was still around.
UPDATE: From the comments, Kamen Otaku informs us that Bandai is releaseing three 9 episode subbed DVD’s over July, August and September for $29.99. Could be full of awesome!
If the live action feature fails to live up to the awesome of puppet benders, M. Night Shyamalan’s Avatar will suck an egg. I think if he gets the right cast together, that might boost my expectations.
So dear readers, who would you cast in M. Night Shyamalan’s Avatar movie? I dream of bald Tony Jaa! I’m trying to think where Bryce Dallas Howard would fit because he seems to like using her a lot, but for the life of me I don’t think she fits in the world.
Thanks to AZM regular Kevin Bahrt for the link.
I love the fact that we can embed South Park now!
Reader Kevin Bahrt sent over this clip where the boys give a presentation on the savage hypocrisy of hate crime laws. South Park usually comments on current events within the context of the show, but I’m not entirely sure what event this episode was riffing on. Regardless, I think it’s a fairly sensible assessment of hate crime laws in general. Well, as sensible as you’re going to get from the tele anyway.
[Via Comedy Central]
Reader Nathan Yuen sent along this link with a trailer for Batman: Gotham Knight. The DVD release will feature six animated shorts from different directors. The preview looks amazing. There’s only a quick shot but one of them looks to be inspired by Murakami’s Superflat style. Brilliant!
DVD drops July 8. MUST. GET!
[Via Wired]
Reader Kevin Bahrt sends word that M. Night Shyamalan is directing a live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender movie. And though the thought of a giant hyper realistic CG Appa fills me with squee, I hesitate to get too excited. Although Shyamalan is known for complex, and at times convoluted, plots and I have no doubt that he’ll treat the source material with a great deal of reverence, he’s not so known for his action scenes.
Avatar has a wonderful world to explore full of rich culture and amazing fantasy. But there’s also an element of superb martial arts action. The action in Avatar serves the storytelling much better than most other animated shows. It might be a good idea for Shyamalan to hire the action consultants who work on the show. Who better to teach actors the martial arts of the world of Avatar.
Cautiously optimistic for this one.
Hawk sent me this early in the morning to start my day. I think the trailer is a beautiful primer on who the Avengers are. Very well produced. Has an epic feel. Then they go ahead and ruin it with this whole Children of Avengers Avenge their Avenging Parents thing. That and I don’t like the character designs all that much. They’re clearly trying to pander to a younger audience. This is obviously not for old coots like me.
Sorry Marvel. I’m still holding out for anime Bats. Thanks to Hawk for the strange wakeup call.
[Via Marvel]
The bar has been raised! The live-action G.I. Joe flick will have to be at least as awesome as this video. I fear the chances of that are slim to none.
In the words of Biggie, “And if you don’t know, now you know…nigga.” And knowing is half the mother fucking battle!
Reader Kevin Bahrt sent along these fun Transformers clips. The first two come from the Autobot and Decepticon endings to the video game based on that Michael BOOM movie.
What I don’t get is why when Prime pushes the cube onto Megs, Megs goes all kabloomy but when Megs pushes it into himself, he becomes all “THIS IS CYBERTRON” and shit. I guess all you need to do to configure the stupid All Spark is touch it. Seems a bit too easy. Still, more entertaining than the movie ending.
Here’s a remixed clip from the second generation of the cartoon.
Oh Rodimus. Always in Prime’s shadow. I never liked Gold Bug’s redesign. And yet, more entertaining than the movie! And shorter.
Thanks again to Kevin.
At some point I’m going to actually watch this show, but for now, I’m satisfied with watching Exia ninja its way through mobile suit after mobile suit. Reader Kevin Bahrt tells me that the red one is Gundam Throne Unit-2 Zwei. I thought he might be this series’ Red Comet, but apparently, the Thrones get horribly pwned.
Even as a U.C. purest, I think this looks like a lot of fun. Sacrilege, I know. G Fighter Gundam was sort of like Gundam’s Dragon Ball Z. Gundam OO seems a lot like Gundam’s Street Fighter. Much faster paced fighting than G Fighter. I’m kind of curious to know if they use any CG for the mobile suits.
Thanks to Kevin Bahrt for sending along hawt Gundam on Gundam action!
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