New Sailor Moon Anime 2013

Attention all Moonies and Luna-tics!!

During a live Sailor Moon 20th Anniversary event in Tokyo, Japan, it was announced that a reboot of the Sailor Moon anime is coming out in Summer 2013!
There isn't much information out yet, but here's what is known:
The anime will be a series, not just a movie.
Momoiro Clover Z will sing the new opening. (Originally rumored to be this song although no one is really sure)
Supposedly, the series will be release SIMULTANEOUSLY WORLD WIDE, although no one knows if it will be subbed/dubbed or both.
The series will be a reboot - not a continuation of the original anime. (Like Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood)

So those are the (mostly) facts we know so far! More updates are expected.

Valentines and Other Heartwarming Things

Whether finding the day a commercialized excuse to sell greeting cards and chocolate or finding it a reminder of bitter loneliness, many find Valentine's Day an overrated holiday. Personally, I'm in the camp of the saps whose insides squirm like a jellyfish when surrounded by hearts and teddy bears.
Though I recently ended a relationship and spent the evening alone, I found plenty of reasons to feel the love, so to speak. And so, in honor of those who may wish to celebrate Valentine's Day without the company of another, here are a few things to love loving.

1. Watch some shoujo. Whether its saccharine sweet shows like Card Captor Sakura, or edgy rock-n-roll themed Nana, curl up and remind yourself that love - in it's innocence, it's control, it's pandemonium - is chaotically awesome.

2. Watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's impossible to watch the show in all it's butt-kicking glory and not get drawn into the personal relationships that form and fail throughout the series. A dreamy vampire with a soul? A teenage werewolf who plays bass? Witches and demons and ghosts, all tangled together, screwing up or obsessing with all the drama of young love. And if you're not into the mushy stuff, you can always watch Buffy literally stab Angel through the heart in a major metaphor for heartbreak.

3. Spoil yourself like a princess. Get a manicure, give yourself a facial or buy something frivolous, like a killer pair of heels or a leather jacket. Or for the manlier folks - score tickets to a show or sporting event that you'd never normally buy for yourself. Remind yourself that loving your own life is just as awesome as loving someone else.

4. Curl up with a good book. Modern urban fantasy can really draw you in while keeping your adrenaline pumping, while Gothic classics like Wuthering Heights can remind you that love can be scary and haunting. Getting drawn into a world full of someone else's fictional problems can help you sort out your own.

5. Try something new. You don't have to go skydiving to get a thrill out of life. Trying something more down to earth (in the less literal sense), like dance lessons or kick boxing, or learning to make your own sushi, can remind you that the world is full of new and wild experiences. Like the rush of falling for someone, you can get a kick out of everyday life if you're willing to explore.

So there you have it. Five great ways to avoid V-Day dread and to celebrate love in a totally different way. Love yourself, love your life, and the rest will sort itself out.

Sailor Moon manga re-release!

Long time, no post!

Super excited that the re-release of the Sailor Moon manga starts tomorrow with Vol. 1 of Sailor Moon and (for the first time ever in English!) Sailor V Vol. 1!!

After dealing with an earth quake, a hurricane and a lot of chaos at work, I'm looking forward to reading (a hopefully more faithful translation) of my all time favorite manga!

Things already look promising - Usagi, who in the English translation of the manga was called Bunny (Serena from the North American anime), will keep her Japanese name! My only questions - will the Sailor Senshi be called warriors, scouts, soldiers, guardians or did the translators leave in the Japanese word?

Can't wait can't wait can't wait!

Now if only we could get an English release of Parallel Moon...

Borders, I will miss you!

For those who haven't heard, Borders bookstores are closing. When I heard, a piece of me died.

To me, Borders was not just a bookstore, it was MY bookstore. The staff know me not only by name, but also by my taste in books. Every visit, the cheery staff would suggest books for me - not by what I was buying that day, but by what I'd purchased in the past. We'd talk about literature, manga, cheezy pop lit, the abomination that is Nicholas Sparks, the lameness of Twilight, gems such as Water for Elephants, and the infuriating predictability of most paperbacks. Borders wasn't just a bookstore to me. It was a haven.

Today, I went to Borders to shop there for what may be the last time. At first, I was overwhelmed by the number of people tearing through the store. The line meandered through the sci-fi novels, past paperback romances and straight to the cook books in the back. Then I noticed the mess - books sloppily tossed in piles on tables with bright red sale signs. Panicked employees scrambling to locate the last copies of obscure titles for irritated customers. And scores of dissatisfied customers pawing through novels, complaining to the staff that twenty percent wasn't cheap enough. (Because the staff, who've all just been laid off must be THRILLED hearing complaints as they work their last few days at Borders!)

It felt like being in a WalMart.

And I know that I can shop at Barnes and Noble. I know I can go to the library (and believe me, I do - despite our governor's major cuts to library funding and their significant cut in hours). I know it's just a store.

Still, I teared up. Go ahead and laugh a bit because it is silly of me. Honestly, I'm going to miss the sense of community and camaraderie Borders provided.

Diggin' this song right now...

One Reason by Fade.
This is the opening from Deadman Wonderland. It's pretty catchy.