Geek of Oz

Straight from the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump comes Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro's TORIKO , a series whose premise is so ridiculous, that it really shouldn't be as enjoyable as it is.  We enter the "Gourmet Age". A time and place where chefs are heroes and "Gourmet Hunters" battle giant, monstrous creatures purely to create their ultimate menu. If this sounds like a mash-up of Masterchef and Dragon Ball, it's because that's pretty much what it is but frankly, it's far fetched enough that it actually works.

In only 5 days time, Japan Foundation Sydney are bringing the highly acclaimed Evangelion Art Exhibition to Sydney. In what is yet another boon for the Sydney anime scene, Japan Foundation and SMASH! have announced a very special guest at this years show. The voice of Ichigo from the smash hit Bleach and Barnaby Brooks Jr from Tiger & Bunny, Masakazu Morita is a certified superstar. Having previously visited Australia for the Gold Coast Film Festival, Morita returns to our fair shores but this time exclusively thanks to Japan Foundation and the Sydney Manga and Anime Show!

This has got to be the biggest give away that we have ever had! Thanks to those awesome ninja masters at Madman, we have the following swag to give away! Before looking, take a deep breath and pop in some eye drops. Trust us, you'll need it. Okay, before we get into this, we should start off by checking that you're sitting down. Now, move any sharp objects that just in case you faint. Now make sure that you're somewhere that won't suffer when your head explodes from all of the awesome. Ok, ready?  - Soul Eater Complete Collection (Blu Ray) - Children Who Chase Lost Voices (Blu Ray) - Spice and Wolf Complete Collection (Blu Ray) - Bleach The Movie: The Diamond Dust Rebellion (Blu Ray) - Bleach The Movie: Memories of Nobody (Blu Ray) - Bleach The Movie: Hell Verse (Blu Ray) - Hellsing Ultimate Volumes V-VIII (Blu Ray) - Battle of the Planets Complete Collection (DVD) - Nichijou My Ordinary Life Collection 1 (DVD) - Infinite Stratos Series Col...

Quite often, people shy away from venturing into new hobbies purely because of the reluctance to dive into the unknown. The same feeling applies to anime. Where do you start with an industry that is so well established? What if you don't have friends who collect? Well, the good people at Madman have made things easier by creating their "Yokoso" imprint which is an introduction to the world of anime through some of the biggest and most successful franchises.  Check out all of the details after the jump!

Whenever a convention comes around you just know that Madman will be turning up with a handful of new acquisitions and their recent visit to Brisbane Supanova is no exception. Having wrapped up not more than 24 hours ago, the Madman crew have announced their full line up which includes a total of EIGHT new acquisitions and the confirmation of Hellsing Ultimate finally seeing completion. Check out the full line up after the jump and prepare to get excited!

October 2011 was probably the biggest month of releases for the entire year and this year October looks even bigger. It seems as though October is the month that Madman release big box sets and by big, I mean HUMONGOUS!  This year we see some of our favourites, old and new, collected into tidy packages which would make a perfect Christmas gift idea. That said, don't dilly dally because last years Fullmetal Alchemist Complete Collection sold out in no time! Check out some of the choice releases after the jump!

SMASH! 2012 was huge. Upon entering the main exhibitor floor it was immediately apparent that, compared to last year, numbers were well and truly up. Perhaps because of the fantastic line up of stars or perhaps because the state of anime fandom in Australia is on the rise. Either way, we had a ball at SMASH! and look forward to 2013. Follow on after the jump to check out a few photos from throughout the day (click to enlarge) and don't forget to check out our coverage of the Madman panel , the Hanabee panel and our interview with the lovely Sakura Tange!

The competitions just keep coming here at Geek of Oz! This time you can get your hands on one of five copies of Bleach: Fade to Black which have all been signed by the voice of Ichigo, Masakazu Morita, and and film director, Noriyuki Abe. Not only this but there is a very special little sketch of Kon on each cover! The third movie in the Bleach series steps up the action and the animation quality is a fantastic as ever! Follow on after the jump for details on how to win!

Tegami Bachi ( テガミバチ ) is a strange beast. It is so far removed from the shonen stalwarts like Naruto, Bleach and One Piece, breathing some much needed vigour into what can at times become somewhat repetitive. Fairy Tail can be strikingly similar to  One Piece  and Naruto to Bleach . Tegami Bachi (Letter Bee), on the other hand, is like nothing I've ever read. "Gauche Suede is on his last delivery before a big promotion. In the outskirts of Yodaka, the darkest area of Amberground, Gauche is surprised to find that the package is a young boy named Lag Seeing. Lag had been traumatized by his mother's abduction and is due to be delivered to his aunt. In this remote area rife with Gaichuu, Lag and Gauche face a dangerous journey that inspires Lag to become a Letter Bee."

I don't know what it is about the month of May that seems so underwhelming. Perhaps it has something to do with its placement. Its certainly not the beginning of the year but doesn't quite make it halfway. Plus, there aren't even any public holidays that spring to mind. It lacks certainty,  even its name makes it sound like a half baked effort; "I may!" Most noticeably, however, is the distinct lack of letters. What self respecting month has only 3 letters to its name? Sure, size isn't everything but I hear that November and December are much more popular with the ladies, April and June. Luckily for we anime geeks, Madman has a veritable swathe of anime being released to get us through the uncertainty, insecurity and undoubted self loathing that is the month of May. Find out what's on its way in May after the jump!

Fans of Tite Kubo's Bleach rejoice! Localised by NIS America (Nippon Ichi Software), Bleach: Soul Resurreccion will see an Australian release on September 22 on PS3 for the very first time. Not only this but the Australian release also comes with a bonus DVD! "Based on the popular manga/anime series, Bleach: Soul Resurrección depicts the battle between the Soul Reapers and the army of evil Arrancars that threaten the peace of the world. Bleach: Soul Resurrección gives players the sensation of single-handedly destroying an army of monsters and evil spirits with lightning-fast swordfighting action. Gamers can re-live the experiences of various characters from the anime by closely following the original story. The environments are faithfully reproduced with beautiful cel-shaded 3D models that will satisfy even the most devoted fans. Bleach: Soul Resurrección will give gamers an unparalleled anime action game experience."

Everyones pals Viz Media are all growed up! They dominate the market and there's a good chance that the first english language manga you ever read was a Viz release. Inspired by the wonderful mangacurmudgeon.com I've decided to put together a list of my 25 favourite Viz releases. But before I do, I want to congratulate everybody at Viz on a very successful 25 years and thank every single one of you for doing what you do and doing it well.