Geek of Oz

Every day, from now until Christmas, the mad people at Madman will be announcing a new title for us to look forward to in the new year. Today's title announcement is.... #11 – NARUTO SHIPPUDEN MOVIE 5: BLOOD PRISON  In this exciting new movie, the world’s most popular ninja is falsely sent to a notorious prison for attempting to assassinate the Raikage, the leader of the Hidden Cloud Village. Someone is out to end Naruto’s life and he will have to stay alive long enough to prove his innocence and uncover the truth before time runs out for him and his friends! NARUTO SHIPPUDEN MOVIE 5: BLOOD PRISON comes to DVD, Blu-Ray and Digital in April, 2014. You can check out the rest of Madman's announcements  HERE .

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.

Games based on some other form of media franchise such as film, animation or comic books have a tendency to stink. Hell, I'd even go so far as to say that the Superman Returns video game of 2006 smelled like blue cheese covered in burnt hair. Thankfully, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 smells as fresh as a daisy - a massive, deadly daisy.

To celebrate the release of Hellsing Ultimate we were lucky enough to speak with the long time voice of Alucard, Mr Crispin Freeman.  After years in "the biz" Mr Freeman lends us his knowledge of acting and mythology and shows why he is just as interesting as the characters he portrays. Also, at the end of our interview you'll find details on how YOU could chat with Mr Freeman thanks to the good folks at Madman!

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!

Although not due for release until 2013, the latest incarnation of the Naruto Ninja Storm franchise, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3, has an all new gameplay trailer and details on what you can expect. Keeping in step with the manga series our eponymous hero, Naruto, will do battle with "The Masked Man" and defend Kanoha from Nine Tails himself.  If you have any idea of what that means, you should have just wet your pants a little. If you don't know just rely on the fact that this is going to be an anime styled action epic based on one of the most successful manga franchises of all time, 'nuff said. Check out further details and a gameplay trailer after the jump!

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!

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."

*GASP* What a mouthful! You almost need to have ninja skills just to get the title out in one breath. Anyhoo, Namco Bandai Australia have announced that NS:UNSG has entered the manufacturing phase in preparation for its March 29 release but if you want a taste of what's to come you can download the demo now from Xbox Live or the Playstation Network. Otherwise, check out the latest press release and a couple of anime cut scene trailers after the jump!

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!

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.