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Bleach Manga Chapter 330 Scanlated!
Bleach Manga Chapter 330, entitled "CROSSING SWORDS", has been scanlated by Ju-Ni!


Bleach Anime Episode 190 Released!
Bleach Anime Episode 190, entitled "Hueco Mundo Chapter, Restart!", has been released by Dattebayo! As the title suggest, we are no longer in a filler arc... but this ep is mostly recap I believe.


Naruto Shippuuden Episode 080 by Dattebayo
The chapter you have all been waiting for, for at least 168 hours, has been released! The 421st chapter from the Japanese Naruto manga series entitled: Call Naruto Back!! - has been released completely translated in to English and edited to a higher quality than that of the original version which was released in the Japanese Weekly Shonen Jump Magazine on newsstands all across the glorious nation of Japan.


Naruto Shippuuden Episode 076 - 077 by Dattebayo
The 80th episode of the Japanese Naruto: Shippuuden anime series, the first episode in two weeks to be released, has come to us completely translated in to English via those nifty subtitles by the nice people at Dattebayo. This episode entitled: One's last Words

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Summary

In this world there are seven Dragon Balls which, when all brought together, summon the legendary dragon Shenron (Shen Long), who grants the one who gathered the balls together one wish, and then disappears for a year, scattering the Dragon Balls across the world with him. A young teenage girl named Bulma hopes to use these Dragon Balls to wish herself a boyfriend, and finds one of the balls in the hands of a mysterious boy with a monkey tail known as Son Goku, twelve years old and living out on his own. But Goku does not want to part with his ball (the only remaining memory of his dead grandfather), so Bulma recruits him to find the rest of them with her. Together they'll bump into many strange friends and enemies, on their quest to find all seven Dragon Balls. And that's just the first tenth of the series. Later parts of the series involve Goku fighting off enemies who want to use the Dragon Balls for evil purposes, and him and his friends stopping these people at any cost


Main Characters

Main Characters

Son Goku

Originally named Kakarotto,Goku is born a member of a fictional race of extraterrestrials called Saiyans. Shortly following his birth, Goku is sent from his home, a fictional planet named Vegeta, to prepare Earth for sale on the intergalactic market by destroying all its life.[18] Due to an injury to his head that caused him severe amnesia, Goku forgets his purpose, and instead focuses on becoming stronger for little more than the pleasure of it.

Son Gohan

Gohan is introduced as the four-year-old son of the series' main protagonist, Goku. Described as well-mannered and reserved,[2][8] Gohan's story begins following his abduction by the Saiyan named Raditz, Goku's older brother. Later, while Goku is pinned to the ground, Gohan's extreme distress exploded with the release of his dormant power, which allowed him to injure Raditz.

Piccola

Piccolo was first introduced as the reincarnation of the evil Piccolo Daimao, making him a demon and archrival of the primary protagonist named Son Goku. However, it is later revealed that he is from the race of alien beings called Namekians. Piccolo is often referred to as male, but since he is Namekian that means he is not male or female. After Goku barely beat Piccolo, Piccolo is forced to team up with Goku and his friends in order to beat newer, more dangerous threats. He also trains Goku's first child Son Gohan, and they form a bond so strong that Piccolo sacrifices himself to save Gohan's life.

Vageta

The prince of the nearly extinct race of alien warriors called the Saiyans. Vegeta was the original enemy of the series, hoping to use the seven Dragon Balls to gain immortality and galactic rule. As common enemies appear, Vegeta is forced into an often unstable alliance with the protagonists of the series. Vegeta's character is known for his bitter rivalry with Goku, because in spite of his vigorous training and royal heritage, he often finds his strength and skill inferior to Goku's. Later in the series, Vegeta reluctantly admits that Goku has a natural skill for battle, something that no amount of his own.


Summary

Summary

The Pokémon anime series and films are a meta-series of adventures separate from the canon that most of the Pokémon video games follow. The anime follows the quest of the main character, Ash Ketchum (known as Satoshi in Japan) a Pokémon Master in training, as he and a small group of friends travel around the fictitious world of Pokémon along with their Pokémon partners.

The original series, titled Pocket Monsters, or simply Pokémon in western countries, begins with Ash's first day as a Pokémon trainer. His first (and signature) Pokémon is a Pikachu, differing from the games, where only Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle could be chosen. The series follows the storyline of the original games, Pokémon Red and Blue, in the region of Kanto. Accompanying Ash on his journeys are Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader, and Misty, the youngest of the Gym Leader sisters from Cerulean City. Pokémon: Adventures in the Orange Islands follows Ash's adventures in the Orange Islands, a place unique to the anime, and replaces Brock with Tracey Sketchit, an artist and "Pokémon watcher". The next series, based on the second generation of games, include Pokémon: Johto Journeys, Pokémon: Johto League Champions, and Pokémon: Master Quest, following the original trio of Ash, Brock, and Misty in the western Johto region. The saga continues in Pokémon: Advanced Battle based on the third generation games. Ash and his friends travel to Hoenn, a southern region in the Pokémon World. Ash takes on the role of a teacher and mentor for a novice Pokémon trainer named May. Her brother Max accompanies them, and though he isn't a trainer, he knows large amounts of handy information. Brock (from the original series) soon catches up with Ash, but Misty has returned to Cerulean City to tend to her duties as a gym leader.

The Advanced Battle series concludes with the Battle Frontier saga, based on the Emerald version and including aspects of FireRed and LeafGreen. The most recent series is the Diamond and Pearl series, with Max leaving to pick his starter Pokémon, and May going to the Grand Festival in Johto. Ash, Brock, and a new companion named Dawn travel through the region of Sinnoh. In addition to the TV series, eleven Pokémon films have been made, with a twelfth to be released in Japan in July 2008. Collective bonuses, such as promotional trading cards, have been available with some of the films.


History
Main Characters

History

The history of the Pokémon media franchise spans over a decade from when work began officially on the first game to now, and has roots even older. It started simply enough as a hobby of Satoshi Tajiri, who as a child had a fondness for catching insects and tadpoles near his home in suburban Tokyo. Over time, Tajiri decided to put his idea of catching creatures into practice because it would give children the same thrill as he had.

With the help of Ken Sugimori and other friends, Tajiri formed Game Freak and much later the design studio known as Creatures. In 1975, the precursor to Pokémon was serialized in manga form as Capsule Monsters. However, the manga was unsuccessful and was discontinued. In 1991, Tajiri discovered the Game Boy and the Game Boy Link Cable gave him the image of insects traveling along the wire. After several failed attempts at pitching Capsule Monsters to Nintendo, Tajiri's new friend Shigeru Miyamoto pitched it to the company, and Nintendo began to fund the project, spending six years developing the games that would become a worldwide sensation. The original artwork for the games was drawn by Tajiri's friend, the artist Ken Sugimori. Before the first Pokémon games were released in Japan in 1996, sprites of Pikachu, Mew, Meowth, Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle appeared in Game Freak's Game Boy Camera in 1995. Around this time, Nintendo decided to change the name "Capsule Monsters" to "Pocket Monsters."

The first Pokémon games, Pokémon Red and Green Versions, came to the Nintendo Game Boy system in Japan on February 27th, 1996, which was the fulfillment of Satoshi Tajiri's dream and allowed people of all ages to catch, train and trade 151 creatures and become a Pokémon Master. Due to high sales, Pokémon Red and Green were swiftly followed up with Pokémon Blue, which had improved graphics and sounds. After the games, a Pokémon Trading Card Game was developed by Media Factory with its own set of rules. The first set of cards was released on October 20th, 1996, containing 102 cards, and became very popular. The popularity of the franchise also led to an anime series based on the games, premiering in Japan on April 1st, 1997.


Summary
Main Characters

Main Characters

Ash Ketchum (Satoshi)

He is the main character in the first series, but with the introduction of Pokémon Contests and the female co-star in Advanced Generation, he becomes one of two co-stars. Ash dreams of being the greatest Pokémon Master in the world. Ash's current pokemon that are with him are Pikachu, Staravia, Turtwig, Chimchar, Buizel, and Gliscor. During May's visit to Sinnoh, Ash starts to have a huge crush on May.

Pikachu

Ash's very first Pokémon and best friend. It has always stuck by Ash through thick and thin.




Dawn (Hikari)

New heroine and co-star of the series when Ash comes to Sinnoh, she dreams of being a great coordinator like her mother. She was the first girl that was with Ash temporarily to bond with her starter pokemon before she caught it. Dawn has a habit of saying "no need to worry" constantly, which has the reverse effect on her mother. She is based on the playable character in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.

Brock (Takeshi)

Former Pewter Gym leader, he dreams of being the world's best Pokémon breeder, and is Ash's longest lasting human traveling partner, having only been absent from most of Season 2. He also falls in love with most women he sees, mostly Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny, and in the Diamond and Pearl generation, his Croagunk would occasionally snap him out of it using Poison Jab and drag him away like Misty and Max did.


Jessie and James (Musashi and Kojiro)

A duo of Team Rocket, they try to capture Pikachu but always lose. They and Meowth have appeared in every episode except the first one. Team Rocket also starts saying a new motto in the Diamond & Pearl series of the anime; the English translation changed along with the Japanese version. Their characters have changed significantly since the beginning of the series, as they are more of a comic relief now instead of the prominent villains they were in the beginning of the series. These characters were created for the show and did not appear in the original games.

Meowth (Nyāsu)

The main Pokémon of Jessie and James. He has the ability to talk and walk like humans and thinks for himself, rather than following orders like other Pokémon. He used to be Giovanni's favorite, but his constant failure caused him to be replaced by the Persian.



Summary
History

Summary

Yagami Light is as perfect a hero as you could imagine--perfect grades, perfect public record, perfect looks--in every facet, his image is squeaky clean. This all ends one fateful day when the Shinigami known as Ryuk drops his Death Note out of the realm of the afterlife, into Light's schoolyard. Light stumbles across it and reads the directions: write the name of the person you want dead in the Death Note--with their image in your mind--and they will die in the manner you have specified in this supernatural journal. Otherwise, if the circumstance is not specified in writing, the victim will, within minutes, suffer a fatal heart attack.

Thinking it a stupid prank initially, Light puts it to the test when saving an innocent woman from being assaulted. To his horror, it works. Could ridding the world of criminals be this easy? Inspired with a new renewed sense of justice, Light indulges himself completely in his newfound power, self-righteously declaring himself the bringer of a new, utopian future-- --one name at a time.

Main Characters

Yagami Light

The main character of Death Note, Light is an extremely intelligent but bored 17-year old student. When he finds the Death Note, dropped in the human world by the shinigami Ryuk, he decides to use it to kill all criminals and earns the title Kira. His ultimate goal is to cleanse the world of evil to create a world without criminals and then reign over this new world as its "god."

L
The opposing force of the series, L is the world's top-rated detective and tasked with tracking down and arresting Kira. As such, he is Light's arch-enemy. He often takes drastic strategies to confuse and force the hand of his opponents, and his disheveled appearance disguises his brilliance. He enjoys sugar, and in nearly every scene including him, he is found eating cake or confectionary and drinking highly sweetened tea (since he never appears to gain any weight from this, it is assumed he has a fast metabolism, although he claims the amount of thinking he does uses up enough energy to counteract it). His real name is L Lawliet.

Shinigami
Shinigami, or Death Gods, are demon-like beings who live in the Shinigami realm. Shinigami are functionally immortal, able to extend their lives indefinitely by writing the names of humans in their Death Notes. By writing the name of a human whose fated time of death has not yet come, Shinigami have their lifespan increased by the amount that human would have lived

Summary

It is the 21st century. Robot technology has advanced to an astounding level. Robot workers are common, and can be found performing duties in virtually every occupation around the world, from factory workers, to fireman and even nurses. Doctor Boyton is the Head for the Ministry of Science and also a brilliant professor who is dedicated to his work. For months, Doctor Boyton has been trying to create a new type of robot; A robot with a soul, a robot capable of human emotions. After many failed attempts, his son, Toby, suggests that his father creates a "boy robot". Inspired by his son's idea, Doctor Boyton begins his research with new found enthusiasm. Unfortunately, Doctor Boyton's obsession with his research causes him to miss a lot of time with Toby.

After breaking too many fatherly promises, Toby runs away from home and is tragically killed in a car accident. Doctor Boyton, driven mad by his grief, goes on to secretly complete his robot with a soul in the likeness of his son. But the grieving father soon came to the realization that though his construct might look like his son, it could never be a real boy. After a while the scientist sold the machine to a robot circus. There, Astro was treated as a slave, and abused cruelly and needlessly but then was rescued from this life by Doctor Elefun, who becomes the head of the Ministry of Science after Doctor Boyton is fired. Elefun takes him back to Japan and trated him gently and warmly, becoming his legal guardian. He soon realized that Astro was gifted with superior powers and skills, as well as the ability to experience human emotions. Living with his newly built parents "Mum" , "Dad", and sister Uran built by Doctor Elefun as a family for Astro, and also his dog Jump, Astro lives his life as normal and happily as he can. He goes to school and has made many friends along the way. However having the abilities that he does, it is sometimes hard to stay out of trouble. Especially after he finds out that he has a brother by the name of Atlas, who has a hatred for humans and the way they treat the robots of the world. Using this hatred, Atlas tries to eliminate the human race. Astro, along with Doctor Elefun, are sometimes asked to lend a hand to help where they can.


History
Main Characters
Others

History

Tetsuwan Atom was called as Astroboy outside Japan. The black and white series was created, animated and produced by Osamu Tezuka (1928-1989) through his own company named Mushi Productions. Tezuka, like his father, was a qualified doctor of medicine but was more interested in drawing. Astroboy was a successful comic strip in Japan in the 1950's. It was released in Japan between 1963 and 1966 and was shown on Melbourne TV in April 1966 at 5:30pm Sunday's on channel 0. The TV week described it as "Cartoon adventure series about a youngster in the 21st century." It was the first anime series to be broadcasted outside Japan and became a worldwide hit. It lasted for four seasons with a total of 193 episodes were produced, but only 104 of them were redubbed and shown on TV outside Japan. In 1964, there was a feature-length animated movie called Hero of Space released in Japan. It was an anthology of three episodes; The Robot Spaceship, Last Day on Earth and Earth Defense Squadron. The latter two were a special treat for Japanese fans since the theatrical versions were filmed in color. In 1982 a colored version was released and shown in Melbourne throughout the 1980's. In 1996 it was shown here on cable TV. Many of these episodes are available on video in Pal format through Siren Entertainment and are still enjoyed by young children today.


Summary
Main Characters
Others

Main Characters

Mighty Atom (Tetsuwan Atomu; "Astro Boy")

The robot boy fashioned after Tobio Tenma (Toby Boyton), he possesses the strength of 100,000 horsepower and the heart of gold. He has seven amazing powers: flight, multiple languages, analytical skills, headlight eyes, strength, hidden weapons in his back and the ability to tell what's right and wrong. In addition he has a built-in geiger counter and radio system plus hypersensitive hearing.

Uran/Zoran
Astro's cybernetic sister, a superhuman android with a naive, tomboyish personality. Constructed by Dr Elefun as a "gift" for Astro, Uran is an extremely mischievous little girl who constantly lands her older brother in trouble. While lacking Astro's weaponry and propulsion systems, she in extremely powerful (50,000 horsepower) and regularly accompanies him on various missions (or attempts to). Like Astro, she is fully capable of experiencing human emotions - though being somewhat less 'mature,' she sometimes expresses them by being naughty or disobedient. Uran first appeared in Episode 25 (The Strange Birthday Present) under the name Astrogirl; in the manga she has always been known as Uran (although in the 2000 anime series she was renamed Zoran). In the 2003 anime & Naoki Urasawa's Pluto Uran has the ability to communicate with animals.

Dr. Umatarō Tenma (Dr. Aster Boyton)
Father of Toby and the former head of the Ministry of Science. Ever since his son killed in a car accident, he decided to build a robot boy who looks like his son. But when he discovered that Astro Boy couldn't grow, he sold his son to the circus.

Professor Ochanomizu (Dr. Packerdermus J. Elefun)
The present head of the Institute of Science after Doctor Boyton is fired and a fearless campaigner for robotic rights. Kind, patient and good-natured, he serves as a mentor for both Astro and Uran. Somewhat eccentric by nature, he tends to be excitable when faced by a scientific mystery, particularly when his opinions are questioned by his scientific colleagues. He first appeared in Episode 1: Birth of Astro Boy, where he rescued Astro from Caccitore's circus and takes him back to Japan. Elefun takes care of Astro until he is able to construct a family for him.

Police Inspector Tawashi (Inspector Gumshoe)
Head of the Tokyo Police Department with an innate distrust of androids and robots which lead to him of having a long-standing feud with both Dr Elephun and Mr Pompous, and frequently engages in volatile arguments with them. While arrogant, cantankerous and downright rude, he eventually comes to respect Astro's courage and abilities, even calling for his assistance in particularly difficult cases.

Police Inspector Nakamura (Chief McClaw)The chief of the police and the Gumshoe's loyal assistant. Played mainly for comic relief, he was normally portrayed as fat, dim-witted and gullible; a stereotype "clueless flatfoot" of the period. Nonetheless, he instantly recognised Astro's good side and frequently stood up for Astro Boy against his bullying partner.

Shunsaku Ban (Albert Duncan)Originally introduced as a private investigator in the first American dub, Albert played several roles in the Japanese strip series, including school teacher and martial arts expert. Like Dr. Elephun, Albert serves as a surrogate father for Astro and Uran, providing guidance and advice when necessary. While gruff and comically short-tempered, he harbours a deep admiration for Astro, seeing him as the son he never had, and even stands up to the formidable Inspector Gumshoe in the boy's defence. In both the original comic strip and the second 1980's Japanese series, he was Astro's school teacher (in Naoki Urasawa's Pluto he has apparently been promoted to principal), and his nickname was Mr Mustachio or Daddy Walrus. In the 2003 remake, he is notably absent from Astro's school, working full time as a private eye and is also the uncle of Ochanomizu's assistant, Yuko Kisaragi.

Mama and Papa
Astro Boy's robotic parents who were built by Doctor Elefun as a family for Astro. They don't have names, they are simply called "Mama" and "Papa". Mama is depicted as an idealized 1960s housewife. Sweet, kind and nurturing. She is entirely trusting of her son's impeccable nature, knows he would never deliberately lie or harm another being. In contrast, Papa is portrayed as something of a well-meaning blowhard, often jumping to conclusions and losing his temper over minor incidents. In the Sankei Newspaper Astroboy manga series it is revealed that Mama was modified to resemble Dr. Tenma's wife who had died of a heart condition shortly after Astro was sold to the circus.

Cobalt (Jetto/Atlas)
Astro Boy's cybernetic brother and arch-enemy. His origins differ in the continuities of the manga & anime versions. In the manga he is an inferior copy of Astro created as a replacement by Prof. Ochanomizu. In the anime version he was a defective prototype of Astro built by Dr. Tenma, then sealed within the ministry of science archives & later released. Jetto has abilities comparable to his brother's, but lacks Astro's intelligence and common sense. Clumsy, accident-prone and gullible, he is a constant source of trouble for Astro's family. Despite these problems, Jetto is often shown to be extremely kind hearted and loyal. In addition to the abilities that were copied from Astro, he also shares a kind of telepathic link with his brother that gives him the ability to sense when Astro is in danger & home in his location. He originally died a heroic death at the conclusion of the Midoro Swamp story arc in the Shonen Magazine serial version of the manga, but Tezuka later changed his mind & rewrote the ending for the paperback version so that he survived. In the manga, his name is Cobalt.


Summary
History
Others

Others

Eyes
Astro's eyes also double as powerful search lights, allowing him to see in any situation.



Ears
Astro's ears are able to magnify his hearing by 1000 times, allowing him to hear great distances.




Fingers
Astro's index fingers house powerful lazers capable of cutting through almost any surface.



Arms & Legs
Astro's arms and legs are both able to transform into rocket jets allowing him to fly.




Hips
Astro's hips house a powerful machine gun. Although technically in his hips, the way Astro is animated makes it appear as though the guns are coming from his backside.


Summary
History
Main Characters

Basic Anime Terms

anime (ah-ni-may): A distortion from the English word "animation" It is the word for Japanese animated shows (cartoons).

fansub: Anime that been subtitled by an fan (non-commercial).

manga (mahn-gah): Japanese graphic novels (comics)

manga-ka (mahn-gah-kah): The author/artist of a manga series.

mecha (me-kah): Large armored machines or robots used in combat. It is also a genre of anime that focuses on mechanized combat as a main part of the series. It could be considered a subset of the 'shounen' anime genre (see below)

otaku (oh-tah-ku): an obsessed fan.

seiyuu (seh-i-yu): The Japanese word for voice-actor

shoujo (show-u-jo): Literally means 'girl'. It also describes a genre of anime where one or more young girls, sometimes with special powers or abilities (magical or not), are a main part of the series. This style often focuses on romantic relationships or character development throughout the series. A subset of shoujo anime is 'mahou shoujo' meaning 'magical girl'. This focuses on one or more girls with magical powers that use these powers to overcome a challenge, complete a quest or journey, or defeat 'the bad guys'

shounen (show-u-nen): Literally means 'boy'. This is also a genre of anime that focuses less on relationships and development and more on action and fighting. Even in shounen anime however, the characters are certainly not 'flat' or 2-dimensional.


Brief History

Brief History

The origins of Japanese animation are hard to define but modern anime begins at the start of the 20th century, when Japanese filmmakers experimented with the animation techniques that were being explored in the West. Anime (ah-NIH-may) is a term for Japanese animation. The first documented time an animated movie was shown to the public was in the Kabukiza (cinema centre in Tokyo). It was named "Tekugukan". The earliest known anime (discovered in 2005) was produced around 1907 and consists of fifty frames drawn directly onto a strip of celluloid. The untitled short depicts a young boy writing the Chinese characters for "moving picture", then turning towards the viewer, removing his hat, and offering a salute. The creator's identity is unknown.

Osamu Tezuka, who anime and manga fans dub him as the father of manga and anime was one the earliest people behind the development of anime. His anime characters were energetic and emotional and his stories lasted for hundreds of pages with active pictures as well as words. The most noticeable feature of anime, which is the large eyes, is the design pioneered by him, using Disney’s cartoons as reference. The design allowed for a wide range of emotions which lead to the apparent differences between Japanese animation and other places. Huge eyes, brightly colored hair, well-endowed female characters, and exaggerated emotional expressions and gestures are typical of anime style.

Anime characters have been largely influenced by the styles of Disney. Not all characters have the huge eyes and tiny noses and mouths that most people think of, but for the most part, characters are drawn to look more western. Some characters sometimes shrink down really small and have exaggerated features. This is known as 'super-deformed'. It often happens when the character has had a sudden surprise, fright, or other strong emotion. When a guy gets a nosebleed, it's usually around a girl, and means the guy is attracted or turned on by her. It’s basically the same effect as when a girl blushes. A character will get a sweat-drop in reaction to another character or a situation where they don't quite know how to deal with it at first. For example, this can be a reaction to feeling nervous, frustrated, surprised, or confused. Some characters seem to close their eyes and squint when they smile. This is what is known as 'fox eyes'. This indicates a greater degree of happiness than just a plain smile. Some characters are even designed to always have these 'fox eyes' and can sometimes mean they are mischievous, like the fox.

Tezuka's black and white anime Tetsuwan Atom (1958), or Astro Boy in English, was the first regular anime to be have a formal set of characters. It centered around a robot boy who has an atomic heart. He is rejected by his creator and sold to a circus. Through the teaching of Dr. Elfun, the robot boy fights against evil for the protection of all mankind. This anime was adapted from his manga of the same name. During the 1970s, anime developed further, separating itself from its Western roots, and developing unique genres such as mecha. Notable shows in this period include Lupin III and Mazinger Z. During this period several filmmakers became famous, especially Hayao Miyazaki and Mamoru Oshii.

In the 1980s, anime was accepted in the mainstream in Japan, and experienced a boom in production. The start of the Gundam franchise and the beginnings of Rumiko Takahashi's career began in this decade.

The 1990s and 2000s saw an increased acceptance of anime in overseas markets. Akira and Ghost in the Shell (1995) became famous worldwide. Series like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop were popular in Japan and attracted attention from the West. Spirited Away shared the first prize at the 2002 Berlin Film Festival and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003, and Innocence: Ghost in the Shell was featured at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.


Basic Anime Terms

Our References

• www.animenfo.com
• www.bleachportal.net
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleach
• www.bleachexile.com
• www.bleach7.com
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_anime
• www.awn.com/mag/issue1.5/articles/patten1.5.html
• www.umich.edu/~anime/history.html
• www.animesekai.net/history.html
• www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/culture/anime_history.html
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fullmetal_Alchemist
• www.fullmetal-alchemist.com
• www.fullmetalalchemist.com
• www.animenewsnetwork.com
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midori_Days
• www.astroboy-online.com
• www.internationalhero.co.uk/a/astroboy.htm
• www.absoluteanime.com/astro_boy/
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astro_Boy
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Note
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Ball
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Piece
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Jack21
• www.myfavoritegames.com
• www.themanime.org
  
  
  
  
  

Summary

Legend tells of a mystical artefact that when used will increase it's possessor's power a thousand fold. Anyone possessing this artefact could in theory produce an elixir of extraordinary power that would heal all injuries, and give them everlasting life. It is rumoured to be red; a brilliant, sparkling crimson rivalling the most precious jewel in any museum. The stone's power is equal to the greatest of Nature’s fury and beauty alike. Even in the hands of the most ordinary person the stone's potential is amazing. Only an Alchemist knows the deeper secrets of the stone. By tapping in to the stone’s most elemental levels the Alchemist is able to transmute human life, the most forbidden of all Alchemical practices. Many have sought out the stone's power; all have failed. But a new adventurer has taken up the quest. A young State Alchemist seeks to right a most horrific wrong. His quest will determine the ultimate fate of an entire nation...and for himself. To seize the stone would allow him to restore life to those he loves, but it will also make it possible for the State Military to obliterate countless more. It is this burden that the young Alchemist bears. The power to create is but a breath away from the power to destroy. The story follows Edward and Alphonse Elric, two alchemist brothers, who want to recover parts of their bodies lost in an attempt to bring their mother back to life through alchemy.


History
Main Characters

History

Written and drawn by Hiromu Arakawa, the Fullmetal Alchemist manga series is serialized in Square Enix's monthly manga magazine Monthly Shōnen Gangan. It began its serialization in January 2001 and is still ongoing, with a new chapter in every issue. The individual chapters are also published in bound volumes by Square Enix. The first volume was released in January 2002 and as of August 2008, twenty bound volumes have been released. Viz Media began releasing the manga in North America in May 2005; as of March 19, 2008, sixteen English-language volumes have been released. So far the content of the manga released by Viz in the United States does not differ much from the original material. As of August 2007, the only edit that has been made is to a set of twelve panels from volume 8, depicting the Homunculus Greed tied to a cross-shaped stone slab in crucifixion style. In the U.S. version the stone was redesigned to become round in each panel, as commented by Viz to avoid references to Christianity. This change in the manga was made with the approval of Hiromu Arakawa.

The animation studio Bones adapted the manga into a 51-episode anime series, directed by Seiji Mizushima and co-produced by Bones, Mainichi Broadcasting System and Aniplex with character designs by Yoshiyuki Ito and scripts by Sho Aikawa, which ran on the Mainichi Broadcasting System, TBS, and Animax in Japan from October 4, 2003 to October 2, 2004. The English dub of the Fullmetal Alchemist anime debuted on the Adult Swim block of the United States cable channel Cartoon Network in November 6, 2004. A year and a half later, Canada's YTV began airing it on March 3, 2006. The anime's later story and conclusion by Bones is different from the manga, which is still ongoing due to a request by Hiromu Arakawa. During the making of the anime, Hiromu Arakawa was present in meetings to give the staff insight in the world of Fullmetal Alchemist, though she did not actively take part in any writing for the TV series.

A movie sequel, Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa, was made by the same studio, and premiered in Japanese theaters on July 23, 2005. A series of five Original video animations (OVAs) were also released. Most of them are noted to have little to no plot continuity. These OVAs also include a live action segment with Alphonse Elric travelling around a city. In March 2006 a DVD featuring these OVAs was released in Japan with the name of Fullmetal Alchemist: Premium Collection. In the 20th manga volume, Arakawa announced that a second Fullmetal Alchemist anime television series is currently being produced. Earlier speculation from a purported document leaks has Bones again acting as the production company and Yasuhiro Irie taking over as the series director. The title of the new series and the expected premier date have not yet been released.


Summary
Main Characters